Evidence of our connection with God is revealed by love manifested toward one another. This love that has been implanted in believers is a major theme throughout John’s writings. Since God is love and our salvation is a result of His love being manifest toward us, it is only natural for love to be a main feature of the believer’s life. The power of this love is shown in this section of 1 John 4.
Much of the emphasis in 1 John has been on combating false teaching and the impact it had on believers. Rather than loving one another, suspicion, discord and dispute had surfaced in the fellowship of believers. It became necessary to bring believers back into their first love for God and one another. Although much is said about love, human love alone is not proof that everyone is a child of God. Human love apart from the redeeming work of Christ falls short of the relationship with God that is being discussed. The love believers manifest is a result of Christ’s redeeming presence and motivation, and abiding in Christ. God’s love in us is the gauge of our relationship with God and the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:7-11 NKJV Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Let’s examine the last sentence in verse 8.
1 John 4:8 NKJV He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Compare this with the last part of verse 7.
1 John 4:7 NKJV …everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
“Know God” refers to an experiential knowledge of God. We know the love of God. This is much more than information about God’s love. According to Biblical text, those who know God will take on the very nature of God.
This reminds me of the high priest who goes into the most holy place to put the fragrant incense on the altar.
He takes a double handful of incense and puts it on hot coals on the altar. The smoke of the incense fills the holy place and impregnates it’s odor on everything. When the high priest came out of that holy presence of God, he bore the fragrance of the holy. We are not able to “know God” without being changed.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NKJV Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
It is obvious that love becomes the predominant nature of the born again believer. This change in us associates us with God’s nature. People will know that we have been with God because of our love. If anyone loves God, they will become a loving person. They will take on God’s nature. When we really love God, we will do what God does. His seed remains in us. We cannot love God without loving one another.
When we love one another, people see two things:
- People will see that we are born of God.
- They see that we have God’s nature.
Consider this fact, God’s nature will be seen in us.
We diffuse the fragrance of Christ to others. Everyone will see that we know God. This is much more than we know about God. The world will know that you live a godly life. They see that we are taking on God’s nature. We have been abiding in His presence and hearing His voice. The outward evidence is love.
1 John 4:8 NKJVHe who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Who is it that does not know God?
Everyone can tell when anyone does not know God. God’s nature in us will produce loving concern and care.
John 13:35 NKJVBy this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 15:12 NKJV This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
1 John 4:9-11 NKJV In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Listen to what verse 9 says.
“God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
He sent His only Son so we might live through Him. The impact of this new life is the nature of God is manifest through us. God wants us to demonstrate His love through us in the same manner Jesus did.
1 John 4:12-13 NKJV No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
No person has ever seen God, (1 John 4:12).
No person has ever penetrated the spiritual world and crossed over into heaven and seen God. At that instant when God puts His Spirit into us, God actually implants His divine nature into our lives. The Holy Spirit is the evidence and seal of our salvation. When the Holy Spirit comes in, He floods you with the love of God. The Holy Spirit certifies that we abide in Him and He in us.
Romans 8:16 NKJV The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
It is impossible for God to live within and you not know it. The connection that we share by abiding in Christ makes this possible. The Spirit of God bears witness that we are in God and God is in us.
1 John 4:14-16 NKJVAnd we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Take note of the fact that God loves us.
His love is revealed personally in all who confesses Christ. We cannot claim Christ without God’s love having a major impact on our lives. Someone said: “You are what you eat.” What they mean is whatever you take in is what you become.
Since God is love, you are surrounded and soaked in God’s love.
If we dwell in love, we dwell in God and God in us. If we dwell in God, we dwell in love and love in us. God’s nature of love is not just demonstrated toward us, it becomes the dominate nature of our lives. The proof that we are saved is that we love others.
1 John 4:17-18 NKJVLove has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Have you noticed the boldness you have when your are with people that really love you?
Perfect love casts out fear and removes every reason to fear.
Fear means that a person is not perfected in love.
Fear does not fully grasp God’s love and care. Those full of fear are not looking on God or others as they should.
When we are truly living in love (God’s love) we have boldness in the day of judgment.
Fear has torment and thinks about and expects punishment, suffering, or loss. Fear causes anxiety, dread, alarm, fright, panic, and terror. Fear brings unpleasant emotional and physical disorders.
Fear will be cast out by the perfect love of God.
Saturate yourself in God’s love and fear will leave. This is God’s promise.
Psalm 118:6 NKJVThe Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
When you know that you are dwelling in God’s love, you have confidence and boldness.
Romans 8:34-35 NKJVWho is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Psalm 3:3-5 NKJV But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill.I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
