1 John 4:1-11 -- Love for other believers -- a privilege rather than a responsibility

John wanted us to get to a deeper point of view of love, my commentary said.  He knew we’d tend to see love for other believers as a responsibility rather than a privilege, and God didn’t want it to be a forced response, but instead a natural response.  When a compass responds to magnetic north, it is responding to the nature of the earth.  Similarly, a Christian should respond in love to what God commands because we are responding to His nature, which is love.

Our natures should determine our actions, too.  God showed us that because He is love; therefore, He did something – He sent His Son for two reasons:  That we might live through Him and that He might be the propitiation for our sins.  “Propitiation is something God does to make it possible for me to be forgiven …. He is holy, so He must uphold His holy law.  But He is also love and he wants to forgive and save sinners,” my commentary said.  He has to be consistent, and the way He remains so is through the cross, where His holiness and His love both shine out.

Father, thank You for having such love for me!  I’m sorry that my sinfulness caused You to have to give up Your Son to satisfy Your holiness.  But I’m so thankful for Your love!  Help me to make it my nature, too.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford