1 John 4:7-14

7: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
8: The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9: By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
10: In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12: No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
13: By this we know that we abide in him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14: We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

*** 

John encouraged his readers to love one another. He said that God is love. Love comes from Him. His love came to us through His Son Jesus Christ who was sent to the world so we who believe might live through Him. He didn't wait for us to love first, but He loved us while we were still sinners.

God sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins while we were still in sin. Since He loves us in this way, not because we deserved it but because He is love, we ought to love each other in the same way. John said everyone who loves is born of God and knows Him. The one who doesn't love does not know God. When we love each other, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. When we love, people see God in us.

This is how we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He's given us of His Spirit. The same love in Him has been given to us through His Spirit. This love is the evidence that He is in us. We have His Spirit in us. It's not the spirit of the world. It's not a selfish, sinful spirit. It's His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love and Truth.

John reminded them that he and the other apostles had personally seen and testified that the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. This is truth. What He is saying is true. It's not just a nice thought or a suggestion to love others like He loved us. The one who receives the love of God for themselves, but does not allow that love to change them into one who loves like the Lord does, how can this love remain in them?



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