1st John 4:7-12

1 John 4:7-12 “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”

Christian love is a choice and an action. Our source of love is God. Jesus is our example of how to love and the Holy Spirit living in us gives us the power to love. It’s been said that we are never nearer to God, then when we love. Since we are in His image and He is love: to be like God, to be what we are meant to be, we must love.

I read something interesting when I was studying this:

In this passage the statement, “God is love” is the explanation for many of the questions we have.

1. It’s the explanation to creation. Why did God create this world? Hasn’t it been heartbreak for Him? All the disobedience and rebellions. Why would He want something that’s nothing but trouble? Well, creation is essential to the very nature of God. If God is love, then there has to be something to love!

2. It is the explanation of free will. Unless love is a free response, it isn’t love. If we were like robots, programmed like machines, there would be no possibility for a personal relationship between God and man. God, by a deliberate act of self-limitation gave man free will so when we love God it’s real.

3. It is the explanation of providence. He didn’t just create the world and let it go. We are in His constant care and He sustains, upholds and broods over us.

4. It is the explanation of redemption. If God were only law and justice He would leave people to the consequences of their sin. He does this often during our lives, but remember the wages of sin is death. God seeks and saves the lost souls because He is love.

5. It is the explanation of the life beyond. If God were simply a creator, man like a flower, would live briefly and die and God would just create another. But, God loves us enough to want us with Him throughout eternity.