1 João 4
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 4:1
Wiersbe - A missionary to the American Indians was in Los Angeles with an Indian friend who was a new Christian. As they walked down the street, they passed a man on the corner who was preaching with a Bible in his hand. The missionary knew the man represented a cult, but the Indian saw only the Bible. He stopped to listen to the sermon. “I hope my friend doesn’t get confused,” the missionary thought to himself, and he began to pray. In a few minutes the Indian turned away from the meeting and joined his missionary friend. “What did you think of the preacher?” the missionary asked. “All the time he was talking,” exclaimed the Indian, “something in my heart kept saying, ‘Liar! Liar!’ ” That “something” in his heart was “Someone”—the Holy Spirit of God! The Spirit guides us into the truth and helps us to recognize error. This anointing of God is “no lie,” because “the Spirit is truth” (1Jn 5:6). (Bible Exposition Commentary) Brian Bell - (Music Artist Mickey Moore)- One night as we were packing up after a concert, we sent a young woman to pick up our children from the home they were staying in. Since the children didn't know her, I told her to give our son, Trevor, our secret family code word so he would know she was authorized to pick them up. A little later I received a phone call. Trevor refused to leave because the woman hadn't given the right word. The mix-up was on my part, I had said the code word was "Dinosaur Monster," which my son informed me was incorrect. "It's Dinosaur!" he said. "Are you sure? I was certain it was Dinosaur Monster," I replied. "I'm sure," said Trevor confidently. "Well, OK, son," I carried on. "You're probably right. But it's OK for you to come back to the church with this lady." There was silence on the other end of the line. Then Trevor said, "Who is this?" "It's me, your father, Mickey Moore! Now get in the car and come on!" "All right," he replied and hung up. It was an odd feeling to be interrogated by my six-year-old son. He knew the word, and even though he was given words that were very close to the real thing, they weren't true--and he knew the difference. Do you know the difference between truth & error? – You can’t unless you know the truth… "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Truth—the Safeguard Against Cults FALSE TEACHING Would you allow an enemy into your home whose mission was to destroy you? Of course not. But every day members of cults are invited into the homes of many who know no better. If the devil’s agents come knocking on your door, will you let them in? One day two members of a cult knocked on the door of a suburban home. They had their speech all prepared, a speech geared to gain them converts. The owner of the home opened the door and greeted them. “Hi there. We’re having a Bible study. Do you want to join us?” The two cult members knew they were out of their comfort zone when they peered inside and noticed a number of people with Bibles in their laps. The cult members politely backed up then sped for safety. After going a few blocks, the younger cult member asked his mentor why they had left so quickly. The older member said, “We’ve been trained to teach them what we think, not to listen to what they know. Those people, not us, would have been in control. From now on, let’s be sure we avoid doors with those fish symbols. We need to look elsewhere!” Do cult members ever knock at your door? God’s Word is clear: Send them quickly on their way. Let God’s Word be your protection. Trying the Spirits FALSE TEACHING 1 John 4:1–6 Carlos Santana recently won eight Grammy awards for his album Supernatural, which has sold more than 10 million copies. A recent Rolling Stone profile of Santana describes Santana’s spirituality: His meditation spot is in front of the fireplace.… A card with the word Metatron is spelled out in intricately painted picture letters lies on the floor next to the fireplace. Metatron is an angel. Santana has been in regular contact with him since 1994. Carlos will sit here facing the wall, the candles lit. He has a yellow legal pad at one side, ready for the communications that will come. “It’s kind of like a fax machine,” he says.… There are few conversations with [Santana] that don’t lead to discussion of angels, or of the spiritual radio through which music comes. Santana has been increasingly engaged by angels since the day in 1988 when he picked up a book on the subject at the Milwaukee airport. “It’s an enormous peace, the few times I have felt the presence in the room,” he says.… “My reality is that God speaks to you every day. There’s an inner voice, and when you hear it, you get a little tingle in your medulla oblongata at the back of your neck, a little shiver, and at two o’clock in the morning, everything’s really quiet and you meditate and you got the candles, you got the incense and you’ve been chanting, and all of a sudden you hear this voice: Write this down. It is just an inner voice, and you trust it. That voice will never take you to the desert.…” Santana credits Metatron with alerting him to the recent changes in his life. Sounds enlightening, doesn’t it? Of course, it is nothing short of communicating with demons, which the Bible strictly warns us against. We must apply the Word of God, testing the spirits of all who claim to give good guidance. If a person doesn’t line up with the Scripture, do not follow him. Be sure, absolutely sure, that the teacher you follow is of God. QUESTION - What does the Bible say about the prosperity gospel? WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith Movement,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God’s will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them. Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11. These men of “corrupt mind” supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a trap that brought them “into ruin and destruction” (v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas. Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts. A favorite term of prosperity gospel teachers is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, prosperity teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God’s ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive. Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the prosperity gospel emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.” QUESTION - Are all prosperity preachers charlatans and/or false teachers? WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - Before we can give serious attention to this question, we must first define the term prosperity preachers. Different ministries have different approaches to presenting the gospel. For example, relief organizations meet the physical needs of the destitute while giving the credit to Jesus. Some could interpret that approach as preaching prosperity, because many impoverished people equate Christianity with Western prosperity. They may respond to the gospel message while their real motivation is to be prosperous. However, for most relief organizations, meeting physical needs is merely a part of ministering to the whole person. It is a means by which Christians earn the right to speak to the spiritual needs of hurting people. But in prosperity preaching, Jesus is presented as a ticket to perfect heath and financial wealth. The true gospel is stripped of its focus on eternity and reduced to a means by which everyone can experience his or her best life now. It is that message we will address in this article. In the Old Testament, God speaks a lot about blessing His servants with earthly health, wealth, and honor (e.g., Genesis 12:2; Leviticus 26:3–12; Deuteronomy 7:11–15; 30:8–9; 1 Kings 3:11–14). Material blessings were part of the Mosaic and Land Covenants for Israel. However, the New Testament focus is on eternal, not earthly, rewards. Not every preacher who teaches the joy of blessing is a “prosperity preacher.” God does promise blessing to those who serve Him faithfully and follow His statutes (Psalm 107:9; Malachi 3:10–11; Mark 10:29–30). But a preacher who presents God as a means by which we can obtain earthly wealth is a prosperity preacher and a false teacher. This teaching portrays Almighty God as a type of jolly Santa Claus whose primary purpose is to prosper human beings and make their dreams come true. In prosperity preaching, man—not God—is the real star. Prosperity teachers use terms such as faith, positive confession, or visualization to “release” the abundance God has in store. Often such preachers will entice listeners to “sow seeds into this ministry,” promising abundant returns on this investment. The gospel becomes little more than a repackaged get-rich-quick scheme, with the ministers becoming richer than the listeners. Often, an invitation to accept Christ is given at the conclusion of a service that has been based solely around blessing and positivity. Despite the overwhelming responses to the invitation, one has to wonder: are the responders surrendering to the Jesus of the Bible or to a new-and-improved version of themselves? The shift from truth to error can be subtle, and some well-meaning preachers have been caught up in it. We must be careful not to judge a preacher’s entire message by only one or two sermons. However, when blatant prosperity preaching dominates a speaker’s platform, this is merely an attempt to make greed and materialism sound spiritual. Ephesians 5:5 has strong words for greedy people: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” While we should ask God to provide for our needs and expect Him to do so (Philippians 4:19), Jesus warned us not to stockpile earthly wealth. Rather, we should store up treasure in heaven (Luke 12:33). The imbalanced focus of prosperity preachers on earthy treasure is in direct contrast to the many passages that warn us not to desire riches (Proverbs 28:22; 2 Timothy 3:2; Hebrews 13:5). First Timothy 6:8–10 speaks directly to this kind of teaching: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” When earthly wealth is our focus, we are not following the teachings of Scripture. If the quest for prosperity dominates a preacher’s message, he or she may be someone about whom Scripture warns. The following are some common traits of many prosperity preachers or false teachers: • The core of his/her messages is always God’s desire to bless everyone. • There is little, if any, mention of Jesus’ words about self-denial, taking up our crosses, or dying to the flesh (Luke 9:23; Matthew 10:38, 16:24). • Almost all their teaching focuses on the gratification of fleshly desires rather than spiritual transformation (Romans 8:29). • Obedience to God’s commands is rarely mentioned as a prerequisite to His blessing (Jeremiah 18:10). • Positive thinking about oneself and one’s situation is often equated with faith and is presented as the means by which one can obtain financial blessing. • There is a marked absence of any teaching on the necessity of suffering in the life of a believer (2 Timothy 2:12; 3:12; Romans 8:17; Philippians 1:29). • Very little distinction is made between God’s children and the unsaved in the positive promises of the message (Malachi 3:16–18; Romans 9:15–16). • The speaker rarely attempts any type of real Bible teaching that does not support the continual message of positivity and blessing (1 Corinthians 3:1–3). • He or she stays away from passages that contradict the positive spin of the message (2 Timothy 4:3). • Personal wealth of the minister is often far above the average lifestyle of his congregation (Psalm 49:16–17). • The only attributes of God ever mentioned are love and generosity. Scant attention is given to His holiness, justice, and righteousness (Ephesians 4:22–23). • Neither the wrath of God against sin nor the coming judgment is ever mentioned (Romans 2:5; 1 Peter 4:5). • The only “sins” discussed at length are negativity, poverty, or a person’s failure to believe in themselves (1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Philippians 3:3). • Forgiveness is emphasized but with very little explanation of the repentance that was so important to Jesus and the disciples (Matthew 4:17; Mark 6:12; Acts 2:38). • The prayer of faith is often referred to as the means by which humans “leave God no choice but to bless me” (Job 40:1–2). There has been a subtle shift within Christianity toward a version of the gospel that the apostles would not recognize. People are becoming biblically illiterate and are thus easily swayed by preachers who appear to know Scripture but who are perverting it to make it sound more appealing. These preachers are attracting huge crowds, just as Jesus did when He fed the thousands (Matthew 14:21), healed the sick (Mark 1:34), and performed miracles (John 6:2). But when Jesus began to teach the hard truths of the gospel, “many of his disciples turned away and no longer followed him” (John 6:66). Waning popularity did not cause Jesus to water down His message. He continued to teach truth whether people liked it or not (John 8:29). Likewise, the apostle Paul exonerated himself before the Ephesians with these words: “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26–27). If today’s prosperity teachers would follow the patterns of Jesus and Paul, they could be confident that their works will not be burned up on judgment day (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). The late A. W. Tozer had some wise counsel on “How to Try the Spirits” (adapted from, Moody Monthly [12/79], pp. 51-55 - Read an elaboration on the 7 principles in Chapter 29 of Tozer's book "Man the Dwelling Place of God). He posed seven tests to apply to any teaching: (1) How does the teaching affect my relationship with God? Is He magnified and glorified, or diminished? (2) How does the teaching affect my attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it magnify Him and give Him first place? Or, does it subtly shift my focus onto myself or some experience? (3) How does the teaching affect my attitude toward Scripture? Did the teaching come from and agree with the Word? Does it increase my love for the Word? (4) How does the teaching affect my self-life? Does it feed self or crucify it? Does it feed pride or humility? (5) How does the teaching affect my relationships to other Christians? Does it cause me to withdraw, find fault, and exalt myself in superiority? Or, does it lead me to genuine love for all that truly know Christ? (6) How does the teaching affect my relationship to the world system? Does it lead me to pursue the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life? Does it lead me to pursue worldly riches, reputation, and pleasures? Or, does it crucify the world to me? (7) How does the teaching affect my attitude toward sin? Does it cause me to tolerate sin in my life or to turn from it and grow in holiness? Any teaching that makes holiness more acceptable and sin more intolerable is genuine. (Spiritual Discernment 1 John 4:1-6) Bait-And-Switch - Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, … because many false prophets have gone out into the world. —1John 4:1 - In an unethical selling technique called the bait-and-switch method, a retailer lures customers into his store by advertising a well-known product at a very low price. When the buyer asks to purchase it, however, he is told that it is out of stock. The salesperson then tries to sell him an inferior line of merchandise, hoping to pocket a bigger profit. The brand name was used just to get potential customers to step inside. In a similar way, a false teacher uses biblical words to capture interest and gain a hearing. He may talk about Christ, redemption, the cross, and the resurrection, but these “trusted terms” amount to nothing more than a come-on. The “seller” uses them to advertise truths that, as far as he is concerned, are “out of stock.” When an interested person responds, he is confronted by beliefs that are completely contrary to God’s Word. When someone comes along who says His message is from God, What he believes about the Lord Will show if it is flawed. —Sper Error often wears the disguise of truth. Deadly Necessities WORLDLINESS 1 John 4:1–6 It has been said “birds of a feather flock together.” This simply means that people of the same nature congregate together. In the same way, people who follow false teachers have attached themselves to worldly weights. In Jules Verne’s novel The Mysterious Island, he tells of five men who escape a Civil War prison camp by hijacking a hot air balloon. As they rise into the air, they realize the wind is carrying them over the ocean. Watching their homeland disappear on the horizon, they wonder how much longer the balloon can stay aloft. As the hours pass and the surface of the ocean draws closer, the men decide they must cast overboard some of the weight, for they had no way to heat the air in the balloon. Shoes, overcoats, and weapons are reluctantly discarded, and the uncomfortable aviators feel their balloon rise. But only temporarily. Soon they find themselves dangerously close to the waves again, so they toss their food. Better to be high and hungry than drown on a full belly! Unfortunately, this, too, is only a temporary solution, and the craft again threatens to lower the men into the sea. One man has an idea: they can tie the ropes that hold the passenger car and sit on those ropes. Then they can cut away the basket beneath them. As they sever the very thing they had been standing on, it drops into the ocean, and the balloon rises. Not a minute too soon, they spot land. Eager to stand on terra firma again, the five jump into the water and swim to the island. They live, spared because they were able to discern the difference between what really was needed and what was not. The “necessities” they once thought they couldn’t live without were the very weights that almost cost them their lives. The best advice you can give someone who is following a false teacher is to abandon ship and cling to the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lost Books? Read: 1John 4:1-3 | Everybody likes a good story, but many people are taking the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code as historical fact. Central to the book’s plot line is the allegation that “lost books of the Bible” have been suppressed by the church for centuries. These lost books claim that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children with her. This radically misrepresents history and is misleading many people. These alleged “lost books of the Bible” were found at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945. They deny the biblical Jesus and promote goddess worship, self-deity, and secret knowledge. So why did the church exclude these books from the Bible? Because the documents did not meet the criteria for authentic Scripture, which involved several central questions: Was the writer someone Jesus had chosen as an apostle? Did the book have widespread acceptance among church leaders? Did God’s Spirit speak through it? The “lost books” did not pass these tests. All the books we have in our New Testament did. God's words of pure, eternal truth Shall yet unshaken stay, When all that man has thought or planned Like chaff shall pass away. —Anon. To the wise, God's Word is sufficient.
1 João 4:2
Wiersbe - George Whitefield, the great British evangelist, was speaking to a man about his soul. He asked the man, “Sir, what do you believe?” “I believe what my church believes,” the man replied respectfully. “And what does your church believe?” “The same thing I believe.” “And what do both of you believe?” the preacher inquired again. “We both believe the same thing!” was the only reply he could get. - A man is not saved by assenting to a church creed. He is saved by trusting Jesus Christ and bearing witness to his faith (Ro 10:9–10). False teachers will often say, “We worship the Father. We believe in God the Father, even though we disagree with you about Jesus Christ.” But to deny the Son means to deny the Father also. You cannot separate the Father and the Son, since both are one God. Jesus says, “I and My Father are One” (John 10:30). He also makes it clear that true believers honor both the Father and the Son: “That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him” (John 5:23). If you say you “worship one God” but leave Jesus Christ out of your worship, you are not worshiping as a true Christian. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Know (1097) ginosko English derivatives - prognosis, gnostic, Gnosticism) means to acquire information through some modality, as through sense perception (hearing). However ginosko involves experiential knowledge, not merely the accumulation of known facts. Ginosko is one of the major verbs of the Bible and because of its numerous uses, it is not surprising that Greek lexicographers ascribe a number of nuances of meaning including to get to know, come to understand, to ascertain, to have intimate relations with another, etc. The various meanings are outlined, discussed and illustrated in the notes that follow. Keep in mind that the basic meaning of ginosko is to know by experience. Knowledge possessed through the intellectual process of learning is one thing. Knowledge gained by experience, by an active relationship between the one who knows and the person or thing known, is far superior to the former. Ginosko describes the latter quality of knowledge and is what every Christ follower should desire as their personal, permanent possession regarding the Person of Christ (e.g., see ginosko in Jn 8:32, Jn 17:3, Php 3:10). n many of the NT uses ginosko refers not just to knowledge in a secular sense but to spiritual knowledge. As Puritan Stephen Charnock said "A man man be theologically knowing (Ed: "Pharisee-like") and spiritually ignorant. (See discussion of Jn 7:17 below which clearly links spiritual gnosis or knowledge with obedience.) In a related aphorism Charnock quipped that "Knowledge in the head is as money in the purse; knowledge in the heart is as money for our use." Confesses (acknowledges) (3670)(homologeo from homos = one and the same or together with+ lego = to say; confess from con = together, fateor = to say) literally means to say the same thing as another and so to agree with another's statements. As discussed above (see especially Ray Stedman's remarks), this confess is not merely a verbal acknowledgement. Hiebert adds that "The verb “confesseth” (homologei, literally, “is saying the same thing”) denotes not mere verbal acknowledgment but an open and forthright declaration of the message as one’s own position. The present tense marks it as an ongoing acknowledgment, made whenever appropriate. Such a confession is crucial for a vital Christian faith (Rom. 10:9–10; 1 John 2:23; 4:15)." Bob
1 João 4:4
Wiersbe - The word overcome is a favorite with John; he uses it in 1 John 2:13–14+ with reference to overcoming the devil. He uses it seven times in Revelation to describe believers and the blessings they receive (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). He is not describing a special class of believers. Rather, he is using the word overcomer as a name for the true Christian. Because we have been born of God (1Jn 5:4-5), we are overcomers. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Paul uses the derivative word hupernikao in Romans 8 to describe believers as "more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Ro 8:37KJV+). We are conquerors because of Christ's victory at Calvary and we are now in Him and He in us forever and ever! Amen. There are 28 uses on nikao in the NT (4 verses use nikao twice). Note that most of the uses are by the apostle John - The NAS renders nikao as -- come off victorious(1), conquer(1), conquering(1), overcame(2), overcome(11), overcomes(10), overpowers(1), prevail(1).Lk 11:22; Jn 16:33; Ro 3:4+; Ro 12:21; 1Jn 2:13; 4:4; 5:4, 5; Re 2:7, Re 2:11, Re 2:17, Re 2:26; Re 3:5, Re 3:12, Re 3:21; Re 5:5; Re 6:2; Re 11:7; Re 12:11; Re 13:7; Re 15:2;Re 17:14; Re 21:7 As Jesus alerted His soon to be persecuted disciples These things (Ed: Always ask "What things?" - forces you to read the preceding context - See See Jn 13:1-16:32 esp Jn 14:23) I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world (kosmos - see definition below) you have tribulation (thlipsis = Notice this is a promise!), but take courage (present imperative = command to do this continually, only possible as we rely on the Spirit, not on self!); I have overcome (nikao) the world." (Jn 16:33+) Comment: Note that in Jn 16:33+ nikao is in the perfect tense which pictures the permanence of our Lord's victory over this evil world system and its evil ruler! Glory! We enter experientially into His victory by faith and obedience. "Trust and obey, there is no other way to be happy (blessed) in Jesus, then to trust and obey." (John Sammis)
1 João 4:4
Wiersbe - in his introduction - The Strategy of Satan Strategy of Satan by Warren Wiersbe - borrow the book or listen to the 2 hr 36 min audiobook free of charge Table of Contents, the introduction and Chapter One (Pdf source) See also my article on Schemes of the Devil What This Book Is About And How You Should Use It This book is about Satan and the strategy he has to wreck your Christian life and (if possible) destroy you. Four persons in the Old Testament had a direct confrontation with Satan. From their experiences we will learn the targets Satan aims at in your life; the weapons he uses to attack you; the purposes that he wants to achieve; and the defenses God has provided for you. Please keep in mind that this book is a manual of arms for the Christian soldier. It is not a devotional reader for the believer who has gone AWOL. It is a deadly serious guidebook for the dedicated Christian who is on the battefield and wants to know how to win. Please do not speed-read these pages. Read them carefully, especially the many quotations from God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand and assimilate these truths. There is no “padding” in these chapters. These studies represent the essentials—the rock-bottom fundamentals—of what God has taught me about the Christian warfare through many years of studying and battling. I have proved these truths in my own life and ministry. No doubt Satan will do everything he can to keep you from benefiting from this book. He will distract you and detour you. He will seek to confuse you, or perhaps make you critical. He will arrange interruptions. I suggest you ask the Lord for his help and protection as you study these pages. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Positionally, you are in Christ and delivered from the power of Satan. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Colossians 1:13 My aim in this book is to help you experience this victory practically. The truths in these pages will do you no good unless they are put into practice. Satan enjoys seeing Christians get a head-knowledge of victory without a heart-experience, because this lulls believers into a false security, and Satan finds them an easy prey. It is not the reading of truth, or even the enjoying of truth that brings the blessing. It is the doing of the truth. Therefore, determine with the Spirit’s help to put these truths into practice. Remember: you are not fighting for victory, but from victory, for Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan! When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [Satanic powers], He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him [Christ]. Colossians 2:15 Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. John 12:31 And they overcame him [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. Revelation 12:11 Now, on to victory! Related Resources: Multiple Resources Related to Satan Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible (DDD) - borrow this book - see page 722-728 Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology - PDF - scroll down to p343 - Chapter 19 - Angels and p356 - Chapter 20 - Satan and Demons Warren Wiersbe writes that "The danger on the battlefield is that we do not take the enemy seriously and therefore fail to put on all of the armor. By faith, you put on the armor through prayer, which must be done at the beginning of every day. Never underestimate the strategy and strength of the devil." (Borrow With the Word : The Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Handbook) Warren Wiersbe makes an important point about dealing with the devil... I was watching an electrician install a complex control panel. I said to the man, “It just amazes me how you fellows can calmly work on those lines with all of that power there. How do you do it?” The electrician smiled and said, “Well, the first thing you have to do is respect it. Then you can handle it.” Satan is a dangerous enemy. He is a serpent who can bite us when we least expect it. He is a destroyer (Rev 12:11; Abaddon and Apollyon both mean “destruction”) and an accuser (Zech. 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Rev. 12:9, 10, 11). He has great power and intelligence, and a host of demons who assist him in his attacks against God’s people (Eph 6:10ff). He is a formidable enemy; we must never joke about him, ignore him, or underestimate his ability. We must “be sober” and have our minds under control when it comes to our conflict with Satan. A part of this soberness includes not blaming everything on the devil. Some people see a demon behind every bush and blame Satan for their headaches, flat tires, and high rent. While it is true that Satan can inflict physical sickness and pain (Luke 13:16; Job 1:8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,1 7, 18, 19, 20, 21 - see especially Job 1:22!), we have no biblical authority for casting out “demons of headache” or “demons of backache.” One lady phoned me long distance to inform me that Satan had caused her to shrink seven and a half inches. While I have great respect for the wiles and powers of the devil, I still feel we must get our information about him from the Bible and not from our own interpretation of experiences. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Warren Wiersbe gives us "A word of caution here: never discuss things with Satan or his associates. Eve made this mistake, and we all know the sad consequences. Also, never try to fight Satan in your own way. Resist him the way Jesus did, with the Word of God (Mt 4:1-11, Ed: Lk 4:1-11, 14+ - note that Jesus as fully man was giving us an example to follow and fended off the Devil's attacks by being filled with the Spirit and filled with the Word! See Filled with His Spirit/Richly Indwelt with His Word - If you are not memorizing the Word of God [see also Memory Verses by Topic], you are disregarding and discarding one of your primary weapons against the Devil, the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." - Eph 6:17+). (Bible Exposition Commentary) Satan - Warren Wiersbe Origin. Satan is a rebellious angel who was judged by God and fell from holiness to wickedness (Isa. 14:12–15). The angels who fell with him make up his army of spirits opposed to God and God’s people (Eph. 6:10–13; Luke 11:18). Because Satan is a created being, he is not equal to God; though he possesses tremendous wisdom and power, Satan is always subject to God’s will. Nature. He is a liar and murderer (John 8:44); an adversary (1 Pet. 5:8–9); the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4); the ruler of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 John 5:19); a deceiver (2 Cor. 11:3); a destroyer (Rev. 9:11; Abaddon means “destruction”); and a counterfeiter of God (Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43; 2 Cor. 11:13–15). The word Satan means “adversary,” and devil means “slanderer, accuser” (Zech. 3:1–5). Works. Satan can seek to deceive your mind (Gen. 3:1ff.; Matt. 16:21–23; 2 Cor. 11:3); snatch away God’s Word (Matt. 13:19); attack your body (Job 2:4–7; 2 Cor. 12:7); control your will (1 Chron. 21:1ff.; 2 Tim. 2:26); destroy your possessions (Job 1:13ff.); hinder your work for the Lord (1 Thess. 2:18); make you proud (1 Tim. 3:6–7); cause persecution (Rev. 2:10); and tempt you to sin (Matt. 4:1ff.). When you have sinned, he can accuse you and discourage you (2 Cor. 2:6–11). You must claim God’s forgiveness by faith (1 John 1:9). Defeat. In His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ defeated Satan and his evil hosts (John 12:31–33; Eph. 1:15–2:10; Col. 2:13–15). God’s people must recognize the devil and know when he is at work (2 Cor. 2:11); respect him, because he is powerful and subtle (1 Pet. 5:8); and resist him with the Word of God and prayer (Matt. 4:1–11; James 4:7; Eph. 6:17–18). The believer must wear the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10ff.) and use the spiritual equipment. There is overcoming power in the blood of Christ (Rev. 12:11) and the power of the Spirit (1 John 4:4). “Nor give place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27). In Ephesians 4:17–32, Paul names some sins that can give Satan a foothold in your life: lust, lying, anger, stealing, corrupt speech, evil speaking, an unforgiving spirit, bitterness, malice, and so forth. Any sinful thing that belonged to your old life can be used by the devil to ruin your new life, so be sure to keep your heart clean before the Lord. Future. Satan still has access to heaven (Job 1–2; Zech. 3) but one day will be thrown out (Rev. 12:7–12). When the Lord Jesus comes to establish His kingdom, He will cast Satan into hell, the lake of fire, where he will be tormented forever (Rev. 19:11–20:3). Hell was prepared for Satan and his angels, but people who reject Christ and believe Satan’s lies will suffer in hell with him (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:11–15). Bill Bright - You’ve Already Won “Dear young friends, you belong to God and have already won your fight with those who are against Christ because there is someone in your hearts who is stronger than any evil teacher in this wicked world.”1 JOHN 4:4 I am afraid of Satan,” a young minister once told me. “You should be afraid of Satan,” I responded, “if you insist on controlling your own life. But not if you are willing to let Christ control your life. The Bible says, ‘Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.’” My friend lived in a city where one of the largest zoos in the world was located. “What do you do with lions in your city?” I asked. “We keep them in cages,” he replied. “You can visit the lion in its cage at the zoo,” I explained, “and it cannot hurt you, even if you are close to the cage. But stay out of that cage, or the lion will make mincemeat out of you.” Satan is in a “cage.” He was defeated 2,000 years ago when Christ died on the cross for our sins. Victory is now ours. We do not look forward to victory, but we move from victory, the victory of the cross. Satan has no power except that which God allows him to have. Do not be afraid of him, but do stay away from him. Avoid his every effort to tempt and mislead you. Remember, that choice is up to you. SUPERNATURAL POWER Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 JOHN 4:4 GOD'S POWER IS AVAILABLE POWER. We are supernatural people, born again by a supernatural birth, kept by a supernatural power, sustained on supernatural food, taught by a supernatural Teacher from a supernatural Book. We are led by a supernatural Captain in right paths to assured victories. The risen Savior, ere He ascended on high said, "All power is given unto Me. Go ye therefore." Again He said to His disciples: "Ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you.". . .The power given is not a gift from the Holy Spirit. He himself is the power. Today, He is as truly available and as mighty in power as He was on the day of Pentecost. . .We have given too much attention to method, and to machinery, and to resources, and too little to the source of power. Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift. We have hard work to do, and loads to lift. Shun not the struggle -face it; 'tis God’s gift. Be strong! Say not the days are evil. Who’s to blame? And fold the hand and acquiesce - oh, shame! Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God’s name Be strong! J. HUDSON TAYLOR STRONG SPIRITUAL WEAPONS - Joseph Stowell FOR OUR STRUGGLE IS . . . AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS. —Ephesians 6:12 Paul states: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10–11). “Watch out!” is Paul’s way of getting our attention. This is no time to relax. He calls us to stand firm and be on guard. His words are not meant to traumatize our hearts. Instead, they are meant as a wake-up call to our souls. We all have the tendency to slide into a comfortable Christianity. We attend worship services, participate in ministry activities, interact with fellow Christians, and enjoy the smooth, sometimes predictable, ride. Paul warns us not to get too comfortable. When we least suspect trouble, we can be a target. Our sense of security is only an illusion. We dare not coast through this world in a mirage of safety and happiness. We are involved in a battle. So what is the answer? Must we live in fear? No. We are to ground ourselves in prayer and in His Word. We must put on the full spiritual armor He has given us (Ephesians 6:10–20). Our struggle is against the devastating terror of the unseen systems of evil under Satan’s control. We must train ourselves to be on guard and alert and to stand firm in the mighty power of the Lord. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Alert. Prayerful. Standing. Declaring. Fearless—but only with the knowledge that the advantage of the all-powerful God is on our side. We have been given mighty weapons to extinguish all of Satan’s wicked schemes. In the end, we must use them to be victorious. Are you living in comfortable Christianity? How might you improve your soldiering skills? Ezekiel 28:15 - Blackbeard As a young man in the late 1600s, Edward Teach joined the crew of a British ship that was headed to the Caribbean. Much later in his nautical career, he managed to capture a merchant vessel and turn it into a 40-gun warship. Teach soon became known as Blackbeard—the most feared pirate in the hemisphere. Blackbeard had some success as a pirate, but his “career” abruptly ended when he encountered a contingent of the British Royal Navy. In a desperate battle, he and his fellow pirates were killed, putting an end to their terrorizing exploits. Long ago in the heavenly places, an angel fell into spiritual piracy. Lucifer was a cherub who stood in the radiant glory of God (Ezekiel 28:11-15). But his own self-love replaced love for his Creator. Desiring to be like the Most High, he led a rebellion and was cast out of heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). Today he and his henchmen are doing whatever they can to commandeer the lives of human beings (Luke 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:4). Even so, we don’t need to be afraid. Satan is a dangerous enemy, but Jesus sealed his ultimate fate when He rose from the dead. And He has given us everything we need to withstand the devil’s attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18).— by Dennis Fisher And though this world with devils filled Should threaten to undo us; We will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us. —Luther He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4 No Match For God - During the 1930s, a missionary in a primitive African village saw firsthand the conflict between the power of the kingdom of evil and the omnipotence of God. According to author Calvin Miller, a witch doctor had warned the missionary that the tribal god would destroy his school. A bolt of lightning fulfilled his threat. Convinced that the voodoo spirit would not have the last word, the missionary publicly proclaimed that the God of the Bible would strike the witch doctor’s totem with lightning that night. To the utter amazement of the village people, that’s exactly what happened! They saw this as evidence of the superior power of the missionary’s God. In the book of Exodus, Moses and Aaron could have been intimidated by Pharaoh’s magicians. Their demonic power was clearly evident when their rods became serpents. But God reassured His servants and reminded them of His superior power when Aaron’s rod-turned-serpent devoured the other serpents. The devil prowls and seeks his prey, His power can't be denied; But God is greater, and we know He's always by our side. —Sper The power of Christ within you is greater than The power of evil around you. Jesus Is Greater - Chinese communities in Southeast Asia and some villages in China celebrate the month-long Ghosts Festival. It is believed that during this time the spirits of the dead return to earth to roam among the living. So people burn joss sticks (incense) and phony money, prepare feasts, and perform in street theaters—all to keep the spirits happy. As a child growing up in Singapore, I was taught to fear those ghosts. One year I had a fever during the festival, and I was told that I must have bumped into some and offended them. Now that I know what the Bible says about Jesus’ power over the real spirit world of Satan and his demons, I have been freed from my former fears. Because I have placed my faith in Christ as my Lord and Savior, I realize that I don’t need to try to appease or fight evil spirits by myself. We need not fear the devil or demons. Our Lord Jesus is greater! And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God has willed, His truth to triumph through us. —Luther The power of Satan is no match for the power of Jesus. Shrike System - Read: Ephesians 6:10-18 | Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. —1 Peter 5:8 - The ancient sport of falconry used trained hawks or falcons in the pursuit of wild game. When the “educated predator” was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see. So a hunter often carried a small caged bird called a shrike. By watching the antics of the little bird, the man could always tell where his hawk was, for the shrike instinctively feared the predator and cocked its head to keep it in view. Christians desperately need an alert perception similar to that of the shrike to detect their spiritual enemy. Our adversary, Satan, “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Our responsibility, according to the apostle Peter, is to be sober and vigilant. In other words, we’re to be always on the alert. The devil is clever, deceiving us all, He cunningly causes the strongest to fall; But we his sly methods are sure to discern By making God’s warnings our daily concern. —D. De Haan He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4
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Wiersbe - We must understand “he that loveth not knoweth not God” (1 John 4:8) in this light. Certainly many unsaved people love their families and even sacrifice for them. And no doubt many of these same people have some kind of intellectual understanding of God. What, then, do they lack? They lack a personal experience of God. To paraphrase 1 John 4:8, “The person who does not have this divine kind of love has never entered into a personal, experiential knowledge of God. What he knows is in his head, but it has never gotten into his heart.” (Bible Exposition Commentary) If there is never any love felt or shown for others, it is a good indication that one has never been converted from sin in salvation. -- Chris Benfield D Edmond Hiebert agrees writing that "The negative with the present-tense participle (ho mē agapōn) pictures one who is unloving in attitude and practice. Again John’s picture includes all those so characterized. The absence of love in the life of any individual proves that he “knoweth not God” (ouk egnō ton theon); he has never come to know God personally. The aorist tense apparently refers back to the time of his professed conversion. Not knowing this distinctive love reveals that he is still a stranger to God. The absence of this God-given love in his heart and life disqualifies such an individual as a trustworthy representative and interpreter of God because of the nature of God as love." (1 John 4:7-21) (Bolding added) Unbelievers absolutely are unable to love with agape love for they do not have the divine nature (2Pe 1:4+), do not know the Divine Source (God is love 1Jn 4:8) and do not possess the Divine Power (Spirit - Gal 5:22+). R. Gene Reynolds speaks to the deceptive danger of professing to be a Christian and yet failing to bear the fruit of love - A person who is living sinfully, who knows he is living sinfully, who enjoys living in such a manner, who intends to continue that sinful way of living—that person does not have the Holy Spirit living within him. The very fact that he is ‘comfortable’ about his sin is proof of the Spirit’s absence. His spiritual vital sign registers ‘no life.’ (From Assurance: You can know you're a Christian See also Gerald Borchert's book "Assurance and Warning") Love is a personal activity, not an abstract quality. -- Gary Derickson A T
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Wiersbe - God is spirit as to His essence; He is not flesh and blood. To be sure, Jesus Christ now has a glorified body in heaven, and one day we shall have bodies like His body. But being by nature spirit, God is not limited by time and space the way His creatures are. God is light. This refers to His holy nature. In the Bible, light is a symbol of holiness and darkness is a symbol of sin (Jn 3:18-21; 1Jn 1:5-10+). God cannot sin because He is holy. Because we have been born into His family, we have received His holy nature (1Pe 1:14-16+; 2Pe 1:4+). love does not define God, but God defines love God is love. This does not mean that “love is God.” And the fact that two people “love each other” does not mean that their love is necessarily holy. It has accurately been said that “love does not define God, but God defines love.” God is love and God is light; therefore, His love is a holy love, and His holiness is expressed in love. All that God does expresses all that God is. Even His judgments are measured out in love and mercy (Lam 3:22-23). (The Bible Exposition Commentary - recommended) Steven Cole on the statement God is love - Almost everyone readily embraces that concept, but it is often misunderstood and taken to unbiblical extremes. Some misconstrue it to mean that because God is love, He overlooks or is tolerant toward sin. Some go so far as to say that because God is love, He could never condemn anyone to the eternal punishment of hell. But the Bible is clear that God’s love does not negate His holiness and justice, or vice versa. In 1John 1:5+, the apostle stated, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” John also has said, “He is righteous” (1Jn 2:29+). God’s holiness and His love are both a part of His nature, and neither negates the other. In Revelation 20:15+, the apostle of love writes about the final and eternal condemnation of all whose names were not found written in the book of life, that they were thrown into the lake of fire. So John did not see any contradiction between the concept that “God is love” and the concept of His punishment of the wicked in hell. So while it is vital that we affirm, “God is love,” it is also vital that we affirm, “God is holy,” and, “God is the righteous judge.” We also need to think biblically about the statement, “God is love.” On the surface, it sounds simple, but when you begin to consider all that Scripture teaches on this, it gets rather difficult. D. A. Carson wrote a perceptive little book, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God - free download pp. 16-19) that the Bible speaks about God’s love in at least five different ways: (1) The peculiar love of the Father for the Son, and of the Son for the Father (John 3:35; 5:20; 14:31; 17:24). (2) God’s providential love over al that he has made. He cares for all of His creation, so that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without His permission. (3) God’s salvific stance toward his fallen world. God so loved the world that he gave His Son (John 3:16). Carson argues (p. 17, correctly, I think), “On this axis, God’s love for the world cannot be collapsed into his love for the elect.” (4) God’s particular, effective, selecting love toward his elect. Many passages in both the Old and New Testaments affirm this aspect of His love (Deut. 7:7-8; Ro 9:13+). (5) God’s love is sometimes said to be directed toward his own people in a provisional or conditional way³ conditioned, that is, on obedience. Jesus tells us (John 14:21), “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” I might add that, perhaps another aspect of Christ’s love was His special love for the apostle John, who refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 13:23). Of course Jesus loved all of the disciples with a special love (John 13:1), but He loved John in a unique sense.Carson goes on (pp. 21-24) to point out that if we do not recognize these various aspects of God’s love, and we make any one of them absolute, exclusive, or controlling all the others, we will get into difficulty. If all that we talk about is God’s love for the whole world, we end up with a God so weak that He can’t intervene to save us according to His sovereign purpose. On the other hand, if we only speak of God’s love for His elect, we will not be able to offer the gospel freely to sinners. At the same time, Carson points out that we must not compartmentalize the various loves of God, as if they were each independent of the others. We must integrate these truths in biblical proportion and balance. And, he argues, we must be careful about various evangelical clichés. For example, to say that God’s 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. A sinning Christian needs to understand that he abides in God’s love only when he obeys God. So, the seemingly simple statement, “God is love,” is not quite so simple after all! 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. (1 John 4:7-11 Why We Must Love) As a compass naturally points north, a believer will naturally practice love because love is the nature of God. ILLUSTRATION - A navigator depends on a compass to help him determine his course. But why a compass? Because it shows him his directions. And why does the compass point north? Because it is so constituted that it responds to the magnetic field that is part of the earth’s makeup. The compass is responsive to the nature of the earth. So with Christian love. The nature of God is love. And a person who knows God and has been born of God will respond to God’s nature. As a compass naturally points north, a believer will naturally practice love because love is the nature of God. This love will not be a forced response; it will be a natural response. A believer’s love for the brethren will be proof of his sonship and fellowship. (Bible Exposition Commentary) ILLUSTRATION RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL - What God is determines what we ought to be. “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The fact that Christians love one another is evidence of their fellowship with God and their sonship from God, and it is also evidence that they know God. Their experience with God is not simply a once-for-all crisis; it is a daily experience of getting to know Him better and better. True theology (the study of God) is not a dry, impractical course in doctrine—it is an exciting day-by-day experience that makes us Christlike! A large quantity of radioactive material was stolen from a hospital. When the hospital administrator notified the police, he said: “Please warn the thief that he is carrying death with him, and that the radioactive material cannot be successfully hidden. As long as he has it in his possession, it is affecting him disastrously!” A person who claims he knows God and is in union with Him must be personally affected by this relationship. A Christian ought to become what God is, and “God is love.” To argue otherwise is to prove that one does not really know God! (Bible Exposition Commentary) Love (verb) (25)(agapao) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. This quality of love is not an emotion but is an action initiated by a volitional choice."expresses the purest, noblest form of love, which is volitionally driven, not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship." (John Macarthur) Vine writes that "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God’s love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1 John 4:9, 10. But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects, Ro 5:8. It was an exercise of the divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself." (Collected Writings)
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Wiersbe - Back to (God’s) Nature Read 1 John 4:1–8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8 Love is a part of the very being and nature of God. If we are united to God through faith in Christ, we share His nature. And since His nature is love, love is the test of the reality of our spiritual lives. A navigator depends on a compass to help him determine his course. But why a compass? Because it shows him the directions. And why does the compass point north? Because it is so constituted that it responds to the magnetic field that is part of the earth’s makeup. The compass is responsive to the nature of the earth. So it is with Christian love. The nature of God is love. And a person who knows God and has been born of God will respond to God’s nature. As a compass naturally points north, a believer will naturally practice love, because love is the nature of God. This love will not be a forced response; it will be a natural response. A believer’s love for the brethren will be proof of his sonship and fellowship. Something to Ponder If God’s complete love were indicated by due north on a compass, what direction would your own personal compass read? (How far off would you be from pointing north?) Never question God’s great love, for it is as unchangeable a part of God as is His holiness. No matter how terrible your sins, God loves you. Were it not for the love of God, none of us would ever have a chance in the future life. But God is love! And His love for us is everlasting! —BILLY GRAHAM Peace with God
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Wiersbe has an interesting comment on sent - The fact that God sent His Son into the world is one evidence of the deity of Jesus Christ. Babies are not sent into the world from some other place; they are born into the world. As the perfect Man, Jesus was born into the world, but as the eternal Son, He was sent into the world. But the sending of Christ into the world, and His death on the cross, were not prompted by man’s love for God. They were prompted by His love for man. The world’s attitude toward God is anything but love! (Bible Exposition Commentary) Hiebert adds that "His Son” calls attention to the intimate Father-Son relationship between the sender and the one sent; in eternity past the Son was in an intimate face-to-face relationship with God (John 1:1)… The term (monogenes) implies the sacrificial nature of the Father’s love in voluntarily sending His only Son." (1 John 4:7-21) John
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Wiersbe - Jesus Christ died that we might live “through Him” (1Jn 4:9), “for Him” (2Cor 5:15+), and “with Him” (1Th 5:9-10+). A sinner’s desperate need is for life, because he is “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1+). It is something of a paradox that Christ had to die so that we may live! We can never probe the mystery of His death, but this we know: He died for us (Gal 2:20+). (Bible Exposition Commentary) And if we live through Him, we will be enabled (by His Spirit) to love like Him. John's purpose for his Gospel was "these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah prophesied about over 300x in the OT), the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (Jn 20:31+) So the purpose was that we might believe and live in Him. Peter writes that because Jesus "bore our sins in His body on the cross," it is now our privilege and power to "die to sin and live (zao) to righteousness." (1Pe 2:24+) Paul writes God "gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." (Ro 4:17+) He adds that now it is "Christ Who is our life!" (Col 3:4+) (Literally Greek reads "Christ, our life!") In his great letter to the Ephesians Paul reminded the saints of their great salvation writing "you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived (Ed: This is hardly LIFE as God intended us to experience!) in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive (Ed: This is LIFE God intended for us to live) together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). (Eph 2:1-5+) We were dead we needed life, and there is no life apart from Him. -- H A Ironside A E Brooke - God sent His Son that men might live. The manifestation of His love is made in those who have entered upon the life which He sent His Son to give. (1 John 4 Commentary) There is a world of difference between existence and life. All men have existence but all do not have life.... Jesus gives a man an object for which to live; He gives him strength by which to live; and He gives him peace in which to live Barclay on live through Him - Jesus is the Bringer of life. God sent Him that through Him we might have life (1John 4:9). There is a world of difference between existence and life. All men have existence but all do not have life. The very eagerness with which men seek pleasure shows that there is something missing in their lives. A famous doctor once said that men would find a cure for cancer more quickly than they would find a cure for boredom. Jesus gives a man an object for which to live; He gives him strength by which to live; and He gives him peace in which to live. Living with Christ turns mere existence into fullness of life. (Daily Study Bible) Life is found alone in Jesus, Only there ‘tis offered thee- Offered without price or money, ‘Tis the gift of God sent free. Take salvation- Take it now, and happy be. Paul links life with Jesus Christ in a number of passages… Romans 6:11+ Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:13+ and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin [as] instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness to God. Galatians 2:20+ “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. 1Th 5:10+ "(Christ) Who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him." APPLICATION - If you are having a difficult time loving someone who is not exactly lovable, revisit the source of love. Contemplating his love for us, though we don’t deserve it, enables us to love others. Remembering Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross helps us show kindness and generosity to others. He provides an abundant supply of love long after your reserves have been depleted. (Bruce Barton) Manifest (appeared) (5319)(phaneroo from phanerós = manifest, visible, conspicuous in turn from phaino = give light; become visible in turn from phos = light) literally means "was brought to light" and so conveys the sense that God's love (by itself not clearly visible) was made clearly visible. God clearly revealed His love making it abundantly clear in the Incarnation. The coming of Messiah into the world as a Man was unmistakable evidence of divine love. Wiersbe notes that "The word manifested means “to come out in the open, to be made public.” It is the opposite of “to hide, to make secret.” Under the Old Covenant, God was hidden behind the shadows of ritual and ceremony (Heb. 10:1); but in Jesus Christ “the life was manifested” (1 John 1:2+). “He that hath seen Me,” said Jesus, “hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)." Bible Exposition Commentary Phaneroo is a favorite verb of John (18x in 49v) - John 1:31; 2:11; 3:21; 7:4; 9:3; 17:6; 21:1, 14; 1 John 1:2; 2:19, 28; 3:2, 5, 8; 4:9. 1 John 1:2+ and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– (Jesus attested the same thing in His great prayer - "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world." 1 John 2:19+ They went out from us, but they were not [really] of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but [they went out,] in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us. 1 John 2:28+ And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 1 John 3:2+ Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. 1 John 3:5+ And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 1 John 3:8+ the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 4:9+ 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. Paul uses phaneroo in 1 Timothy 3:16 writing "And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory." Sent (649) apostello from apo = off, away from, speaks of separation + stello = appoint to a position this sense in the derivative word apostolos = emissary) literally means to send forth. "To dispatch someone for the achievement of some objective, send away/out." (BDAG) Vine on apostello - lit., "to send forth" (apo, "from"), akin to apostolos, "an apostle," denotes (a) "to send on service, or with a commission." (1) of persons; Christ, sent by the Father, Matthew 10:40; 15:24; 21:37; Mark 9:37; 12:6; Luke 4:18,43; 9:48; 10:16; John 3:17; 5:36,38; 6:29,57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3,8,18 (1st part), Jn 17:21,23,25; 20:21; Acts 3:20 (future); 3:26; 1 John 4:9,10,14; the Holy Spirit, Luke 24:49 (in some texts; see No. 3); 1 Peter 1:12; Revelation 5:6; Moses, Acts 7:35; John the Baptist, John 1:6; 3:28; disciples and apostles, e.g., Matthew 10:16; Mark 11:1; Luke 22:8; John 4:38; 17:18 (2nd part); Acts 26:17; servants, e.g., Matthew 21:34; Luke 20:10; officers and officials, Mark 6:27; John 7:32; Acts 16:35; messengers, e.g., Acts 10:8,17,20; 15:27; evangelists, Romans 10:15; angels, e.g., Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27; Luke 1:19,26; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 1:1; 22:6; demons, Mark 5:10; (2) of things, e.g., Matthew 21:3; Mark 4:29 , RV, marg., "sendeth forth," text, "putteth forth" (AV, "… in"); Acts 10:36; 11:30; 28:28; (b) "to send away, dismiss," e.g., Mark 8:26; 12:3; Luke 4:18 , "to set (at liberty)." APOSTELLO USES BY JOHN - Jn. 1:6; Jn. 1:19; Jn. 1:24; Jn. 3:17; Jn. 3:28; Jn. 3:34; Jn. 4:38; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 5:36; Jn. 5:38; Jn. 6:29; Jn. 6:57; Jn. 7:29; Jn. 7:32; Jn. 8:42; Jn. 9:7; Jn. 10:36; Jn. 11:3; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 17:3; Jn. 17:8; Jn. 17:18; Jn. 17:21; Jn. 17:23; Jn. 17:25; Jn. 18:24; Jn. 20:21; 1 Jn. 4:9; 1 Jn. 4:10; 1 Jn. 4:14; Rev. 1:1; Rev. 5:6; Rev. 22:6 Only begotten (One of a Kind, One and Only) (3439) monogenes from monos = alone + genos = birth, race, kind <> from ginomai = to come into being, to become) means that which is the only one of its kind of class or specific relationship and thus is unique or "one and only." (See also discussion below) The expression one and only “is used to mark out Jesus uniquely above all earthly and heavenly beings.” (Kistemaker) "Jesus is God’s Son in a unique sense. Believers are God’s children only in a derived sense." (Utley) Monogenes (9x) - Luke 7:12, 8:42, 9:38, Jn 1:14, 18, 3:16,18, Heb 11:17 1Jn 4:9 Only begotten Son - this phrase occurs 4x - John 3:16, 18; Heb 11:17 (of Isaac as the "unique" son of promise); 1 John 4:9 NET Note on monogenes - Although the word translated one and only (monogenēs) is often rendered “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological bird called the Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant. 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus alone in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God (tekna theou), Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (Jn1:14, 18; 3:16, 18). The only begotten (monogenes) - Most modern scholars agree that monogenes does not refer to the “begetting” aspect of Jesus’ sonship, but rather to His uniqueness. As explained below NET Bible favors the translation "of the one and only." ESV = "the only Son", NIV = "the One and Only," NLT, HCSB = "the One and Only Son" ESV Study Bible (borrow) note - The Greek word underlying “only,” monogenes, means “one of a kind, unique,” as in the case of Isaac, who is called Abraham’s “one-of-a-kind” son in Heb. 11:17 (in contrast to Ishmael; cf. Ge 22:2, 12, 16). Thus “only” is a better translation than “only begotten” (made familiar through its use in the kjv)." Monogenes was used of an only son (Lk 7:12), of a son who was "unique" (Isaac - Heb 11:17 = son of promise, not son of flesh as was Abraham's first biologic son Ishmael) or an only daughter (of Jairus - Lk 8:42). BDAG says monogenes "pertains to being the only one of its kind or class, unique (in kind) of something that is the only example of its category… Of a mysterious bird, the Phoenix (mythology) (1 Cl 25:2). The phrase "monogenes huios" is used only of Jesus. Jesus is the only unique, "one of a kind" Son of God. Love (26)(agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22+). Agape is a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved. While agape is not primarily a feeling, it is certainly not without feeling. It might be called "caring commitment." While it is a command to love one another, and it is thus a "duty," it is also and predominantly a delight. Agape is an attitude manifest by actions, caring, committed actions. Agape often involves sacrifice, and is supremely exemplified by Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. Agape love impels one to sacrifice one’s self for the benefit of the object loved… (it) speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in the object loved, an apprehension of its preciousness.
1 João 4:9
Wiersbe - (Borrow Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament) The world does not really believe that God is love. They look at the awful ravages of sin in the world and say, “How can a God of love permit these things to happen?” But people need never doubt God’s love: He proved His love at the cross. Christ died that we might live “through” Him (1 John 4:9), “for” Him (2 Cor. 5:15), and “with” Him (1 Thes. 5:9–10). The logic is clear: “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” We should love each other in the same measure and manner as God loves us. The cross is a plus sign; it reconciles sinners to God and people to one another. If two Christians do not love one another, they have taken their eyes from the cross. Rob
1 João 4:10
Wiersbe explains that "We should remember that propitiation does not mean that men must do something to appease God or to placate His anger. Propitiation is something God does to make it possible for men to be forgiven" “God is light,” and therefore He must uphold His holy Law. “God is love,” and therefore He wants to forgive and save sinners. How can God forgive sinners and still be consistent with His holy nature? The answer is the cross. There Jesus Christ bore the punishment for sin and met the just demands of the holy Law. But there, also, God reveals His love and makes it possible for men to be saved by faith." (Bible Exposition Commentary)
1 João 4:11
Wiersbe - We should remember our Lord’s death in a spiritual way, not merely sentimentally. Someone has defined sentiment as “feeling without responsibility.” It is easy to experience solemn emotions at a church service and yet go out to live the same defeated life. True spiritual experience involves the whole man. The mind must understand spiritual truth; the heart must love and appreciate it; and the will must act on it. The deeper we go into the meaning of the Cross, the greater will be our love for Christ and the greater our active concern for one another. (Bible Exposition Commentary) C H Spurgeon emphasizes that love for one another is practical - Has anybody offended you? Seek reconciliation. 'Oh, but I am the offended party.' So was God, and he went straight away and sought reconciliation. Brother, do the same. 'Oh, but I have been insulted.' Just so: so was God: all the wrong was towards him, yet he sent. 'Oh, but the party is so unworthy.' So are you; but 'God loved you and sent his Son.' Go write according to that copy. (SEE FULL SERMON Herein is Love) Steven
1 João 4:11
Wiersbe - Tell and Show (See Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 122) Read 1 John 4:9–11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 A Salvation Army worker found a derelict woman alone on the street and invited her to come into the chapel for help, but the woman refused to move. The female worker assured her: “We love you and want to help you. God loves you. Jesus died for you.” But the woman did not budge. As if on divine impulse, the worker leaned over and kissed the woman on the cheek, taking her into her arms. The woman began to sob and, like a child, was led into the chapel, where she ultimately trusted Christ. “You told me that God loved me,” she said later, “but it wasn’t until you showed me that God loved me that I wanted to be saved.” Jesus did not simply preach the love of God; He proved it by giving His life on the cross. He expects His followers to do likewise. If we abide in Christ, we will abide in His love. If we abide in His love, we must share this love with others. In other words, as Christians there is no separation between our inner life and our outer life. Something to Ponder - Whom have you told about the love of God recently? To whom have you shown it? God’s Love But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 When we were at our worst, God gave us His best. That is comforting to know when we face trial or fall into temptation. God loved us while we were still sinners, and He is not going to give up on us now. “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it” (Phil. 1:6) The Apostle Paul further reminds us that “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph. 2:4, 5). God not only loves us, but He gives us a whole new life! He does not give up on us because He sees all of our potential. He also calls us to extend that life to those around us. First John 4:11 reminds us that, “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” As we rejoice in God’s love today, let us extend it to those in need. (See Living the Spirit Filled Life - Page 25) 1Jn 4:11 If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another What gives us the power to love as Christ loved? Only the indwelling Holy Spirit can motivate us to Christlike deeds of compassion, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. The apostle John wrote, "If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit" (1John 4:12-13). A mother asked her young son to clean her shoes. He worked on them diligently until they were spotless and shiny. To show her appreciation, his mother gave him a dollar. When she went to put the shoes on, she found something wadded up in the toe of one of them. It was her dollar wrapped in a note that read: "Here's yer dallar, Mom. I dun it fer luv." WE DO NOT FUNCTION WELL ON ANYTHING BUT LOVE. The Murder Of Love Read: 1 John 4:7-21 If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. --1 John 4:11 Our modern world has committed murder. By trying to live without God, it has killed love. Millions today no longer look for satisfaction through a loving relationship with God and other people. Life revolves around themselves, and they are busy seeking their own fulfillment. This fascination with self-interests has even invaded our Christian world, as a look at current bestselling books will show. An analysis by author James Hunter of the eight most prolific conservative religious publishers revealed that "87.8 percent of the titles dealt with subjects related to the self, its discovery and nurture, and the resolution of its problems and tensions. The remaining 12.2 percent of the titles had to carry the rest of the cargo." We who believe on Jesus Christ must beware lest we fall into the preoccupation with self that marks our culture. Our calling is to love with all our being the God who first loved us, and to love others as ourselves. This is the pathway to a joy-filled, satisfying life. How sad when flames of love burn low In hearts that once their warmth did know! Yet Christ will freely grace bestow And cause that love again to glow. --DJD Love for God will cause you to live for God. What Fuels You? Here's your dollar, Mom. I don it for luv If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 Space shuttles are propelled out of the earth's atmosphere by a solid fuel mixture producing millions of pounds of thrust. Indianapolis race cars travel at speeds averaging more than 200 mph, powered by a highly volatile fuel mixture. What fuels us as followers of Jesus Christ? What gives us the power to love as He loved? Only the indwelling Holy Spirit can motivate us to Christlike deeds of compassion, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice. The apostle John wrote, "If we love one another, God abides in us, ad His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and he in us, because He has given us His Spirit" (1 John 4:12-13). A mother asked her young son to clean her shoes. He worked on them diligently until they were spotless and shiny. To show her appreciation, his mother gave him a dollar. When she went to put the shoes on, she found something wadded up in the toe of one of them. It was her dollar wrapped in a note that read: "Here's your dollar, Mom. I don it for luv." Help me the slow of heart to move By some clear, winning word of love; Teach me the wayward feet to stay And guide them in the homeward way. - Gladden We do not function well on anything but love Pink Sheep Read: John 10:7-18 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 While traveling on a road from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Scotland, I was enjoying the beautiful, pastoral countryside when a rather humorous sight captured my attention. There, on a small hilltop, was a rather large flock of pink sheep. I know that sheep owners mark their animals with dots of spray paint to identify them—but these sheep really stood out. The owner had fully covered every animal with pink coloring. Everyone knew who those sheep belonged to. Scripture calls followers of Christ sheep, and they too have a unique identifying mark. What is the “pink coloring” in a Christ-follower’s life? How can someone be identified as Jesus’ own? In the gospel of John, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, told us what that identifier is: love. “Love one another; as I have loved you . . . . By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). In words and deeds, a believer should show love to all those around. “Beloved,” John writes, “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). Dear Lord, remind me that this life is not about me and my needs, but about others and how Your love can shine through me to them. May Christlike love be my distinguishing characteristic. As followers of Christ, our love should make us stand out in a crowd. O Love That Will Not Let Me Go Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. —1 John 4:11 Love is the centerpiece of thriving relationships. Scripture makes it clear that we need to be people who love—love God with all our hearts, love our neighbor as ourselves, and love our enemies. But it’s hard to love when we don’t feel loved. Neglected children, spouses who feel ignored by their mates, and parents who are alienated from their children all know the heartache of a life that lacks love. So, for everyone who longs to be loved, welcome to the pleasure of knowing that you are richly loved by God. Think of the profound impact of His love that was poured out for you at the cross. Meditate on the fact that if you’ve trusted in Him, His love covers your faults and failures and that you are clothed with His spotless righteousness (Rom. 3:22-24). Revel in the fact that nothing can separate you from His love (8:39). Embrace His loving provision of a future secured for you where you will be eternally loved (John 3:16). Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. —Watts Embracing God’s love for us is the key to loving others. The King’s Colors - By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. —John 13:35 - In Thailand, the people greatly love and admire King Bhumibol (Rama IX), who has led them for over 60 years. To display their respect for the king, the Thai people wear bright yellow shirts every Monday, because yellow is the official color of the king. As we seek to live for our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, we should also show our colors of allegiance and appreciation for all He has done for us. But how? What are the “colors” that declare to the world that we serve the King of kings and Lord of lords? The night before His crucifixion, King Jesus told us what our “colors” should be when He said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). His disciple John echoed this when he wrote, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). When we display Christ’s love for our fellow believers, it is more than just kindness or care. It is one of the most tangible ways we can show our love and devotion for the Savior. Teach me to love as Thou dost love, And let the whole world know That Jesus Christ lives in my heart, His glorious light to show. —Brandt Our love for God shows in our love for others. Precious To God Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 His name was David, but most just called him “the street fiddler.” David was a disheveled, older man who was a regular fixture in popular places in our city, serenading passers-by with unusual skill at his violin. In exchange for his music, listeners would sometimes place a dollar in the open instrument case before them on the sidewalk. David would smile and nod his head in thanks as he continued to play. When David died recently and his obituary appeared in a local paper, it was revealed that he spoke several languages, was the graduate of a prestigious university, and had even run for the state senate years ago. Some expressed surprise at the extent of his accomplishments, having assessed him on the basis of appearance alone. Scripture tells us that “God created mankind in his own image” (Genesis 1:27). This reveals an inherent worth within each of us, regardless of how we look, what we have achieved, or what others may think of us. Even when we chose to turn from God in our sinfulness, God valued us so much that He sent His only Son to show us the way to salvation and eternity with Him. We are loved by God, and all around us are those who are precious to Him. May we express our love for Him in return by sharing His love with others. God’s love is meant to be shared. ONLY LOVE - David Jeremiah - (See David Jeremiah Morning and Evening Devotions) 1 JOHN 4:11 If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. A famous psychiatrist once said, “Love, true love, is the medicine for our sick old world. If people can learn to give and receive love, they will usually recover from their physical and mental illnesses.” Before Christ, the concept of love was a love for the best. If something was deemed worthy of love, it was loved. Christ dying on the cross changed all that, for He offered a love for which we are completely unworthy. Christ revealed God’s love. He lavished that holy love on people with no thought of whether they were worthy or not. Now when a Christian wants to know what real love is, he looks to the cross. Having experienced God’s love while yet a sinner, and having been transformed by that great love, the Christian recognizes the people around him as the objects of God’s love. They are love-starved, in need of the transforming power that only Christ’s love can bring. Jesus set an example by giving Himself totally in love, with no thought of receiving anything in return. We, as Christians, are called by God to reflect that love to our spouses, our families, and our world. And the more we reflect it, the more we give it away to others, the more we experience it in our own lives. Love Extravagantly - Dan Wilt - A Well-Worn Path: Thirty-One Daily Reflections Today, the body of Christ will experience extravagant love flowing from me. 1 John 4:11–12 calls us—unabashedly and without reserve—to love one another. In fact, it suggests that the invisible God is revealed to the world when people see us generously, deeply acting in love toward the family of God. In his famous sermon “The Weight of Glory,” C. S. Lewis suggested that, one day, the person in the faith whom we find most difficult to love will become a creature so glorious in the presence of God that we will be strongly tempted to fall down and worship them. In other words dignify your brothers and sisters in Christ today, despite their flaws, by extravagantly expressing unconditional favor toward them. Call Christ forward in them. Give them the gifts of your time, energy, and encouragement. If you can take that step toward them, God will show Himself to everyone who meets you. Prayer: Father, I have been so loved and graciously forgiven by You, how can I harbor bitterness against those You also love? Forgive me for missing the mark, and, today, empower me to love beyond my own capacity—extravagantly. Linked Hearts Each new day, it seems, brings new ways our family sees the body of Christ at work. One demonstration of the fellowship of Christians sits on my desk as I write. They’ve said things such as: “I grieve with you, my brother, and I will keep you and your family in my prayers.” “I weep at your loss.” “I hurt with you.” Many recommended books to read. Others sent poems or articles of comfort and hope. Some shared their own stories of bereavement as we discovered new partners on the path of pain. They demonstrate the principle of love among the family of God that’s commanded in 1 John 4:11. Each of those gracious notes is different from the others, but they contain a common thread: Because of our shared faith in Christ, I find my heart joined to the hearts of the writers of these messages. Bearing people’s heavy burdens, Shouldering their pain and grief, Shows the love of Christ to others, Bringing them His sure relief. —Sper Our hearts are linked through the love of Christ. The Murder Of Love - Our modern world has committed murder. By trying to live without God, it has killed love. Millions today no longer look for satisfaction through a loving relationship with God and other people. Life revolves around themselves, and they are busy seeking their own fulfillment. This fascination with self-interests has even invaded our Christian world, as a look at current bestselling books will show. An analysis by author James Hunter of the eight most prolific conservative religious publishers revealed that “87.8 percent of the titles dealt with subjects related to the self, its discovery and nurture, and the resolution of its problems and tensions. The remaining 12.2 percent of the titles had to carry the rest of the cargo.” We who believe on Jesus Christ must beware lest we fall into the preoccupation with self that marks our culture. Our calling is to love with all our being the God who first loved us, and to love others as ourselves. This is the pathway to a joy-filled, satisfying life. How sad when flames of love burn low In hearts that once their warmth did know! Yet Christ will freely grace bestow And cause that love again to glow. —DJD Love for God will cause you to live for God. A Fragrance Katie nervously walked into the church youth group party that Linda had invited her to attend. She hadn’t been to a church since she was a little girl and didn’t know what to expect at a Valentine dinner with mostly strangers. But her heart started to calm when she found valentines at her plate that had been written for her from everyone there. They had cards for each other too, but it touched Katie’s heart that they would think to do that for her, a visitor to their group. Katie felt so welcomed that she accepted Linda’s invitation to a church service. There she heard about God’s love for her in spite of her sinfulness, and she embraced Jesus’ forgiveness. The youth group had given her a fragrance of God’s love, and God opened her heart to trust Him. “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another,” the apostle John said (1John 4:11). That’s a love for our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as for those who don’t yet know Him. Ray
1 João 4:12
Wiersbe - That important little word abide (or dwell, KJV) is used six times in 1 John 4:12–16. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13). MENO 24 times in First John - 1 John 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27-28; 3:6, 9, 14-15, 17, 24; 4:12-13, 15-16. (Note: four verses have more than one use) Love (verb) (25)(agapao) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. This quality of love is not an emotion but is an action initiated by a volitional choice."expresses the purest, noblest form of love, which is volitionally driven, not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship." (John Macarthur) Vine writes that "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God’s love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1 John 4:9, 10. But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects, Ro 5:8. It was an exercise of the divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself." (Collected Writings)
1 João 4:12
Wiersbe writes that abide "is used six times in 1John 4:12–16. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1John 4:13+)." (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Earlier John wrote "whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him." (1Jn 2:5+). PERFECTED LOVE And His love (agape) is perfected (teleioo - perfect tense - attains its goal) in us - His love refers not to our love for God but His love for us. John is describing what happens when believers love one another. As they love one another, they grow in godliness and Christ-likeness and His love for mankind. In short, His love is perfected in us, which is the second thing demonstrated by our loving one another. God’s love is not made perfect in angels, but in sinners saved by His grace. Warren Wiersbe rightly says "God’s love is perfected in the believer. Fantastic as it may seem, God’s love is not made perfect in angels, but in sinners saved by His grace. We Christians are now the tabernacles and temples in which God dwells. He reveals His love through us." (Bible Exposition Commentary ) People do not see God and they may not read the Bible, but they do see and read the lives of Christians. -- Steven Cole John Piper on His love - The love that you have as a born again person is no mere imitation of the divine love. It is an experience of the divine love and an extension of that love to others. (The New Birth Produces Love) Reciprocal Christian love means not only that God lives in us but also that his love is made complete (perfected) in us. John Stott - John goes further still. Reciprocal Christian love means not only that God lives in us but also that his love is made complete in us. It would be hard to exaggerate the greatness of this conception. It is so daring that many commentators have been reluctant to accept it and have suggested that the genitive in His love is not subjective (‘God’s love’) but objective (‘our love for God’; cf. 1Jn 2:5+) or definitive (‘Godlike love’). But the whole paragraph is concerned with God’s love and we must not stagger at the majesty of this conclusion. God’s love, which originates in Himself (1Jn 4:7–8+) and was manifested in His Son (1Jn 4:9–10+), is made complete in His people (1Jn 4:12). It is ‘brought to perfection within us’ (NEB). God’s love for us is perfected only when it is reproduced in us or (as it may mean) ‘among us’ in the Christian fellowship. It is these three truths about the love of God which John uses as inducements to brotherly love. We are to love each other, first because God is love (1Jn 4:8–9), secondly because God loved us (1Jn 4:10–11+), and thirdly because, if we do love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1Jn 4:12). (BORROW The Letters of John) (Bolding added) Loving Christians are an evidence of the abiding, perfected love of God (cf. 1Jn 2:5; 4:17). Wuest on is perfected (Is brought to completion, is accomplished) - If saints have this agape love habitually for one another, that shows that this love which God is in His nature, has accomplished its purpose in their lives. It has made us loving and self-sacrificial in our characters. This love has been brought to its human fullness in the lives of the saints. The verb is perfected is perfect tense, speaking of a past completed act having present results. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Danny Akin on perfected - A person loves because God has come to dwell within him. This is how the love of God is brought to its goal.124 The word translated “complete” (teteleiōmenē) can also be rendered “perfected.” Both of these renderings seem to indicate a condition in which there is an elimination of inadequacies, but a more appropriate understanding would be that of achieving a goal—namely the practice of believers loving one another.125 The love one has for other believers will demonstrate the fact that one is indwelt by God. The source for this kind of love is a personal and permanent union between God and the believer secured at the cross of Calvary. (1, 2, 3 John - Page 182) “It is through man that the ‘love of God’ finds its fulfillment on earth.” -- B F Westcott Glenn Barker on is perfected - As God was once present in his Son, so now he is present through the community of faith. And it is in this community that love has its ultimate fulfillment. (Borrow The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged) John speaks here not of perfect people but of God’s already pristine love finding its fullest possible earthly expression as people respond to the message of Christ and reach out to one another as a result. Robert Yarbrough - “Perfected” in 1Jn 4:12 is unlikely to refer to a state of sinless perfection in believers, which John has already rejected. Nor is John suggesting that there is something imperfect in God’s love (subjective genitive; cf. Painter 2002: 272) that believers by loving bring to perfection or fill out. The root of the perfect participle τετελειωμένη (teteleiōmenē) means “to finish, complete, or bring to the desired outcome” (cf. John 4:34; 5:36; 17:4; Rensberger 1997: 119). John speaks here not of perfect people (cf. D. Smith 1991: 110) but of God’s already pristine love finding its fullest possible earthly expression as people respond to the message of Christ and reach out to one another as a result. (See 1-3 John - Page 265) W Hall Harris on is perfected - The love that comes from God, the love that He has for us, reaches perfection in our love for others, which is what God wants and what believers are commanded to do (cf. 1Jn 3:23b). (Exegetical Commentary on 1 John 4:7-5:4a) God’s love in us attains its goal only as we exercise it within the body of Christ toward fellow believers. -- Gary Derickson B F Westcott on is perfected - “The manifestation of active love by men witnesses to two facts: (1) the abiding of God in them, and (2) the presence of divine love in them in its most complete form. There is both the reality of fellowship and the effectiveness of fellowship” (Westcott, 151) The love he has for us is made visible and complete as we love one another -- Max Anders NET Note says "The love that comes from God, the love that He has for us, reaches perfection in our love for others, which is what God wants and what believers are commanded to do (see 1Jn 3:23b+). God’s love is proclaimed in the Word (“God is love”) and proved at the cross. But here we have something deeper: God’s love is perfected in the believer. I Howard Marshall on is perfected - when we love others, God’s love for us has reached its full effect in creating the same kind of love as his in us. (Borrow The Epistles of John in The New International Commentary) Colin Kruse on is perfected - even more can be said about believers who love one another, so the author adds: and his love is made complete (perfected) in us. This is the second of four references the author makes to completeness of love in this letter. The first is found in 1Jn 2:5, where completeness of love for God is expressed in obedience to his word. The third and fourth references are found in 1Jn 4:17, 18, where God’s love is said to have completed its work in believers when they can face the day of judgement without fear. Here in 1Jn 4:12 God’s love is made complete in believers when they love one another. To put it in other words, the circuit of God’s love is completed when we love one another. D Edmond Hiebert on is His love is perfected - Whenever believers are motivated by the indwelling love of God to practice a consistent brother-love, then the love of God “is perfected” in them. The perfect passive verb “is perfected” (teteleiōmenē … estin) does not imply any previous imperfection in God’s love but rather presents God’s love as having been brought to its goal objectively in that life. (1 John 4:7-21) THOUGHT - May we all diligently strive by the power of God's Spirit to continually press on to this goal of His love perfected in our lives, all for His glory. Amen. Warren Wiersbe - God’s love is proclaimed in the Word (“God is love”) and proved at the cross. But here we have something deeper: God’s love is perfected in the believer. Fantastic as it may seem, God’s love is not made perfect in angels, but in sinners saved by His grace. We Christians are now the tabernacles and temples in which God dwells. He reveals His love through us. (ILLUSTRATION) Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, famous British preacher, had five sons, all of whom became ministers of the Gospel. One day a visitor in their home dared to ask a personal question: “Which of you six is the best preacher?” Their united answer was, “Mother!” Of course, Mrs. Campbell Morgan had never preached a formal sermon in a church; but her life was a constant sermon on the love of God. The life of a Christian who abides in God’s love is a potent witness for God in the world. Men cannot see God, but they can see His love moving us to deeds of helpfulness and kindness. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Grant Osborne - We must not think of “perfect” as meaning flawless. A fully developed apple is mature, “perfect,” even if it has bumps, scabs, and bruises. None of us will be flawless and faultless in this lifetime, but we can become mature in our love for God and his people. (See The Gospel of John, 1-3 John - Page 365) Thompson - when the Elder writes that this is how [God’s] love is made complete, he means that it reaches its intended goal when it flows from God, through us, to our fellow believers. The love with which God loved us must in turn be extended to the fellowship of believers. In short, God not only gives us the command to love but has also modeled for us what true love is, just as Jesus modeled love for his disciples when he washed their feet before his death (Jn 13:1–17). Love that does not express itself concretely and in service to others is not love (1 Jn 3:16–18). (Let Us Love One Another) Let Others See Jesus in You While passing thro' this world of sin And others your life shall view Be clean and pure without and within Let others see Jesus in you. Your life's a book before their eyes, They're reading it thro' and thro' Say does it point them to they skies Do others see Jesus in you? Then live for Christ both day and night, Be faithful, be brave and true And lead the lost to life and Christ, Let others see Jesus in you. Let others see Jesus in you. Let others see Jesus in you. Keep telling the story, be faithful and true. Let others see Jesus in you. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Steven Cole expounds on this passage - At first glance, 1Jn 4:12 seems out of context. John has been discussing God’s love for us and our love for one another. Then, somewhat abruptly, he states, “No one has seen God at any time.” You wonder, “Why did he throw that in here? What does God’s invisibility have to do with a discussion of love?” The same words occur in the prologue to John’s Gospel (John 1:18): “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” But here, John continues, “if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.” What does he mean? He means that the unseen God, Who was historically revealed in the incarnation of the Son, is now revealed by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit in His people when they love one another. It’s an amazing thought! People do not see God and they may not read the Bible, but they do see and read the lives of Christians. They read your Christian home. They read this church. They read you as you interact with others at work or at school. If they see a remarkable, other-worldly love in those places—especially if they see love when they would expect retaliation—they see God abiding in you. If they see anger, bitterness, verbal attacks, and hatred, then we are failing to “testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1Jn 4:14+). A writer named Caecilius (ca. A.D. 210) said of the Christians, “They know one another by secret marks and signs, and they love one another almost before they know one another.” The Greek writer, Lucian (ca. A.D. 120-200) said of the early church, “It is incredible to see the fervor with which the people of that religion help each other in their wants. They spare nothing. Their first legislator [Jesus] has put it into their heads that they are all brethren.” The church father, Tertullian, said, “It is our care for the helpless, our practice of lovingkindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents. ‘Look,’ they say, ‘How they love one another! Look how they are prepared to die for one another!’” I wonder how often outsiders would describe modern Christians like that? John’s point (in 1Jn 4:12) is that if we see God’s love surfacing in our relationships with others, then we have evidence of God’s abiding in us. This is especially true in situations where, if we were acting in the flesh, we would be indifferent at best or antagonistic or hateful at worst. When our knee-jerk reaction is to lash out at someone who has wronged us, but instead we feel an inner check and we speak in kindness, it is evidence that God is abiding in us. Although we cannot see God, who is spirit, we can see the evidence of His abiding in us when we love one another. (1 John 4:12-16 Assurance of Abiding) Warren Wiersbe on gives historical background to help us understand God abides in us - God has said something to us, and God has done something for us. But all this is preparation for the third great fact: God does something in us! We are not merely students reading a book, or spectators watching a deeply moving event. We are participants in the great drama of God’s love! (ILLUSTRATION) In order to save money, a college drama class purchased only a few scripts of a play and cut them up into the separate parts. The director gave each player his individual part in order and then started to rehearse the play. But nothing went right. After an hour of missed cues and mangled sequences, the cast gave up. At that point, the director sat the actors all on the stage and said: “Look, I’m going to read the entire play to you, so don’t any of you say a word.” He read the entire script aloud, and when he was finished, one of the actors said: “So that’s what it was all about!” And when they understood the entire story, they were able to fit their parts together and have a successful rehearsal. When you read 1 John 4:12–16, you feel like saying, “So that’s what it’s all about!” Because here we discover what God had in mind when He devised His great plan of salvation. To begin with, God’s desire is to live in us. He is not satisfied simply to tell us that He loves us, or even show us that He loves us. It is interesting to trace God’s dwelling places as recorded in the Bible. In the beginning, God had fellowship with man in a personal, direct way (Gen. 3:8), but sin broke that fellowship. It was necessary for God to shed the blood of animals to cover the sins of Adam and Eve so that they might come back into His fellowship. One of the key words in the Book of Genesis is walked. God walked with men, and men walked with God. Enoch (Gen. 5:22), Noah (Gen. 6:9), and Abraham walked with God (Gen. 17:1; 24:40). But by the time of the events recorded in Exodus, a change had taken place: God did not simply walk with men, He lived, or dwelt, with them. God’s commandment to Israel was, “And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Ex. 25:8). The first of those sanctuaries was the tabernacle. When Moses dedicated it, the glory of God came down and moved into the tent (Ex. 40:33–35). God dwelt in the camp, but He did not dwell in the bodies of the individual Israelites. Unfortunately, the nation sinned and God’s glory departed (1 Sam. 4:21). But God used Samuel and David to restore the nation; and Solomon built God a magnificent temple. When the temple was dedicated, once again the glory of God came to dwell in the land (1 Kings 8:1–11). But history repeated itself, and Israel disobeyed God and was taken into Captivity. The gorgeous temple was destroyed. One of the prophets of the Captivity, Ezekiel, saw the glory of God depart from it (Ezek. 8:4; 9:3; 10:4; 11:22–23). Did the glory ever return? Yes—in the Person of God’s Son, Jesus Christ! “And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory” (John 1:14, lit.). The glory of God dwelt on earth in the body of Jesus Christ, for His body was the temple of God (John 2:18–22). But wicked men nailed His body to a cross. They crucified “the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8). All this was part of God’s thrilling plan, and Christ arose from the dead, returned to heaven, and sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in men. The glory of God now lives in the bodies of God’s children. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (6:19, NASB) The glory of God departed from the tabernacle and the temple when Israel disobeyed God, but Jesus has promised that the Spirit will abide in us forever (John 14:16). (Bible Exposition Commentary) No one (nothing) (3762) oudeis from ou = not + dé = but + heis = one) Literally "but absolutely not one" no one, nothing, none at all; emphasizes not even one, not the least. Oudeis is used as a negating adjective (not even one) to negate a noun, denying absolutely and objectively (e.g., Lk 4:24) Note that oudeis differs from medeís which also is often translated "no one" as the negative particle ou differs from me. Thus ou = absolutely NOT and is objective while me = conditionally NOT and is subjective. For example Paul uses oudeis twice in 1 Cor 12:3+ "Therefore I make known to you that NO ONE speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and NO ONE can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit." Friberg - oudeis - (1) as an adjective, used to negate a noun no, not even one (Lk 4.24); (2) as a substantive; (a) oudeis and oudemia -- no one, nobody, none (Mt 6.24); ouden -- nothing (Mt 5.13); (b) to refer to invalid concepts worthless, of no account, meaningless ( Mt 23.16); (c) ouden as an accusative of respect = in no way, in nothing at all (Gal 4.1) (Analytical Lexicon) Has seen (2300)(theaomai from tháomai = to wonder, from thaúma = wonder, admiration <> English = theatrical spectacular performance) means to have an attentive look, to have regard for something, to contemplate, to take in with one's eyes (implying that one is impressed by what he sees - see use in Mt 22:11 ). Theaomai implies an intent contemplative gaze. The point is that it is not a mere glance or quick look, but a long, searching gaze (e.g., Lk 23:55). Theaomai describes intelligent beholding, a "careful and deliberate vision which interprets its object" (G. Abbott-Smith). It means to gaze at a show or demonstration or to watch as in a theater. (thus giving us the origin of our English word "theater"). (2) Theaomai can mean to see for the purpose of visiting as in Ro 15:24. (3) Finally some lexicon's (BDAG) state theaomai can mean to perceive something above and beyond what is merely seen with the eye (this nuance clearly overlaps with definition #1 above). The apostle John uses theaomai in his Gospel to describe the wonder of beholding "the glory of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (Jn 1:14). He uses theaomai to describe the "Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven" and remaining on Jesus (Jn 1:32). Jesus uses when he calls on his disciples to "lift up your eyes and look on the fields that...are white for harvest." (Jn 4:35) Jesus used theaomai rather than a verb meaning simple sight, because He wanted His disciples not only to see the people streaming out of the city, but to contemplate the meaning and significance of this event. In Jn 11:45 "many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw (theaomai) what He had done (raising Lazarus from the dead), believed in Him." These Jews were eyewitnesses to the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection from the dead. Their "seeing" including their contemplating what they saw and the result was that they believed in Jesus.
1 João 4:12
Wiersbe asks no one has seen God - How, then, does God reveal Himself to the world? He reveals Himself through the lives of His children. Men cannot see God, but they can see us. If we abide in Christ, we will love one another, and our love for one another will reveal God’s love to a needy world. God’s love will be experienced in us and then will be expressed through us. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Perfected (5048)(teleioo related to teleios from telos = an end, a purpose, an aim, a goal, consummate soundness, idea of being whole) means to accomplish or bring to an end or to the intended goal (telos). It means to be complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, wanting nothing necessary to completeness. Teleioo does not mean simply to terminate something but to carry it out to the full finish which is picked up in the translation "perfected". Teleioo signifies the attainment of consummate soundness and includes the idea of being made whole. Interestingly the Gnostics used teleios of one fully initiated into their mysteries and that may have been why Paul used teleios in this epistle. Teleioo is in the perfect tense signifying the continuing effect of this perfection.
1 João 4:13
Wiersbe - That important little word abide (or dwell, KJV) is used six times in 1 John 4:12–16. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13). (Bible Exposition Commentary) MENO 24 times in First John - 1 John 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27-28; 3:6, 9, 14-15, 17, 24; 4:12-13, 15-16. (Note: four verses have more than one use) Spirit (4151) pneuma from pneo - to blow) speaks of the movement of air (blowing Jn 3:8, breathing Lk 8:55). In this context it clearly refers to evil spirits and indicates that behind the false teachings of the pseudo-prophets were spirits of lying and deceit and falsehood. The false prophets were merely the "front men," the physical dummies if you will of the evil spirit "ventriloquists" so to speak.
1 João 4:13
Wiersbe - Imagine the wonder and the privilege of having God abide in you! The Old Testament Israelite would look with wonder at the tabernacle or temple, because the presence of God was in that building. No man would dare to enter the holy of holies, where God was enthroned in glory! But we have God’s Spirit living in us! We abide in this love, and we experience the abiding of God in us. “If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). (Bible Exposition Commentary) A E Brooke - The believer feels in the enjoyment of this affection that the centre of his life is no longer within himself nor on earth; because the spirit by which it is inspired, by which alone it can be inspired, is the Spirit of God. Spirit holy, Spirit holy, All my being now possess; Lead me, rule me, work within me, Thru my life Thy will express. Oh, how sweet is Thy abiding! Oh, how tender is the love Thou dost shed abroad within me From the Father-heart above! -- Charles W. Naylor Steven Cole expands John's teaching on the Spirit in 1Jn 4:13 - God’s Spirit is both the Spirit of truth (John 14:17) and the Spirit of love (Gal. 5:22+). John has just spoken about love and he will go on to speak about the truth and love. As we saw last week, John does not separate truth from love or put love above the truth, so as to minimize or negate the truth. In 1Jn 4:13, he is going to the source of love and truth in us, namely, God’s Spirit. Note that John here does not say that God has given us His Spirit, although that is true. He says, “He has given us of His Spirit.” The Greek word means “out of.” Thus John is looking at something which God has imparted to us out of His Spirit, namely, truth (1Jn 4:14-15) and love (1Jn 4:16). In John 3, when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the new birth, He said (1Jn 3:6-8+), “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The Christian life is not only a matter of subscribing to certain doctrines, although it includes that. It is not merely a matter of stopping certain sinful practices and adding certain godly ones, although it does require that. At its root, Christianity is receiving new life from the Holy Spirit. At the moment that you are born of the Spirit, He comes to indwell you. Thus Paul writes (Ro 8:9), “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” To come back to 1 John 4:13, the apostle says, “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.” You may wonder, “Is this just an inner, subjective feeling that the Holy Spirit is in me?” In the context, John is saying, “Don’t focus on subjective feelings. Look for evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life.” You can’t see the wind, but you can see its effects. Do you see love? Do you believe and confess the truth about Jesus Christ? These are effects of the Holy Spirit in your life. These things show that God has given you of His Spirit. When you see them, you can know that you abide in Him and He in you. We could list many other effects that God’s Spirit produces in believers (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Love of God [Crossway], pp. 97-101, develops these in some detail). Here are a few: Are you concerned about the things of God? Do you have a desire to experience more of Him? Do you love God’s Word? Do you have a sense of sin, so that you recognize that you are a sinner? Do you hate your sin and struggle daily against the flesh? This inner war between the flesh and the Spirit is a sign that you have the Holy Spirit within you (Gal. 5:17+). Do you have a living relationship with God, where you see His hand at work in your life? Do you have the sense that you may come before God as your loving Father, not as your Judge? Do you find joy in using any spiritual gifts that He has given you in ministry to others? (1 John 4:12-16 Assurance of Abiding) Martyn Lloyd-Jones expounds on the Holy Spirit, His objective evidence in our lives and how we receive Him - I have pointed out that there are certain tests that we can apply to ourselves in order that we may know whether we have received the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. That is the most important question for anyone in this world today....I have got to meet God, and therefore the urgent question for me is, have I received His Spirit? Am I dwelling in God, and is God dwelling in me? Now there are certain general tests that one can apply to oneself, and we have seen some already. A sense of sin, a sense of unworthiness, a realization of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done, and an increasing longing to be more like Him—an awareness of a conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, this internal warfare—the fruit of the Spirit, and the possession, perhaps, of certain of the special gifts which the Holy Spirit in His sovereignty dispenses to certain people at certain times—these are the general tests. (Borrow Life in Christ : studies in 1 John) Love of God, so great and holy, Grace of God, so full and free, Templed in a Child so lowly, Canst Thou come and dwell in me? Sin has held a long dominion, Darkened thought, debased desire, Fettered will, corrupted conscience, Worshiped with unholy fire. I am all defiled and guilty; Yet Thy temple, Lord, would be! Stronger than the strong man enter; Bind my foe; deliver me. Love of God, so great and holy, Grace of Christ, so full and free, While I kneel, Thy child and lowly, Make Thy promise good in me. - A. C. Sewall OUR SUPERNATURAL RECIPROCAL POSITION We abide (meno - present tense) in Him and He in us Guy King elaborates on our supernatural position in Him - "In Him" (1Jn 4:13) - a privileged position, beyond all human comprehension, but not, thank GOD, beyond our apprehension. You will recall that the phrase is one characteristic of Paul, who constantly uses it - "in the Lord", " in Christ". Led of the SPIRIT, he confidently affirms that all that we Christians have, or hope for, is because of our being "in Him". Such a position brings us such a plethora of graces and blessings. "We dwell in Him", says John, "and He in us", he adds; for there is, as we have seen, a reciprocal aspect about it - if the poker is in the fire, the fire is soon in the poker; if the sponge is in the water, the water is in the sponge; if the body is in the air, the air is in the body - and, to infinitely greater purpose, if we dwell in Him, He dwells in us. It is this second side of the coin that gives the value to the specie; and if only we recognize it, we shall be saved from so much spiritual collapse. Recall the low moral condition into which the Corinthian Christians had fallen, and note Paul's indication of its root cause - "What? Know ye not that....the Holy Ghost... is in you" (1Corinthians 6:19- +). With the Holy One there they ought not, and need not, be unholy; nor we! What of the Old Home? Of the unrepentant unbeliever, the threefold record runs: (1) "Born in sins", John 9:34 - not true of our LORD, but true of all else. Do you remember the pathetic lines of poor Tom Hood, in his Past and Present: "I remember, I remember, the house where I was born The little window where the sun came peeping in at morn." Spiritually, this was it: "born in sins". If we are no longer there, let us thank GOD for the grace that moved us; but to continue, (2) "Lived in them", Colossians 3:7+ - all we believers lived there once, and what a life of disappointment it was; what an unsafe and unsatisfactory house to be in. (3) "Die in your sins", John 8:24 - there is the poignant Obituary Notice of the impenitent. That, then, is our original dwelling-place - in sin; until we come to be - in Him. What of the New Home? How different from the old place. Here is love, and joy, and peace, and satisfaction, and service, and all blessing. Here we abide all the years of our earthly life - not only with Him, but in Him - until the great Removal Day when, in the mercy of GOD, we move into that other "house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens", 2Co 5:1+. Members of the Fellowship: how infinitely privileged we are in our Position, while Here - and when There. (1 John 4:7-21 The Position of the Fellowship) Steven
1 João 4:14
Wiersbe - Three different witnesses are suggested in these verses: 1. The witness of the believer that Jesus Christ is God’s Son (1 John 4:15); 2. the witness in the believer by the Spirit (1 John 4:13); and 3. the witness through the believer that God is love and that He sent His Son to die for the world (1 John 4:14). These witnesses cannot be separated. The world will not believe that God loves sinners until they see His love at work in His children’s lives. (Bible Exposition Commentary ) If you want to see the power of love then look at the Cross. William
1 João 4:14
Wiersbe asks no one has seen God - How, then, does God reveal Himself to the world? He reveals Himself through the lives of His children. Men cannot see God, but they can see us. If we abide in Christ, we will love one another, and our love for one another will reveal God’s love to a needy world. God’s love will be experienced in us and then will be expressed through us.(Bible Exposition Commentary) Testify (bear witness) (3140)(martureo from mártus = witness = one who has information or knowledge of something and can bring to light or confirm something. English = martyr) in its most basic sense refers to a legal witness. Thus the verb martureo means to be a witness, to testify, to give evidence, to give testimony, to bear record, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something. John is using the verb in that sense, indicating that what he is saying is related to fact, not opinion, even as if he were giving sworn testimony in a courtroom setting. MARTUREO - 72V - Matt. 23:31; Lk. 4:22; Jn. 1:7; Jn. 1:8; Jn. 1:15; Jn. 1:32; Jn. 1:34; Jn. 2:25; Jn. 3:11; Jn. 3:26; Jn. 3:28; Jn. 3:32; Jn. 4:39; Jn. 4:44; Jn. 5:31; Jn. 5:32; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 5:36; Jn. 5:37; Jn. 5:39; Jn. 7:7; Jn. 8:13; Jn. 8:14; Jn. 8:18; Jn. 10:25; Jn. 12:17; Jn. 13:21; Jn. 15:26; Jn. 15:27; Jn. 18:23; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 19:35; Jn. 21:24; Acts 6:3; Acts 10:22; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:22; Acts 14:3; Acts 15:8; Acts 16:2; Acts 22:5; Acts 22:12; Acts 23:11; Acts 26:5; Rom. 3:21; Rom. 10:2; 2 Co. 8:3; Gal. 4:15; Col. 4:13; 1 Tim. 5:10; 1 Tim. 6:13; Heb. 2:4; Heb. 7:8; Heb. 7:17; Heb. 10:15; Heb. 11:2; Heb. 11:4; Heb. 11:5; Heb. 11:39; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 4:14; 1 Jn. 5:6; 1 Jn. 5:7; 1 Jn. 5:9; 1 Jn. 5:10; 3 Jn. 1:3; 3 Jn. 1:6; 3 Jn. 1:12; Rev. 1:2; Rev. 22:16; Rev. 22:18; Rev. 22:20 John uses martureo more than any other NT writer (46x out of 76 total uses) - Jn 1:7-8, 15, 32, 34; 2:25; 3:11, 26, 28, 32; 4:39, 44; 5:31-33, 36-37, 39; 7:7; 8:13-14, 18; 10:25; 12:17; 13:21; 15:26-27; 18:23, 37; 19:35; 21:24; 1Jn 1:2; 4:14; 5:6-7, 9-10; 3Jn 1:3, 6, 12; Rev 1:2; 22:16, 18, 20. Sent (649) apostello from apo = off, away from, speaks of separation + stello = appoint to a position this sense in the derivative word apostolos = emissary) literally means to send forth. "To dispatch someone for the achievement of some objective, send away/out." (BDAG) Vine on apostello - lit., "to send forth" (apo, "from"), akin to apostolos, "an apostle," denotes (a) "to send on service, or with a commission." (1) of persons; Christ, sent by the Father, Matthew 10:40; 15:24; 21:37; Mark 9:37; 12:6; Luke 4:18,43; 9:48; 10:16; John 3:17; 5:36,38; 6:29,57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3,8,18 (1st part), Jn 17:21,23,25; 20:21; Acts 3:20 (future); 3:26; 1 John 4:9,10,14; the Holy Spirit, Luke 24:49 (in some texts; see No. 3); 1 Peter 1:12; Revelation 5:6; Moses, Acts 7:35; John the Baptist, John 1:6; 3:28; disciples and apostles, e.g., Matthew 10:16; Mark 11:1; Luke 22:8; John 4:38; 17:18 (2nd part); Acts 26:17; servants, e.g., Matthew 21:34; Luke 20:10; officers and officials, Mark 6:27; John 7:32; Acts 16:35; messengers, e.g., Acts 10:8,17,20; 15:27; evangelists, Romans 10:15; angels, e.g., Matthew 24:31; Mark 13:27; Luke 1:19,26; Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 1:1; 22:6; demons, Mark 5:10; (2) of things, e.g., Matthew 21:3; Mark 4:29 , RV, marg., "sendeth forth," text, "putteth forth" (AV, "… in"); Acts 10:36; 11:30; 28:28; (b) "to send away, dismiss," e.g., Mark 8:26; 12:3; Luke 4:18 , "to set (at liberty)." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) APOSTELLO USES BY JOHN - Jn. 1:6; Jn. 1:19; Jn. 1:24; Jn. 3:17; Jn. 3:28; Jn. 3:34; Jn. 4:38; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 5:36; Jn. 5:38; Jn. 6:29; Jn. 6:57; Jn. 7:29; Jn. 7:32; Jn. 8:42; Jn. 9:7; Jn. 10:36; Jn. 11:3; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 17:3; Jn. 17:8; Jn. 17:18; Jn. 17:21; Jn. 17:23; Jn. 17:25; Jn. 18:24; Jn. 20:21; 1 Jn. 4:9; 1 Jn. 4:10; 1 Jn. 4:14; Rev. 1:1; Rev. 5:6; Rev. 22:6 Savior (4990) (soter from sozo = rescue from peril > from saos = safe; delivered) refers to the agent of salvation or deliverance, the one who rescues, delivers, saves and preserves. Anyone who saves or delivers can be called a deliverer or rescuer (a soter). The Samaritans "were saying to the woman (who had met Messiah at the well), "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (Jn 4:42+) The Romans looked upon their emperor as a "savior" in that he held mankind together under the great Roman power, providing peace and order, prosperity and protection. In the Cult of Caesar, the state religion of Rome, the emperor was actually known as the "Saviour of the world" (at least 8 Roman emperors carried this title)! He was a "Saviour" in that he held mankind together under the great Roman power, providing peace and order, prosperity and protection. In contrast to the Cult of the Caesar, was the "Cult of Christ", in which the Lord Jesus was worshipped as the Saviour God. The former ruled over the temporal affairs of his subjects and was one of their gods. The latter was Saviour in the sense that He saved the believer’s soul from sin and exercised a spiritual control over his life. To recognize our God as the Saviour of the world instead of the Emperor was a capital offense, for this recognition was a blow at the very heart of the Roman Empire and explains the reason for the bloody persecution of Christians. Physicians who healed others were referred to in the Greek culture as "saviors". Human physicians might be able to heal physical sickness but only the Great Physician can heal sin sickness. As alluded to above, in Greek mythology various gods were called soteres (plural) an epithet applied especially to Asclepius, the "god of healing". How tragic to call mere mortals and figments of men's imagination "saviors". The Exegetical Dictionary notes that "In secular Greek usage the gods are deliverers both as helpers of human beings and as protectors of collective entities (e.g., cities); this is the case with Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon, the Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, Heracles, Asclepius as the helper of the sick, and Serapis; it is true also for philosophers (Dio Chrysostom Or. 32.8) and statesmen (Thucydides v.11.1; Plutarch Cor. 11, also in inscriptions and elsewhere). In the Hellenistic ruler cult "theos soter" (god our savior) is attested in writings and inscriptions as a title of the Ptolemies and Seleucids. Inscriptions in the eastern part of the Empire called Pompey “Soter and Founder,” Caesar “Soter of the World,” and Augustus “Soter of Humankind.” Hadrian had the title "Soter of the Kosmos" (Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. . Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans) Soter is also used in the Greek translation of the OT (Septuagint), virtually always describing God as Savior. For example, Psalm 27:1 translated from the Greek reads "The Lord is my light and my Saviour" compared to the translation from Hebrew -- "The LORD is my light and my salvation." Marvin
1 João 4:15
Wiersbe writes that abide "is used six times in 1 John 4:12–16. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1John 4:13+)." (Bible Exposition Commentary) Danny Akin - If we love one another God abides in us. (1Jn 4:12) If we have the Spirit God abides in us. (1Jn 4:13) If we confess the Son God abides in us. (1Jn 4:15) They all hang/go together. The reverse is also true too There is power in love. Power for God to send His Son. Power for the Son to come. Power for God to give us His Spirit. Power for us to love others, even when they are not lovely. Spurgeon said it well: Ye poor sinners, ye think that there must be something in you before God can love you. Our testimony is, that God hath loved us; we are sure of this and we do not speak half-heartedly, when we declare that we are equally sure that there never was anything in us by nature that he could love. We have known and have believed that the love of God towards us is free, sovereign, undeserved, and springs entirely from the overflowing love of his own heart, and is not caused by anything in us. Confesses (acknowledges) (3670)(homologeo from homos = one and the same or together with+ lego = to say; confess from con = together, fateor = to say) literally means to say the same thing as another and so to agree with another's statements. Confess is not merely a verbal acknowledgement but denotes a personal acceptance of the reality being confessed. It is not merely a rote recital of a creedal confession. Hiebert adds that "The verb “confesseth” denotes not mere verbal acknowledgment but an open and forthright declaration of the message as one’s own position. Such a confession is crucial for a vital Christian faith (Rom. 10:9–10; 1 John 2:23; 4:15)." John uses homologeo 5 times in this epistle and once more in his second epistle… 1 John 1:9+ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 2:23+ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 1 John 4:2+ By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 1 John 4:3+ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 1John 4:15+ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 2 John 1:7+ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Bob
1 João 4:15
Wiersbe - That important little word abide (or dwell, KJV) is used six times in 1 John 4:12–16. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13). (Bible Exposition Commentary) MENO 24 times in First John - 1 John 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27-28; 3:6, 9, 14-15, 17, 24; 4:12-13, 15-16. (Note: four verses have more than one use) QUESTION -What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the action by which God takes up permanent residence in the body of a believer in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would come and go from the saints, empowering them for service but not necessarily remaining with them (see Judges 15:14; 1 Chronicles 12:18; Psalm 51:11; Ezekiel 11:5). Jesus revealed to His disciples the new role the Spirit of Truth would play in their lives: “He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). These verses are telling us that the believer in Jesus Christ has the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, living in him. When an individual accepts Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit gives the believer the life of God, eternal life, which is really His very nature (Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:4), and the Holy Spirit comes to live within him spiritually. The fact that the believer’s body is likened to a temple where the Holy Spirit lives helps us understand what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is all about. The word temple is used to describe the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum in the Old Testament tabernacle structure. There, God’s presence would appear in a cloud and meet the high priest, who came once a year into the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brought the blood of a slain animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. On this special day, God granted forgiveness to the priest and His people. Today, there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and the animal sacrifices have ceased. The believer in Christ has become the inner sanctum of God the Holy Spirit, as the believer has been sanctified and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). The believer in Christ becomes the habitation of the Holy Spirit of God. In fact, Scripture also says that the believer is indwelt spiritually by Christ (Colossians 1:27) and by God the Father (1 John 4:15)—the Trinity is involved. As the Holy Spirit lives in the believer, He brings about some life-changing results: 1) The indwelling Spirit comes to a soul dead in sin and creates new life (Titus 3:5). This is the new birth Jesus spoke of in John 3:1–8. 2) The indwelling Spirit confirms to the believer that he belongs to the Lord and is an heir of God and fellow-heir with Christ (Romans 8:15–17). 3) The indwelling Spirit installs the new believer as a member of Christ’s universal church. This is the baptism of the Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 12:13. 4) The indwelling Spirit gives spiritual gifts (God-given abilities for service) to the believer to edify the church and serve the Lord effectively for His glory (1 Corinthians 12:11). 5) The indwelling Spirit helps the believer understand and apply the Scripture to his daily life (1 Corinthians 2:12). 6) The indwelling Spirit enriches the believer’s prayer life and intercedes for him in prayer (Romans 8:26–27). 7) The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the yielded believer to live for Christ to do His will (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit leads the believer in paths of righteousness (Romans 8:14). 8) The indwelling Spirit gives evidence of new life by producing the fruit of the Spirit in the believer’s life (Galatians 5:22–23). 9) The indwelling Spirit is grieved when the believer sins (Ephesians 4:30), and He convicts the believer to confess his sin to the Lord so that fellowship is restored (1 John 1:9). 10) The indwelling Spirit seals the believer unto the day of redemption so that the believer’s arrival in the Lord’s presence is guaranteed after this life (Ephesians 1:13–14). When you accept Christ as your Savior (Romans 10:9–13), the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart, bringing with Him an entirely new life of love, relationship, and service to the Lord. Puritan Daily Readings - Be Not Conformed Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.1 John 4:15 The Christian is to walk singularly, not after the world’s guise (Rom. 12:2). We are commanded not to be conformed to this world, that is, not to accommodate ourselves to the corrupt customs of the world. The Christian must not be of such a complying nature as to cut the coat of his profession according to the fashion of the times, or the humor of the company he falls into; like that courtier, who being asked how he could keep his preferment in such changing times, which one while had a prince for Popery, another while against Popery, answered that he was not a stubborn oak, but bending osier, that could yield to the wind. No, the Christian must stand fixed to his principles, and not change his habit; but freely show what countryman that he is by his holy constancy in the truth. Now what odium, what snares, and what a danger does this singularity expose the Christian to? Some will hoot and mock him, as one in a Spanish fashion would be laughed at in your streets. Thus Michal flouted David. Indeed, the world counts the Christian for his singularity of life the only fool; which I have thought gave the first occasion to that nickname, whereby men commonly express a silly man or a fool…Now in such a case as this, when the Christian must turn or burn, leave praying, or become a prey to the cruel teeth of bloody men; how many politic retreats and self-preserving distinctions would a cowardly unresolved heart invent? The Christian that has so great opposition had need be well locked into the saddle of his profession, or else he will soon be dismounted. Billy Graham - The Light of Salvation (Hope for Each Day) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him. 1 JOHN 4:15 Only when we comprehend the great price God was willing to pay for our redemption do we begin to realize that something is horribly wrong with the human race. It must have a Savior, or it is doomed! Sin cost God His very best. Is it any wonder the angels veiled their faces and were silent in their consternation as they witnessed the outworking of God’s plan? How inconceivable it must have seemed to them, when they considered the fearful depravity of sin, that Jesus should shoulder it all. But they were soon to unveil their faces and offer their praises again. A light was kindled that day at Calvary—“the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The cross blazed with the glory of God as the most terrible darkness was shattered by the light of salvation. Satan’s depraved legions were defeated; they could no longer keep humanity in darkness and defeat. Has the light of the gospel shone in your heart? And is it shining through you to others? Charles Stanley - ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (See Finding Peace: God's Promise of a Life Free from Regret, ... - Page 138) Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 1 JOHN 4:15 The world tells us that we will feel secure and be free of all anxiety if we just have enough money in our bank accounts, investment portfolios, or our retirement accounts. That just isn’t true. There’s no lasting security in any form of financial investment.… The world tells us that we will feel secure and be free of anxiety in our careers if we are promoted to positions that are high enough in the company or we achieve a certain degree of fame. That also isn’t true.… The truth is that the world has no magic solution for 100 percent security in any area of life. Only Jesus can give a person the confidence of security deep within. Horatius Bonar - THE CONFESSION AND THE INDWELLING ‘Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.’—1 JOHN 4:15. IT is something very glorious that is spoken of here; it is by something amazingly simple that this is to be obtained; and the obtaining of this something is open to all. I. The great thing promised.—God dwelling in us and we in God. It is not easy to bring out all the meaning of this figure, nay, impossible. It would be easier to describe heaven, the new Jerusalem, than to tell what is meant by God dwelling in us and we in God. It means so much, so very much, that we can only speak of it very generally, as man’s poor language can convey almost nothing of the infinite fulness of the promise. It is a promise like that of John 14:23, ‘We will come unto him and make our abode with him;’ and very like that of Rev. 3, ‘I will come in unto him and sup with him.’ The three persons of the Godhead are thus spoken of. Our text speaks of the Father; the Apostle Paul speaks of ‘Christ in us,’ and we in Christ; and others speak of the Holy Spirit in us, and we in Him,—as if we were God’s habitation or temple, and He ours; He coming down here and entering our dwelling, our heart; we going up to Him and entering into His dwelling, His bosom, where is His only-begotten Son. This dwelling or abiding is twofold,—with us and in us; with Him and in Him. It is not a visit, but an abiding; not a pitching of His tent beside ours, but making His dwelling with and in us. Consider what all this implies:— (1.) Great love.—It is love on both sides, but specially on His. No common love must that be which such a figure implies,—love going out in quest of a resting place, and finding one in the worthless and unlovable. (2.) Great intimacy.—It is far more than friendship. That can bear distance, and intercourse by correspondence; but this is union,—union of the most intimate kind that can be conceived; mutual indwelling. This is the intimacy of intimacies,—the intimacy of an endearment and affection which nothing can equal. (3.) Great satisfaction in each other.—Each seems necessary to the other, more than even parent to child, or husband to wife. Each fills up the other: God is our fulness, and the Church is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. What boundless satisfaction is this! We were made to be filled, not to be empty; and this is the filling up of the soul. (4.) Great blessedness.—The state which our text describes is the perfection of blessedness,—God in us and we in God. All sorrow shut out,—all pain, all weakness, all mortality. Nothing but perfection; and with perfection, joy unspeakable; joy in God and with God. All that divine love, fellowship, intimacy, nearness can do for us shall be done. God in us, and we in God. What blessedness! (5.) Great glory.—For we are thus placed in the very seat and centre of glory: that seat and centre are in us. God comes in to us, and with Him all His glory. We go in to Him, and dwell in His glory. Glory within us and around us,—the very glory of Him who is the fountainhead of glory. Not a part or fragment of glory, but the whole; for He who is the God of glory dwells in us, and we in Him. See John 14:16, 15:4, 7; 1 John 2:6, 24, 26, 3:24. II. The simple way of obtaining it.—By confessing that Jesus is the Son of God. This, of course, implies believing. It is founded on believing; it is the utterance of faith. Not by the comprehension of some great truths, but the simplest of all, that Jesus is the Son of God; that in Jesus is fulfilled all that was written of old concerning the Christ of God. How full of meaning, full of grace and truth, is that expression, ‘Jesus is the Son of God!’ If Jesus is the Son of God, then, (1) God has had pity upon man, and taken his side against his enemies, according to the first promise. (2) Heaven and earth have come together; there is reconciliation and peace. (3) The sinner may go to God at once,—to God as represented by a man like ourselves: through Him we have access to the Father. (4) There is now forgiveness and life. Jesus of Nazareth went about bestowing these. To receive Him is to receive all His fulness; and we receive Him by owning Him as the Son of God. To own Him as such is to become at once partaker of His fulness. This may seem a very simple truth; but it is one so great and so glorious that it cannot be believed without opening the way for the entrance of Godhead into the soul. In confessing Jesus as the Son of God, I let in every blessing, nay, I let in God Himself. The gate is thrown open, and all Godhead takes up His abode with me and in me. III. The freeness to all.—‘Whosoever.’ Wider than the widest range of human sin, deeper than the lowest depths of earthly pollution, is God’s great message of grace. That Jesus is the Son of God is the great truth presented to the sons of men to be believed. No one need say, May I believe it? If it is true, how can you do otherwise? It is a truth as open as it is simple, and as efficacious as it is open. God has testified of Jesus that He is the Son of God; He gave the evidence of this by His resurrection. And this is what He calls on every man to believe, that in believing it he may receive God Himself.
1 João 4:16
Wiersbe says "know (ginosko) has a much deeper meaning than simply intellectual acquaintance or understanding. For example, the verb know is used to describe the intimate union of husband and wife (Ge 4:1 - Ed: Lxx translates the Hebrew yada with ginosko). To know (ginosko) God means to be in a deep relationship to Him—to share His life and enjoy His love. This knowing is not simply a matter of understanding facts; it is a matter of perceiving truth (cf. 1Jn 2:3–5). (Bible Exposition Commentary) THOUGHT - How far is this true of all of you? How many here can join with the beloved apostle, and say, “We have known and believed the love that God hath to us”? We know it; we have felt it; we are under its power. We know it still, it remains a matter of faith to us; we believe it. We have a double hold of it. “We know,” we are not agnostics. “We believe,” we are not unbelievers. Let Christ be God to you (C H
1 João 4:16
Wiersbe - Abiding in God’s love produces two wonderful spiritual benefits in the life of a believer: 1. He grows in knowledge, and 2. He grows in faith (1 John 4:16). The more we love God, the more we understand the love of God. And the more we understand His love, the easier it is for us to trust Him. After all, when you know someone intimately and love him sincerely, you have no problem putting your confidence in him. (ILLUSTRATION) A man standing in the greeting card section of a store was having trouble picking out a card. The clerk asked if she could help, and he said: “Well, it’s our fortieth wedding anniversary, but I can’t find a card that says what I want to say. You know, forty years ago it wouldn’t have been any problem picking out a card, because back then I thought I knew what love was. But we love each other so much more today, I just can’t find a card that says it!” This is a growing Christian’s experience with God. (Bible Exposition Commentary) “The growth of knowledge and the growth of faith act and react on each other.” --A. E. Brooke Steven Cole sums up this verse - John comes back to the theme of God’s love that he developed in 1Jn 4:7-8+: When we know and believe God’s love for us and we abide in love, we abide in God and He in us (1Jn 4:16). It is important to know that John is not saying in these verses that the way to abide in God and have Him abide in us is to confess that Jesus is the Christ and to abide in love. Rather, he is saying that if we do these things, it is evidence of God’s abiding in us and us in Him. When John says, “We have come to know and have believed,” he uses a verb tense (the Greek perfect) that means, “We have come to know and believe in the past with continuing results in the present and future.” Faith is not a blind leap in the dark. It is based on knowledge. John and the apostles came to know and believe God’s love for them in the person of Jesus Christ and His voluntary sacrifice on the cross. Then John repeats what he already said in 1Jn 4:8: “God is love.” He is not only love. He also is holy and righteous. His love never negates any other of His attributes, nor do those attributes negate His love. The supreme demonstration of God’s love is the cross, where He gave His only begotten Son to die in the place of sinners. There love and justice met and both were satisfied. God’s love was demonstrated to us as sinners. God’s justice was satisfied when Christ paid the penalty that we deserved. John then concludes, “The one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” By “abides in love,” I think that he means both, “abides in God’s love” and “abides in love for others.” As we saw in 1Jn 4:11+, you cannot separate the two: “If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” If you have come to know and believe God’s love for you, then you are under obligation to be the channel of His love to others, including those who do not deserve it. Remember, you didn’t deserve it either! It is crucial that each of us be able to apply personally God’s love in Christ. The apostle Paul did. He wrote (Gal. 2:20+), “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” That is John’s confession, “I have faith in the Son of God.” It also is John’s love, which God has for us: He “loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Can you say those things personally? “I believe in the Son of God. I have come to know and believe that He loved me and He gave Himself up for me.” If so, John says that it is evidence that you abide in God and God abides in you. As we’ve seen throughout 1 John, the issue is not perfection, but rather, direction. Some may still be thinking, “I do believe in Jesus as the Son of God and as my Savior, but I don’t have strong faith. I often have doubts. I do abide in His love and seek to be the channel of His love to others, but I often fall short. How can I have assurance that I abide in Him and He abides in me?” As we’ve seen throughout 1 John, the issue is not perfection, but rather, direction. The important questions are, “What do you do when your faith wavers? Do you come before the Lord in confession, asking Him to strengthen your faith? What do you do when selfishness dominates your life, rather than God’s love? Do you grieve over your hardness of heart and ask God to fill you with His Spirit and to produce the fruit of His Spirit in you? Fruit is not an instant product. It takes time and cultivation. Faith and love take time to grow (Phil. 1:9+; 2Th 1:3+). John wants you to know that if these qualities are growing in you, you can be assured that God abides in you and you in Him. John wants you to know that if these qualities are growing in you, you can be assured that God abides in you and you in Him. If you do not see faith and love growing in your life, then do as Isaiah (Isa 55:6-7) directs: “Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (1 John 4:12-16 Assurance of Abiding) John
1 João 4:16
Wiersbe says God is love "is the basis for a believer’s relationship with God and with his fellow man. Because God is love, we can love. His love is not past history; it is present reality." (Bible Exposition Commentary) William Barclay on God is love - In this passage there occurs what is probably the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible, that God is love. It is amazing how many doors that single statement unlocks and how many questions it answers. (i) It is the explanation of creation. Sometimes we are bound to wonder why God created this world. The disobedience, and the lack of response in men is a continual grief to him. Why should he create a world which was to bring him nothing but trouble? The answer is that creation was essential to his very nature. If God is love, he cannot exist in lonely isolation. Love must have someone to love and someone to love it. (ii) It is the explanation of free-will. Unless love is a free response it is not love. Had God been only law he could have created a world in which men moved like automata, having no more choice than a machine. But, if God had made men like that, there would have been no possibility of a personal relationship between him and them. Love is of necessity the free response of the heart; and, therefore, God, by a deliberate act of self-limitation, had to endow men with free will. (iii) It is the explanation of providence. Had God been simply mind and order and law, he might, so to speak, have created the universe, wound it up, set it going and left it. There are articles and machines which we are urged to buy because we can fit them and forget them; their most attractive quality is that they can be left to run themselves. But, because God is love, his creating act is followed by his constant care. (iv) It is the explanation of redemption. If God had been only law and justice, he would simply have left men to the consequences of their sin. The moral law would operate; the soul that sinned would die; and the eternal justice would inexorably hand out its punishments. But the very fact that God is love meant that he had to seek and save that which was lost. He had to find a remedy for sin. (v) It is the explanation of the life beyond. If God were simply creator, men might live their brief span and die for ever. The life which ended early would be only another flower which the frost of death had withered too soon. But the fact that God is love makes it certain that the chances and changes of life have not the last word and that his love will readjust the balance of this life. I Howard Marshall adds that "God is love’ is rightly recognized as one of the high peaks of divine revelation in this Epistle. Logically the statement stands parallel with ‘God is light’ (1Jn 1:5+) and ‘God is spirit’ (Jn. 4:24) as one of the three great Johannine expression of the nature of God… ‘God is spirit’ describes his metaphysical nature, while ‘God is light’ and ‘God is love’ deal with his character, especially as he has revealed himself to men.” (Borrow The Epistles of John) Spurgeon on abides in love - This is not mere benevolence; there are many benevolent people who still do not dwell in love. They wish well to their fellow men; but not to all. They are full of indignation at certain men for the wrong that they have done them. John’s words teach us that there is a way of living in which you are in accord with God, and with all mankind; you have passed out of the region of enmity into the realm of love. When you have come there, by the grace of God, then God dwells in you, and you dwell in Him. (1 John 4) It is the divine indwelling which alone makes possible both belief and love. John Stott - The only way to love, as the only way to believe, is by living in God and God in us. For it is the divine indwelling which alone makes possible both belief and love. They are its fruit, and therefore its evidence: ‘he who dwells in love is [i.e. is thereby seen to be] dwelling in God’ (NEB)… Without the Holy Spirit our minds are dark and our hearts cold. Only the Holy Spirit can enlighten our minds to believe in Jesus and warm our hearts to love God and each other. So believing and loving are evidence that his Spirit is at work within us. (Borrow The Letters of John) Guy King on our spiritual position, in love - The whole passage is full of references to, descriptions of, and blessings in, the Love House - an exquisitely delightful residence. - Double-fronted - love to GOD, love to others. - Long lease - even for eternity. - Sunny aspect - constantly lit by the Sun of Righteousness. - Every modern convenience - for "charity never faileth." - Safe from disturbance - for "perfect love casteth out fear." Note that the phrase employed is "dwells in love," not "lodges," as if for a while - there is all the difference between visiting the seaside for a holiday, and living there permanently. It is this latter condition that is envisaged here. The house itself is a permanency - "now abides … charity," 1 Corinthians 13:13- and we are never to move elsewhere. We are said to be Born there - "born of God" (1Jn 4:7+). Not by natural birth, but by new birth. In the beautiful atmosphere where love reigns - that is, in effect, where GOD reigns, for "God is love" - there is no room for a spirit of hate, a spirit of fear, a spirit of greed, a spirit of jealousy, a spirit of self. It is a sign of a newly born body that it breathes life; likewise is it a mark of a new born soul that it breathes love for we cannot really know GOD without catching from Him some of His wonderful spirit of love (1Jn 4:8+). We are said to Grow there - "herein is our love made perfect" (1Jn 4:17+). Love is not a merely static thing, but is for ever growing deeper as the days go by - from the cupboard love of the cat, to the childish love of the infant, the callow love of the youth, the awakening love of the sweetheart, the deepening love of a married couple, to the perfect love of a Darby and Joan. So does it come about, in the higher sphere, that the more we know GOD the more we love Him - and, incidentally, the more we love others. As the Christian should be always on the go, so should he also be always on the grow "as newborn babes, desire the sincere [the unadulterated] milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby," (1Peter 2:2+). We are to grow in all kinds of Christian excellencies - for instance, in grace, in knowledge, and in love. This love that the Epistle is so full of is a supernatural quality - "shed abroad in our hearts [not by our effort] by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," (Romans 5:5+). The New Testament word for love is not found in heathen writers; and their word for it is not found in the New Testament - though it is given an exalted place in London's Piccadilly Circus! Let us see to it that, as members of the Fellowship we are growing in the Divine virtue. We are said to Live there - "dwells in love" (1Jn 4:16). The Love life follows a pattern, "manifested" in the blessed fact that GOD sent His Son to be incarnate (1Jn 4:9+) and crucified (1Jn 4:10+) for us. A strange word is used of the latter fact - "the propitiation"; and we must give careful attention to it, in view of certain strictures that occur in certain quarters. They begin by quoting from this very Epistle, this very chapter, that "God is love". Very well, then, if that be the case, He will surely forgive "our sins", without any need to be propitiated on account of them. Yet the Bible does describe the Cross, not only as an example of love (how true!), but as a propitiation for sins. You see, there are two sides to the nature of GOD, as revealed to us - "God is love", (1Jn 4:8+); but also, "God is light", (1Jn 1:5+), and the two must be held in balance. The first word signifies, shall we say, His attitude towards our highest good; the second word embraces His attitude against all evil - in consequence of this latter capacity, innate in a Holy Deity, sin must be adequately dealt with. He cannot, from the very nature of this side of His Being, deal with it as if He were an easygoing, indulgent FATHER. A propitiation there must be - but note carefully the phrase that He "sent … the propitiation." The same thought is in Romans 3:25-26+, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation… that He might be [at the same time] just, and the justifier." The Cross dealt with the sin, and delivered the sinner who believed. So that we come to this "righteous" conclusion that, seeing there must be a propitiation, His love provided what His holiness demanded! "Herein is love" (1Jn 4:10+) - indeed. And now we have to remind ourselves that Life in Love lays upon us the obligation to reproduce, in our measure, the pattern of love that is set before us - not to do what He did, which was uniquely His work, but to do as He did. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (11). "We love Him, because He first loved us" (1Jn 4:19+). It is no use our saying that the copy is too remote, and the task too difficult, for, as we learned in an earlier study, GOD never commands His children to do the impossible, Exodus 18:23, and "this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1Jn 4:21+). This rule of the household is His command; the grace for the doing of it is ours to command! What further residence is there for the members of the Fellowship? (1 John 4:7-21 The Position of the Fellowship) Know (1097)(ginosko) refers to knowledge gained by experience, a knowing intimately and not just intellectually. For example, John uses ginosko to describe those who refused to believe in Jesus writing "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him." (Jn 1:10+, see context Jn 1:11-13+) After most of the followers departed from Jesus in Jn 6:66+, Jesus confronted the twelve disciples asking "You do not want to go away also, do you?" (Jn 6:67+) to which Peter replied "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know (ginosko) that You are the Holy One of God." (Jn 6:68-69+) Notice that here John links believing in Jesus with knowing Him. And the greatest use of ginosko in the Bible (IMO) is John 17:3+ “This is eternal life, that they may know (ginosko) You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent." To know God and Jesus Christ is salvation, eternal life. On the other hand if Jesus does not know you, that means you are dead in your trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1-3+) and will spend eternity away from His glorious present (2Th 1:9+). Jesus was crystal clear when He declared "I never (never ever - oudepote) knew (ginosko) you; DEPART (present imperative) FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." (Mt 7:23+) Dear reader, I pray for your soul, that you never hear these words, thinking that you have made a profession of Jesus, but never truly experienced possession of Jesus. In His Name. Amen. GINOSKO IN JOHN'S WRITINGS - Jn. 1:10 ; Jn. 1:48; Jn. 2:24; Jn. 2:25; Jn. 3:10; Jn. 4:1; Jn. 4:53; Jn. 5:6; Jn. 5:42; Jn. 6:15; Jn. 6:69; Jn. 7:17; Jn. 7:26; Jn. 7:27; Jn. 7:49; Jn. 7:51; Jn. 8:27; Jn. 8:28; Jn. 8:32; Jn. 8:43; Jn. 8:52; Jn. 8:55; Jn. 10:6; Jn. 10:14; Jn. 10:15; Jn. 10:27; Jn. 10:38; Jn. 11:57; Jn. 12:9; Jn. 12:16; Jn. 13:7; Jn. 13:12; Jn. 13:28; Jn. 13:35; Jn. 14:7; Jn. 14:9; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 14:20; Jn. 14:31; Jn. 15:18; Jn. 16:3; Jn. 16:19; Jn. 17:3; Jn. 17:7; Jn. 17:8; Jn. 17:23; Jn. 17:25; Jn. 19:4; Jn. 21:17; 1 Jn. 2:3; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:5; 1 Jn. 2:13; 1 Jn. 2:14; 1 Jn. 2:18; 1 Jn. 2:29; 1 Jn. 3:1; 1 Jn. 3:6; 1 Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 3:19; 1 Jn. 3:20; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 4:2; 1 Jn. 4:6; 1 Jn. 4:7; 1 Jn. 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:13; 1 Jn. 4:16; 1 Jn. 5:2; 1 Jn. 5:20; 2 Jn. 1:1; Rev. 2:23; Rev. 2:24; Rev. 3:3; Rev. 3:9 Believed (4100) pisteuo from pistis; pistos; related studies the faith, the obedience of faith) means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust. To accept as true, genuine, or real. To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something or someone. To consider to be true. To accept the word or evidence of. JOHN'S USES OF PISTEUO - Jn. 1:7; Jn. 1:12; Jn. 1:50; Jn. 2:11; Jn. 2:22; Jn. 2:23; Jn. 2:24; Jn. 3:12; Jn. 3:15; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:18; Jn. 3:36; Jn. 4:21; Jn. 4:39; Jn. 4:41; Jn. 4:42; Jn. 4:48; Jn. 4:50; Jn. 4:53; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:38; Jn. 5:44; Jn. 5:46; Jn. 5:47; Jn. 6:29; Jn. 6:30; Jn. 6:35; Jn. 6:36; Jn. 6:40; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:64; Jn. 6:69; Jn. 7:5; Jn. 7:31; Jn. 7:38; Jn. 7:39; Jn. 7:48; Jn. 8:24; Jn. 8:30; Jn. 8:31; Jn. 8:45; Jn. 8:46; Jn. 9:18; Jn. 9:35; Jn. 9:36; Jn. 9:38; Jn. 10:25; Jn. 10:26; Jn. 10:37; Jn. 10:38; Jn. 10:42; Jn. 11:15; Jn. 11:25; Jn. 11:26; Jn. 11:27; Jn. 11:40; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 11:45; Jn. 11:48; Jn. 12:11; Jn. 12:36; Jn. 12:37; Jn. 12:38; Jn. 12:39; Jn. 12:42; Jn. 12:44; Jn. 12:46; Jn. 13:19; Jn. 14:1; Jn. 14:10; Jn. 14:11; Jn. 14:12; Jn. 14:29; Jn. 16:9; Jn. 16:27; Jn. 16:30; Jn. 16:31; Jn. 17:8; Jn. 17:20; Jn. 17:21; Jn. 19:35; Jn. 20:8; Jn. 20:25; Jn. 20:29; Jn. 20:31; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 4:1; 1 Jn. 4:16; 1 Jn. 5:1; 1 Jn. 5:5; 1 Jn. 5:10; 1 Jn. 5:13 Love (26)(agape) is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22+). Agape is a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved. While agape is not primarily a feeling, it is certainly not without feeling. It might be called "caring commitment." While it is a command to love one another, and it is thus a "duty," it is also and predominantly a delight. Agape is an attitude manifest by actions, caring, committed actions. Agape often involves sacrifice, and is supremely exemplified by Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. Agape love impels one to sacrifice one’s self for the benefit of the object loved… (it) speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in the object loved, an apprehension of its preciousness.
1 João 4:16
Wiersbe - That important little word abide (or dwell, KJV) is used six times in 1 John 4:12–16+. It refers to our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. To abide in Christ means to remain in spiritual oneness with Him, so that no sin comes between us. Because we are “born of God,” we have union with Christ; but it is only as we trust Him and obey His commandments that we have communion with Him. Much as a faithful husband and wife “abide in love” though they may be separated by miles, so a believer abides in God’s love. This abiding is made possible by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13+). (Bible Exposition Commentary) MENO 24 times in First John - 1 John 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27-28; 3:6, 9, 14-15, 17, 24; 4:12-13, 15-16. (Note: four verses have more than one use) Hymns Related to 1 John 4:16 Agony, The Come, Ye That Know and Fear the Lord God Is Goodness, God Is Love God Is Love God Is Love, by Him Upholden God Is Love; His Mercy Brightens Love Came Down at Christmas Love Divine, All Loves Excelling O Love Divine and Golden O Love Divine, I Come! O Love Divine! Where’er I Am O Thou Who Gavest Power to Love See, Sinners, in the Gospel Glass Thou Lord, Art Love, and Everywhere Through Love to Light ’Tis Love That Makes Us Happy THE GREATEST VIRTUE - John MacArthur (See Truth for Today: A Daily Touch of God's Grace - Page 207) He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 JOHN 4:16 The greatest virtue of the Christian life is love. The New Testament proclaims agape love as the supreme virtue under which all others must line up. It centers on the needs and welfare of the one loved and pays the price necessary to meet those needs and foster that welfare. Jesus clearly stated that the Bible’s two greatest commandments are: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22: 37–39). A W Tozer - GOD UNDERSTANDS US - See Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings - Page 20 God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16 We should revel in the joy of believing that God is the sum of all patience and the true essence of kindly good will! Because He is what He is, we please Him most, not by frantically trying to make ourselves good, but by throwing ourselves into His arms with all our imperfections and believing that He understands everything—and loves us still! The God who desires our fellowship and communion is not hard to please, although He may be hard to satisfy. He expects from us only what He has Himself supplied. When He must chasten us, He even does this with a smile—the proud, tender smile of a Father who is bursting with pleasure over an imperfect son who is coming every day to look more and more like the One whose child he is! This is the best of good news: God loves us for ourselves. He values our love more than He values galaxies of newly created worlds. He remembers our frame and knows that we are dust! Andrew
1 João 4:17
Wiersbe - What God is determines what we ought to be. “As He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). The fact that Christians love one another is evidence of their fellowship with God and their sonship from God, and it is also evidence that they know God. Their experience with God is not simply a once-for-all crisis; it is a daily experience of getting to know Him better and better. True theology (the study of God) is not a dry, impractical course in doctrine—it is an exciting day-by-day experience that makes us Christlike!… Positionally, we are right now “as He is.” We are so closely identified with Christ, as members of His body, that our position in this world is like His exalted position in heaven. This means that the Father deals with us as He deals with His own beloved Son. How, then, can we ever be afraid? (Bible Exposition Commentary) John is stating the characteristic which ought to be found in every true Christian, namely that he is like Jesus. -- Herschel Hobbs In the world - John mentions world three times in this section on love (1Jn 4:7-21) - "God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him" (1Jn 4:9+), "the Father as sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." (1Jn 4:14+), "As He is, so also are we in this world." (1Jn 4:17+) God clearly demonstrates His love for the world in these passages, sending His Son as Savior, giving us His Son's life and leaving us on earth so that others might see Him in us (1Jn 4:17)! Marvin Vincent on in the world - This present economy, physical and moral. Regarding the Day of Judgment, be aware that a number of commentators like David Guzik, who is normally a conservative and accurate interpreter of Scripture, make statements like "The Bible says that one day, all of humanity will gather before God’s Great White Throne and face judgment." Beloved, this is very misleading. Believers will not stand to be judged at the Great White Throne which is for unbelievers. Believers will stand at the Bema Seat of Christ, which is a different judgment! Gotquestions says "The judgment seat of Christ is different from the great white throne judgment. That will be the final judgment of the wicked prior to their being cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15). Appearing before the great white throne will be unbelievers. Believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ." Guy King discusses our position In this world (1Jn 4:17). The world is an alien country - so that, in the LORD's Prayer, he says, "They are not of the world", (John 17:16). Yet He has said, "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil". In moments of depression, we might wish that immediately upon our New Birth we were granted the administration of our Supernaturalisation Papers and were there and then transported to our now native country up yonder. But what adventure for GOD we should then miss; what possible honors in the fight for Him we should fail to achieve! So we are left here, and may exercise in our residence so great an influence for good, and for GOD. One day, in an electric moment of time, all the believers will be taken out of the world - those who have died, and those who are alive at the moment, all suddenly transformed and transported, to "ever be with the LORD", 1Th 4:16-17+. A queer situation will then arise on the earth the moment after it has happened, that differentiating as between believers and unbelievers, living and working closely together, "one shall be taken, and the other left", Luke 17:34-36. Meanwhile, it is to be remembered that the world is a field of infection - "that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil". For our safeguard we must continually be on guard, for the virulent germs of evil thinking, evil speaking, and evil doing are forever poisoning the spiritual atmosphere, and we shall succumb, unless we allow ourselves to be "kept" immune by the deodorizing effects of the HOLY SPIRIT, and by the disinfecting power of the Holy Scriptures. We are told that the best defense is attack; and so it is made clear to us that we are to exercise a positive influence wherever we are - even as the Saviour taught, as we have said earlier, that we are to be as "salt" to prevent corruption, as "light" to bring cheer and guidance, and as a hill-top "city" to give clear testimony to Him. Here we are, then, living in this difficult environment - living to serve Him, and to help others. There is still another New Testament figure of the Christian in an alien country which is, again, full of significance - "we are ambassadors for CHRIST", 2Cor 5:20+. Earthly monarchs have their ambassadors in other lands, to represent them at the foreign court - standing for the dignities and rights of their Sovereign, keeping their Government in touch with anything affecting the interests of their Country, speaking in the Name of their Ruler, and with all his Power behind them. All that lies within the ambassadorial figure that Paul here employs, to indicate still another aspect of our responsibility as representing our Sovereign LORD to those among whom we live "in this world". That leads on to the further thought that the world is a great audience - before which we are engaged to enact a special performance. In 1Cor 4:9 we read that "we are made a spectacle (Gk = theatron = a place in which games and dramatic spectacles are exhibited) unto the world", where the original word for "spectacle" is the word from which our "theater "comes. We are as a theater with the world looking on. Our representation of Him is a History, if it is a true likeness; a Comedy, if we burlesque the great part we are meant to play; a Tragedy, if we sadly misrepresent Him to the audience, Turn now to our passage and note its expression of this idea. We read that "as He is, so are we in this world" (1Jn 4:17). Not, you observe, as He was, but is even now in His Divine omnipresence, though to the world-audience unseen - the role is, that they shall see JESUS in us. How searching are the simple words of the chorus, "Can others see JESUS in me?" Well can they? Are we, by His grace, acting the part well. I believe that actors on the ordinary stage are successful in so far as they faithfully study their part. All right then - "consider Him", Hebrews 12:3, and act accordingly. There is another verse in our passage, along the same lines - "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us … " (1Jn 4:12). The first sentence seems to hang in mid-air, having no connection with what comes before, or after. But upon reflection it seems to me that the argument is after the same pattern as in verse 17 - GOD is not seen in Himself; but, if we display the spirit of love, people can see Him in us. Does not this thought place upon us a tremendous responsibility to see that, as we considered in our sixth study, the portrait is clearly recognized, and, as here, that the performance is true to life. Here, then, we learn something of the calls and claims resting upon the members of the Fellowship, on account of their social position, as residing "in this world." (1John 4:7-21 The Position of the Fellowship) Let Others See Jesus in You While passing thro' this world of sin And others your life shall view Be clean and pure without and within Let others see Jesus in you. Your life's a book before their eyes, They're reading it thro' and thro' Say does it point them to they skies Do others see Jesus in you? Then live for Christ both day and night, Be faithful, be brave and true And lead the lost to life and Christ, Let others see Jesus in you. Let others see Jesus in you. Let others see Jesus in you. Keep telling the story, be faithful and true. Let others see Jesus in you. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." TECHNICAL NOTE - TO WHAT DOES "IN THIS" REFER....THAT WHICH PRECEDES OR WHICH FOLLOWS? Here is the NET Note's analysis: The referent of ἐν τούτῳ (en toutō) (BY THIS or IN THIS) here is more difficult to determine than most, because while there are both ἵνα (hina) and ὅτι (hoti) clauses following, it is not clear whether or not they are related to the ἐν τούτῳ. There are actually three possibilities for the referent of ἐν τούτῳ in 4:17: (1) it may refer to the ἵνα clause which immediately follows, so that the love of believers is brought to perfection in that they have confidence in the day of judgment. The main problem with this interpretation is that since the day of judgment is still future, it necessitates understanding the second use of the preposition “in” (second ἐν [en]) to mean “about” or “concerning” with reference to the day of judgment in order to make logical sense. (2) The ἐν τούτῳ may refer to the ὅτι clause in 4:17b, meaning “love is perfected with us … in that just as he [Christ] is, so also are we in this world.” This makes logical sense, and there are numerous cases where ἐν τούτῳ is explained by a ὅτι clause that follows. However, according to this understanding the intervening ἵνα clause is awkward, and there is no other instance of the phrase ἐν τούτῳ explained by a following ὅτι clause where a ἵνα clause intervenes between the two in this way. (3) Thus, the third possibility is that ἐν τούτῳ refers to what precedes in 1Jn 4:16b, and this also would make logical sense: “By this—by our residing in love so that we reside in God and he resides in us—is love brought to perfection with us.” This has the additional advantage of agreeing precisely with what the author has already said in 4:12: “If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.” Thus option (3) is best, with the phrase ἐν τούτῳ referring to what precedes in 4:16b, and the ἵνα clause which follows indicates the result of this perfection of love in believers: In the future day of judgment they will have confidence. The ὅτι clause would then give the reason for such confidence in the day of judgment: because just as Jesus is, so also are believers in this world—they are already currently in relationship with God just as Jesus is. Love (26)(agape)is unconditional, sacrificial love and Biblically refers to a love that God is (1Jn 4:8,16), that God shows (Jn 3:16, 1Jn 4:9) and that God enables in His children (fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22+). Agape love impels one to sacrifice one’s self for the benefit of the object loved… (it) speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in the object loved, an apprehension of its preciousness.
1 João 4:17
Wiersbe - When you are free to speak, then there is no fear and you have confidence. A believer can come with boldness (same word as "confidence") to the throne of grace (He 4:16) with openness and freedom and not be afraid. We have this boldness because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ (He 10:19+). Therefore, we should not cast away our confidence, no matter what the circumstances might be. We should not have confidence in ourselves, because we are too prone to fail; but we should have confidence in Jesus Christ who never fails. (Bible Exposition Commentary)
1 João 4:18
Wiersbe adds that "If people are afraid, it is because of something in the past that haunts them, or something in the present that upsets them, or something in the future that they feel threatens them. Or it may be a combination of all three. A believer in Jesus Christ does not have to fear the past, present, or future, for he has experienced the love of God and this love is being perfected in him day by day." It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). But a Christian does not fear future judgment, because Christ has suffered his judgment for him on the cross. (Bible Exposition Commentary) When we come to know God as Father, we no longer fear Him as Judge. John
1 João 4:19
Wiersbe - A large quantity of radioactive material was stolen from a hospital. When the hospital administrator notified the police, he said: “Please warn the thief that he is carrying death with him, and that the radioactive material cannot be successfully hidden. As long as he has it in his possession, it is affecting him disastrously!” A person who claims he knows God and is in union with Him must be personally affected by this relationship. A Christian ought to become what God is, and “God is love.” To argue otherwise is to prove that one does not really know God! (Bible Exposition Commentary) C H
1 João 4:19
Wiersbe - The theme of God’s love began chapter 3, and here it closes the chapter: “We love, because He first loved us.” By nature, we know little about love (Titus 3:3–6); God had to show it to us on the cross (Rom. 5:8) and plant it in our hearts (Rom. 5:5). Note 1 John 4:10. “There is none who seeks after God,” says Rom. 3:11 (NKJV), so God came seeking man (Gen. 3:8; Luke 19:10). Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament J I Packer - We love because he first loved us.1 JOHN 4:19 New Testament Christianity is essentially a response to the revelation of the Creator as a God of love. God is a tripersonal Being who so loves ungodly humans that the Father has given the Son, the Son has given His life, and Father and Son together now give the Spirit to save sinners from unimaginable misery and lead them into unimaginable glory. Believing in and being overwhelmed by this amazing reality of divine love generates and sustains the love to God and neighbor that Christ’s two great commandments require. Our love is to express our gratitude for God’s gracious love to us, and to be modeled on it. Concise Theology, 181 I love God and my neighbor in response to God’s love for me. We may say of the silvered sea that it shines because the moon sheds upon it its silvery light. We may say of the full-orbed moon that she shines in soft beauty because she reflects the glory of the far-absent sun. But of the sun we can only say that it shines because it shines. We know of no eternal sources from which it draws its glory. So it is with the great heart of God. He loves, because He loves. “He first loved us.” C H Spurgeon -1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.” Think how much he must have loved you when you were going on in sin. You used to call his ministers hypocrites, his people fools. His Sabbaths were idle days with you. His precious book was unread. You never sought his grace. Perhaps you used to curse him, perhaps persecute him in his children, and yet he loved you. And when his Spirit came after you, you tried to quench him. You would not attend the place where the arrow had first stuck in your conscience. You went to the theater. You tried to quench the Spirit, but his love would not be mastered by you. He had J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, i. 303. - In heaven, love will absorb fear; but in this world, fear and love must go together. No one can love God aright without fearing Him; though many fear Him, and yet do not love Him. Self-confident men, who do not know their own hearts, or the reasons they have for being dissatisfied with themselves, do not fear God, and they think this bold freedom is to love Him. Deliberate sinners fear but cannot love Him. But devotion to Him consists in love and fear, as we may understand from our ordinary attachment to each other. No one really loves another, who does not feel a certain reverence towards him. When friends transgress this sobriety of affection, they may indeed continue associates for a time, but they have broken the bond of union. It is a mutual respect that makes friendship lasting. So again, in the feelings of inferiors towards superiors. Fear must go before love. Till he who has authority shows he has it and can use it, his forbearance will not be valued duly; his kindness will look like weakness. We learn to contemn what we do not fear; and we cannot love what we contemn. So in religion also. We cannot understand Christ’s mercies till we understand His power, His glory, His unspeakable holiness, and our demerits; that is, until we first fear Him. Not that fear comes first, and then love; for the most part they will proceed together. Fear is allayed by the love of Him, and our love is sobered by our fear of Him.1 WOUNDED FOR ME - Charles Edwards We love him, because he first loved us.1 JOHN 4:19 COULD YOU AND I PASS this day through these heavens, and see what is now going on in the sanctuary above. . .could you see the Lord with the scars of His five deep wounds in the very midst of the throne. . .all singing, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," and were one of these angels to tell you, "This is He that undertook the cause of lost sinners: He undertook to be the second Adam - the man in their stead; and lo! there He is upon the throne of heaven; consider Him - look long and earnestly upon His wounds - upon His glory, and tell me, do you think it would be safe to trust Him? Do you think His sufferings and obedience will have been enough? Yes, yes, every soul exclaims, Lord it is enough! Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He to rescue me from danger, Interposed with precious blood. Oh, to grace how great a debtor; Daily I'm constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. ROBERT MURRAY MCCHEYNE The only cure for a cold heart is to look at the heart of Jesus.—ROBERT MCCHEYNE LOVE YOUR WORLD James Bryan Smith We love because he first loved us.1 JOHN 4:19 When we grasp the magnitude of God’s love for us, we will begin to feel it flow out of our hands and feet and mouths and into the lives of others. God has given us his Spirit, a Spirit of love that will drive us to care for one another. God provides for us the example of how to care for one another. How does God care for us? God cares for our spiritual life, God cares for the health of our soul, and God provides for our physical needs. God is available, God listens, and God never abandons us. This is how we are to care for one another. Jesus also left us a clear picture of how to care for one another. He never discouraged people, he spoke the truth in love, and he gave of his time and energy to meet the needs of those around him. He received the poor and the sinful in the same manner as he welcomed the rich and the righteous. He loved all people and wept for their pain. We are given the model of how we are to treat one another in the example of Jesus. We follow God’s lead when we care for the world around us in tangible ways and treat others as Jesus treats us. Lord, empower me to follow your lead and love my world well. Amen. R E Neighbour - “We love Him, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19.) With melody within my heart, I sing of Christ the Lord; I sing of Him who loved me so, And magnify His Word; He is my God, my Lord, my all. And I His son would be, To sing and sound His praises here, And in eternity. With heart aglow, and tongue aflame, I worship at His feet, I sound aloud His worthy praise And His dear name repeat; He is the lover of my soul, And I His son would be To love Him here, and love Him there Throughout eternity. To know Jesus Christ is to believe Him. However, faith does not dwell alone. We cannot believe Him, and believe all that He is and does, without loving Him. A life which is foreign to faith will be loveless; and a life that is foreign to love will be faithless. “We love Him BECAUSE He first loved us.” The reason for our love is His love. Herein is seen the depravity of the human heart, the heart that rejects Christ Jesus. Such a heart sins not only against light, but against love. How can we help but love Him? O love of God, rule in my heart With power divine; I would be Thine, in all Thou art, And be Thou mine; Let love my being sweetly fill, Let love my every fiber thrill, My life entwine. O love of God, within me dwell And dwell supreme; A deep, upflowing, living well A heav’nly stream: A love that never more shall cease, A love of boundless joy and peace, A blest daydream. Phillip Brooks - We love Him because He first loved us.—1 John 4:19. John the Disciple had learned from Jesus, his Master, the truth of the priority of God—the truth that before everything is God.… It is as when up the morning sky, all coldly beautiful with ordered ranks of cloud on cloud, is poured the glow of sunrise, and every least cloud, still the same in place and shape, burns with the transfiguring splendor of the sun. So is it when the priority of existence is seen to rest in a Person, and the background of life is God. Then every new arrival instantly reports itself to Him, and is described in terms of its relationship to Him. Every activity of ours answers to some previous activity of His. Do we hope? It is because we have caught the sound of some promise of His. Do we fear? It is because we have had some glimpse of the dreadfulness of getting out of harmony with Him. Are we curious and inquiring? It is that we may learn some of His truth. Do we resist evil? We are fighting His enemies. Do we help need? We are relieving His children. Do we love Him? It is an answer of gratitude for His love to us. Do we live? It is a projection and extension of His being. Do we die? It is the going home of our immortal souls to Him. Oh, the wonderful richness of life when it is all thus backed with the priority of God! It is the great illumination of all living. Jerry Bridges - GROWING IN LOVE Holiness Day by Day: Transformational Thoughts The LORD is on my side.(PSALM 118:6) How can we develop our love for God so that our obedience is prompted by love instead of some lesser motive? The Scripture gives us our first clue, or beginning point, when it says, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our love to God can only be a response to His love for us. If I don’t believe God loves me, I cannot love Him. To love God, I must believe that He is for me, not against me (Romans 8:31) and that He accepts me as a son or a daughter, not a slave (Galatians 4:7). What would keep us from believing God loves us? The answer is a sense of guilt and condemnation because of our sin. The same tender conscience that enables us to become aware of sins that lie deep beneath the level of external actions can also load us down with guilt. When we’re under that burden and sense of condemnation, it is difficult to love God or believe that He loves us. We cannot love God if we think we’re under His judgment and condemnation. James Fraser said, “But whilst the conscience retains the charge of guilt, condemnation, and wrath, there cannot be purity, or sincerity of heart toward God, or sincerity of the love of God. Human nature is so formed, that it cannot love any object that is adverse and terrible to it.”17 This means we must continually take those sins that our consciences accuse us of to the cross and plead the cleansing blood of Jesus. Only the blood of Christ cleanses our consciences so that we may no longer feel guilty (Hebrews 9:14; 10:2). Joni Eareckson Tada - The Lover of Your Soul More Precious Than Silver: 366 Daily Devotional Readings - Page 13 We love because he first loved us.—1 John 4:19 When my husband, Ken, and I were dating, one word marked the expression of his love for me: excessive. I received more candies, stuffed animals, sweetheart cards, and vases of fresh yellow roses than I care to remember. I pleaded with him to lighten up, but I learned that not only is love blind; it’s deaf. The next day I would receive pink roses instead of yellow ones. There were more solid evidences of Ken’s love I could point to, but it was the excesses that delighted me. We never need doubt the love of Christ. We have plenty of solid evidence. But there may be times when we might wonder just how much Jesus delights himself in us. It is true that bearing the Father’s wrath on the cross was the ultimate test of how immense Christ’s love is, but our soul wants to know more. I want to know how passionately, how intensely, he feels about me. Did Jesus desire to come to earth? Or was it a matter of fulfilling divine duty? The question is answered in blood. There is a word that marks the love of Christ, and that is excessive. His love for you overflows all reason, all expectations, all your hopes and dreams. For Christ to lay down his life for you tells you that his covenant is no schoolboy pledge or head-of-state agreement or legal contract. Christ’s love is riddled with powerful emotion. For him to die for you is for him to be delighted in you. Let Christ’s passion for you stir the depths of your yearnings for him. Let yourself be drawn to him today, not only because of his sacrifice for your sin but because of his desire for your soul. Lord Jesus, I am moved deeply by the extravagant, excessive display of your love for me. I am gripped by the intensity of your desire and emotion for my soul. You take delight in me…and my heart rises to take delight in you. A W Tozer - Learn to Love God for Himself Alone The Pursuit of the Divine: A. W. Tozer Collection We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 The phrase, “the love of God,” when used by Christians almost always refers to God’s love for us. We must remember that it can also mean our love for God! The first and great commandment is that we should love God with all the power of our total personality. Though all love originates in God and is for that reason God’s own love, yet we are permitted to catch and reflect back that love in such manner that it becomes our love indeed! The Christian’s love for God has by some religious thinkers been divided into two kinds, the love of gratitude and the love of excellence. But we must carry our love to God further than love of gratitude and love of excellence. There is a place in the religious experience where we love God for Himself alone, with never a thought of His benefits. There is, in the higher type of love, a supra-rational element that cannot and does not attempt to give reasons for its existence—it only whispers, “I love!” In the perfection of love, the heart does not reason from admiration to affection, but quickly rises to the height of blind adoration where reason is suspended and the heart worships in unreasoning blessedness. It can only exclaim, “Holy, holy, holy,” while scarcely knowing what it means. If this should all seem too mystical, too unreal, we offer no proof. But some will read and recognize the description of the sunlit peaks where they have been for at least brief periods and to which they long often to return. And such will need no proof! Robert
1 João 4:20
Wiersbe adds "Here it is for the seventh time: “If a man say …!” We have met this important phrase several times, and each time we knew what was coming: a warning against pretending." (Bible Exposition Commentary) C H Spurgeon on I love God - Not, “if a man love God,” but if a man say, “I love God.” It is a blessed thing to be able to say, “I love God,” when God himself can bear witness to the truth of our statement; but the apostle says, If a man say, I love God, (Exposition on 1 John 4) Every claim to love God is a delusion if it is not accompanied by unselfish and practical love for our brothers and sisters (1Jn 3:17–18+). -- John Stott William
1 João 4:20
Wiersbe - Pleasing Priorities Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures - Page 242 Read 1 John 4:20–21 Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20 When our hearts are confident toward God, there is no need for us to pretend, either to God or to other people. If we lack confidence with God, we will also lack confidence with God’s people. Part of the torment that fear generates is constant worry. “How many members do you have in your church?” a visitor asked the pastor. “Somewhere near a thousand,” the pastor replied. “That certainly is a lot of people to try to please!” the visitor exclaimed. “Let me assure you, my friend, that I have never tried to please all my members or even some of them,” the pastor said with a smile. “I aim to please one person—the Lord Jesus Christ. If I am right with Him, then everything should be right between me and my people.” Immature Christians who are not growing in their love for God may think they have to impress others with their “spirituality.” This mistake turns them into liars! They are professing something that they are not really practicing; they are playing a role instead of living a life. Something to Ponder - What is one act of love you could do for a person as an expression of your love for God? If someone says, “I love God” and hates his brother, he is a liar. 1 JOHN 4:20 Don’t you just hate hypocrisy in the church? For many of you it’s a major reason why you don’t come to church. In the movie The Apostle, starring Robert Duvall, we see a preacher who gets in trouble. He even kills a man, but he runs to a new town and continues to preach. Certainly, over the last 30 years, Hollywood has done a number on preachers and priests. And time after time they are painted in a very unflattering way, usually as hypocrites or a bunch of out-of-touch airheads, or mean, cruel sickos. If you combine all of that with the charlatan TV evangelists, well, it’s not a pretty picture. But the truth is, all of us preachers struggle with hypocrisy and not always practicing what we preach. I sure do. But I have good news. I’ve only known one preacher in my life who had no trace of hypocrisy. And He’s alive today—His name is Jesus. All the rest of us fall short, but Jesus never does. So put your focus and your faith in Him. —BRYANT WRIGHT Right from the Heart Is there any hypocrisy in your life? Write out a prayer asking God to help you “practice what you preach” or live your life more like Jesus every day God's Promises Devotional Journal: 365 Days David Jeremiah - Whom having not seen you love. I walk by faith, not by sight. I love You, God, because You first loved me. I have known and believed the love that You have for me. You are love, and I who abide in love abide in You, and You in me. In You I also trusted, after I heard the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation; in whom also, having believed, I was sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. To me You willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in me, the hope of glory. If I say, “I love God,” and hate my brother, I am a liar; for I who do not love my brother whom I have seen, how can I love God whom I have not seen? Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Blessed am I who put my trust in You, Lord God. Enable me, Lord, to abide in You more fully … to love my brother more wholeheartedly … and to trust You more completely so that I may know Your blessings. 1 PETER 1:8; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7; 1 JOHN 4:19; 1 JOHN 4:16; EPHESIANS 1:13; COLOSSIANS 1:27; 1 JOHN 4:20; JOHN 20:29; PSALM 2:12 Life-Changing Moments with God: Praying Scripture Every Day 1 John 4:20 Part of the Package There is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That’s logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn’t look for value in what it loves, but that CREATES value in what is loves. Like Rosemary’s rag doll. When Rosemary, my youngest child, was three, she was given a little rag doll, which quickly became an inseparable companion. She had other toys that were intrinsically far more valuable, but none that she loved like she loved the rag doll. Soon the rag doll became more and more rag and less and less doll. It also became more and more dirty. If you tried to clean the rag doll, it became more ragged still. And if you didn’t try to clean the rag doll, it became dirtier still. The sensible thing to do was to trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved my child. If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll—it was part of the package. “If anyone says ‘I love God’ yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar,” (1 John 4:20) “love me, love my rag dolls,” says God, “including the one you see when you look in the mirror. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Ian Pitt-Watson The Unseen God (1 John 4:20) 1. DECLARATION To MOSES Exodus 33:23 2. STATEMENT Of ELIPHAZ Job 5:8, 9 3. FOOTSTEPS Are UNKNOWN Psalm 77:19 4. GREATNESS Is UNSEARCHABLE Psalms 145:3 5. NEVER Seen by ANY MAN John 6:46 6. INVISIBLE To the FAITHFUL Hebrews 11:27 7. IMPORTANT QUESTION 1 John 4:20 H A