+DEV+ Meaning Of Love

Date: October 14, 2014 11:38 PM

Topic: +DEV+  Meaning Of Love

Meaning Of Love

"Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God....God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)

Scripture Focus: 1 John 4:7-20

I use the word "love" a lot, and often frivolously: "Love those pictures!" "Love your emails!" "Love that chocolate!" I use it for things that bring out certain emotions: excitement, satisfaction, amusement. 

In our passage, John uses the word "love" twenty-three times, but never frivolously. He writes of God's love for us and our love for fellow believers. It's hard to drum up a natural love for everyone in the church. Too often feelings of indifference, resentment, and jealousy rule our relationships. 

But John isn't appealing to our natural tendencies. He is speaking to us as born-again children. We are new people who have a new ability to love, because "we live in Him and He lives in us." John isn't telling hopeless sinners to love hopeless sinners; he's telling Spirit-birthed children to love Spirit-birthed children. We're not a bunch of unlovable wretches trying to feel good about each other. We're a family brought to life by the work of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Insight: Loving each other begins by looking at the cross.

Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship and Bible study groups.

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