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Lesson 17: 1 John 4:7-11

 1 John 4:7-8

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.

 

Related Scriptures

Luke 6:40

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Charity is an old word for love. Pay special attention to verse 1.)

Ephesians 6:23

James 2:8-9

1 John 4:16

Background Information

In the Greek language that the New Testament was originally written in, there was more than one word for love. The love spoken of here was the highest, self-sacrificing form of love as contrasted with the love of family/friendship and romantic love.

Questions

  1. In 1 John 3:9, we learned that being “born of God” keeps one from living a sinful life. In 1 John 4:7-8, we find another thing that being born of God does in our lives. What is it?
  2. Can one have real love (as opposed to the selfish, feelings-based love of the world) without being saved first?
  3. Think about cause and effect. Is love the result or the cause of being born of God?
  4. Love is a significant part of God’s character. Can we really know Him, without knowing love?
  5. We’ve identified two signs of a false teacher in 1 John 4. Would lack of love be another sign, based on verses 7 and 8?

 

1 John 4:9-11

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we 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 ought also to love one another.

 

Related Scriptures

John 3:16

John 20:21

John 20:30-31

Romans 5:7-11

1 Peter 3:18

1 John 4:17

Questions

  1. In an earlier lesson, we defined the word propitiation. What does it mean?
  2. Based on 1 John 4:9-11, Who do we learn love from?
  3. We see in this text, the full meaning of God’s love. a) What did God’s love lead Him to do? b) Was there any sensual pleasure in this for God? c) Did sending His Son to die give God warm fuzzy feelings? d) Based on your answers, does God’s love go beyond the love of romance? e) Does God’s love go beyond the love between family members? f) Does it go beyond the love between friends?
  4. Romantic, family, and friendly love all have great value, but do they represent the ultimate level of love that God wants to work in our lives?
  5. Which kind of love do the verses in this and the previous lesson talk about?
  6. What would having this God-like love toward our spouses, families and friends do to our relationships? (Please note that this kind of love doesn’t exclude the lesser forms of love.)
  7. How might you demonstrate God-like love toward those nearest you?

 This Bible study is in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely.

 

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