Our love for God and others is contingent upon HIs love for us. We are incapable of loving another until we grasp the unfathomable love of God.
1 John 4:7-21
Since God Loves Us (4:7-12)
- Since God loves us, we should be known for our love for others.
- You can’t claim to know God if you don’t love the people He loves (4:7-8).
- The cross forbids us ever to question if God truly loves us (4:9-10).
- The tangible way we love others is what puts God’s love practically on display (4:11-12).
Since God Lives in Us (4:13-21)
- Since God lives in us, we should exhibit confidence that we will endure to the end.
- The presence of the Holy Spirit reminds us that we are never detached from God (4:13-16).
- The sacrifice of Jesus eliminates the fear from our lives that punishment still awaits us (4:17-18).
- The love of the Father robs us of any excuse as to why we can’t love others (4:19-21).
The greater we comprehend the love of God, the more natural our love will be for others.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.