We want to love others with the love that God gives us.
But how can we know if we truly are doing it?
We’re seeking answers about truth and love this month through the writings of the apostle John in his letters of 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.
Today we look at 1 John 4, a full and rich chapter on God’s love. Take a minute and read it here now.
If you ever doubt that you’re walking in both truth and love, let John’s words erase your doubts.
Here’s how we can know our love is truly from God:
- If you believe Jesus is from God, you are from God (1 John 4:2).
- Since you are from God, His Spirit in you is stronger than anything (1 John 4:4).
- His Spirit in you is how you know you’re living deeply in God (1 John 4:13).
- By living in God, you are living in love (1 John 4:16).
And that is the truth.
Jesus is love’s proof alive in us. He keeps us joined with truth because He is truth (John 14:6). His truth in us connects with His truth in others (1 John 4:6), denying any alliance with a spirit of deception.
We can fully rely on the eternal great truth that God is love (1 John 4:8).
And as God is, so also are we (1 John 4:17).
For further study:
- Read 1 John 4 and think about the following questions.
- What is the connection between God’s love for you and your love for others?
- How do you see God’s nature manifest in you?
- When do you most accurately reflect the image of God?
What does this truth mean to you: “God is love”? Please share in the comments.
I loved this statement – “Jesus is love’s proof alive in us.” Praying to love with the love of Jesus today!
I’m praying that for myself as well, Joanne. I know God will give us opportunities if we’ll stay aware to see them!
Thanks for your heartfelt commentary on these verses, Lisa. I love the idea of God’s Spirit in us being stronger than anything in this world. Living in Him means we’ll live in love. (or make progress at least!)
Yes, progress—that’s what I’m aiming for too, Betsy. :) It is quite overwhelming when we really sit and think that we have such a strong Spirit living inside us!
I once read of a missionary who said that she was having trouble loving the people under her charge, but as she kept telling herself, “I need to be more loving!” over and over, she just felt more defeated. But when she meditated on God’s great love for her, that overflowed through her in ways she didn’t even realize until someone mentioned it to her husband. Which makes sense – as we behold Him we’re changed from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). But it is something that is not yet automatic for me and something I need to remind myself of often.
That’s a great example of how this works. Thanks for sharing this story, Barbara. I’m sure we all can relate to feeling defeated at times when we try to love a difficult person through our own efforts. And even with God’s love flowing through us, it’s still a learning process.
I like this, Lisa. You weaved the scriptures into this conversation. How can we learn to love without learning to sit at His feet and learn?
These verse are wonderful.
God bless Lisa.
It all goes back to being aware of His presence, yes? Thanks for adding your thoughts, Ifeoma. Sitting at the feet of Jesus is healing and empowering in more ways than we know.
I can love because He loved first. That’s what I’m coming to understand. And, yes, by living in God we are living in love. What better place to move out from?
I love your final line, Natalie: “What better place to move out from?” He’s the Source; it all starts with Him, and we go from there. We are blessed to not have to create love from scratch, but receive Love first. Thanks for sharing this!
I have been doing the verses on Scripture Typer dealing with God’s love. Most of those verses that I’m memorizing are from 1 John 4 Verses 7-8 He who does not love does not God, for God is love. This love goes far deeper than any love we can produce on our own. God’s love in us is how we can love our enemies as Jesus commands us to do in Matthew 5. It is also God’s love in us (not our own) that enables us to do good to those who hate us. The only way I know that this type of love is manifest in my life is by staying in the Word and close fellowship with the Lord that I can be transformed into the image of Christ. Thank you, Lisa, for this post.
How inspiring that Scripture Typer is taking you through the verses on God’s love, Dianna. That’s a wonderful way to make use of it; so far I’ve only used it for our memory challenges. Thank you for being a living example of someone who is always pressing into the love of God—both for you and for others. It shows!
The statement ‘God is love’ means for me that coming to God is to come to love. It means experiencing His love for me, and in turn my response it to love Him. Part of loving God then would be to love other people. This is often hard to do but God’s love in us and for us can motivate us to be willing to want to show His love to others. 1 John makes it clear that loving God is expressed by ourselves in our love for those who God also loves.
I am really enjoying your posts. It is great to have a post full of God’s word and teaching that expands my understanding of His word.
Thank you.
That’s a beautiful explanation of 1 John 4, Kerrie. First we experience His love for us, then we are able to give it out to others. I agree that it’s not always easy, but I’m so grateful for His love that keeps pouring out anyway and not giving up on us. Thanks for sharing this here.
I’m convicted of the truth that my motivation is not always love — and I appreciate your point about “living deeply” in God. This is truly a work of the Spirit.
We all could agree with you here, Michele—our motivations aren’t always from love. So yes, thank God that the Spirit stays at work in us. I want to live deeper from His well of love.
Lisa, I couldn’t love well if I hadn’t experienced God’s deep, unconditional, ever pursuing love, through his word and through experience. Through him, I have learned to love unconditionally – and to love with the hope and faith that he’s got them, got the plan. It’s just my job to love – and love through prayer!
Your testimony is beautiful, Maryleigh! Thank you so much for sharing. No more words to say.
Lisa –
You are so right, we must have both truth and love operating in our lives and 1 John lays it out so well. I love your line: Jesus is love’s proof ALIVE in us!
thanks again for linking up with me at #TuneInThursday and I look forward to seeing you there next week.
Yes, John knew what he was talking about when he linked truth and love. We don’t always get it as seamless as he did, but it’s our goal. Thanks for sharing here, Debbie!
Hi Lisa! I’m not sure if my last comment went through, so I just wanted to thank you for the challenge of experiencing God’s love and then being charged with passing that along to others. If God is with me, how would anyone ever know if I don’t become his love to those around me?
Thank you for the reminder that we are his, and are to be his love around us too.
Blessings,
Ceil
(Glad you tried again, Ceil, because the first comment disappeared in the blogville black hole. ha) Your question is convicting for all of us: if we’re not funneling that love down to others, how will others believe in God’s love to us? Thanks for summing it up in that single challenge.