If God So Loved Us – 1 John 4
‘Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’ — 1 John 4:11
Forty-six times the word ‘love’ is found in 1 John. In chapter four, the emphasis is on loving other Christians. We should love others because…
- Love is of God and we are born of God (v.7).
- Those who don’t love do not know God (v.8).
- God loved us so much that He gave His Son for us (v.9).
- God loved us first and sent His Son to pay for our sins (v.10).
- God dwells in us by His Spirit and wants to love others through us (v.12-13).
- God is love (v.16).
- Love prepares us for the day of judgment (v.17).
- Love casts out fear (v.18).
- God first loved us (v.19).
- Loving others is how we demonstrate that we really love God (v.20-21).
What an amazing list and what a big challenge! The work of loving others will test us to our core. It will expose our lack of love for God. It will drive us to the Lord for His grace and strength. It will cause us to seek out the fulness of the Spirit. It will help us to more fully appreciate the great love God shed on us.
If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another!