1 John Study 4: 4:1-21

Dear Student of the Word,

I know I just sent you a Bible study one week ago, but I am behind schedule due to my recent travels to Kenya. I want to complete these studies in the New Testament, which I began in 2001, by the end of May this year.  To do that, I have to publish one study this week and next, and then return to sending out a study every other week through May.  I hope this does not overwhelm you.  If it does, just put them away until later in the year when these will no longer be coming to you.

This week, we move into 1 John 4, where John had a great deal to say about love.  This week I wrote on day six of this seven-day study, which you can download below:

4:16 – What does it mean to live in love?  Does it mean being nice to people, sort of like a Mother Teresa clone?  Is it never saying anything difficult to another that may hurt their feelings?  What is this love?   This love must first be expressed to God and it can only be expressed by accepting the Father’s gift of salvation through the Son.  Jesus is the only key to a vital relationship with God.  There can be no other way. 

You see this love in action in the early days after the Spirit was poured out in Acts 2. Believers loved one another and showed that love in practical ways as they gathered to worship, pray, eat and share life together.  This is why people who say, “I don’t need to go to church to express my love for God” are wrong.  You cannot express love for God unless you are manifesting that love to others, especially to the household of faith.

Are you involved in a local church?  How deep are you relationships?  What more can you do to carry out the love of God with your church family?

v. 17 – Love is perfected and matures in your life as you love others in practical, tangible ways.  Furthermore, as your love matures and grows, you have confidence that God is at work in your life and you can face Him when you die and face judgment.  You will be like Him then, but you can also be like Him now when you love others.  Are you growing in love and confidence that God is with you?  What more can you do?

This concept of confidence is important, for there are many who carry ideas of what they should or could do.  Yet they don’t act on their ideas because they are waiting for confirmation.  Are you one of those people?  Are you waiting for God to bop you on the head before you step out to express your love? Do you see that God wants you to have confidence that He is with you, so that you can act out your love boldly?  If you are not confident in the Lord, why aren’t you?

v. 18 – Fear is the problem that keeps you from functioning in love.  It “talks you out of” what is in your heart to do and say.  Why are you so afraid?  When you love God and He loves you, it is a relationship that should eliminate fear.  Yet I behold fearful believers everywhere I go!  They are afraid of missing the Lord, getting ahead of the Lord or of offending the Lord.  It is good not to want to offend the Lord, but most people have it within their power to do good but don’t because they are either afraid “God isn’t in it” or that they will do the wrong thing.  I am convinced that sometimes “no thing” is the “wrong thing” where love is concerned.  Love and faith always act, so if you are not acting, then perhaps you don’t love or have faith.

As always, I welcome your comments to this week's study. For further Bible study, my website archive contains a complete collection of all my verse-by-verse Bible studies from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, Hebrews and Revelation, along with the unpublished volumes of The Faith Files.

Download 1 John Study 4

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THE SOPHIA FUND AND DEBORAH FOUNDATION:  I was able to distribute $3,000 from the Sophia Fund and 28 duffel bags of educational resources and books while in Kenya and came home ready to continue my efforts in those two initiatives.  You can read the impact we made at one orphanage here.  Once you read it, please donate to help us feed even more orphans while also helping to stimulate their intellectual development

I am asking that every Bible study reader contribute at least $5 this year.  You can give through my website or send a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 91099, Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Just let me know if your contribution is to be used for food or books and I promise to use it for that purpose. Just $5 will help me feed an orphan for two weeks!  Do what you can and please do it today.