THE SCARLET PATH

    BIBLE STUDIES

 GOD'S LOVE SERIES

 STUDY ONE:

                                                "SOME THOUGHTS ON GOD'S LOVE"   

                                                                 1st JOHN 4:7-10

 INTRODUCTION:

           "CALVARY SHOWS HOW FAR MEN AND WOMEN WILL GO IN SIN, AND HOW FAR GOD WENT FOR MAN'S SALVATION." H.D. TRUMBULL

           WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME, "GOD LOVES YOU".     IT IS A MESSAGE THAT IS EASY TO SAY.

 IT IS WRITTEN ON BARNS, RAILROAD CARS, AND BRIDGES ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. "GOD LOVES YOU".

           THE MESSAGE OF GOD'S LOVE IS ONE THAT JOHN WOULD DECLARE WITH PASSION, DESIRE, AND BOLDNESS.     HE, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER APOSTLES, WOULD SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS AND JAIL CELLS WHENEVER THEY COULD, "GOD LOVES YOU".     THEY EXPERIENCED GOD'S LOVE IN WAYS THAT WERE UNHEARD OF TO THE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES.

           TODAY WE MUST TAKE THAT GOSPEL MESSAGE A STEP FURTHER AND DECLARE, JUST AS JOHN AND THE OTHER DISCIPLES DID,THAT GOD DOES INDEED LOVE YOU AND THE REASON FOR THIS LOVE IS BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE.

 READ 1st JOHN 4:7-10, (7) "BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER: FOR LOVE IS OF GOD; AND EVERY ONE THAT LOVETH IS BORN OF GOD, AND KNOWETH GOD."

 (8) "HE THAT LOVETH NOT KNOWETH NOT GOD; FOR GOD IS LOVE."

 (9) "IN THIS WAS MANIFESTED THE LOVE OF GOD TOWARD US, BECAUSE THAT GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON INTO THE WORLD, THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM."

 (10) "HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US, AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS."         

          IN VERSES 7-21JOHN REMAINS TRUE TO HIS PATTERN TO DEVELOP THE SAME SUBJECTS, EACH TIME BROADENING, EXPANDING, AND ENHANCING THEIR SIGNIFICANCE.                     JOHN RETURNS TO THE MORAL TEST OF LOVE.     THESE VERSES CONSTITUTE ONE LONG UNIT DESCRIBING WHAT PERFECT LOVE IS AND THAT IT IS NOW AVAILABLE TO MEN AND WOMEN.                                                                                                                                                                         IN JOHN'S THIRD AND LAST DISCUSSION OF LOVE IN THIS LETTER, SEE 1st JOHN 2:7-11; 1st JOHN 3:10-14, HE GIVES MANY REASONS WHY CHRISTIANS LOVE OR SHOULD LOVE.                                                                                                                                                                                                    THE BOOK OF 1st JOHN WAS WRITTEN TO "MY LITTLE CHILDREN".    THOSE WHO ARE THE "SONS OF GOD" AS SHOWN IN CHAPTER 3, VERSES 1-2.                                                             BELIEVERS ARE CHILDREN OF GOD BY VIRTUE OF BEING BORN OF HIM, 1st JOHN 2:29.

 THE LOVE OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND.  THE LOVE THAT THE FATHER HAS "BESTOWED" TELLS US THAT WE DID NOT EARN THAT LOVE, IT WAS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          THE GREATEST LOVE EVER KNOWN WAS WHEN GOD GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, JESUS CHRIST, TO DIE FOR OUR SIN.                                                                                                          JOHN 15:13 "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS."

           THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE SUPREME EVIDENCE AND EXPRESSION OF JESUS' LOVE, HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS.     THIS KIND OF LOVE IS REALLY MORE THAN OUR CARNAL MIND CAN COMPREHEND.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     THE GREATEST LOVE A CHRISTIAN HAS EVER SHOWN IS CHARITY: A SIGN OF TRUE CONVERSION.     I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT LOVE IN A GENERAL SENSE BECAUSE LOST PEOPLE CAN LOVE.

 ROMANS 5:5 "AND HOPE MAKETH NOT ASHAMED; BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD IS SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS GIVEN UNTO US."

           WE FIND THAT THIS HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT) SPOKEN OF HERE COMES AND DWELLS WITHIN US AS SOON AS WE ACCEPT CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR.     IT IS THE HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT) IN US THAT LOVES OTHERS UNSELFISHLY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   IN 1st JOHN 2:8 WE SEE THAT WHEN THE DARKNESS OF A LOST SOUL COMES TO END THROUGH THE LIGHT OF GOD'S SALVATION, THIS "LOVE OF GOD" THAT CAUSED HIM TO DIE FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD IS MANIFESTED IN THE NEW BELIEVER.                                                             THE "LOVE OF GOD" CAUSE THE CHILD OF GOD TO LOVE THE THINGS THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT LOVE.     I AM TALKING ABOUT LOVE IN A SPIRITUAL REALM:

           1. LOVE FOR GOD; THE WORLD HAS NO LOVE FOR GOD.    THEY ONLY TRY TO USE GOD WHEN IT IS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.

           2. LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD: THE WORLD HAS NO LOVE FOR THE BIBLE, ESPECIALLY THE KING JAMES VERSION, BECAUSE IT CONFRONTS THEM OF THEIR SIN.     FOR THE MOST PART, THEY WILL NOT READ IT OR COME TO HEAR IT BEING PREACHED OR TAUGHT.

           3. LOVE FOR HE CHURCH: THE WORLD HAS NO LOVE FOR THE LOCAL CHURCH OR THEY WOULD BE IN CHURCH REGULARLY.     MANY LOST PEOPLE SET IN CHURCH FOR THE SOCIAL/POLITICAL BENEFIT THEY GAIN IN THE COMMUNITY.     THEY ONLY USE THE CHURCH TO SOOTHE THEIR CONSCIENCE OR GET SOME ATTENTION FROM IT.

           4. LOVE FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD: SINCE GOD'S NATURE EXHIBITS LOVE AS A CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC, GOD'S CHILDREN WILL ALSO REFLECT THAT LOVE, TEXT VERSE 8.                  ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT SEPARATE THE CHRISTIANS FROM THE WORLD IS THE GREAT LOVE THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.                                                   THE WORLD HAS NO LOVE FOR GOD'S PEOPLE.     THEY MIGHT LIKE AND RESPECT SOME BELIEVERS, HOWEVER NOT OTHERS.     IF THEY TRULY LOVED CHRISTIANS, THEY WOULD WANT TO BE AROUND THEM CORPORATELY.

             5. LOVE FOR THE LOST SINNER: THE WORLD HAS NO LOVE FOR DRUNKS, DRUG ADDICTS, RAPIST, MURDERERS, THIEVES, SEX OFFENDERS, ETC.                                                                     HOWEVER, THE WORLD ACCEPTS, PROMOTES, AND DEFENDS THE LOST SINNERS,, HOMOSEXUALS; LESBIANS, TRANSGENDER, ETC. AND THEIR LIFESTYLES.

             WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES, THE HIGHWAYS AMD HEDGES INVITING THEM TO COME AND SIT IN CHURCH WITH US AND OUR CHILDREN.                                                                                   HOWEVER NOT MUCH EFFORT IS SPENT IN SHARING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE, THE WORD OF GOD, TODAY IN MANY CHURCHES AND BY MANY CHRISTIANS OUT IN THE WORLD EACH DAY.

           A.  THE GREATEST GIFT THAT REMAINS IS CHARITY:     BROTHERLY LOVE:

 1st CORINTHIANS 13:13 "AND NOW ABIDETH FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY."     

            "CHARITY": WHEN THIS WORD IS USED IN THE KING JAMES VERSION BIBLE IT ALWAYS MEANS "GODLY LOVE".                                                                                                                                              FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE ARE ALL VERY MUCH A PART OF CHRISTIANITY. 

          "ABIDETH": THEY DO NOT CHANGE.     THESE NEVER CHANGE AS THEY ARE ABSOLUTES.     IF WE HAD TO GIVE UP ALL BUT ONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO HANG ON TO CHARITY (LOVE).                                                                                                                                                         FAITH AND HOPE ARE INWARD (IN THE CHRISTIANS HEART) AND TOWARD GOD.     CHARITY IS OUTWARD (CAN BE SEEN BY ALL).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                IN VERSES 7 AND 8 OF OUR TEXT, WE ARE TOLD THAT LOVE IS FROM GOD AND GOD IS LOVE.

            "EVERY ONE THAT LOVETH IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWETH GOD":     THOSE WHO ARE BORN AGAIN RECEIVE GOD'S NATURE, 2nd PETER 1:4.                                                                   SINCE GOD'S NATURE EXHIBITS LOVE AS A CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC, GOD'S CHILDREN WILL ALSO REFLECT THAT LOVE.                                                                                                                             WHEN WE ARE BORN OF GOD, WE ARE BORN OF HIS LOVE.

     1.  IT IS A VISIBLE LOVE:

 JOHN 13:34-35, (34) "A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE YOU, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER; AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YE ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

 (35) " BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLE,IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER."                                                                                                                                THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE WAS NOT NEW.     HOWEVER JESUS' COMMAND REGARDING LOVE PRESENTED A DISTINCT NEW STANDARD FOR TWO REASONS:

           1. IT WAS SACRIFICIAL LOVE MODELED AFTER HIS LOVE, "AS I LOVED YOU" JOHN 15:13.                                                                                                                                                         2. IT IS PRODUCED THROUGH THE NEW COVENANT BY THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    "AS I HAVE LOVED YOU": THIS MEANS TO HAVE UNSELFISH LOVE.    JESUS' LOVE FOR US WAS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WE DID, BUT IN SPITE OF WHAT WE DID.    HE IS SAYING LOVE THEM EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNLOVABLE.                                                                                                  JESUS IS ALSO SAYING HERE, THAT THIS GREAT UNSELFISH LOVE OF OTHER BELIEVERS WOULD SET THEM APART FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORLDLY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO LOVE LIKE THIS.

     2. IT IS A SACRIFICIAL LOVE:

JOHN 15:12 "THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT, THAT YE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU."

           YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS AND THE PREVIOUS VERSES, THAT IT IS NOT AN OPTION FOR US TO LOVE EACH OTHER.                                                                                                                                        THIS TYPE OF LOVE IS CALLED"AGAPE LOVE".    THIS IS UNSELFISH LOVE TO THE UTMOST.     VERSE 13 AS NOTED BEFORE, IS A REFERENCE TO THE SUPREME EVIDENCE AND EXPRESSION OF JESUS' LOVE, HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS.                                                        NOT ONLY DID JESUS HAVE THIS GREAT LOVE, BUT THE FATHER'S LOVE FOR MANKIND GOES SO FAR THAT OUR CARNAL MINDS CANNOT COMPREHEND IT AT ALL, JOHN 3:16-18.

      3. IT IS AN INITIATED LOVE.

1st JOHN 4:10-11, (10) "HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US, AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS."

 (11) "BELOVED, IF GOD SO LOVED US, WE OUGHT ALSO TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER."

           "PROPITIATION": MEANS APPEASEMENT OR SATISFACTION.    AN ATONING SACRIFICE THAT JESUS BORE IN HIS BODY FOR THE PUNISHMENT DUE US FOR OUR SINS.    IN SO DOING HE PROPITIATED GOD, SATISFIED GOD'S JUST DEMAND THAT SIN BE PUNISHED.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      CHRIST DID THIS WHEN HIS BLOOD, SPILLED ON BEHALF OF OTHERS, SATISFIED THE DEMANDS OF GOD'S HOLY JUSTICE AND WRATH AGAINST SIN.                                                                         THE STRANGEST AND MOST WONDERFUL PART OF ALL THIS IS THAT, JESUS CHRIST LOVED US WHEN WE WERE TOTALLY UNLOVABLE.    WE NOT ONLY DID NOT LOVE GOD, WE DID NOT KNOW THAT HE LOVED US.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          CHRISTIANS LOVE MUST BE SELF-SACRIFICING LIKE GOD'S LOVE.    GOD TAUGHT US BY EXAMPLE THE UNSELFISH LOVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOR EACH OTHER.                                                LET THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWED YOU SHINE THROUGH YOU AND THEN MAKE SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE A LITTLE BRIGHTER.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      SIMPLE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AND BELIEVING HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE BRINGS SALVATION.    FOR MANY, THIS IS TOO SIMPLE TO BE BELIEVED.    OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST JUSTIFIES US BEFORE THE FATHER.                                                                                                                        BECAUSE OF THE LOVE JESUS SHOWED IN HIS ATONEMENT FOR OUR SINS, WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO SHOW HIS LOVE TO OTHERS IN THE WORLD AROUND US.

       4. IT IS A PURE LOVE.

1st PETER 1:22 "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."

           "PURIFIED": IN THIS VERSE MEANS "CONSECRATED" TO GOD'S SERVICE.

           "CONSECRATED": MEANS TO DECLARE OR SET APART AS  SACRED; TO DEDICATE SOLEMNLY TO A SERVICE OR GOAL; SANCTIFIED.                                                                                                THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE CHANGED INTO AN OBEDIENT SERVANT TO DO THE WILL OF GOD.                                                                                                                                                                              IF WE TRULY LOVE GOD, WE WILL LOVE HIS CHILDREN.

      5. IT IS A FERVENT LOVE.     1st PETER 1:22

          THE LOVE SPOKEN OF HERE IS THE LOVE OF CHOICE THAT IS THE KIND OF LOVE THAT CAN RESPOND TO THE WILL OF GOD.

          "FERVENTLY": HERE MEANS TO STRETCH TO THE LIMITS.    ONLY THOSE BELIEVERS WHOSE "SOULS: HAVE BEEN "PURIFIED"; SAVED BY GRACE, HAVE THE CAPACITY TO LOVE LIKE THIS.                                                                                                                                                                             THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SHOW LOVE TO GOD IS BY SHOWING LOVE TO HIS CHILDREN.    THIS IS NOT AN OUTWARD LOVE FOR SHOW, BUT A TRUE LOVE FROM THE HEART.

     6. IT IS AN ABOUNDING LOVE.

 1st THESSALONIANS 3:12 "AND THE LORD MAKE YOU TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE ONE TOWARD ANOTHER, AND TOWARD ALL MEN, EVEN AS WE DO TOWARD YOU:"

           "LOVE ONE TOWARD ANOTHER": THIS COMMAND IS FOCUSED ON BELIEVERS IN THE CHURCH.                                                                                                                                                                      WITH OVER 30 POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE "ONE ANOTHER'S" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, LOVE APPEARS BY FAR MOST FREQUENTLY, SOME EXAMPLES: 1st THESSALONIANS 4:9; ROMANS 12:10; ROMANS 13:8; 2nd THESSALONIANS 1:3; 1st PETER 1:22; 1st JOHN 3:11. 23; 1st JOHN 4:7, 11; 2nd JOHN 5.           

           "TOWARD ALL MEN": THIS COMMAND IS FOCUSED TO ALL UNBELIEVERS AS WELL AS BELIEVERS.                                                                                                                                                                  IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT GOD LOVED THE WORLD AND SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR ALL HUMAN SIN, JOHN 3:16, BELIEVERS WHO WERE LOVED WHEN THEY WERE UNLOVELY, ROMANS 5:8, ARE TO LOVE UNBELIEVERS.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       OTHER NEW TESTAMENT (KJV BIBLE) COMMANDS CONCERNING ALL MEN INCLUDE PURSUING PEACE, ROMANS 12:18; DOING GOOD, GALATIANS 6:10; BEING PATIENT, PHILIPPIANS 4:5; PRAYING, 1st TIMOTHY 2:1; SHOWING CONSIDERATION, TITUS 3:2; AND HONORING, 1st PETER 2:17.

            ALL THESE ACTS REQUIRE LOVE FOR OTHERS.    THE TYPE OF LOVE SPOKEN OF HERE IS THE UNSELFISH GODLY LOVE FOR ALL MANKIND.    AFTER ALL, HE LOVES US EVEN WHEN WE ARE UNLOVABLE.                                                                                                                                                         GOD LOVES US IN SPITE OF ALL OF OUR FAULTS, ASKING NOTHING IN RETURN EXCEPT THAT WE BELIEVE IN HIM.

            WE AS BELIEVERS MUST LEARN TO LOVE WITH THE SAME KIND OF LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR US.

      7. IT IS A SERVING LOVE.

 GALATIANS 5:13 "FOR, BRETHREN, YE AVE BEEN CALLED UNTO LIBERTY; ONLY USE NOT LIBERTY FOR AN OCCASION TO THE FLESH, BUT BY LOVE SERVE ONE ANOTHER."

           "LIBERTY . . . . . . . FOR AN OCCASION TO THE FLESH": THE GREEK WORD FOR "OCCASION" MEANS OPPORTUNITY.    IN THIS CONTEXT "FLESH" REFERS TO THE SINFUL INCLINATIONS OF SINFUL MEN AND WOMEN.                                                                                                        THE GREEK WORD FOR "LIBERTY" MEANS FREEDOM.    THE FREEDOM CHRISTIANS HAVE IS NOT A BASE FROM WHICH THEY CAN SIN FREELY AND WITHOUT ANY SORT OF CONSEQUENCE AT ALL.                                                                                                                                              THIS FREEDOM WE HAVE AS BELIEVERS IS NOT A LICENSE TO SIN, GALATIANS 5:13; ROMANS 6:18; 1st PETER 2:16.     CHRISTIANS SHOULD ENJOY THEIR FREEDOM IN CHRIST, BUT OUGHT NOT TO PUT ON A VEIL OR MASK OF FREEDOM TO COVER WHAT REALLY IS WICKEDNESS.                                                                                                                                                              

           "SERVE ONE ANOTHER": CHRISTIAN FREEDOM IS NOT FOR SELFISH FULFILLMENT, BUT FOR SERVING OTHERS, ROMANS 14:1-15.    THIS MEANS THAT YOU ARE FREE TO SERVE GOD BY SERVING "ONE ANOTHER".    YOU SEE, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE TO LIVE FOR CHRIST AND DO HIS WILL.

     8. IT IS AN OVERLOOKING LOVE.

1st PETER 3:8 "FINALLY, BE YE ALL OF ONE MIND, HAVING COMPASSION ONE FOR ANOTHER, LOVE AS BRETHREN, BE PITIFUL, BE COURTEOUS."

           "BE YE ALL OF ONE MIND": BE HARMONIOUS, FROM TWO GREEK WORDS MEANING, "TO THINK THE SAME", OR "TO BE LIKE-MINDED."    THE IDEA IS TO MAINTAIN INWARD UNITY OF HEART.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ALL CHRISTIANS ARE TO  EXAMPLES AND PURVEYORS OF PEACE AND UNITY, NOT DISRUPTION AND DISHARMONY, JOHN 13:35 (SEE VERSE 17); ROMANS 12:16; ROMANS 15:5; 1st CORINTHIANS 1:10; PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        A CHURCH BODY SHOULD BE A FAMILY.    A CHURCH BODY (FAMILY) SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED WITH THE NEEDS OF THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAN THEY ARE WITH THEIR OWN NEEDS AND THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH FAMILY. 

           THE LOVE THAT GOD PUTS IN THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN OVERLOOKS THE FAULTS OF OTHERS.    THAT KIND OF LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE QUICK TO FORGIVE, KNOWING THAT GOD FORGAVE THEM.                       FORGIVE THAT YOU MIGHT BE FORGIVEN!

           AMEN!