Relying On God's Love Series

Relying on God’s Love

1 John 4:13-21

Introduction

Apostle John is often called the “apostle of love” because he spoke about the subject on love more than the other New Testament writers. The manner of John’s discourse seems to tell us that the believers did not understand the true message of loving God and loving one another. Sadly, this lack of understanding on the subject of love still prevails today.

Beginning in chapter 2 John laid out the spiritual principles that:

· Love is of God

· Loving one another

· God sent His Son that we might live through him

· God loved us first

· Jesus is the propitiation of our sins

· God’s love is perfected in us

John repeats these principles over and overt to the point that it seems redundant. Yet every time he speaks of love he gives a new principle about the power of God’s love and the command to love one another. So much so that by the time you finish reading chapter 4 you promise yourself to love others.

Yet it is not easy. Is it? Another one of those “easier said than done” thing. Many of us struggle with the command “Love One Another”. We hear comments from the brotherhood that sometimes loving others is difficult when we see their inconsistencies, ignorance, selfishness, and a host of behaviors that falls below our standards. We discriminate, we are subjective, and we want others to behave like we do.

This is the very reason why John reiterated his call for a change in our attitude concerning the command of loving one another. This can only be achieved when we rely on God’s love instead of relying on our selfish love.

In the final verses of chapter 4 (v 13-21)

· John reiterates the reasons why Christians should love one another.

· John reiterates that God gave us a way so we can love one another with all sincerity of heart.

Today we will discuss 3 points that the apostle John reiterated in the last verses of 1 John chapter 4, as though he was making a final appeal that “we ought to love one another” because of the following compelling reasons:

a) God lives in us and we live in Him

b) God’s Love is Perfected in Us

c) We Love God because He loved us first

Main Points.

I - God lives in us and we live in Him (v 13-16)

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us:

· He has given us of his Spirit.

· 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

· 15 If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

· 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1. He has given us His Spirit

· The Spirit of God is evidence that God indwells and living in our hearts.

· It is only by the Holy Spirit that we live with Him and through the same Spirit that He lives with us.

· It is through the Spirit that we can bear fruit of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” etc., Galatians 5:22-23

2. He sent us His Son to be the Savior of the world

· The apostles witnessed Jesus in the flesh

· Jesus Christ is the evidence of God’s great love for us. “When we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

· Although Peter said that the end-result of our faith is the “salvation of our souls” (1 Peter 1:9), Christians are enjoying the fruit of their salvation right now.

· We were also saved from temptation, bad habits, burdens, trials, fears, frustrations, and anxieties.

3. God Lives in them and they in God for anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God

· We live in Him and He in us when we confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

· Confession of faith is not simply making a statement of our faith but it is followed by an act of obedience to the Gospel.

· Note Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

· Faith is followed by confession and confession is followed by an act of obedience. (Acts 8:37)

· After Philip preached the good news to the eunuch, the eunuch asked: “Here is much water. What hinders me to be baptized?” Philip answered: “If you believe with all your heart you may.” The eunuch confessed: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” With his confession, they went down into the water and Phillip baptized him.