1 JOHN 4:7-8 [2-5-12]

--Sermon Notes

1 JOHN

Chapter 4, Verses 7-8

[2-5-12]

 

Review:

1 John 4:2-3; 6-7) [KJV] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3) [KJV] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

QUESTION: What two things must a teacher confess about Jesus to show himself legitimate?

ANSWER: He must confess that Jesus is the Christ, and that He came to this earth in human flesh.

QUESTION: What were some of the false teachers of John’s day teaching?

ANSWER: They were teaching that Jesus came as a Spirit, and appeared as a man, but was not flesh and blood.

6) [KJV] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

QUESTION: Why do many believe doctrines that aren’t based in Scripture?

ANSWER: The unsaved sometimes gravitate to the doctrines of devils because they are “of the world” just as the one we have overcome is “of the world.”

QUESTION: Who is the “we are of God” people verse 6 is referring to?

ANSWER: It is John and the others he refers to in Chapter One:

7) [KJV] Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

QUESTION: What is he doing here?

ANSWER: He is taking us back to the emphasis of his letter; we must love one another.

 

On To This Week’s Lesson:

1 John 4:7-8) [KJV] Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8) [KJV] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

QUESTION: Is the man who loves his child a Christian?

ANSWER: Not every man who loves his child is a Christian.

QUESTION: Then what is this verse telling us?

ANSWER: Note the following verse:

John 13:34-35) [KJV] A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35) [KJV] By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

QUESTION: What’s the key to understanding what John is teaching us?

ANSWER: John is talking about loving God’s children. Jesus gave us the command to love other Christians the way Jesus loves us. Now, in his epistle, John is telling us that true Christians love other Christians. 

NOTE: We should love all people, but only true Christians love all of God’s children.

QUESTION: Does this mean that if I don’t love some Christian then I’m not saved?

ANSWER: Please note the following comment:

COMMENT: We must learn to read the Scriptures by faith. This verse tells me that Christians love other Christians. I am a Christian. Therefore I love other Christians.

NOTE: It’s all about bringing our minds into obedience to the Word of God.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5) [KJV] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4) [KJV] (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5) [KJV] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

 

QUESTION: What’s the above passage have to do with what John is saying to us?

ANSWER: I’m a Christian; therefore I love other Christians, even if it means “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”