One major theme of the Apostle John’s first epistle is that of love, of how much the Lord God loves us, and how we are to show our love, not only back to God, but also for other believers. Today’s Scripture continues the same theme from last week’s passage, and the admonition of believers to show love one for another.
John teaches us here at the opening of this portion of Scripture that love originates from God (vs. 7). Love is inherent in all that God is and does. Those who are born again receive God’s nature Since that nature of God exhibits love as a chief characteristic, God’s children should also reflect that love. As we are being transformed into His image, we should increasingly reflect Jesus’ loving character in our behavior and attitude.
Perhaps you know someone who professes to be a Christian, but is filled with anger and hatred towards this person or that group, even against fellow believers, not only in his own church, but in others, as well. Someone may profess to be a Christian, but only those who display love like Jesus had, truly possess His divine nature, and are truly saved.
The world’s view of love is contrary to that of God’s. The world’s view of love is that it is alright to sacrifice moral principles and other’s rights in order to obtain “love”. It is selfish. The world says “Love is God”. The Bible says that “God is love”, and He is holy, just, and perfect.
God’s love is a sacrificial love, and we are to show that type of love to others, as well. Sometimes we show love to others by doing something special for them, maybe making a favorite meal. If we deeply love someone we might buy them something expensive, like an expensive piece of jewelry. Some people have spent a fortune on jewelry for their beloved. There is an eternal monument of one man’s love for his wife, one that is visited by thousands every year, and that is the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century for his favorite wife.
The world shows love that way, but God’s love is a sacrificial love. How about dying for the one you love? Would you be willing to do that? We might not have a problem in giving them a kidney, or even part of our liver, but to die for them? That is sacrificial love, and that is what God did for us. He sent His Son to die for our sins. As Paul said, we might be willing to die for a dearly beloved one, or some really great person, but Jesus died for us while we were sinners and His enemies (Romans 5:6-8). God’s sacrificial love for us is an example and pattern we should follow in showing sacrificial love to other believers.
We might think that we can’t show love to this or that particular person because they did this or that to us, that it would be impossible to “feel” any love for them. However, love is a choice and an action, not just a feeling. God is the source of our love. He loved us, even when we were wretched sinners, enough to sacrifice His Son for us. He is our example of what it means to love. Our love for others should be very obvious to the world. It should stick out in a world consumed with hate.
There are some that say and teach that because God is love, that He will never condemn anyone, that He will never judge anyone, that we can live and do what we choose, because God is love, and He will never punish or condemn anyone’s actions. God is love, but He is also a holy and righteous God. Nothing sinful or evil can exist in His presence. He cannot overlook, condone, or excuse sin as though it never happened. His love does not make Him morally lax. However, if we trust in Jesus, we will not have to bear the penalty for our sins. We will be acquitted by His atoning sacrifice.
In closing, remember that God loved us so much that He died for us. He didn’t save us because of anything good we did, or because of some great quality of ours. He saved us only because of His all-surpassing love, a love that we are, in turn, to show to our fellow brothers and sisters.
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