Considering the current condition of our country, and our world, the passage in 1 John 4:7-21 could not be more appropriate. As God led me months ago to devotionally write through the book of 1 John it would not have occurred to me that we would be in such turmoil. This anger, hate, fear, and prejudice that is displayed amongst our fellow man can only find a resolution through the power of God. There is no better time to understand that God has given us love (v.7) and has called his children to love. He has called his children to give his love to others because without a relationship with him, the people of this world know nothing about love (v.8).
The love that we are commanded to have is not one that just remains inside our minds and thoughts. God’s love was “manifested” (v.9), displayed, acted upon, given to us so that we might understand and possess life. God did not wait until we deserved or could earn his love, he gave it to us while we were still filled with selfishness, pride, hate, anger, and prejudice. He made the first move. He loved us before we said we would receive it. He willingly acted on his love that he sacrificed his son to fulfill the required penalty for our sin (v.10).
If you have confessed that you are a sinner before God and have given your heart and life to him, how are you giving that love to others? How have you made the first move to love one another?
In this passage there is a sense of obligation, a matter of duty to love. Verse 11 says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” If our life has been forgiven because of the love of God, given through Jesus Christ, we should not only have an incredible sense of gratitude but also a hunger for the things of God, a passion to be more like the example of Christ, a heart that loves. This is the foundation of God’s message of grace and so key to a pure message that he says, “whoever loves God MUST also love his brother (v.21).” God’s call on our lives is to be that visual representation of his love (v.12).
Does your heart naturally love others? Is it a visual representation of the love of God?
Is it difficult for you to love? If it is difficult to love others, it is an indication that your heart does not abide with Christ (v.16). Some might think that they will “get to” loving others at some point. Others might be afraid to step out and share love with others. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear (v.18).” I believe this is why we face such difficulty with loving one another, we are afraid. We are afraid of someone rejecting our display of God’s love. We are afraid of what others think if we display love to someone that is “not like us”. We are afraid to be the one to act first.
If we live in this fear, we have truly not understood the love of Christ. Many religions build their foundation on fear. Fear that they will fail God. Fear that they will lose their salvation. Fear that they cannot be good enough for God. We would all be in such a desperate situation if God chose to withhold or delay his love for us because of our failures. As Romans 5:8 tells us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”, we are assured that he knows who we are, what we have done, and how we are not perfect. But he still loves us!
So how can we love with the love of God?
Love someone even if:
- they do not deserve it
- they do not respond positively
- their life is different than yours
- they keep messing up
- they look different than you
Love someone because God loves them.
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