1 John Series – God is Love

This next section of 1 John might be the most important of the whole book. When we hear that “God is Love” there have been so many mishandling of that phrase. What does the Bible say about “God is Love”? The world has used this phrase for all sorts of conflicting and different meanings to fit its own purposes.

John begins by telling us to love one another. Left on its own, this verse can be used by anyone to say that if they “love” they are “born of God.” But we know this is pulling out of context.

God is Love

Many who just go to the experience side of Love, it is easy to come up with your definition of what Love is. What causes the warm fuzzy feelings? That is what God is. So we start with the experience, what makes me feel good, we then push that back on God and makes that the definition of God’s Love.

This is dangerous. They start with the Love they want, expose that on god, and them when things are not feeling good any longer, they put that on God as if he has wronged them.

How many times have we seen, without citing examples, where someone lives in a lifestyle they wish, say it wouldn’t feel good if it weren’t sanctioned by God’s Love, and then defining God in that individual context.

But John continues. God demonstrates His love by giving all of us a way out of Hell. We are all on our way to eternal separation from God. But Jesus was sent, to lay his life down, only for us!

So, since God so loved us, we ought to love one another. No one has seen God, but when we love one another God’s Love is complete in each of us.

In the next section, we are going to see how God’s Love will display though us. For those who believe, we know that giving our lives to God is not just a one time thing. We have to continue to lay our lives before the King.

This week we hear reports of two celebrities committing suicide. At the same time the CDC reports a 30% increase in suicides over the last 20 years. It hurts our heart to know there are people so lost in life that they devalue their own to the point of suicide. How much more does the Father’s heart hurt?

Many of us have been impacted by those who have taken their own life. We are called to love one another, and especially those who need God’s Love during that time. I am thankful that God loves us so much that he sacrificed his own Son to have a relationship.

Closing song: I Need The Every Hour