Love That is Out of This World pt 2

English Standard Version (Chapter 4) 1 John 4:19 

We love because he first loved us.

“Love has as its ultimate source God. That a believer loves others suggests that he or she has a relationship with God. If one loves God, he will love what God loves, and in this context that is especially other believers... Loving others is not the cause but an effect of the new birth. As a member of the heavenly family, the believer reflects that family trait of love... It is impossible to be a recipient of God’s love and to come into relationship with Him without subsequently showing that same love to others, especially, but not exclusively, to other Christians.” (The Moody Bible Commentary, 1981-1982)

What is the love that Peter is speaking of? 1 Peter 4:1-11

Focus Verse: 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Know the depth: Loving Kindness

The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Volumes 1–5 (Lovingkindness)

LOVINGKINDNESS, luv-ing-kindʹnes (חֶסֶד, ḥeṣedh): “Lovingkindness” in AV always represents this word (30 t), but of ḥeṣedh there are many other renderings, e.g. “mercy” (frequently), “kindness” (38), “goodness” (12). The word is derived from ḥāṣadh, meaning, perhaps, “to bend or bow oneself,” “to incline oneself”; hence “to be gracious or merciful.” ERV has not many changes, but in ARV “lovingkindness” is invariably employed when ḥeṣedh is used of God, and, as a rule, “kindness” when it is used of man, as in Gen 21:23; Jgs 1:24 (AV “mercy,” RV “deal kindly”); Ruth 3:10; 2 Ch 32:32; 35:26 (AV “goodness,” m “Heb kindness,” RV “good deeds”); Job 6:14, etc.

When used of God ḥeṣedh denotes, in general, “the Divine Love condescending to His creatures, more esp. to sinners, in unmerited kindness” (Delitzsch). It is frequently associated with forgiveness, and is practically equivalent to “mercy” or “mercifulness” (Ex 20:6), “showing lovingkindness [ERV “mercy”] unto thousands of them that love me”; 34:6 f, “slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness [ERV “plenteous in mercy”]”; [ver 7] “keeping lovingkindness [ERV “mercy”] for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (cf Nu 14:18); Mic 7:18, “He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in lovingkindness” (ERV “mercy”). This quality in Jeh was one by which He sought to bind His people to Himself. It is greatly magnified in the OT, highly extolled and gloried in, in many of the psalms (Ps 136 has the constant refrain, “For his lovingkindness endureth forever”).

In Dt 7:12 it is associated with the covenant, and in 2 S 7:15 with the covenant with David (cf Isa 55:3, etc). It was something that could always be relied on.Being such an essential and distinctive quality of God, the prophets taught that it should also characterize His people.

Cheyne (EB) regards ḥeṣedh as denoting paternal affection on God’s part, answered by filial and loyal affection and brotherly love on man’s part (philadelphía in the NT).The word “lovingkindness” does not occur in the NT, but as its equivalents we have such terms as “mercy” “goodness,” “kindness,” “brotherly love” (see special articles).W. L. WALKEROrr,

James, John L. Nuelsen, Edgar Y. Mullins, and Morris O. Evans, eds. 1915. In The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. Vol. 1–5. Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.

The Loving Kindness of God in us, and unto us.

The reason for doing so is since (or ‘because’) love covers a multitude of sins. Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offences, and even some large ones, are readily overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts abound—to Satan’s perverse delight .

There is a wrong done, but we cannot provide a sacrifice suitable to fit the offense. We are humans with a holy presence within one another. When we demand a sacrifice of a brother/sister in the Lord, we are intrinsically saying, God, you owe me a sacrifice-although the very God is us has paid the price for all sin, so that we can cover the multitude of sins experienced in this life & world.

(cf. Heb. 12:15; by contrast, 1 Cor. 13:4–7). A similar idea is expressed in Proverbs 10:12: ‘Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offences.’

Tyndale Bible Commentary

Apostle Paul’s expression: Colossians 3:12-15

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

What does this mean to the church? First: we have a characteristic within us.

Second: We have holy choices to make. Third: We have a holy attitude to express.

These expressions reveal the reality of God’s holiness in us, among us and unto us!