What Manner of Love? – 1 John 3:1 – Bible study
WHAT MANNER OF LOVE
1 John 3:1
INTRODUCTION:
Everyone who has a healthymind wants to be loved. We are greatly moved by it. . How wonderfulit is to hear someone say to us “I love you.” I recently heard someonesay, “No one loves me!” That is not true. The most important person inthe world loves you. The greatest, most magnificent person has declaredHis love for you. It is a love that is unconditional. It is a love thatknows your faults and yet still loves you. The world’s love is most timeconditional. It is given only if it is adequately returned and gives asufficient dividend. I love you if you love me. Or I will love you as longas you meet my need and satisfy all my expectations.
However, if you fail falselove says I will not love you any more. This false idea of love hasfound root in the error of the Armenians, who by their doctrine believethat God is fickle. He loves us only so long as we love Him. My Friend the love of God is conditional only in that it be received andaccepted by the each of us. Many in the world miss the importanceof this statement of God’s affection towards us. Love that isshunned it is a great lost, but the love of God shunned it a tragedy.
To the sinner the love of God means that there is the possibility ofreconciliation and forgiveness. No matter how deep our sin and rejectionof God, if we repent and turn to Him, He will always accept us and forgive.That is the very nature of God.
The person to whom an offense is committed, who still loves the offender,can still be reached.
To the Christian whoby faith has trusted in Christ Jesus it is a great comfort and of greatvalue.
I. THE LOVE OF GOD IS A GIFT.
“Behold what manner of love has the Father bestowed upon us.” 1 John3:1.
A. It is without merit on our part. It is a gift. God’slove is not something we deserve or earned, nor can be.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph.2:8-9).
1. There was nothing in us that to attract God’s favor..we were separatedby sin.
2. God did not chose to bestow His love on the best of men! Not themost intellect, smart, moral. He chose to freely give His love to all menequally…but noting that the ones who received the benefit of it,would be whose were admitted sinners.
B. This is so important to those of us who do know our faults.
C. Read: 1 John 4:9-10.
D. Sins do not hinder God’s love.
1. Yes, sin does effect fellowship and receiving the blessings of God,but not the love God has for us.
2. He wants the best for us always, and even when we sin he stands readyto help, to aid to comfort if we will but let him.
3. A a parent He chastens us, to aid us in over coming sin and its destructiveinfluence.
4. True love seeks to help the other person. That is why repentanceis so important. God wants us to overcome the sin and its destructiveinfluence in our lives. He even loves us enough to chasten His childrenthat they might overcome sin. To the sinner He say, repent of sin,turn from sin and turn to Me…I will change your life.
E. Like so many is the time as a Pastor I have been accused of preachingto a particular person! That is not true. Most times I know littleof who needs the Word of God.
II. GOD’S LOVE IS UNIQUE AND MARVELOUS.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us..”
A. It is quite above our understanding! The One offendedloves the offender. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
B. It is incredible in view. God’s creation rebels. Itsins in mass and magnitude, yet it is God who is willing to pay the price. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For Godsent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the worldthrough him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
C. It is eternal, fixed before the foundations of the earth. The very nature of God is Love. John 4:8,16, states that “Godis Love.”
III. THE LOVE OF GOD HAS GLORIOUS CONSEQUENCES TO THE ONE WHO WILLRECEIVE IT.
“..we all called the sons of God”.
A. Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fulness ofthe time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made underthe law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receivethe adoption of sons.” This means that whena person is saved they are adopted into the family of God. Only those who have believed and received Jesus Christ as their Saviorare the children of God.
B. We are given the Holy Spirit. “But ye are not in theflesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans8:9).
C. We are made joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”(Romans 8:17).
“Blessed be the God and Fatherof our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begottenus again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from thedead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadethnot away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power ofGod through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”(1 Peter 1:3-5).
IV. THE LOVE OF GOD IS TO BE ACCEPTED AND LIVED BY.
A. Love is a duty, a responsibility and a great blessingto us.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwellethin him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that Godhath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God,and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the dayof judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There isno fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he firstloved us” (1 John 4:15-19).
B. The love of God is not to end at our conversion. Itis the Good News, the Gospel which is to be spared, broadcast to all whowould hear it.
C. To shun the love of God is a terrible tragedy.
1. Christ Jesus has shown His love. He proved it by going to the Crossand there suffering for my sin and yours.
2. Romans. 5:8, “God commended His love for us, in that while we wereyet in our Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by hisblood, we shall be saved from wrath to come.”
CONCLUSION:
Today where do you stand in relation to receiving the love of God.
As we have seen from the Word of God…God’s love is offered…the questionis will you accept it.
ILLUS: There once was young boy who came upon a stray dog. Itwas skin and bones and was wounded and obviously had been beatenand abused by someone.
The dog was unable to help it self. The young man, went and got water,food and antiseptic to help this poor unfortunate creature. However, atthe young man approach the dog bared it teeth. The young man was persistent,and kept coming back offering food and water. All was there to savethis poor animal including the concern of the young man, but overand over it refused to accept the freely offer favor of the young man. In time, the persistence of the young man won, and finally slowly and cautiouslythe animal let him approach and in time began to take food and water. Later,as its confidence and trust grew it allow him to treat its wounds. Monthslater healthily and happy, it was clear how the now with complete trustin the man the dog was the young man’s constant companion. Love had wonthe day.
Would you accept God’s love today. You too, maybe scared by life, youtoo may be cautious and even afraid.
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