Proof of Love

Thursday, April 23, 2020  Some material taken from God Pursues a Continuing Love Relationship That Is Real and Personal by Van Houser
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7

Proof of Love

When God truly takes up residence in our lives, others will encounter His love, His patience, His gentleness, and His kindness in us. He will use us to demonstrate His love to others and God will send people—whether a family member, a colleague, or an entire organization—to demonstrate His love for us. There is no way we can be children of God and not love others.  God’s whole nature is love and our actions will be proof of our relationship with Him.  The evidence of love is loving. 

Loving as God loves is not natural, but supernatural.  We simply cannot love others the way He does because we are human, but His love comes through us to others.  

Not Pride but Service
The evidence of God’s love is not spiritual pride but humble service to others. That’s exactly how our lives ought to be affecting those around us. It’s not that I love Him but that He loved me and sent His Son to make up the difference in my life and to bring me into a relationship with Him.  That grace and mercy and love extended to me moves me to have grace and mercy and love for others.  The love of one believer for another completes God’s love in us.

Pursued by the King of Kings
How has God showed that loves us? But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8  He saw our greatest need (sinners). Condemned in our sin, hopeless in our condition, separated from life. He met our greatest need (Christ died for us) and suffered for us. The King of Kings gave His life for us and still pursues us every time we get off track. That is love – that He would come after us, again and again, and draw us back while He patiently waits.

A major discovery for a believer is that blessing is based in obedience. Our obedience determines how God will manifest His love in our life. John 14:21 says Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Obedience does not save us or sanctify us but positions us for God to bless us, and our obedience shows our trust and love for Him.  Jesus couldn’t have said it plainer than what He said in John 14:15 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

You cannot truly love if you do not first love God. It is His love in us that pours out to others. Have you truly been born again? Do your actions build up or destroy? Do they bring life or take life away? Do people want to be around you, or do they avoid you. Do you treat others as though Christ sent them to you? Whom has Christ sent for you to learn from and love? These are hard questions but right now is a good time for some soul searching. We are all living in close quarters, spending more time together than usual.  We are being tested in our faith and in our relationships too.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the
world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4: 8-9