God Is Love #2
Study of 1 John • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 7 viewsNotes
Transcript
Review:
Review:
We have been talking about these letters of 1 John and wonderful truths they are. But we have divided the Book by John’s theological statements about God.
God is Light 1 John 1:5
God is Love 1 John 4:16
Later we will discuss God is Life
But tonight I want to continue this thought about God is Love in 1 John.
Read: 1 John 4:16
Read: 1 John 4:16
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The Love of God is a two way street - God loves us and I hope to get to that later tonight - but we love God.
Loving God while living in the World
Loving God while living in the World
Something we have to realize rather quickly as a Christian is God’s love is exclusive. When we love God we have to hate / love less other things.
Listen to some of these verses of Jesus (Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13)
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 14:25--
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
And 1 John is no different it says our love must be exclusively for God There are some things we are not to love:
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
What is the world?
It’s not the earth, or this planet, or our solar system - but rather our world’s system. We sometimes call people worldly or talk about worldliness.
What is worldliness?
One has defined worldliness as:
Worldliness: Any action, attitude, or desire that is:
- Motivated by self-centeredness
- Contrary to the word of God either explicitly or in its associations
- Not in harmony with loving God and others.
1 John 2:17 and James 4:4 show us the essential component of worldliness:
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
The main component of worldliness is lust - desire
What is the opposite for worldliness?
can I just say it’s not conservatism (as good and well meaning as that might be)
Nor is it liberalism as dangerous and harmful as that can be
Nor is it a middle of the road approach.
1 John 2:17 gives us the opposite of worldliness
17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The opposite of worldliness is doing the will of God.
There are four relationships with the world that are forbidden.
1. James 4:4 – Friendship with the world is forbidden
2. 1 John 2:15-17 – We are not to love the world or the things in the world
3. Romans 12:2 – We must not be “conformed” to this world. – nor according to 1 Peter 1:14 not conformed to our former lusts. – 1 Peter 4:1-4 Christians do not live for the lusts of men but for the will of God
4. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 Seclusion is forbidden.
What relationships does the Bible command that we have with the world?
Matt. 5:13 – Salt in the world
Matt. 5:14-16 – Light to the world through our lives
Matt. 28:19-20 – Witnesses to the world through our lips
Eph. 5:11 – We are to reprove the world when we are confronted with its wickedness.
I’m talking about loving God while living in this world.
I know I did a rather lengthy study on what it is to Love God but I want to remind you of the definition of what it is to Love God:
To Love God is:
1.) To commit oneself in a self-sacrificial manner
2,) To Delight in Him
3.) To Continually Desire to Please Him
4.) To Rejoice in Serving Him
5.) To Find One's True Happiness in Him
6.) To Thirst day and night for a fuller enjoyment of Him.
I think this is enough tonight next time I will try to talk about God’s love to us.
Questions or Comments?