God - Is Love

1 John 4-5

We have different guys give a message in various ways but focuses on discussion.

As we go through the following text, I want to keep asking you some questions - so be ready to answer some of the following Questions.

What do you find out about God in this section? (character/personality/etc.)

What corrections or adjustments in my habits or character come to mind as we explore the chapter?

Do we see any…

Commands to obey?

Promises to claim?

Standards to live by?

John begins this chapter by warning us that being a Christian can be dangerous in every way.

1 John 3:24–4:6 (NKJV)

24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 

3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 

6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Other questions to ask in this chapter, count how many times see the words know, love.

What are the spirits in v3? (because many false prophets v1)

Confessions - Belief/Faith, Jesus Son of God, God came in flesh (John 1:14)

Character of false prophet? (Speak as world, people in sin flock) Anti isn't just opposite but opposed, one that attacks. Its the gates of Hell coming against the work of God. And it can’t win.

What spirit inspires false prophet? Here is a false prophet - Read article

1 John 4:7–11  NKJV  “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

How do we know we are of God? (We hear John) Its why we know we follow truth -

1 John 4:12–16  NKJV  “ No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

Jesus said in John 13:34–35 “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.””

1 John 4:15–16 (NKJV)

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 

16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

As we read the following verses - ask yourself, how does perfect love cast out fear?

1 John 4:17–19 (NKJV)

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 

19 We love Him because He first loved us.

Fear involves what? Torment. As believers we have absolutely no fear of torment. Romans 8:1  NKJV  “ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

1 John 4:20–5:5 (NKJV)

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 

21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

How does the World hear of God? See God at work? By? (Our Faith Overcoming the World ie Sin, Death, etc)

1 John 5:6–13 (NKJV)

6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 

8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 

10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 

11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 

12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Whats the purpose of this letter? (v13)

Do you believe? Do you believe in Jesus?

Read 14-17 backwards

1 John 5:14–17 (NKJV)

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 

15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 

16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death specifically punished by death , he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. sin not in specific but any that are punishable by because technically all sin leads to death I do not say that he should pray about that. 

17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN. ALL. But not all of it kills us. This isn't talking about hell. But about things that can be punished by death biblically. The sins that called for death as punishment.

We pray for them, knowing God will convict, we step in when their sin could truly compromise the testimony of the Gospel.

We also pray and also trust that God really does hear us.

1 John 5:18–21 (NKJV)

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. 

19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

This is living in the continual practice of sin. The context of the verse harkens back to earlier chapters, 1 John 3:9–10  NKJV  “ Whoever has been born of God does practices not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice does in 9 righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

When you do sin, you are not cast out, nor do you lose your salvation. You are saved by grace through faith. Not through sinlessness - but you need to know that living a sinful life has sinful consequences that can lead even to death.

The world lives and follows the practice of who? The wicked one. (19) 1 John 2:29 “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” The question you need to answer isn't am i living perfectly? But am I born again?

Its not through our power that we come, yes, our faith but it is all Him. Romans 1:16 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Is He living in you, are you living in Him? Are you in or out?

Isaiah 9:6  NKJV  “ For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

I’m not trying to explain anything away here. I think its pretty clear that we need to be born again, that there was no great good you did to be saved, no great bad can un-save you. Walk in the freedom Christ has given you. You are accepted in the beloved, and Jesus who started all this, will finish it. Worldly preachers will preach the world. Jesus is the opposite of this.