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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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THE
SOURCE OF LOVE (1 John 4:7-13) Grace
Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor
Daryl Hilbert A. Evidences
of Familial Relationship (1Jn 3:1-10) B. Evidences of Love - Part 2 (3:11-18) C. Evidences of Truth (3:19-24) D. Testing the Spirits (4:1-6) E. The Source of Love - Part 3 (4:7-21) 1. God
is the Source of Love (7) a) As
is John’s custom, he often returns to a previously discussed theme. John
taught on love in 3:11-18 and here revisits the theme of love again in
4:7-21. b) Love for the brethren is an evidence of
true salvation. 1Jn 4:7-12 outlines for us at least five reasons why the
believer should evidence Christian love. c) The first reason is that God is the
source of love. The believer is exhorted to love continuously (agapōmen
- pres. act. subj.) because love is from God (lit. love is ek tou
theou - “out of God”). d) Because God is the source of love, those
who are born of God and truly know Him, will also love. e) This is similar to Jesus’ teaching on the
tree and its fruit in Lk 6:43-45. (1) A
particular kind of fruit is produced only from a particular kind of tree. It
is the same principle with the fruit of a person (43). (2) A tree is known by its fruit and fruit is
discernible in people (44). (3) A person produces the fruit from within his
heart and what comes out of the mouth is also from the heart (45). 2. God
is the Essence of Love (8) a) John
describes God with the attribute of love. God is not just love but all of His
attributes, which is why John states, “God is love” (ho theòs
agápê estin) and not “love is God.” Had John stated, “love is God”
then love would be the only attribute of God. b) John could have stated the same thing
about God’s other attributes such as mercy, righteousness, and wisdom etc.
John emphasizes love here not because it is His only attribute, but because
man needs to understand God’s love. (1) John
has already stated “God is light” (1Jn 1:5) which means that God is holy and
there is no darkness of sin in Him. (2) After man is convicted of his own
unrighteousness through the light of God’s holiness, man needs God’s love and
mercy. c) The
believer is so closely related to God that John says that the one who is not
practicing love (pres. part. fr agapáō) has not come to know (aor. part. fr
ginṓskō) Christ. The expression “does not love” or lit.
“is not practicing love” is used 4 times in 1 John (3:10, 14; 4:8, 20). 3. God
Manifested Love in Christ (9) a) Another
reason why believers are to evidence Christian love is that God manifested
love in Christ. “Manifested” is translated from the Greek word phaneróō, which literally means to bring to light (fr
phaínō). It can also mean to show, reveal, or make known. b) God made His love known to man through
Christ and it is the supreme example of God’s love (Ro 5:8). c) Agapáō is the highest level of love that seeks the higher good
of another regardless of reciprocation. It is meeting the needs of another
without the motive of personal gain. God gave the ultimate sacrifice (His
Son) to meet man’s greatest need (penalty for sin). d) God’s Son experienced death so that sinful
man might have eternal life. “Life” (zoế) is used some 15 times
in the first epistle of John and is quite often described as “eternal” (aiónios
- 1Jn 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11-13, 16). 4. God
Initiated Love (10) a) If
the believer is to have a good view of agapê love, he should view God’s love, not
man’s love. b) The believer’s love for God, even though
it is produced by the Holy Spirit, falls pathetically short of God’s perfect agape
love. c) God not only demonstrated His love for us
in Christ, but Christ’s death continues to assure the believer of God’s love
(rare usage of perf. act. ind. with agapáō with reference to
God’s love). d) If the believer needs to increase His
love, he should begin by increasing his understanding of God’s love for him. e) Six times in this epistle, John addresses
believers as, “beloved,” which is agapêtoí and comes from agapáō.
Their title reminds them of how much they are loved by their God (cp. 1Jn
3:1-2). 5. God
is the Example of Love (11-13) a) John
appeals to the believer with the reasonable condition that “if” (ei)
God loved us in this way (“so loved” - hoútōs - manner or way),
then believers are under obligation (opheílō
- owe, indebted, or obligation) to love others in the same way (11). b) John gives another argument why believers
are to evidence love (12). (1) No
one has observed or can observe God and His love for themselves. Here “seen”
is the Greek word theáomai (pres. mid. ind.) which means
to observe and interpret. (2) Therefore, it is the idea that if the world
is going to see an example of God’s love, it must come from God’s people. (3) John’s argument in vv. 7–12 can be summed
up as: love originated in God, was manifested in His Son, and demonstrated in
His people. (MacArthur
Study Bible, in loc.) c) John
concludes with his characteristic, “by this …we know” (aprox. 12 times) to
give evidence of true salvation. Here the believer’s love is evidence that he
abides in God and possesses God’s Spirit. 6. Applications:
If believers demonstrate agaṕê love, then they (are): (1) True
disciples (Jn 13:34-35). (2) Known by God (1Co 8:3). (3) Friends of Jesus (Jn 15:12ff). (4) Fulfill the Law (Ro 13:8). (5) Love Christ (Jn 21:15-17). |
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