Daily Encouragement: 1 John 4:7-19
Everyone, at time to time, fears something. They might fear that the economy will come to an economic ruin due to the COVID-19 outbreak. They might fear that the ‘Sheltered-in-place” order will last all summer. They also might fear that the government is becoming a police state. In all these things, one thing remains constant. That Constant is God’s Love. This virus should bring out the best in people, not the worst in people.
Today, We will be looking at 1 John 4:7-19. I picked this passage because it shows that God’s love drives out fear and worries. This passage also shows that we should bring the best to people, not the worst.
1 John 4:7 states, “Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” John was very relational when he was using the term “Dear Friends.” He wanted to speak the truth in love that we should love one another. Then, John gave a reason why we should love one another. We should love one another because love comes from God. “Loving one another” can mean a multitude of things. “Loving one another” could mean being nice to one another and not saying condemning words. “Loving one another” could mean sacrificing some of your time to help people in need. In this unprecedented time, “Loving one another ” is essential because it could allow you to share the gospel to someone who needs it.
Since love comes from God, Everyone, who loves other people, can know God and be born of God. God’s Word is amazing. 1 John 4:8 states, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” John, son of Zebedee, was saying that those who do not love, do not know God because one of God’s Attributes is Love. “God is Love” what does that mean? It means that God loves you so much that Jesus Christ was willingly to die on the cross for your sin (John 3:16).
1 John 4:9 states, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” Hmmm….What was John saying here? John was saying that to understand how God showed his love, one must look that He sent his one and only son into the world so that we might obtain eternal life. This inheritance will never fade away (1 Peter 1:4).
1 John 4:10 states, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Hmmm… What is this verse trying to point out here? John is trying to point out God loved us so that we might love God. God loved us so much that we sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This raises the question, “How can Jesus Christ be the atoning Sacrifice for our sins?” that is a very Good question. Jesus Christ can be the atoning Sacrifice for our sins because he is 100% perfect (2 Corinthians 5:21). Since Jesus Christ was 100% perfect, He was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:11 states, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Now, Here is the climactic moment. Since God so loved us, John is recommending us to love one another. Why? We should love because God loves us so much.
1 John 4:12 states, “No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Interesting, So if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. If we want God to live in us, we must love one another to bring God’s love to completion in us. This is amazing! If we love others, We will love God also. How amazing!
Now onto the second paragraph of 1 John 4:7-19.
1 John 4:13 states, “This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.” John was indicating that we know that we live in him and he in us since he has given us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comforts us and intercedes for us.
1 John 4:14 states, “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” The result of loving others is that we can see and testify that the Father has sent Jesus Christ to be the Savior of the world. Bible Knowledge Commentary notes, “The Apostle now reached a climactic point in his argument. He had just written that “if we love each other,” then the God whom no one has seen abides “in us and His love is made complete in us.” The result of this experience is that we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.” This is so important! If we love others, we will be a testimony that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
1 John 4:15 states, “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in them and they in God.” So if we accept the free gift of salvation, God lives in us through the Holy Spirit. Then, we, who accepted this free gift, also live in God. So, it is crucial that everyone should acknowledge that Jesus is the son of God and accept the free gift of salvation.
1 John 4:16 states, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” When we accept God’s free gift of salvation, we know and can rely on the love God has for us. So, since we live in God’s love, We can love him more abundantly.
1 John 4:17 states, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of Judgement: In this world, we are like Jesus.” We made complete by showing God’s love to other people so that fear can be drowned out with God’s perfect love.
1 John 4:18-19 states, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. the one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” So, we should fear because the perfect love of God drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. So we should show love instead of fearing what is coming.
Therefore, Remember we should not fear, instead we should live in the Love of God.
Tune in tomorrow for another encouraging message from God’s Word!
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