Love in Action

Background Scripture: 1 John 3–4
Lesson Scripture: 1 John 4:7–21

Introduction

God is the very essence of love. Although many good deeds are done in worldly society, a working relationship with God is the only way to put love into action in the way the key verse teaches. Human nature can produce benevolent action, but God’s love in action goes beyond the deeds of goodwill prevalent in the world. To love as Jesus taught requires a new birth experience, which brings us into a love relationship with God.

To put God’s love into action, we must genuinely appreciate the grace He has given us, realizing that our spiritual life comes from Him. As we experience God’s blessings, we show our thanksgiving by loving those who mistreat us and by treating all our fellowmen as those who are more worthy than we are. Christians today are known by the love that is manifest in their life. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

Key Verse

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matt. 5:44).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Jesus ushered in a new way of dealing with our fellow men and women. Although in the old dispensation God’s people were to love each other, their relationship with gentiles was not always peaceful. They were required at times to physically battle their adversaries. They were to mete out judgment to those of their own people who disobeyed God’s laws. The sentence pronounced upon the offender was often very severe, including capital punishment. What must it have been like to wage war with other nations as well as to maintain civil law and order as the children of Israel were required to do? Jesus taught a much better way.

Love for other people is central to the teachings of Jesus. His sacrificial death on the cross abolished the need for the sacrifices that had been continually offered year by year. These sacrifices were powerless to make the people of God perfect in love (Heb. 10:1). Grace to forgive and power to love are hallmarks of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

No longer would it be an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth (Exod. 21:24); rather, true believers will render good for evil. The time for God’s people to rule their country and maintain civil law and order was ended. They are now subject to the earthly government of the country where they reside. They are to be a nonresistant people, forgiving others their trespasses and living peaceably with everyone. Rather than letting the nature of revenge run its course, Christians love all people, whether they are good or evil. We are privileged to live in the time when the love of God is to rule our lives. We are spared from using force to control other people as God required of the Israelites.

In our background scripture, John, by inspiration, describes God’s love to us and reveals to us what that love will cause us to do. Romans 12:9 instructs, “Let love be without dissimulation.” This means that the genuine love of God shed abroad in our heart is our motivation for life; we are not just acting or putting on. God’s love in our hearts will be active and will manifest itself in every aspect of our life.

Practical Truths for Today

The love of God toward all people cannot be adequately expressed in word. However, God demonstrates his love to us when He calls us to repentance, and we realize that we are doomed to eternal destruction because of our sin. Fearing the wrath of God, we cry to Him for mercy, and his love becomes very real as He forgives our sins through Jesus Christ. We are overwhelmed with thankfulness and love the Lord with all our heart. We show this love in the way we relate to our fellow men. “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (1 John 3:17).

Love is central to the true Christian’s life; it fulfills the law and prophecy of the Word (Matt. 22:40). Love in our heart makes us humble, thus preparing us for a life of service. This love for the souls of men inspires us to give our time and talents for the outreach of the church. It opens the door of service to our neighbors at home and abroad. We will not, however, glory in our contributions to others, because we can never give more than we have received from God. We only give his love to others as He has freely given it to us. The focus and emphasis of our life is God’s love. Because we love our spiritual brother and sister, we go to them out of compassion with a gentle reproof when the Holy Spirit prompts us.

Because we love our family, we often pray for guidance, asking God to guide us in dealing with the nature and will of our children. In love we carefully nurture them, instructing them in the right way to live by our example in everyday life and by teaching them the truths of the Bible. We do not overlook unkind and selfish behavior; rather, we discipline our children in the love of God.

Loving others leaves no room for feelings of jealousy or envy. We rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We appreciate the talents of others and rejoice to see how the Lord leads them and uses them in his service. In seeking the welfare of others, we accept and love them as they are. We do not find fault with someone because he does things differently than we do. We need to realize that what we perceive to be the right way may not be altogether right—there are other right ways of seeing and doing things as well.

“Perfect love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18). When we love God, we have nothing to fear except the devil and his devices. Even that fear should not unduly affect us because we have the Spirit of God to keep us in God’s love and to guide us through life. When our relationship with God is intact, we have grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:28). We cast all our care on Him, knowing we need not fear what may happen to us. With a free conscience toward God, knowing our sins are forgiven, we are assured that our salvation is not in question. We live our life without the fear of coming up short on the day of judgement. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17).

Questions

1. Is it right to feel that I “have to” forgive someone? What does it mean to really love and freely forgive?
2. Does someone get by dealing with the Lord if we freely forgive them?
3. Will love permit me to overlook sin in a brother’s or sister’s life?
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).