Provoking Thoughts From 1 John (13 Of 16)

For example, someone might say, And so someone might say, "I really love God!" But, these are only words. They might be true or they might not be. Just saying something does not make it so!

In fact anyone can say anything he wants to say, but that does not make it true.

In this passage of scripture John reveals HOW we KNOW that WE KNOW THE LORD JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR. Let us look at these verses to see if God dwells in us.

First, let us look at...

I. THE PROOF

Look at verses 7-8. We read, "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and even/ one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

Huummm!

The reason I respond to these two verses of scriptures this way, is because today we see such a lack of love for the brethren in our churches, by people who profess to know Christ as Savior.

Illus: Some churches could be classified as small "War zones. That is...

• Professing Christians meet in unannounced meetings to plan strategies to destroy a person, or group, in the church that they dislike.

• Once they choose which weapon to use, and launch their attack, they do all they can to destroy that person, or group of people's reputations, or bring as much misery as they possibly can to them.

But, HOW REFRESHING it is to go to some churches where you CAN SEE THE LOVE PEOPLE CAN HAVE FOR EACH OTHER!

• Many practice love for the brethren as much as they can like the early church; referring to each other as brothers and sisters.

• They greet each other with a brotherly, or sisterly, embrace.

• They assist each other when they have needs.

• They help each other.

• They encourage each other.

You can feel the intimacy, the strength, of their love for each other.

If we do not possess this kind of love for the brethren, John makes it CRYSTAL CLEAR that we DO NOT KNOW THE LORD!

Look at the last part of verse 7 and verse 8. We read, "... and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love..”

Illus: Now what this passage reveals to us is that it is clear that with all the hate, jealousy, backbiting, back stabbing in the church, there must be many people who DO NOT KNOW THE LORD JESUS!

HOW MUCH CLEARER CAN IT BE?

Look again at verse 8, "He that LOVETH NOT KNOWETH NOT GOD; for God is love.”

Look at the last four words of verse 8. We read, "...for God is love.”

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT US?

This way; John says if we have God in our hearts then we are going to LOVE each other because GOD IS LOVE!

HOW CAN WE TELL GOD ABIDES IN US? We know BECAUSE HE LOVES THROUGH US.

Look at verse 9. which confirms that truth. We read, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten _Son into the world, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM.”

Illus: Have you ever heard a person say this about another person, “Man, do you have the devil in you?" (I see some wives looking at their husbands. You know exactly what I am talking about, don't you?)

If you have been saved very long you see people who profess to be saved, yet you can tell they are full of the devil because...

• They stay angry most of the time.

• They are jealous all the time.

On the other hand, the opposite can be said of some Christians. People can look at them and say, "They are full of the Lord!"

When the Lord saves us, He wants to take over our bodies and love through us!

To make sure that we understand what kind of love He has, and the kind we are supposed to have, John says, in verses 10-11, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Many have the kind of love that is reciprocal, that is, IF YOU LOVE THEM THEY WILL LOVE YOU.

Illus: They remind me of the children who write love notes to each other. The notes say, "I love you. Do you love me?" If a young man sent such a note and the letter was answered with a note saying, “Drop dead," he would immediately write back and say, “I take it back. I do not love you either."