What's Love Got to Do With It? : Love the Truth
1 John 4:1-21 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is 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 his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Love the Holy Spirit
1 John 4:1-3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
At the time of the Apostle John's writing, the early church was combating the early heresy of Gnosticism in its seed form. (Gnosticism notes in Archeological Study Bible)
Just as much as you've chosen to love Jesus and follow Him, you must understand that much of the world and its systems are being driven along by an antichrist spirit - that which rejects Jesus, His divinity, His authority and, thus, His commands. This is nothing new, but started in the Garden of Eden with Satan's assault on God's Word and continued through the post-resurrection period in which the apostles wrote.
“It is no more narrow to claim that one religion is right than to claim that one way to think about all religions (namely that all are equal) is right. We are all exclusive in our beliefs about religion, but in different ways. ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
As follower of Jesus, you must learn to distinguish between the truth and a lie, between that which is inspired of the Holy Spirit of God and that which is not. It will determine whether you become a product/casualty of our culture or a shaper of it in regards to such things as:
Morality Acts of justice, benevolence, charity and generosity Speaking on behalf of the victim, disadvantaged and the poor
“When we look at the whole scope of this story line, we see clearly that Christianity is not only about getting one’s individual sins forgiven so we can go to heaven. That is an important means of God’s salvation, but not the final end or purpose of it. The purpose of Jesus’s coming is to put the whole world right, to renew and restore the creation, not to escape it. It is not just to bring personal forgiveness and peace, but also justice and shalom to the world. God created both the body and soul, and the resurrection of Jesus shows that he is going to redeem both body and soul. The work of the Spirit of God is not only to save souls but also to care and cultivate the face of the earth, the material world.” ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Not every piece of advice is good advice. Not everything presenting itself as spiritual teaching is sound teaching or of God. The messages that you receive shape you more than you realize. How have you been subtly been swept into the tide of the culture, the pattern of this world, through the messages that you passively receive through your Facebook newsfeed, advice from friends who do not love or know the Lord, about issues that you deem archaic when really they are simply politically incorrect.
Jesus has a kingdom that is not of this world and those who are following Him are not trying to conform to this one. They come into alignment with His thoughts regarding the issues of life including such things as:
Family Finances Human Sexuality The Sanctity of Marriage and Human Life in all of its stages of development
“Think of people you consider fanatical. They're overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive, and harsh. Why? It's not because they are too Christian, it's because they are not Christian enough. They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, emphatic, forgiving, or understanding- as Christ was... What strikes us as overly fanatical is actually a failure to be fully committed to Christ and his gospel.” ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Do not be surprised when an antichrist philosophy becomes the norm in a culture.
1 John 4:4-6 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” ― John Wesley
How do you love your brother, and minister to family, friends and co- workers in the midst of such an environment?
As we know the truths we must maintain, we will better love our neighbor: i.e. - Nicene Creed Apostle's Creed Purple Book Bible Study
Love Your Neighbor
Calling your neighbor to repent of their sin and put their trust in Jesus that they might receive forgiveness of sins, healing and eternal life is an act of love.
Matthew 22:37-40 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
1 John 4:7-18 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. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Love will perpetually have you make invitations to Jesus, His gospel and gospel environments because that love also drives out your fear of punishment from others (rejection, etc.). You will care more about their rescue and salvation than your own good standing in their sight because you love them more than yourself or your comforts.
Romans 9:3-4 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
At the heart of the Christian’s view of spiritual reality is a man who gave his life in sacrifice for people who did not believe in him, a man who died asking for forgiveness for the people who were killing him. Therefore, Christianity is an exclusive claim, but it is the most inclusive exclusive claim because it wants you to exclusively believe in this man who died for his enemies, and asks you to love and care for yours.
So, does the message that Jesus is the only way to God necessarily lead to intolerance? Christians can only become intolerant to the degree thatthey misunderstand the heart of the gospel – namely, the good news that Almighty God himself came to serve us and die for us, so we could be saved not because of our right beliefs and behavior, but by the gift of his unmerited grace. That message, rightly grasped, cannot lead to coercion or intolerance. The gospel has within it deep resources for humility and respect. It is up to Christians to prove this assertion with their lives. -Timothy Keller, The Reason For God
Love Your Brothers and Sisters
1 John 4:19-21 We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
How Do We Love Our Brothers and Sisters?
Jude 1:20-23 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Refuse to Maintain Offense and Entertain Conjectured Accusation Against Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Matthew 5:21-26 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Give both neighbors, sisters and brothers the same truth, the truth of the gospel.
It is the clear picture of Christ's propitiation (turning away the wrath of God by making amends for the offense of sin - this was done at and through the cross of Jesus) and a picture of God's heart for reconciliation. It is the hope that once reconciled, He will be with you always, through life's ups and downs and on into eternity.
“It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch.” ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
Second City Church- What's Love Got To Do With It? Sermon Series 2016