THE SPIRIT OF GOD, Dr. Samuel Lee
GOD'S LOVE AND OURS
Passage: 1John 4:7~16a  
Key verse: 10
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another,(A) for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God(B) and knows God.(C) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(D) 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son(E) into the world that we might live through him.(F) 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us(G) and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.(H) 11 Dear friends,(I) since God so loved us,(J) we also ought to love one another.(K) 12 No one has ever seen God;(L) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.(M)
13 This is how we know(N) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.(O) 14 And we have seen and testify(P) that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.(Q) 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,(R) God lives in them and they in God.(S) 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.(T) Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.(U)
Cross references
- 1 John 4:7 : S 1Jn 3:11
- 1 John 4:7 : S Jn 1:13
- 1 John 4:7 : S 1Jn 2:4
- 1 John 4:8 : ver 7, 16
- 1 John 4:9 : Jn 1:18
- 1 John 4:9 : Jn 3:16, 17; 1Jn 5:11
- 1 John 4:10 : Ro 5:8, 10
- 1 John 4:10 : S Ro 3:25
- 1 John 4:11 : S 1Co 10:14
- 1 John 4:11 : S Jn 3:16
- 1 John 4:11 : Jn 15:12; S 1Jn 3:11
- 1 John 4:12 : S Jn 1:18
- 1 John 4:12 : ver 17; 1Jn 2:5
- 1 John 4:13 : S 1Jn 2:3
- 1 John 4:13 : 1Jn 3:24
- 1 John 4:14 : S Jn 15:27
- 1 John 4:14 : S Lk 2:11; S Jn 3:17
- 1 John 4:15 : S 1Jn 2:23; 5:5
- 1 John 4:15 : 1Jn 3:24
- 1 John 4:16 : ver 8
- 1 John 4:16 : ver 12, 13; 1Jn 3:24
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. He sent his son so that we might live (7-10)
Love comes from God; in fact, God is love. How did he show his love? He sent his one and only Son into the world to die as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Because he died, we can live. God's love is sacrificial. God's love is unconditional. God's love is life-giving.
2. So we ought to love one another (11-12)
Since God so loved us and showed us his love so clearly, we ought to love God. If we love God, we will obey his command. His command is to love one another. If God lives in us, then we can love even unlovely people.
3. We can rely on God's love (13-16a)
If we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, then God lives in us. We can't depend on changeable people--not even on ourselves. But we can rely on God.
Prayer: Lord, I can't love others. But I know that you love me and sent Jesus to die for me and live in me. Help me to love.
One Word: Rely on God's love