Knowing God Vs. Knowing Not God

Introduction:

J

I. THOSE WHO KNOW GOD.

II. THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD.

III. TEXT TAKEAWAYS

1 John 4:7.

Filled with love by caring for the brethren.

Let us love one another.

The resumption of the subject of brotherly love is connected with the preceding in that the Spirit of Truth produces love whereas the spirit of error is against it.

This love which the N.T. commands involves a consuming passion for the wellbeing of others, especially our brethren.

Does not say we have to get along.

What will be our excuse for not loving the brethren.

1 John 4:8.

Cannot know God without love.

Does not know: aorist, indicative, active - has not known (from the

beginning).

God is love.

This is a compressed statement of the gospel.

It was that act of God (Jn 3:16) that gave meaning to His love.

And it is our acts of obedience that gives meaning to our love.

"God is Love" is the explanation of:

Creation - the desire to share Himself with creatures.

Free will - unless love is a free response it is not love.

Providence - His creating act is followed by His constant care.

The life beyond - the ultimate reward of love.

Do not trust everyone.

False teachers exist.

Satan has created feel good gospels to keep us from Heaven.

Be separated from the world.

Do not be recognizable to them.

Do not cling to something that is terminal.

Show love for each other.

Too much of the world is consumed by hate.

Let’s transform the church around us with love.

1 John 4:9.

Jesus was sent so that we could live through Him.

The love of God was manifested toward us.

Not just toward us, but we ourselves are the sphere in which His love is exhibited (see verse 12).

Only begotten: only one of its kind, single one, only, unique.

We have no other hope for a Savior.

Jesus is the only one that could spare us.

1 John 4:10.

God's love is demonstrated in Jesus.

But that He loved us and sent His Son.

What a thought.

When we look at Jesus we see two things about the love of God:

It is a love which holds nothing back, and

It is a totally undeserved love.

1 John 4:11.

We “must” love others.

If God so loved us.

First class conditional sentence - "since."

We also ought: present, indicative, active - to be morally obligated, to owe a debt which must be paid, to have to do something.

The responsibility rests on us (you and me) to love someone else FIRST!

No one can do this for you.

It is laid at our feet.

We are the ones that have to do this.