-Love is the mark of a Chr1st1an; it is inextricably linked to saving faith. Verse 7 says: "whoever loves has been born of G0d and knows G0d." Verse 16 continues this thought by pointing us back to the G0spel: "So we have come to know and to believe the love that G0d has for us. G0d is love, and whoever abides in love abides in G0d, and G0d abides in him." There aren't any ifs, ands, or buts to love. If we have been saved by Chr1st, then we love. Period.-Love is an inseparable part of G0d's nature. Why are Chr1st1ans called to love? Because our G0d does. Love is part of His character, His very being. He authored it, He defines it, and He is the one who shows us how love and what to love (righteousness). More than that, as verses 8 and 16 say, "G0d is love." Only because He pours His new nature into us after s*lv*tion are we able really know what (and Who) love is and to share that with the world.
-Love is impossible in ourselves. "In this is love, not that we have loved G0d, but that He loved us and sent His S0n to be the propitiation for our s1ns." (verse 10). Love doesn't start with us (G0d is the one who initiates it by rescuing us on the cross, and we can't love rightly in our own strength. Love requires the Sp1rit's power; "By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has give us of His Spirit" (verse 13). G0d knows that we are weak and can't love on our own, but praise Him for sending the H0ly Spirit to be our strength!-The cr0ss is our model for love. Verse 19 says "We love because He first loved us". Calvary and the painful, selfless, sacrificial, and undeserved love Chr1st demonstrated there on our behalf is what we look to when we can't go on, when it hurts us to love or we feel like we're running out of it. The cr0ss is what makes it possible for us to now pick up broken and hurting children like these and really love them because we know what it is to be broken and in need of a S*vior ourselves. "Beloved, if G0d so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (verse 11).
-Love is how we see and feel G0d on a daily basis. Verse 12 says "No one has ever seen G0d; if we love one another, G0d abides in us and His love is perfected in us." Our ability to love and serve others is the measure for how closely we are walking with G0d. It's how we know He abides in us (that's an amazing enough thought in itself...that the G0d of the Universe would dwell within us!). When we are living out G0spel love to the world we come to know the presence of J*sus in our hearts more deeply. It's our proof that He has saved us and transformed our lives. When viewed with this perspective, what an amazing treasure it is to be called to love!-Love is our confidence. "By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgement" (verse 17). L0ve demonstrates that we know and abide in the L0rd, that we have been sealed by His blood and can never be separated from Him, either in this life or the life to come.
-Love does not fear. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" (verse 18). Love isn't limited to the lovely, or safe, or predictable. It requires that we go out of our comfort zone and that we trust the results to G0d. Love doesn't say, "well I might get a fever or infectious disease from loving on that needy baby" or, "I won't love this person because it will hurt or I'll have my heart broken later." Love trusts, gives, and looks to the cr0ss when earthly worries or fears threaten to drown it out.
-Love is commanded. Lastly, we as Chr1st1ans are called to love because G0d requires it of us. Verses 20-21 say: "If anyone says, 'I love G0d,' and hates his borther, he is a liar, for who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love G0d whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves G0d must also love his brother."
So, brothers and sisters, let us go out into the world and love with Chr1st's power, for His glory!!
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