Loving in Truth
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever been told to do something and asked why? Maybe something either me or your parents or a teacher or coach had you do, and you don’t know why. What should you do, be obedient. Now, one thing that definitely, not by your words but by actions, some of you may have struggled with is loving others the way God wants you to. You would not say that you don’t love them, but maybe you just have some people who you have a hard time loving. I’ll be honest, there are people who I have a hard time loving. Many times I ask God why do I need to love them, or I ask why are they in my life. John answers the question here of why do I need to love other Christians, even people who annoy me, or I do not like.
John said he loves the elect lady and her children in the truth. He loves them because they are in the truth. They are family. Anyone who is saved is in the truth.
Why does the truth cause you to love other Christians?
Truth dwells in you
The truth is the Word of God
Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
When God’s Word abides in you, it will cause you to live it, which cause you to love others.
When one abides in the Lord, they are walking in His word and are obedient.
Also you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, which He will convict you when you are not living right
Ephesians 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
Will be with you forever
The truth is forever
Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
Psalm 119:89-91 “LAMED. For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: For all are thy servants.”
1 Peter 1:22-25 “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
Because the truth is forever, we will always have to live by it. It does not change like the culture. Even last night, I was talking about something that was big when I was a kid, is not popular now. Those are the WWJD wristbands people would wear. We live in a society of fads. When we are in heaven, we will live by the truth always which means we will love always.
Do you love other Christians?