In speaking of God the Father, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:17: Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible. c. That we may have boldness in the day of judgment: This shows the greatness of Gods work in us. 4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. d. Is now already in the world: Though it will have its ultimate consummation in an end-times political and economic ruler, the essence of this antichrist spirit is present with us today. The devil doesnt care at all if you know Jesus or love Jesus or pray to Jesus as long as it is a false Jesus, a make-believe Jesus, a Jesus who is not there, and who therefore cannot save. No man could do it. (Spurgeon). The Christian must know and believe the love God has for us. The New Testament i. Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. i. The mature Christian will be marked by love. 1. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. You would replace it. But He loved us before that, and even before the worlds were created, when our only existence was in the mind and heart of God, Jesus loved us. But way back in Johns day, in this time closest to the actual life and ministry of Jesus on this earth, people didnt have a hard time believing Jesus was God. Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. Show me a fire without heat, then show me regeneration that does not produce love to God. (Spurgeon). She ultimately collapsed on the floor of the store, and when she woke up, she found out that she was in the emergency room of the hospital. But, apart from this truth, we have no hope at all. f. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love: If our relationship with God is marked by this tormenting fear, it shows that we have not been made perfect that is, complete, and mature in His love. If you had a pipe that was clogged water kept going into it, but never came out, that pipe would be useless. Johannine Writings 1 John 1:1-4 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touchedthis we proclaim concerning the Word of life. God rightly regarded us, apart from Him, as worthy targets of His judgment. Wisdom Literature The New Testament If he does not hear it, he has the spirit of error. Yet in it all, that one may be like Cain, offering to God the fruit of his hands and not the fruit of the Spirit. i. If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? John does not think it is enough if a person has some kind of love in his life if he does not confess that Jesus is the Son of God. Sometimes Jesus seemed weak and lacking in power, but He was always full of love. b. John states (1:1) that he is writing "concerning the Word of Life," and then adds (1:2), "and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us." In verse 1, the emphasis is on the humanity of Jesus Christ as He came in the flesh. No one who presents a false Jesus, or one untrue to the Scriptures, can be regarded as a true prophet. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Oh, if you do really believe that he has loved you so, sit down, and turn the subject over in your mind, and say to yourself, Jesus loves me; Jesus chose me; Jesus redeemed me; Jesus called me; Jesus has pardoned me; Jesus has taken me into union with himself. (Spurgeon). We love one another because we are loved by God, and have received that love, and live in light of it. This pattern of receiving from God, then giving to others was familiar to John (John 13:14). These academics present their baseless opinions as if they were scholarly facts. 2. He is glorified, justified, forever righteous and bold, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Yet in it all, that one may be like Cain, offering to God the fruit of his hands and not the fruit of the Spirit. If there isnt real love for Gods people in your life, then your claim to know God and experience God isnt true. i. The problems in the churches were caused If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. 'Succession' Season 4, Episode 4: Recap & Ending, Explained: Will Kendall Be The Man His Dad Wanted? We have many spiritual enemies, but not one of them is greater than Jesus who lives in us. ii. But it is there, and its presence is demonstrated by our love for one another and our agreement with Gods truth and that all serves to give us boldness. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. Love believed is the mother of love returned. (Spurgeon), ii. ii. To feel Gods love is very precious, but to believe it when you do not feel it, is the noblest. (Spurgeon). Pauline Epistles In such a desperate situation, Phil is taken by Pat to a bar, and on the wall of the bar washroom, he locates a shady-looking advertisement for a company named "Plan B," which claims to offer second chances. Links 1 John 4:20 Interlinear 1 John 4:20 Parallel Texts c. His love has been perfected in us: Perfected uses the Greek word teleioo, which doesnt mean perfect as much as mature and complete. If we love one another, then the love of God is mature and complete in us. Love is by no means the root. In season 4, we saw her on the plane, and as she was flying, the biker assassin she murdered in Barry's apartment began to emerge in her nightmare, frightening her. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, (Hebrew/Greek Search by English Definition), * 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order', Search verses, phrases, and topics (e.g. Poetical Books There was nothing better God the Father could give to lost humanity than the gift of the Son of God Himself. This is one of the apostles citing the collective testimony of all the apostles and making that testimony the measure of truth and sound doctrine. (Boice). Since error has a spiritual dynamic to it, keeping in the spirit of truth is a spiritual issue. (1 John 4:19) The reason for our love to Jesus. e. Everyone who loves is born of God He who does not love does not know God: This does not mean that every display of love in the world can only come from a Christian. ii. There is a difference between the love of man, and divine love. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. He loved some of you when you were in the dancing saloon, when you were in the playhouse, ay, even when you were in the brothel. Share. c. That we may have boldness in the day of judgment: This shows the greatness of Gods work in us. ii. i. Love was the constant, greatest evidence of the presence and work of God in Jesus Christ. First, it is the Spirit of God in us that is the abiding presence of Jesus the presence of His Spirit is how He abides in us. Some think they will go there and judge God (When I see God, theres a few questions I have for Him!), but that is nonsense. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. iv. To acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God is not simply to make a statement about his metaphysical status but to express obedient trust in the One who possesses such a status. (Marshall), iii. d. Boldness in the day of judgment: How can anyone have such boldness? Jesus loved you when you lived carelessly, when you neglected his Word, when the knee was unbent in prayer. When {1} therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (1) This balance is to be kept in doing our duty, that neither by fear are we terrified from going forward, and neither by rashness procure or bring dangers upon ourselves. And just as certainly, God the Son, Jesus Christ, has been seen John himself testified to this in 1 John 1:1-3. Certainly, this glory is in us now just in seed form; it has not yet fully developed into what it will be. The Whole Bible Our love for God doesnt really say anything great about us. i. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. I know that some of you are greatly distressed because you cannot love Christ as much as you would like to do, and you keep on fretting because it is so. Because of this, the excuse I just cant love that person (or other such excuses) is invalid. We can know, and we can know now, on this side of eternity. Here, John suggests that there are forces of spiritual darkness that guide and influence the world. He has given the fullest proof of his love to the whole human race by the incarnation of his Son, who tasted death for every man. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Pauline Epistles 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. The two people in the relationship are at the base of the triangle, and God is at the top. One might say, I want to love God more; I want to grow in my love for Him. a. d. He who loves God must love his brother also: We can also learn how to love God by loving people. He is so rich in love and compassion, that it can be used to describe His very being. 2. We love him because we find he has loved us. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) 1 John 4:7-21 EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: This is a pastoral letter to churches in conflict--written to address the conflict and to prevent its spread. This is what fellowship with God is all about. Again, the true measure of maturity is not the image of power, or popularity, or passionate feelings but the abiding presence of Gods love in our lives, given out to others. If God had merely sent Jesus to teach us about Himself, that would have been wonderful enough. b. In the first three verses of chapter 4, we discover that Jesus is gaining more and more disciples, more disciples than John the Baptist (cf. But it is not. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. You cant truly grow in your experience of God without also growing love for one another. i. John makes it clear that error has a spiritual dynamic to it; it isnt just about being educated or smart. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. It isnt a matter of deciding between love or truth; we must have both. There is no exception to this rule; if a man loves not God, neither is he born of God. But here, in 1 John 4, that carefulness and hesitation is thrown to the side and John writes, "God is love.". God continues to show us love through Jesus' life-giving presence among us. b. It is found everywhere a false Jesus is promoted in place of the true Jesus of the Bible. Spiritually, we can have that same standing now, while we are in the world, because as He is, so are we in the world. Some respond with wickedness (God loves me, so I can do what I want). But the Father loves us too; and the love Jesus showed in His ministry was the same love God the Father has towards us. It is exciting when the world will listen to the gospel, but we must take care that they are not hearing us because we speak as of the world. He loved you when you were at hells gate, and drank damnation at every draught. Yet we must not try to make ourselves love our Lord, but look to Christs love first, for his love to us will beget in us love to him. Christians are not just forgiven they are born anew by Gods Spirit. John adds that believers overcome the powers in this world because of God's Spirit within them (1 John 4:4). The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 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