Lesson Digest for Sunday October 3, 2021
Unit Title – No Doubt: Six Things We Can Know For Sure
Lesson Title – Sure of God’s Love
Central Truth – God’s love is seen when we love others as He has loved us.
Text – I John 4:7-13, 19-21
This week we continue with the fifth lesson in the series of things we can know for sure. The current lesson title states we can be sure of God’s love. God’s love for His people is ultimately displayed by the sacrificial death of His Son on the Cross. We can see God’s love demonstrated throughout scripture from creation to Revelation. Yes, we are underserving but God acts in grace toward His people. John wrote in his gospel account that God so loved the world that he sent His only Son so we would not perish but have eternal life through Him (John 3:16). The lesson truth guides us to the ideal that God’s love for us is borne out in how we treat others. John also wrote earlier in his letter: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (I John 3:16). Laying down our lives may mean to the point of death, but it also is lived out daily when we do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit because we value others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3).
Verses 7-10 The word love appears nine times in these four verses. In the letter of I John love appears forty-three times in some varying form. John writes in verse 8 that “God is love.” The NIV Study Bible footnote states that “In his essential nature and in all his actions, God is loving.” You may recall the lesson truth from September 12th: “My relationship with God is reflected in how I live.” These verses develop that thought further. John has established God is love and we are to love others because we have been born of God and know Him. When we are regenerated (born again) and become new creations in Christ, we are imparted with the capability to love as God does. We are known by our fruit and failure to bear loving fruit casts doubt on our relationship with God. “The one who does not love does not know God” (v.8). In verse 9 John clearly states how God revealed His love for us - He sent His only Son into the world so we might live. This life is only found “through Him.” We are enabled to love because He first loved us. This love is an agape love in that it is entirely unconditional and sacrificial, which is contrast to the natural (fleshly) person. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit. Spiritual things are perceived as foolishness because they are only discernible through the Spirit of God (I Corinthians 2:14).
Verses 11-13 John continues his exhortation to love others as God has loved us. The ESV renders the statement “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” This means we repay the debt we “owe” to God when we yield our will to Him and show love for others. John writes that no one has seen God in a physical sense. However, when an unbelieving world witnesses God’s people expressing love they see a small glimpse of God at least in a spiritual sense. In verse 12 we read two results of loving others: 1) God remains/abides in us, and 2) His love is made complete/perfected in us. We’ve mentioned in previous weeks the concept of discipleship and abiding in John 15. We as branches are attached to the true vine from which we receive our spiritual sustenance. John 15:5 goes on to tell us that those who abide/remain in Him bear much fruit, but apart from Him we can do nothing. I am reminded that this manner of love is more than warm feelings toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. This quality of love is expressed through our words, attitudes, and actions. Verse 13 again reminds of the promise of the Holy Spirit in us which makes this possible. This Spirit is the One who empowers us to do as we ought.
Verses 19-21 We are directed to love because God loved us first. We do not love because another person is deserving of such, we love because we are obedient to the commands of God’s Word. John turns to state the negative of not loving others. If we hate others it gives evidence that we are liars and the love of God is not within us. Remember we can only love because God first loved us. His love should then (over)flow from us toward others. We serve as a channel for His love to be expressed to a lost world.
As difficult as it is we are called to love the unlovely. I admit there are days I don’t want to do so. The unlovely sometimes test my patience or I allow myself to become angry. Then is when the Holy Spirit will remind me of Paul’s words in Romans 12:
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (ESV).
