Here’s how the study works: Read the chapter mentioned in the heading several times during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for a chapter creates the opportunity to reread it several times and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
Several verses have stood out to me. Firstly v.1 in the Message:
My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you.
– Yes! Christians need more discernment!
and I love v.10. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son…
Our love is so puny compared to His love for us.
Several verses have stood out to me. Firstly v.1 in the Message:
My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you.
– Yes! Christians need more discernment!
and I love v.10. This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son…
Our love is so puny compared to His love for us.
v.17 In this world we are like Jesus
In the Message it reads: our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.
Wow! God has so completely dealt with our sin, we are like Christ.
v.17 In this world we are like Jesus
In the Message it reads: our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.
Wow! God has so completely dealt with our sin, we are like Christ.
v.18 The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
The next verse tells us how to become “perfect in love”. v.19 We love because he first loved us.
We don’t become “perfect in love” by trying to whip up an emotion. We become “perfect in love” by coming to an understanding how much we are loved. We allow God to love us. We accept His great love for us. Then, our love for Him grows in response to His love for us.
v.18 The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
The next verse tells us how to become “perfect in love”. v.19 We love because he first loved us.
We don’t become “perfect in love” by trying to whip up an emotion. We become “perfect in love” by coming to an understanding how much we are loved. We allow God to love us. We accept His great love for us. Then, our love for Him grows in response to His love for us.
I’m back!!!
I have been gone too long to expect that the truffles are still here … so I brought some more …
I’m back!!!
I have been gone too long to expect that the truffles are still here … so I brought some more …
Left a comment at 1 John 3
Would like to know what you think of it Jon and Susan …:-)
Left a comment at 1 John 3
Would like to know what you think of it Jon and Susan …:-)
Again the differences between the spirit of anti-christ and the spirit of truth is love.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
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.
Fear has to do with punishment…
We have no punishment in our futures … we have only confidence that our father loves us no matter what.
In the previous chapter we are told that if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts.
Again the differences between the spirit of anti-christ and the spirit of truth is love.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
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.
Fear has to do with punishment…
We have no punishment in our futures … we have only confidence that our father loves us no matter what.
In the previous chapter we are told that if our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts.
Glad to have you back, Val.
I find it interesting that a lot of chapter 3 and chapter 4 are speaking about love which is important as you rightly point out, Val. Then right in the middle we find 4:1-6 which tells us to be discerning. Lots of people talk about love and do loving things but if we want to know if they really belong to God then there’s more to it than just being loving.
Glad to have you back, Val.
I find it interesting that a lot of chapter 3 and chapter 4 are speaking about love which is important as you rightly point out, Val. Then right in the middle we find 4:1-6 which tells us to be discerning. Lots of people talk about love and do loving things but if we want to know if they really belong to God then there’s more to it than just being loving.
We have to stop thinking about love the way we do.
Love is not a feeling or an act. It is an entity … it is God Himself.
There will be no confusion once we start thinking that way. People who try to act lovingly without the spirit of God in them always have a self motive behind everything they do. it is easy to see.
So not meaning to disagree with you Susan but there is nothing more to discernment than this realization and I really think these chapters are giving us the tools to discern.
God is love and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them.
We have to stop thinking about love the way we do.
Love is not a feeling or an act. It is an entity … it is God Himself.
There will be no confusion once we start thinking that way. People who try to act lovingly without the spirit of God in them always have a self motive behind everything they do. it is easy to see.
So not meaning to disagree with you Susan but there is nothing more to discernment than this realization and I really think these chapters are giving us the tools to discern.
God is love and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them.
Feel free to disagree, Val. I’ve been wrong before, could be wrong again!
Feel free to disagree, Val. I’ve been wrong before, could be wrong again!
v.2 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.
When others come to us with different beliefs the question is always: what do they believe about Jesus?
v.2 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.
When others come to us with different beliefs the question is always: what do they believe about Jesus?
v.4 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.
We can be confident that God is greater than anyone and anything else. Therefore we do not need to fear false prophets or false spirits (v.1-3).
v.4 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.
We can be confident that God is greater than anyone and anything else. Therefore we do not need to fear false prophets or false spirits (v.1-3).
v.10-12 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.
We are loved! This enables us to love one another.
v.10-12 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.
We are loved! This enables us to love one another.