This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 4:17-5:5
Up to this point John’s emphasis on love has been on our love for each other, but now John turns his attention to the love a believer has for God. This is the first love that we must have because we cannot love others as we ought to if we do not first love God. As Christians then we should be growing in our love for God as we grow in maturity in our faith. This is the starting point of us loving others as we are called to.
John points out some amazing outcomes of knowing God’s love in our life. First, it drives out fear. Fear is the result on impending punishment. But this is something we no longer need to experience! Because of God’s love for us that sent His Son to die on the cross and pay our debt, if we love God, God’s wrath has been removed from us. We have nothing to fear! As it says in Colossians 2:14, our debt has been nailed to the cross. Second, knowing God’s love gives us confidence about our future. As we do the good works that our love for God and others results in, it gives us assurance of our salvation and certainty of seeing God face to face one day in heaven.
When love for others comes from a love for God, the sacrificial love that we will end up giving to others no longer feels burdensome but joyful. Just as God’s love for us caused Him to not count the cost so too for us. As we love God and act in response to that love, we will not count the cost of loving others. The true Christian life that flows out of a love for God is one of joyful obedience.
The Christian life is also one of freedom. John here reminds us that the victory is won. Remembering this helps us to not count the cost here because our future is certain already. We do not need to earn it or save up for it because in Christ we already have it. Knowing this helps us to live with an open hand towards God as well as an open hand towards others with the resources God has blessed us with in the here and now. The more we grow in our love for God the more we trust Him with our needs and battles in life. The more we trust Him the less we hold dear to earthly things and the freer we are to bless others with what we have.
A love for God like this needs cultivating, it doesn’t just automatically happen. All good relationships take work and effort. God put the effort in to redeem us. Will you put the effort in to grow in your love for God? That effort can’t secure your salvation because that is complete in Christ! But it is a right response to your salvation. Our love for God grows in stages and we must cultivate it. First, we put our trust in God and love Him not the world. That love then begins to influence our lives, as we read the Bible and spend time in prayer. Our priorities, actions, decisions will all change. It will often be a gradual change rather than a big leap, but big leaps can happen. As our lives change in this way, our love for God deepens and grows further and we increase our knowledge of who God is. The more we know God the better we love Him and the better we love Him the more we become like Him. It’s a wonderful, cyclical process.
What an amazing life of love God has called us to. First towards God and then towards others. The place to begin this love is in God’s word and time with God in prayer.
Prayer for today
Loving Heavenly Father,
We thank you for your great love for us that redeemed us and forgave us for all the wrong we have done. Thank you that your great love for us meant you didn’t count the cost but sent your son to die for us.
We ask today that you will remove the distractions of this world and all that takes our love away from you. Increase our love of you day by day. As we grow in our love for you and become more like you, may we love others as you have loved us.
Thank you for all your goodness and faithfulness to us.
In Jesus’ name we pray,
Amen
Song for today
You can listen and sing along here.
Loved before the dawn of time,
Chosen by my Maker,
Hidden in my Saviour,
I am His and He is mine,
Cherished for eternity.
When I’m stained with guilt and sin,
He is there to lift me,
Heal me and forgive me;
Gives me strength to stand again,
Stronger than I was before.
So with every breath that I am given
I will sing salvation’s song;
And I’ll join the chorus of creation
Giving praise to Christ alone.
All the claims of Satan’s curse
Lifted through His offering,
Satisfied through suffering;
All the blessings He deserves
Poured on my unworthy soul.
Singing glory, honour, wisdom, power
To the Lamb upon the throne;
Hallelujah, I will lift Him high.
Hallelujah I will sing
Stars will fade and mountains fall;
Christ will shine forever,
Love’s unfading splendour.
Earth and heaven will bow in awe,
Joining in salvation’s song.
Stuart Townend & Andrew Small Copyright © 2007 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)
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