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1 John 4:18-21
18There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]. 19We love Him, because He first loved us. 20If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen. 21And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also.
Introduction:
Love is not just a character quality for God, it is God.
Because of God’s integrity He cannot do anything other than what he is. He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19) and he does not change.(Malachi 3:6) Therefore when the Bible says that God is love it means he’s love all the time.
Trying to understand God’s ways and God’s character. God’s love is not the same as most people’s understanding of love.
God has an agenda for mankind and also throughout the Bible demands justice.
Understanding God’s justice and agenda to get things to line up a certain way helps me to understand why God would do things that might not look loving to me.
Isaiah 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Outline
- I. The love of God, when received by his people, causes our motivation to be correct, expelling any unhealthy fear of God.
- II. As long as a believer in Jesus Christ feels like God is going to smite them they cannot mature!
- III. Our love for God is a direct result of us making a withdrawal from the love God placed there. No love from God means no love for God. God is the source of all love.
- IV. Love for God can be measured in the way we love the family of God
I. V. 18 The love of God, when received by his people, causes our motivation to be correct, expelling any unhealthy fear of God.
God is not waiting for you to make a mistake so he can judge you.
Because of Jesus the wrath and justice of God have been satisfied for the believer.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:9
- For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 3:13
- 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
For the sinful unbeliever
Hebrews 10:27
27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
II. v. 18 as long as a believer in Jesus Christ feels like God is going to smite them, they cannot mature!
A. Other things that stifle maturity for the believer. (Luke 8:14)
Worry (Phil 4:6)
Love of money and what money can provide. (Eccl 5:10; Mt. 6:24; Lk 16:14; 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5)
B. What maturity looks like
Ephesians 4:13b become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
C. The Mature View of Things
Phil 3:12b-15a
- I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.
III. v. 19 Our love for God is a direct result of us making a withdrawal from the love God placed there. No love from God means no love for God or man. God is the source of our love.
IV. v. 20 Love for God can be measured in the way we love the family of God.
1 John 2:9-11
1. 9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
B. We’re instructed
Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Loving the Unlovable
Matthew 5:43-48
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[h] and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies[i] and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Walking in God’s love toward others means to treat others the way you want to be treated.
God’s love allows people to chose their own path.
Matthew 7:12-14
12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Jesus is the Gate
John 10:7-9
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.
The road is narrow because salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)
The verse following the narrow way has to do with false prophets further solidifying the position that believing in Jesus is the narrow way.
John 14:6b
“No man comes to the Father accept by me.” ~Jesus Christ
In Conclusion
Fear of God prevents a believer from developing into maturity because they run from God instead of to God when they fail and have a need.
Gen 3:9,10
9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" 10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
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