These notes come from a lesson I taught years ago for a Life Group at Thomas Road Baptist Church. The lesson covered 1 John 4:7-12. The topic seems timely, so I hope it blesses you!
Introduction
How many of you know the rock group Foreigner? One of their hits was “I Want to Know What Love Is.” I liked the song, but the point I want to make is this—there are lots of people in our world who make the same statement.
People want to know love, they want to experience it, they want to see it. Just look at the movies and social media today. Many of the materials give instructions on finding love and on keeping love in your life. Some items even exemplify romantic love as the goal of human existence.
I would dare say that love is a dominant theme in many areas. The problem is that the love exemplified in these “sources” rarely offers real satisfaction or any sense of fulfillment. Love in the world often ends in hurt or disappointment.
Think about a time when you thought you experienced real love. What did it look like? How did you know it was "real" love?
Our passage in 1 John 4 today addresses the issue of what love looks like. Verses 7-12 offer us John’s view of love, and in them we find three points to consider.
1. The character of love
2. The definition of love
3. The result of love
In this chapter, John indicates that “Love resembles Jesus” in the character, action, and empowerment that come from Messiah.
1. The Character of Love
First John 4:7 reveals that John likes to repeat himself. This is now the third time he has instructed his readers to “love one another.” In 1 John 2:7-11 and 3:11-12 John has already given this command, now he returns to his earlier message.
John's repetition reminds me of a story. A preacher who was hired by a church. On the first Sunday in the church he preached a message entitled “Love One Another.” The congregation was impressed by the sermon, but imagine their surprise when on the second Sunday his title was the same. They were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until on the third Sunday he preached the same message. They were irate and demanded an explanation. The preacher said, “Well, if you would do this sermon, I’d move on to the next one.”
John may repeat himself in an effort to make sure the point gets across. When John is older, church tradition/history tells us that his message becomes simply “Little children, love one another.” Jerome, in his Commentary on Galatians, 6:10 describes it this way: “The blessed John the Evangelist lived in
Ephesus until extreme old age. His disciples could barely carry him to church,
and he could not muster the voice to speak many words. During individual
gatherings he usually said nothing but, ‘Little children, love one another.’
The disciples and brothers in attendance, annoyed because they always heard the
same words, finally said, ‘Teacher, why do you always say this?’ He replied
with a line worthy of John: ‘Because it is the Lord's commandment and if it
alone is kept, it is sufficient.’”
“Love one another” in John’s mind flows naturally from the basic character of love. John defines the character of love as being tied to the character of God, especially God's character as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus.
Notice that John says in v. 7 “love is from God.” The kind of love to which John is encouraging us is not a mere emotion or an expression of human concern. The love mentioned in 1 John 4 usually refers to a divine source, a heavenly origin (cf. 1 Corinthians 13). We don’t learn this kind of love simply by attending seminars, reading books, or trying harder. We learn to love one another in this way only as we draw closer to God through the work of Messiah Jesus in our lives.
Love’s true character is divine.
Notice that in v. 8 John says, “God is love.” As John Stott says: "This is the most comprehensive and sublime of all the biblical affirmations of God's being."
On the other hand, we must not confuse this with the idea that “love is God.” We do not define God by our view of love. Rather, we define love by God’s nature, by God's character, by God's actions. Remember, being precedes action. Action tends to result from the character of the one acting!
As a result, we must remember that God’s love includes his holiness—Psalm 138:2 (On Holiness cf. Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:14-16). God’s character is just and loving. We will see that these two always go together and the next few verses will indicate that.
So, John tells us we should love one another because of God’s nature or character. John adds that those who know God (i.e., know his character or know him well) will love others as a direct result of knowing God. John’s argument is simple—if the life of God is present is us, then his love should be present as well. If we know God’s love for us, then we should love others. For John, Jesus is the example of God's love (cf. 2 Timothy 1:13; John 8:42; 1 John 2:5-7).
Love resembles Jesus in his character. To love others is to treat them as Jesus would treat them.
2. The Definition of Love
In 1 John 4:9-10, John shifts from discussing the character of love to giving the supreme example of love. He defines love for his readers. John describes the manifestation of God’s love and sums it up in one historical event—Jesus’ crucifixion (cf. John 3:16-19). In this one event God revealed a love that has never since been surpassed (2 Cor. 4:6-7; 9:15). This love sacrifices to make things right. This love empowers others to do the right things.
Let’s try to unpack these ideas.
Love is sacrifice. John says that love was manifested (i.e., made known, made visible, made clear) by God’s act of sending his only Son Jesus into the world. The reference to Jesus as God’s “only begotten” refers to their unique relationship. Only Jesus is God’s “only begotten” Son—it refers to Jesus’ divine status. The Greek word here lends itself to the idea of "only on of its kind." There is no "Son of God" like Jesus is the "Son of God."
Please remember that this sending of Jesus was not simply to tell the world what it needed to hear—(John 3:16-19)—rather God had another thing in mind. Jesus is sent to be the “propitiation” (or "expiation" or "atonement") for our sins—1 John 2:1-2. Jesus was sent for the purpose of reconciliation. Reconciliation recognizes that two groups are estranged—one is angry at the other (Rom. 1:18-19).
God’s wrath was aimed at humanity because of sin. We were guilty and deserving of death (Romans 6:23).
Instead of holding us guilty for our own sins, however, God decided to appease his own wrath by his own plan. Jesus took our place and received the just punishment of our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6). Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Do you see in this act the coming together of God’s justice and love? God’s justice demanded holiness and required an ultimate sacrifice for sin, while God’s love provided the only true means to atone for that sin. Love is sacrificial—it does what is necessary to set things right.
But God’s love is not simply sacrificial, it does not simply “cover a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). It also gives us what is needed to live love ourselves. In other words, love empowers us to emulate Jesus. God’s love was manifested “in us.” This may mean either “on our behalf” or “in our midst.” The point is that God’s love is manifested in space and time. It is not ethereal, it is real and really experienced. It is not simply theoretical—it is real—it is “in us.”
In v. 9 John says that God sent Jesus into the world so that we could “live through him.” Let that sink in for a moment. We who deserved death for our sins are being given life by the one who actually died for the sins of the world! The greatest sign of love is the bloody cross—there by God’s grace and love we lost our burden, our guilt, even our inability to live as God intended—in the cross our Lord died so that we might live through him. What inexpressible love! What an amazing gift!
God’s love is for our benefit—it enlivens us--it is empowering. That is the true definition of love—It sacrifices that others may gain.
How does our love for others measure up?
Love resembles Jesus in his sacrifice.
3. The Result of Love
Let's consider 1 John 4:11-12. Now that he has shown the character and definition of love, John now offers a description of the result of love. “If God so loved us” is reminiscent of the “so” in John 3:16 (by the way, that "so" may be better interpreted as "in this way"). It refers to the manner in which God loved us. John says, “If you have received love in this way, you should then love others in a similar manner.” In other words, the way we love should be sacrificial and for the benefit of others—that they may gain God.
This God kind of love also has a moral imperative to it—because God has done this, we “ought” to respond in a similar manner (1 John 2:4-11).
How and when did God love us?
God loved us when we were sinners (Romans 5:6-8). We cannot understand grace or the love of God until we understand the nature of sin. We will not understand the wonder of the atoning sacrifice until we grasp the horror of that which needed atoning. God loved us by giving a means for us to be reconciled to him—he gave Jesus as our atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25; 5:9-11). As already noted, Jesus died so that we could live. God’s love is our motivation to love others.
First John 4:12 is incredible! Here John states a well known doctrine—As a Spirit, God is not visible to the human eye. Yet John seems to claim that when we love one another, God becomes apparent. The verse claims that when we love with the love God has given us in Christ, then God abides in us and his love is “perfected” (i.e., made complete, accomplished, finished, brought to its goal) in us. Our relationships of love become the place where God and his love become visible to others.
When we love, we show God to others.
Love resembles Jesus as we make him known by loving others.
Application
This is a weighty thing—how are we to be “ambassadors of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:20-21) when we are still fallen and prone to let God down? How can we claim to know God when we cannot love those closest to us? How do we respond to John’s exhortation in these verses?
First, we must recognize our need to experience and live in God’s great grace and love—knowing God through Messiah Jesus is the starting point. Remember that John says that loving others comes from loving God. This week make it a point to spend extra time with the God who loves you. Take about 15 minutes a day to look up verses that speak of God’s love (start in 1 John 2, 3, and 4, but don’t neglect John’s Gospel—chapters 3, 5, 13-15)—learn of his love. Ask God to empower you to emulate his love.
Next, take some time to ask where you can share this love of God. Start with your brothers and sisters in Christ, but don’t neglect those outside of the household of the faith. Look for opportunities to tell others how God’s love has changed your life, just be sure to love them while you tell them.
Here are some suggestions:
Seek for ways to get beyond feelings of competition.
Speak of others with honor instead of gossiping about or enjoying their shortcomings, struggles, or inconsistencies.
Rally to the side of those who are hurt or experiencing injustice—offer them a word of encouragement or stand with them in prayer.
Look for opportunities to help those who can’t help you back—give sacrificially into the life of one who may not pay you back.
Extend forgiveness to those who offend.
Be patient with someone who desperately needs it.
Be quick to show hospitality to others.
Be willing to pray for and with each other.
Share the story of Jesus with someone.
Bake cookies for someone who is down and write them a note of encouragement.
Remember, John's main point is simply this: Love resembles Jesus.
How are we doing?
Thanks for reading!
