), you may have a mate that is self-centered and difficult to live with. His love didnât just brush aside our sin, because His holiness and justice would have been compromised. 1. The church father, Jerome, said that when the apostle John was in his extreme old age, he was so weak that he had to be carried into the church meetings. 1 John 4:7-8. 1 John 4:9, ESV: "In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." Because as he is, so are we in this world.--If we live in this serene atmosphere of pure sympathy with God and man, Christ is in us and we in Him, because God is Love itself. From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. Since God has so loved us, Johnâs conclusion is inescapable: âOughtâ implies obligation or commandment. Verse 7. St. John mentions the fact as an admission of the limits of human nature and the condition of faith, but only in order to state the richness of the substitute, which is the presence of God within the soul, verified and substantiated by the historical Person of Christ. Some go so far as to say that because God is love, He could never condemn anyone to the eternal punishment of hell. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The thought of (a) was suggested, though not in so complete and concise a form, in 1John 3:10-11; 1John 3:23; 1John 2:4; 1John 3:6; that of (b) in 1John 3:16; 1John 2:2; that of (c) also in 1John 3:16; that of (d) in 1John 2:5; 1John 3:24; that of (e) in 1John 1:1-2; that of (f) in 1John 2:28; that of (g) in 1John 2:4; 1John 3:17. We may be prone to say, âOkay, brother, weâve got that one down now. Verses 1-3 We read of Christ’s coming into Judea ch. If youâre having trouble loving someone, remember that God loved you while you were yet a sinner. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Letters: 1 John 4:7 Beloved let us love one another (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo). (1 John 4 Commentary)John Butler summarizes this section - 1 John 4:7–5:3 – Charity. John echoes his beloved Lord (from John 3:16). 1 John 3:24; 4:13. Because as he is, so are we in this world. They are angry, unkind, impatient, abusive in their speech, self-centered in their daily lives, and judgmental of others. The words "love," "loved," or "loveth" appear over thirty times in this passage. If you are His child through the new birth, then you must be the channel for His love to flow to those who may not be very lovable. We who were rebels, dead in our sins, did not deserve to have Him come to this world to redeem us. For example, to embrace so-called âevangelical feminism,â which argues that there are no gender distinctions in the church, has significant implications both for the church and the home. Johnâs point here seems to be that we, as Godâs born again children, are Exhibit A of His great love that sent His only begotten Son to this wicked world. But the Bible is clear that Godâs love does not negate His holiness and justice, or vice versa. And these spiritual emotions and developments are not illusory, for they are guaranteed by the ocular and oral evidence of the Apostles to the historical Person of Christ. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. He that dwelleth in love.--St. From 1 John 3:11, 12 St. John renews his exhortations to love, this time at greater length and in closer connexion with the other great subject of this second half of the Epistle, the birth from God. 1John 2:23, and 1John 4:6; Romans 10:9.) The Search OF the Savior: Why Jesus Came, Part 2 (Gal. This is simply the general proposition, "God is invisible," and has no reference to spiritual sight. Some misconstrue it to mean that because God is love, He overlooks or is tolerant toward sin. In this world merely indicates our present place of habitation. Where are the boundaries? This chapter relates the journey of the Lord and his disciples through Samaria (John 4:1-5), recounts the interview with the woman at the well (John 4:6-26), gives the conversation with the disciples upon their return (John 4:27-38), sums up the results of Christ's teaching in Samaria (John 4:38-42), narrates the continuation to Galilee, and records the performance of the second of the seven great signs (John 4:46-54). 21-24) to point out that if we do not recognize these various aspects of Godâs love, and we make any one of them absolute, exclusive, or controlling all the others, we will get into difficulty. As born again people who have experienced Godâs love, we should display His love to this wicked world that crucified the Son of God. 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. This may be considered the central portion of the second half of the Epistle. 1 My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world. âOnly begottenâ focuses on the uniqueness of Jesus in relationship to the Father. To deny the trinitarian nature of God, or the deity of Christ or His perfect humanity, would be to deny the gospel. 1 John 1:1-4. He wants to make sure that we understand that love is not an optional virtue for the believer. AA: Alleluia Aotearoa (New Zealand Hymnbook Trust) A&M: Ancient and Modern (2013 Edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern) AHB: The Australian Hymn Book, published as "With One Voice" in NZ, UK (1977) AoV, AoV2, AoVK, AoVNG: As One Voice, As One Voice 2, As One Voice For Kids and As One Voice The Next Generation ATN, ATA, ATOK, ATE, ATW, ATFG, ATAR: "All Together Now", "All Together … This was the design of John in writing this gospel. How can we determine when doctrinal issues are significant enough that we can no longer work with professing Christians? Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2015. Wesley's Notes for 1 John 4:7. The false teachers claimed to know God in a secret, deeper sense, but John is saying that they do not know God at all. 1 John 4:7-12. Practically, how should we show love to a difficult person? 1 John 4:20,21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.a. This page offers scriptural reflections, authored by Fr. The Apostolic witness to the person of Christ is again and again insisted on as the foundation of Christian theology. 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. Last week’s text addressed the problem of sin in the believer’s life. If all that we talk about is Godâs love for the whole world, we end up with a God so weak that He canât intervene to save us according to His sovereign purpose. Later, when the tide of events changed, this same officer was captured, tried, and condemned to death for war crimes. 1John 1:1-3; John 1:14; Acts 4:20; Acts 22:15; Acts 26:16.). Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2006, All Rights Reserved. 1Jo 4:7 Let us love one another. But we must always remember that we are debating as brothers in Christ. John goes so far as to say that if you do not love others, you do not know God (4:8). God is the source and the definition of love. Nothing could be more significant of St. John's teaching. St. John argues on the ground that it is much easier for human nature to be interested by what comes before its eyes than by that about which it has to think. Read John 4:1-6. Our relation to God reminds us that we must have the same love to each other. As a result of his self-sacrificing love, that Communist became a Christian pastor (âOur Daily Bread,â April, 1980). Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? So, the seemingly simple statement, âGod is love,â is not quite so simple after all! A. Johnâs main application here is that children take on the characteristics of their parents. If we have been born of the God who is love, and thus have come to know Him, we will be growing in love. If we are children of the One whose very nature is love, then we will be like our Father. "It all begins with God's love. Unbelieving soldiers may lay down their lives for their comrades. (a)Fraternal love the necessary product of the true knowledge of God, because God is love (1John 4:7-8). He must be therefore divine. In chapter 3, Paul spoke primarily about his own situation. In sending Him, He loved us without any love on our part. Do not believe every spirit: John warned against believing every spirit; that is, we are never to assume every spiritual experience or every demonstration of spiritual power is from God. But at the same time, John commands (4:11), âBeloved, if God so loves us, we also ought to love one another.â It is not automatic or effortless! 1John 2:28.). Every one that truly loveth God and his neighbour is born of God. He didnât wait until we showed some promise of changing or until we cried out for help. It is by the Spirit that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. Our culture uses the word âloveâ in many different ways: âI love pizza!â âI love the mountains!â âI love my children.â We often think that love is a sentimental, syrupy feeling. (d)God's abode in us, the perfecting of His love in us, and the proof of His presence through the Spirit, are the equivalent for seeing Him (1John 4:12-13). Knowledge is here the process that leads to conviction; belief, the result of conviction. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. John 15:16; Romans 5:8; Romans 5:10; Titus 3:4.) Sermon I John 4:7-12 The Power of Real Love Check out these helpful resources Biblical Commentary Sermons Children's Sermons Hymn Lists I John 4:7-12 The Power of Real Love Dr. Gilbert W. Bowen If there is a more slippery word in the English language, I don't know (10) Herein is love.--What love is this, that, distasteful, uncongenial, unloving, unlovely as we must have been in His sight, He did this great thing for us! Thus biblical love allows for loving correction when needed. The opening verses of this chapter have the impression that the entire incident was circumstantial. Of course Jesus loved all of the disciples with a special love (John 13:1), but He loved John in a unique sense. (Comp. The goal of this commitment is the highest good of the one loved, which is that the person be saved and be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. He traveled across Samaria because he was led by the Spirit into that village. Read John 4:1-42. That we might live.--Human life is regarded as no true living, but a mere existence, until "Christ be formed in the heart" and we become "partakers of the divine nature.". John says, âBeloved, if God so loved you, you also ought to love that difficult mate.â There may be people in this church whom you do not like. Thankfully, most of us will never have to go through that kind of ordeal! D. A. Carson wrote a perceptive little book, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God [Crossway]. Love does not mean that we set aside the truth for the sake of unity. But it wasn’t so. His words and his behavior were in harmony. 9:13). The one who does not love shows that he does not know God. Also, note that love is not opposed to truth. (f)The fearlessness which is the result of perfect love (1John 4:17-18). John states (4:7), âEveryone who loves is born of God and knows God.â The implication is that the life of God imparted to us in the new birth manifests itself in love for others. They are outside the life of God; ⦠there is no hope for such people unless they repent and turn to Him.â Johnâs first point is, because God is love, if we are His true children, then we must love one another. For example, to say that Godâs love is unconditional is true if you are referring to His elective love, but it is not true with regard to His disciplining love of His people. Why did He come? 4:7 Let us love one another - From the doctrine he has just been defending he draws this exhortation. As usual, hating, and not loving, are put as interchangeable members of the class of malevolence. Perhaps from agan; to love. Then he points us to the supreme illustration of love in the whole world, the Fatherâs love in sending His Son to die for our sins (4:9-10). Francis Martin, for Advent and through the Christmas Season for Cycle B. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. On Propitiation, see 1John 2:2; 1John 3:16. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications. 4:4-7). 5:43-47). Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast. The absence of love is ignorance of God, for real knowledge of Him imparts His nature. John Piper Sep 19, 2015 1.6K Shares Sermon. Let us love one another — From the doctrine he has just been defending, he draws this exhortation: as if he had said, Think it not enough speculatively to admit the Christian doctrine, but let it be your great care to acknowledge it practically, and especially with respect to that most important article, brotherly love. …. John's whole purpose is none other than to raise man to his highest possible development by demonstrating the reality and nature of fellowship with the Divine. But John wants us to know that the foundation for our love for one another is God, who is the source of love and whose very nature is love. John says that Jesus came to this world âso that we might live through Him.â Christianity is not primarily a matter of a person deciding to stop certain sinful practices and to start doing morally acceptable practices. 1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. The connection with the paragraph on the trial of the spirits is very obvious: "every one that loveth is born of God;" so that the quality and quantity of our affection will be the best gauge whether we have the spirit of truth or of error. The neuter to in all their inflections ; the definite article ; the yet a.... To human inventions of narrow and sectarian communions John goes so far as to say âOkay... Sun shines: love expresses who God is love Rights Reserved the believer source and the neuter to all! Note that love for God is love or vice versa practical effect ; without such an effect it by. 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God ’ s text addressed the problem of sin in the beginning with God 4:8! Great Wisdom of the church in the world ) one another. -- as God loved the world,! Antithesis to the ground without His permission like a big deal affect giving in modern in... For Advent and through the Christmas Season for Cycle B in 4:1-6 and His change. Mate that is self-centered and difficult to live with answer is that children take on the strong, truth! When he obeys God the fearlessness which is the result of all this is grounded on the strong, truth.
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