In the book of 1 John, and in chapter 4, 1 John chapter 4, and I'd like
to read the verses 19 through 21 this morning. 1 John chapter 4 verse 19, it says,
we love him because he first loved us. If a man say I love
God and hated his brother, he's a liar. For he that loveth not
his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath
not seen? And this commandment we have
we from him that he who loveth God loveth his brother also.
And then chapter five, verse one, it says, whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And everyone that loveth
him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. And
we're gonna look at a few passages today that speak to this, and
I'd like to, read some comments beforehand and then we'll look
at some passages. And I'd like to keep in mind,
our hearts would never have been moved to love God in Christ had
not he moved within us. Any love to our God and Savior
or any love to his people can only be effects of his love to
us. If our hearts are not changed
to hearts of flesh and not the stony heart, we cannot know what
love truly is. He must put his spirit within
us to walk according to the word. And we love him because he has
given to us the new birth and can love him as we are given
the means to express our love. As the moon reflects the light
of the sun, it's been said. And all, we know that all, spiritual
blessings that we have are in Christ Jesus, and that of ourselves
we can do no good thing. And as Paul says, in my flesh
there's no good thing. He wasn't saying that he didn't
do some things that were admirable things to do, but in the flesh
or in the natural man, we cannot please God in any way, shape,
or form. We can do things in the physical body that we do
some things and we're kind to people and that type of thing. But in the flesh, as Paul's talking
about in the natural mind and the natural What we are by nature,
fallen nature, we cannot do anything to please God. It can only be
as is done in our Lord himself. And in the bulletin this morning,
I'd like to just read just a couple sentences here. Actually, I think
it's one long sentence by Augustus Toplady. It's in the inside,
the bottom last paragraph or thought in what it says, what
is your hope? And I'd like to read, it says,
beware therefore lest resting your dependency partly on Christ
and partly on some other basis. As surely as you bottom your
reliance partly on the rock and partly on the sand, so certainly,
unless God give you an immediate repentance to your acknowledgement
of the truth, will your supposed house of defense fall and bury
you in its ruins, no less than if you had raised it on the sand alone. Christ is
the hope of glory. I wanted to keep that. That thought
in mind as we look to this passage today, and all passages of the
scripture we look to, that our hope cannot be built on anything
but Christ, as it says here. that is of a work of any kind
or anything that we can add to it is like it says, it's like
going all on sand. It can't be partly on the rock
and partly on sand. So I think we always have to
keep that in mind of when it speaks in the scripture of things
that it appears that it says we are to do. By and large, if not all the
time, it's like the tract that's back that says, do or done. If
there's anything that we have to do to obtain or to keep our
salvation or instigated in any way, we have a problem because
it is all been done in the Lord himself. And so we just want
to keep that in mind, whether it's the love of the brethren
or whatever is being spoken of, It's in Christ that this can
be done, and only with the new birth can any good come from
God's people and to his people. So with that in mind, I'd like
to look at several passages in 1 John and some other places
that deal with his here about loving God, His love to us and
to the brethren. And we have to remember that
not only this chapter, but this book of 1 John is speaking to
God's people. This is talking to the brethren,
the little children, those that God has called and has redeemed
in His Son. So in chapter three of 1 John, I'd like to read the first two
verses, 1 John chapter 3. It says, behold, what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called
the sons of God. Therefore, the world knoweth
us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. Here, the thought that... What
it's saying here, partly what it's saying is that God's loved
one, behold what manner of that he has a people to start with,
that he did have a people and does have a people and that he
is redeeming. And as it says in verse two,
it does not yet appear as we shall be, but we know that when
we see, when he shall appear, we will be like him for we'll
see him as he is. And any hope that we have is
that, that we shall see him as he is, and we shall be, it says
we shall be as he is. We'll be conformed to his image. And it does not now appear that
we conform sometimes much to that image, but we'll see what
else we see here this morning. And then, We love him because
he first loved us, it says verse 19 here of chapter 4. And we could not, as I read that
statement that I wrote out beforehand, it's not that we realized that
God loved us and so we return that love to him. And in ourselves,
as Paul said, we don't have it in us. We would, other than the
new birth, we don't even recognize any of the spiritual things that
are referred to. And the book here of 1 John is
written to the brethren. We have to keep that in mind.
And I firmly believe that all of scripture is written and given
to God's people for God's people's good and for their hearing and
salvation and redemption. Others that read it in religion,
it not only serves them no purpose just in religion if the Lord
doesn't doesn't put the new birth and give the new heart, as it
says in his people, it's just a book that people may think
it's a good book, but have no, of themselves, have no ability
to go any farther than that, than what it says, barring God
intervening. And in, Also in chapter 1 of 1 John,
I'd like to, a couple of spots. Chapter 1 verses 5 through 7. It says, this then is the message
we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and
in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses
us from all sin. And this here, keep this in mind
with what it says here in chapter four where we are particularly,
where it says, loveth, it says, verse 20, if
a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he's a liar. For
that he loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he
love God whom he had not seen? And I think it correlates with
what it says here in chapter one, five through seven. If we
say we walk in the light and we deny what the light is, says,
what the scriptures say, then we're found to be liars. We're
not in the same as he's saying. If we say that we love God and
we love the brethren, but we don't, we're not walking in the
light and we're not walking in love as it portrays it here. And then in the book of 2 John,
turn to book of 2 John, and we could, read this in very
shorter, but I'd like to read the first half of verse 1 through
6 of 2 John. It says, the elder unto the elect lady
and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not I only,
but also all they that have known the truth. For the truth's sake
which dwelleth in us and shall be with us forever. Grace be
unto you and mercy and peace from God the Father and from
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father in truth and love.
I rejoice greatly that I found thy children walking in truth
as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech
thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee,
but that that which we had from the beginning, that we love one
another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.
This is the commandment that as you have heard from the beginning,
you should walk in it. And again, reiterates what it
says there in the first chapter of 1 John and where we're at, these things that it speaks about,
the love of God and the love of the brethren, is not something
that can be worked up. It's either given to us or it's
not there. And it's one of the things, as
we've seen in other passages, and we see other passages, it's
all given of God to us or we don't have it. And in the new
birth, these things are there. And we have to, we look at these
things and it talks about us loving the brethren or loving
others and things, and that those are part of the fruit of the
spirit that's placed within us. Like Paul, we see and we look
at it and we say, well, as it appears, We don't, we don't look like
that at this point. And it says here, and we saw
that, that when we shall see him, we shall be as he, we'll
see him as he is, and we'll be like him in those things. So
in the, in the, in this present flesh, even as redeemed ones,
we have the, we have the curse amongst us still. We're still
that, Nature that we are born with is still a problem to us. It's not the Final problem to
us, but we are bothered with that as as Paul said that It's
just and and in the end of that chapter in Romans, what is he
say? what's gonna what's the cure to that cure that is the
Lord himself that he is a the propitiation for his people,
has redeemed us. And in him, that's the only hope
we have, is being redeemed in him. And that's how the love,
as it speaks about here, can be and has a grounding and has
any place or anything that we can can claim is in him. In chapter 4, again of 1 John, in the same chapter, chapter
4, starting with verse 7 and reading down a bit, we've covered
some of this and we looked at some of this earlier in the times,
Verse seven says, beloved, let us love one another, for love
is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth
God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. 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 love God, but that
he loved us and set his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought also to love one another." And here it speaks again, it
says, Love is of God. Everyone that
loveth is born of God and knoweth God. And here also where it says
in verse 11, Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to
love one another. And one of the commentators I
read said that this verse 11 is not saying that we're going
to love as Christ loved us or God loved
us, but in like manner or likewise with that mind given to us and
not the ability, but the spirit of that and obey that in the
spirit that he gives to us. And then in chapter two of 1
John, again, verses that we looked at. It speaks about walking in
the light one more time. Verse eight, starting with verse
eight of chapter two, it says, again, a new commandment I write
unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the
darkness is past and the true light now shineth. He that saith
he is in the light and hated his brother is in, hateth his
brother in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother
abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling
in him. But he that hated his brother
is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither
he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. And here
again it says that that we walk in the light as he is in the
light. It says, the darkness has passed
and the true light now shineth. And as he reveals himself in
the scripture to us, that's the only way we can say that the
darkness has passed and the light shineth is what he has revealed
to us. We can, there are a lot of people
that study and go through the scriptures and spend time in
them. And I don't know where the passage is that says this,
but it's true, at least in this sense of speaking in religion
of ever learning, but never coming to the truth. Natural man cannot
come to the truth that is revealed unless God reveals it. It's not
studied and learned out. There was a man that we were
well acquainted with that knew the scriptures, almost literally
memorized, but he didn't understand who it was speaking about until
the Lord opened his eyes and revealed that to him. He knew
the words of it, but he didn't know what it was talking about. It's like the Ethiopian eunuch. What's he talking about? Is he
talking about himself or some other? And without the word being
open to us by those that preach and teach the word, that and
the spirit using that and in revealing himself to us so that
the darkness is passed if we are his and we are redeemed of
him, and the true light now shineth. And then it says, verse nine
there in chapter one, he that saith he is in the light and
hated his brother is in darkness even till now. whether it's hating his brother
or whatever, if we claim that we believe the truth and yet
we deny what the scripture says in any way, shape or form or
in our actions, it belies if we're in the darkness or not
or in the light. But he's speaking to his people,
he's speaking to the church in this whole of this book. and
the beloved and admonishes to walk in light and not in darkness.
And that's our prayer. That's our prayer to God always
is that he reveal as we are in the word, that he reveals what
it says to us. And in the book of First Peter, turn
to the book of First Peter, if you would, with me for just a
little bit. in 1 Peter in the first chapter. It says, and you could read quite
a bit here, but in 1 Peter chapter one, he's speaking to the elect
of God. Verse three says, blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according
to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved
in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. And here, And
it goes on, it speaks about being in temptations and that, but
in that it says, according to his abundant mercy hath begotten
us to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And then down here, it speaks
about verse seven says, that the trial
of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and
honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Verse eight,
whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him
not yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory. And this thought here particularly,
having not seen ye love, and Connecting that with what we're
seeing in chapter four of in chapter five there of first John
that says How can you say you love God
who you've not seen if you can't if you don't love your brother
whom you have seen and These are real these are things that's
being spoken of here in all of the scripture are things that
we can't attain to those. We can't get there. And if it was not for the hope that
we have in whom we have it hidden in the Lord himself that has
done these things and has redeemed us, It says, begotten us again to
a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
That our hope, as it said in the end of that passage we read
there in the bulletin, our hope is in Christ alone and what he
has done and does do for his people. And then some things that I think that
that go along with this that we are admonished to do in the
book of 1 Thessalonians. The book of 1 Thessalonians. I'm going to read these kind
of out of order, not in the order in the book, but how the thought
I want to bring out. In chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians. And I'd like to read in chapter
three of 1 Thessalonians, starting with verse 11. It says, now God
himself and our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our
way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase
and abound in love one toward another and toward all men even
as we do towards you. To the end, he may establish
your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our father at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. And again here, it says, verse
12, and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one
toward another and toward all men, even as we do you. The love
of the brethren, It says the Lord make you to increase and
abound in that. It's not something that can be
worked up. And yet the love of the brethren,
I think that what it speaks about is those that we have in common,
the salvation of the Lord, His salvation to us. That we have
in common, that is, That is everything. I mean, that's
everything and all that God's people hope for is that is Him
and what He has done for us and that He caused this to be done
and establish our hearts in holiness. And then in the same book in
chapter four, chapter four of 1 Thessalonians,
starting with verse nine, It says, but as touching brotherly
love, you need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are
taught of God to love one another. And indeed, ye do it toward all
the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you,
brethren, that ye increase more and more, and that you study
to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your
own hands as we commanded. But here it says, that you're taught of God to
love one another, and then it says, but we beseech you, brethren,
that ye increase more and more. And again, that's not something
that we can try to do harder. And it's almost hard to put into
words, but it's something that has to be worked from the inside
out. The Lord has to do this and cause this, just as we have
no love for God without His change in the heart. We have no love
for other people just because they're other people. We may
have concern for them and we may be kind to them and we may
be kindly dispositioned towards them. And what we call love,
I think sometimes it's not what God calls love, but he has to
put that in us. And I think to draw us together,
God's people together because of what they have in common.
And then the third thought that goes along with this in chapter
five of 1 Thessalonians, chapter five, starting with verse nine. It says, verse nine of chapter
five of First Thessalonians, for God hath not appointed us
unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live
together with him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves
together and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech
you, brethren, to know them which labor among you and are over
you in the Lord and admonish you. But verse 11 here, not only
hath God appointed us not to wrath, but to salvation through
the Lord. died for us that, verse 11, wherefore
comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as you
also do. And we comfort each other in
the Lord, and we, I think, encourage, and those things are part of
loving the brethren, are those things we do, not just some gushy
feeling we see when we see somebody we feel for them. I think that's
not what brotherly love is. But with the true concern and
the love of all men is that we, by the gospel, we would pray
that God brings in all his sheep. And we know that he will. But
we bring out the gospel that we don't know who who is amongst
us. And as Norm has said before,
when strangers are among us that we've not met or don't know before,
we don't know that they're Jacobs. We don't know them by, if we
know them other than they just come in amongst us, we don't
know who they may be. And I can remember in religion
sometimes maybe maybe having a thought about somebody that
they may not have been fit for the group, you know, or something.
And it might have been the other way around. Maybe I wasn't fit
for the group. But that is the hope and the
concern is that we bring out the gospel and truth and that
he does that. And then in 2 Thessalonians,
in 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 3. Verse 5. Chapter 3 of verse 5
of 2 Thessalonians. I even put an arrow by it in
my Bible. It says, and the Lord direct
your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting
for Christ. That's one of those things you
could see on the wall somewhere. I mean, that's a pretty good
thought to put before us that the Lord directs our hearts.
He does do that into the love of God and into the patient waiting
for Christ. And I think that's all part and
parcel of the love to God from his people and the love of God
to us. And then I'd like to look at the book of Ezekiel. Turn to the book of Ezekiel chapter
36. And we turn to some of these passages
quite frequently because of what they say to us and what they
say about our God. In chapter 36, and I think we
read this a couple of weeks ago, verses 26 and 27. And this is
what takes place from God by his spirit to all of his people.
It says, a new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I
put within you. And I will take away this stony
heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh. And
I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes
and you shall keep my judgments and you shall do them." And it
doesn't say here that we'll He'll fix up the old one, takes
the stony heart out, puts a part of flesh in. And it says here,
verse 27, I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk
in my statutes and you shall keep my judgments and do them.
And it's his spirit within us. And it's again, it's not a, I
will do this so you can, get to check the list off, this is
to keeping, and walking in his statuments and keeping his judgments
is who we place our faith in, the one that has truly done that
and does those things. And it's not a cop out to say,
well, it's already done. So God's people don't have that
frame of mind that, well, Christ took care of that for me, so.
I don't think we have that frame of mind as to the brethren and
to God. It says he puts his spirit within
us and of adoption where we cry, Abba, Father. This is a close
thing and we have that in common. And as it says here in Ezekiel,
that he does this and I'd like to read one passage in John chapter 17. Turn to the
book of John. In John chapter 17, And we look in here, there's
a lot of red letters pages in the book of John. And sometimes
we place more weight or different weight in that because it's in
red letters. And the Lord himself said these things, but all of
the scripture we hold in our hand came from him directly to
whoever wrote it down. All the scripture we read is
it should have the same weight in our mind as the red letter
part of it does, and it has, they have no less importance
to his people. But in John chapter 17, I'd like
to read, starting with verse 23 to the end of the chapter. Verse 22 of John 17, it says,
and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they
may be one even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me and hast loved them and thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may
behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me
before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the
world hath not known Thee, but I have known Thee, and these
have known that Thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto
them Thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith Thou
hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." And here, in
the true meaning of it, as it says, I in them and thou
in me, that they may be perfect in one, and thou hast loved them
as thou hast loved me. And that is the fact of the matter,
even though we look at ourselves or we look at the situation and
we It seems far from us sometimes, but that is the hope. And what the Lord says about
his own is that we are one in him and we are one together in
him as the church of God. The church and his sheep are
of the same band as the same group. And that's what drives
and motivates and reflects those
thoughts of God from his people is what he has done and who he
is to us. How that love works out is only,
as I read before, given to us the new birth and we can love
him as we are given the means to express our love as the moon
reflects the light of the sun. Any love that we have for God
especially and the brethren is from what has taken place and
what he has done for us. And remember the word was given,
another thought I just wrote down. The word was given and
is given for the hearing of the church of God in Christ Jesus,
for their eternal hope and faith in him. And with that,
we will pick this up at another time. Thank you for your attention
this morning.