God is Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have 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. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

This afternoon we will be discussing the tremendous concept of the love of God and how Gods love should influence the way we love one another as believers. In order for us to accomplish this we will need to breakdown those ideas of what love is, and what it looks like, and replace them with what biblical love is. What it looks like. If you have your bibles with you please turn to .

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have 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. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

What is love? No, I am not about to sing what some of you may be thinking of. If you are single, how do you define love? How would we answer that question right now? If you are married, how would you answer this question? How would your spouse answer this question? How does the word love impact the church and its members? or does it at all. This week I looked up a number of things that Americans said they loved. Sports, Food, Cars, Electronics. What I see is that there are two main ways love is discussed in our culture.

The first is the “I love this food/sports team/pair of shoes” meaning of love. This meaning alludes to a love that is merely a preference. Really, the person using love in this way could use the verb form of like in the same way. This is a flippant use of the word love. This love is not really love at all, it’s a big word demonstrating little to no investment. I call it cheeseburger love.

This afternoon we will be discussing the absolutely tremendous concept of the love of God and how Gods love should influence the way we love one another as believers. In order for us to accomplish this we will need to breakdown some ideas of what love is, and how we see this “love” demonstrated today, and replace them with what biblical love is. What it looks like. If you have your bibles with you please turn to . (Read the Passage)/

This afternoon we will be discussing the tremendous concept of the love of God and how Gods love should influence the way we love one another as believers. In order for us to accomplish this we will need to breakdown those ideas of what love is, and what it looks like, and replace them with what biblical love is. What it looks like. If you have your bibles with you please turn to .

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.This afternoon we will be discussing the absolutely tremendous concept of the love of God and how Gods love should influence the way we love one another as believers. In order for us to accomplish this we will need to breakdown some ideas of what love is, and how we see this “love” demonstrated today, and replace them with what biblical love is. What it looks like. If you have your bibles with you please turn to . (Read the Passage)/

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

What is love? No I am not about to sing what some of you may be thinking of. If your are single, how do you define love? If you are married, how would you answer this question? How would your spouse answer this question? How does the word love impact the church and its members? or does it at all. This week I looked up a number of things that Americans said they loved. Sports, Food, Cars, Electronics. What I see is that there are two main ways love is discussed in our culture.

The next use and one that is the more readily accepted use is where we see love in the phrase, “I love so-and-so”. This is the romantic use of the word love. What is normally meant by this use is that “love at first sight”, “you can’t help who you fall in love with” style of love. This love is emotion driven. The deception found in this type of love is that it is based on subjective feelings that can and often do change. One moment you are sending kissy faces and heart emojis, the next you are broken up and singing the Andie MacDowell classic, Sittin’ on the side of the Road. “tires are bald they went flat so did our love and that was that.”

The first is the “I love this food/sports team/pair of shoes” meaning of love. This meaning alludes to a love that is merely a preference. Really, the person using love in this way could use the verb form of like in the same way. This is a flippant use of the word love. This love is not really love at all, its a big word demonstrating little to no investment. I call it cheeseburger love.

The next use and one that is the more readily accepted use is where we see love in the phrase, “I love so-and-so”. This is the romantic use of the word love. What is normally meant by this use is that “love at first sight”, “you cant help who you fall in love with” style of love. This love is emotion driven. The deception found in this type of love is that it is based on subjective feelings that can and often do change. One moment you are sending kissy faces and heart emojis, the next you are broken up and singing the Andie MacDowell classic, Sittin on the side of the Road. “tires are bald they went flat so did our love and that was that.”

As believers this This afternoon we will be discussing the absolutely tremendous concept of the love of God and how Gods love should influence the way we love one another as believers. In order for us to accomplish this we will need to breakdown some ideas of what love is, and how we see this “love” demonstrated today, and replace them with what biblical love is. What it looks like. If you have your bibles with you please turn to . (Read the Passage)/

This type of love has no commitment, has no substance, because its based on feeling that can change like the sand, not on a firm foundation.

/Lets read our passage/

This type of love has no commitment, has no substance, because it’s based on feeling that can change like the sand, not on a firm foundation.

God loves us supernaturally, therefore we should love each other in the same way.

/Let’s read our passage/

We can summarize what John is saying in this passage like this.

God loves us supernaturally, therefore we should love each other in the same way.

We will go back through and examine this passage and break it down in three sections:

As we go back through the text we will break it down into three sections:

We will examine this passage and break it down in three sections:

1. Exhortation to Love (v. 7-8)

2. Example of Love (v. 9-10)

Exhortation to Love (v. 7-8)

2. Example of Love (v. 9-10)

3. Duty to love (v. 11-12)

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Our holy love for one another demonstrates our rebirth, reflecting His love for us.

These verses set the tone for this passage. They lead us to ask the question what kind of Love is this? This love is demonstration of being born of God and having knowledge of Him? If we use the common understanding of the use of the term “love” then we could conclude that the same “love” I have for sushi, my wife’s mashed potatoes, or a specific sports team is the same love that demonstrates my relationship and knowledge of God. Is that what we are reading here in the text?

No.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

We must ask what kind of love is this? Lets reject our current understanding of love and substitute it for what the bible defines as love. In that whole passage we see the term “love” or Agape 13 times. John in this book uses the word 46 times in the 5 chapters of this book. In his gospel he uses it 57 times which is more than the other three gospels combined! Love is a major topic John wants us to pick up on. So what does this love mean. The Greek term agape means Type of love: Agape (love)- nearly always of the love of (the) God or (the) Christ to us, and of our love to Him and to our fellow creatures, as inspired by His love for us). I love that definition. We are being told to love one another with a deep and powerful love.

Citing and , Dr. Voddie Baucham (Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Zambia) defines biblical love as this, “An Act of the Will, accompanied by emotion, that leads to action, on behalf of its object.”

This is a choice (act of the will) accompanied by emotion (feelings follow the choice not the other way around) that leads to action. This is an active love.

How different is THIS love than the Love we commonly hear about today? This is a holy love.

Our holy love demonstrates our rebirth, reflecting His love for us.

So now that we have defined the term let’s get back to the text.

These verses set the tone for this passage. They lead us to ask the question what kind of Love is this? This love is demonstration of being born of God and having knowledge of Him? If we use the common understanding of the use of the term “love” then we could conclude that the same “love” I have for sushi, my wife’s mashed potatoes, or a specific sports team is the same love that demonstrates my relationship and knowledge of God. Is that what we are reading here in the text?

No.

We must ask what kind of love is this? Lets reject our current understanding of love and substitute it for what the bible defines as love. In that whole passage we see the term “love” or Agape 13 times. John in this book uses the word 46 times in the 5 chapters of this book. In his gospel he uses it 57 times which is more than the other three gospels combined! Love is a major topic John wants us to pick up on. So what does this love mean. The Greek term agape means Type of love: Agape (love)- nearly always of the love of (the) God or (the) Christ to us, and of our love to Him and to our fellow creatures, as inspired by His love for us). I love that definition. We are being told to love one another with a deep and powerful love.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love (same term) is from God, and whoever loves (In the way God defines it in His word) has been born of God and knows God. Loving in the way John is describing here is only possible by those whom are born again.

Type of love: Agape (love)- nearly always of the love of (the) God or (the) Christ to us, and of our love to Him and to our fellow creatures, as inspired by His love for us).

Citing and , Dr. Voddie Baucham (Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Zambia) defines biblical love as this, “An Act of the Will, accompanied by emotion, that leads to action, on behalf of its object.”

John writes this book with test in it for his audience to have assurance in their standing with God. He provides a negative in the proceeding verse to help his audience understand the standing of the one without this Love.

This is a choice (act of the will) accompanied by emotion (feelings follow the choice not the other way around) that leads to action. This is an active love.

How different is THIS love than the Love we commonly hear about today? This is a holy love.

Souter, A. (1917). A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (p. 2). Oxford: Clarendon Press.

So now that we have defined the term lets get back to the text.

8 Anyone who does not love (once again, as its defined in Gods word) does not know God, because God is love.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love (same term) is from God, and whoever loves (In the way God defines it in His word) has been born of God and knows God. Loving in the way John is describing here is only possible by those whom are born again.

John writes this book with test in it for his audience to have assurance in their standing with God. He provides a negative in the proceeding verse to help his audience understand the standing of the one without this Love.

8 Anyone who does not love (once again, as its defined in Gods word) does not know God, because God is love.

WE are being called, as those who are loved by God, to love each other in this same way.

We are being called, as those who are loved by God, to love each other in this same way.

Now to the DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE by God to us.

As we stated before, this type of love is ACTIVE. Active in what way? Sacrificially.

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Now to the DEMONSTRATION OF LOVE by God to us.

As we stated before, this type of love is ACTIVE. Active in what way? Sacrificially.

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

In verse 9 we have an action done by God on our behalf. God is acting and we are the object. God sends Jesus, his one and only son, (the Greek term is Monogenes (Mono-you-nase) into the world so that we may live.

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

He is the perfect and complete demonstration of holy love. Our position is secure in His work.

God sent His son as propitiation for us, this ACTIVE love is sacrificial love

If we remember the story of Abraham, we see he was called to deliver up his one and only son as a sacrifice to God on the mountain. The same term (Monogenes) is used here to describe Jesus as the only son of God. And God sends Him into this fallen sinful world to give life.

Propitiation: Substitution for wrath we deserve.

Imagine what that must have been like for Abraham. God tells Abraham to take Isaac, his promised beloved, miracle, son and sacrifice him to God. How difficult would that be for Abraham? As we read in , at the last-minute God stays the hand of Abraham before he kills his son. And provides a ram caught by its horns in a thicket to be the sacrifice.

Now back to verse 10 in 1 John.

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

God sent His son as propitiation for us, this ACTIVE love is sacrificial love

Propitiation: Substitution for wrath we deserve. Atonement. Sacrifice.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

This, the Biblical type of love, is Hard and Uncomfortable, and will cost you much.

God sent His only son to be a sacrifice on our behalf. What does this tell us about Gods love for you and I this afternoon? It is sacrificial.

Now to the duty of love for one another.

Our love for one another is being perfected through relationship with God.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Our love for one another is being perfected through relationship with God.

/No one has seen God/

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

() 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

/His love is perfected in us?

John, having just described the most incredible demonstration of the active love of God by sending Jesus to be out propitiatory sacrifice, challenges is audience and us today, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The answer at this point should be a resounding YES.

12 No one has ever seen God;

What does this mean? The answer can be seen in the beginning of the Gospel of John.

()

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out,

“This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)

16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Relationship- Sanctification and promise

Although we haven’t seen God in His form, we have seen the Demonstration of His love for us in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

Finally we read if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Our love for each other identifies two realities. the first is our love for one another demonstrates God;s abiding in us. Secondly Our love for one another demonstrates His love is perfected in us.

What does it mean to have Gods love perfected in us? John describes the completeness (or perfection) of Gods love in us 4 times in this book. the first is in reference to love being expressed by obedience to God’s word.

The third and forth immediately follow this passage and describe love being expressed in an ability to face the day of judgement with out fear.

God loves us supernaturally, therefore we should love each other in the same way.

Maybe you haven’t loved your brothers and sisters in Christ as you have should. This text opens up what that love aught to look like (sacrifice).

Maybe loving your brothers and sisters in Christ comes easier than loving your own spouse or children. Confess that sin and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive that sin. Then you go back and love ACTIVELY.

Maybe you have never heard this before and it has struck a chord with you. Its resonated with you so that you long to experience this type of love and share it with people you know. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, I would love to talk about receiving that type of love.

Christians, God loves us supernaturally, therefore we should love each other in the same way.

God is Love

Passage

:7-12

Introduction

Introduction

Gods love

Exhortation to Love

Exhortation to Love

Demonstration of Love

Demonstration of Love

Duty of Love

Duty of Love

Conclusion

Conclusion

God is Love

Passage

​

:7-12

Introduction

Introduction

Gods love

Exhortation to Love

Exhortation to Love

Demonstration of Love

Demonstration of Love

Duty of Love

Duty of Love

Conclusion

Conclusion