Untitled Sermon (8)

17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 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.

Only by the believer’s remaining in God’s love can God’s love for the believer reach its culmination (4:17a–d)

When God’s love is perfected in the believer, confidence results (4:17a–b)

When God’s love is perfected in the believer, he or she is like Jesus (4:17c–d)

Perfected love casts out the fear of punishment (4:18)

I. A goal of God’s love: to have no fear in the judgement (4:17-18)

Exposition 2 (4:19-21) A Characteristic of Christian Love

1 John 4:19–21 ESV

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Christian love derives from God’s love (4:19)

One cannot love God and not love others (4:20)

Love for God entails love for others (4:21)

II. A characteristic of Christian love: love for God includes love for other believers (4:19-21)

Exposition 3 (5:1-3) A product of the new birth

1 John 5:1–3 ESV

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Love for others who have been reborn (5:1)

Love for God by keeping his commands (5:2)

Love for God defined: keep his commands (5:3)

III. A product of being born of God: Love resulting in obedience (5:1-3)

Conclusion

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