An Unprecedented Love | 1 John 4:7-10

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 Jn 4:7-10

In the midst of all the hostility and violent attacks on the early church, Apostle John’s single charge to all believers is to love one another. Above all else, love must be the hallmark of every disciple of Christ. For us to love as God loved, we must study the love that God showed to us. God’s display of love in Christ was something truly unprecedented in history and is even now unknowable to the unbelievers. As the church continues to endure and stand against false teachers of this age, it is by this unprecedented and unknowable love of God that we will be set apart as true children of God.

God’s love is divine. Love is from God, because God is love. Though love is often spoken and written, the world does not know what love truly is, because ever since the Fall, man is born unable to love. Just like Cain, our nature is murderous because of our total depravity. True love comes from God- we can only love one another by knowing the love of God first. (Mk 12:28-30) The Pharisees thought they knew God, but they killed the source of true love because from the beginning, they didn’t know God’s love, Apostle Paul on the other hand, was once a persecutor of the church, but upon knowing God’s love, he was transformed to give up his own life because of his love for Jesus and the church. (Acts 8:1, Acts 20:31)

God shows His love by showing compassion and mercy on the undeserving. (Jon 4:10-11) The display of His love brings divine consequences. It is by His love that we are born of God as children of God, calling Him ‘Abba, Father’. We reflect the nature of our Father as we obey His commandment to love one another. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we strengthen an enduring faith of Him Who is always with us, and we treasure Him in our hearts above all else. (2Tim 1:12, Matt 13:44) This is why those who know God are unceasing in prayer – because as they draw near to God in prayer, their hearts are strengthened by His intimate love. (Lk 18:1)

The practice of this love can show whether you are saved. The purpose of Apostle John’s letter is for the readers to have joy through the assurance of their salvation. This assurance is made sure by your love – if you don’t practice love, you are not saved. Whether we love is the test of salvation, because love is from God. His will is for us to love one another. It is not enough to have knowledge and sound doctrine- without love, you do not know God. (Rev 2:2-4) God is love- as we know Christ and experience the personal love of God, the whole person and love of God occupies our hearts, enabling us to love God and one another in return.

God’s example of love in Jesus was unprecedented. You cannot know the love of God without understanding the atonement, propitiation, and penal substitution of Jesus Christ. How do you explain God’s love? What is the source of your own love and joy? God’s love from heaven is found in Jesus Christ. We were born with enmity in our hearts against God. God had no reason to love us, yet He sent His Son to be born into a world that did not receive Him. Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness and love, and He died on a cross in our place to take away God’s wrath against sinners. (Jn 3:16) Jesus rose from the dead in victory against death so that we can live a life of love through Him. Our Christian life is a remarkable display of God’s love. He forgave us – not on the basis of deeds which we have done, but because of His great love. And because we are forgiven by God, we are now able to forgive one another in true love and grace. We can today ask God for His perfect grace and love at the cross. Let us therefore know the love of God, and love one another. It is by this selfless, self-sacrificing that love the world will know that we are the disciples of Christ Jesus.