Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:7-10
We are now beginning the central core of this letter, and this core runs from verse 7 to the end of this chapter. It is not only the central core of the letter, but it is also the central core of Christian theology. All of those comparisons at the beginning of the letter, and all of the discussion of evil, antichrists and the testing of spirits comes back to this theme, for without it, the rest of the theology of our faith is rendered meaningless. In short, what is written in this section is the one thing that gives Christianity its power and authority, and against which the gates of Hell itself cannot, and will not stand.
The last sentence in this text is the key: God loved us. In fact, he loved us while we were lost, and not loving Him at all. Yet God loved us anyway; He loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us. Yes, you’re right, this has already been pointed out in this letter, but here it is again, as the core of everything else; that is how important it is that we grasp this simple concept.
How could God love us so much and in spite of everything? Because God is love.
That being the case, we are to love one another, just as God loved us. Nobody can do this unless God is in that person, which is to say that person is in Christ. Loving one another as God loved us runs counter to every teaching of this world, as it also runs against our natural human inclinations. Therefore, if a person does not love, it is because God is not in him or her.
Life Project Blog 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thank you for this. I believe we are here to love God and love one another. We need to work on loving the people that are difficult to love and if we continue to work on that we are with God. I pray God’s love in me will reflect to others I interact with on a daily basis. Blessings!
Well said, thank you!
“In short, what is written in this section is the one thing that gives Christianity its power and authority, and against which the gates of Hell itself cannot, and will not stand.”
Amen and amen!
Thank you Mel!
Always struck to the core of His amazing love for us. It is just plain awesome.
Yes it is!
We are in a battle daily against the lies of Satan. When I found that God forgave me for my sins and I was filled with a joy I was on fire for Him. Sometime after the fire was quenched briefly because Satan was battling to pull me back. I put on my armour against the lies and told Satan to leave in Jesus name. The fire is once again within me. Each morning I prepare to listen to Jesus as he walks with me, to stand firm in my faith of the One who loved me first. The lies kill our ability to love if we let it.
Great comment; thank you!
Reblogged this on Citizen Tom and commented:
This reblogs a post that is part of a series that is a commentary on 1st, 2n, and 3r John. Since I can be rather scatterbrained, I dart back and forth between the different things I enjoy and find interesting. Therefore, this was posted back in April, and I am just now getting back to it.
Why would I go back to this series? When we read John 3:16, we can find that verse bewildering. God did what? Fortunately, John had more to say. His epistles help us to understand just how much God loves us, and they also help to understand who we can trust to instruct us Christian doctrine.
I like your ending statement.
“Therefore, if a person does not love, it is because God is not in him or her.”
I equate the same to apply to Divine Wisdom meaning no one can truly be wise if he or she is not righteous..
What the world needs now in addition to love is wisdom
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Thank you!