Obedience the Test of Love

I Jn 4:19-5:3

19 We love Him because He first loved us.

20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (NKJ)

This message was preached June 30, 2002 at FBC Toulon, by Albert Harmon. See it at toulonbaptist.com  

Someone has said that John's First Epistle is a summary of the Gospel that bears his name. And so it is. There are so man of the teachings of Jesus from the Gospel that are in the Epistle that it would take an extensive list to find them all. In our passage this morning we will find two major ones.

  1. Love Begets Love v-19; We love Him because He first loved us.
    1. The reason why we love God is because He loved us and has given us His nature that cannot help but love.
    2. God can take the most hateful person and make them a person of love.
    3. If God has changed your life, the first thing He changes is your love.
  2. Love is commanded v-21; And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
    1. We dealt with this some months back but love can be commanded.
    2. Love is more of a decision than an emotion to start out with.
    3. Only AGAPA love will endure the trials that come against it.
  3. Love is absolute v-1; everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
    1. John does not say that most of God's children love God's children.
    2. John does not give us an excuse.
    3. If we love God and have been loved by God, then we love those that God loves.
  4. Love is interlinked with faith & obedience v-1 & 2; Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
    1. We notice that it is only those who believe that Jesus is the Christ that are born of God and it is because we bear His nature that we love as He loves.
      1. This is important in our day.
      2. Not only are some trying to remove every mention of God from public view.
      3. But many are trying to reduce God to the lowest common denominator.
      4. Those who will allow God in public will not allow Jesus to be connected to Him.
      5. John says that if you do not believe that Jesus is the one and only anointed of God then you are not born of God, you do not carry His nature and you do not have His love in you.
    2. Love causes us to obey and by our obedience we know that our love is real.
    3. Love can be faked and obedience can be faked.
    4. But sacrificial love and joyful obedience is never fake.
  5. Love makes commandments a joy to perform v-3; For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome
    1. Commandments are not naturally easy.
      1. I think that the word commandment carries a negative thought in most peoples minds.
      2. The idea of a commandment gives us the idea that the propensity would be to no do it or to do the opposite.
    2. But love changes all that.
      1. It is for love that Jesus came and did what would not be natural.
      2. It was for love that Jesus came to earth.
      3. It was for love that Jesus suffered and died on the cross.
      4. It is love that causes us to set aside our evil natural inclinations.
      5. It is love that restrains the greed, the selfishness.
      6. It is love that puts the desires of other above our own.
      7. It is love that gives us joy as we suffer loss while still being faithful.
    3. Love means His commands are not a burden.
      1. The old proverb explains the meaning of the apostle's words, Love feels no loads. Love to God brings strength from God; through his love and his strength, all his commandments are not only easy and light, but pleasant and delightful. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)
      2. His commands are very restrictive.
      3. His commands are very exacting.
      4. They are impossible for those who do not have His love.