God Is Love
The Father sent His Son…1 John 4:14
Likewise, the Son sent the Spirit: But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me, John 15:26. We should never forget WHO has saved us. God is our savior. God sent Jesus, His Son. Jesus sends the Spirit, our Helper (Comforter). Three in one. Unified in purpose: our eternal salvation. Just how great is our God?
This is John’s testimony: No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:12 thru 16
This is our testimony. Having been drawn to God the Son by God the Spirit, we have seen our sin. Having been convicted by God the Spirit, we called upon God the Father in the name of God the Son: Jesus. Having confessed Jesus is the Son of God, who was raised from the dead, God abides in us! This is love.
We notice John’s exact words: God is love…verse 16. Not, God is loving, but God is love. Not, God is lovable, but God is love. Therefore, we, who abide in love abide in God. And God in us. For this reason, we have been sealed by God the Spirit as our guarantee. God affirms this three times in three passages of His Holy Word: 2 Corinthians 1:22: who has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:5: who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. Ephesians 1:14: who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
To the praise of God’s glory indeed! Since God is love and we are in God because we are in Christ and He and the Father are one, we are to love others. Since God is love and we are sealed by God the Spirit, we are to be loving. As we were drawn to God because of His love toward us, others will be drawn to God because of our love for them.
How much longer? Until the resurrection when God redeems those Jesus has purchased with His blood. Until that day, we praise God who IS love.
