Working on Our Character                               

I John 4:1-16

June 11, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              1:5   - God is light…  holy nature

 

3:24  - God is spirit... essence

 

  4:8  - God is love.. .character

 

I. Character- 7-8

 

     Galatians 5:22 –

 

 

II.     Past action    - 9-11

 

     Romans 5:8 – God demonstrates His love for us…while sinners…

 

 

III. Present Action -  12-16

 

       - God abides (6X) in us…

  ð we belong to Him!

 

       - His love is perfected in us…in us!!!

  

      * faith is perfected by works

      * love is perfected by being acted out

 

        God told – OT

 

        God showed – Christ

 

        God lives – in us

 

      In the beginning - God walked with man

 

 ð Then, God dwelled with (not in) man

 

    ð Now, God abides in man … His TEMPLE

 

I John 3:24 –

 

How it works – 14-16

14 – Jesus…

 

...Therefore, 1-3 – test the spirits

 

 

Why is it that “confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” is so important?

 

vs 4 – “greater is He” –

 

vs 5-6 – “the world listens to them” –

 

“Based on what God has done for us, “it just makes sense”

to follow His blueprint for the way we should

live / love / treat one another.”

 

“Love one another”...a command and a privilege, but more

than that...it’s a result of loving God, God abiding in us.

 

“People don’t care how much you know,

until they know how much you care.”

 

 

ð John 3:16