F O O T H O L D
READING
92 GOD IS LOVE
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PRAY Thank God for his
overwhelming love and ask for grace to be open
to new teaching.
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READ 1 John 4:7-21.
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THINK Write down a couple of
things that this chapter teaches about
God's love and about our
love.
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FOCUS John has been helping
his readers to be alert to false teachers.
Unfortunately it is easy for
us to have a judgemental witch-hunt
outlook. John is not keen to
see suspicion develop between
believers. Their
relationships should be marked by mutual love.
If not, no matter how firm
their grip on orthodox doctrine, they
have failed to grasp the
practical MEANING of the Gospel.
God is love: we must be
careful not to sentimentalise this
phrase. Few words have been
devalued as love in the twentieth
century.
Love is a true description
of God. But it is not the only
description. He possesses
other attributes too. This is why John
can speak of judgement in
the same breath as he speaks of love
without feeling any
contradiction. The mention of judgement may
arouse fear. It shouldn't
for Christians. God's love for us and
our response in love leave
no room for fear (18).
When a child arrives home
from school, she knocks on the front
door in total confidence
that she will be admitted. She would not
feel so secure knocking on
any other door. In the same way, John
tells us love can eliminate
anxiety even before the gates of
heaven. The vital issue is
our relationship with the One inside.
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PRAY Pray that previous
wounds will not hinder you from being open-
hearted and loving. Pray
especially for someone you know who may
need your love and God's
love today.
