Truth and Love 1st John 4 verses 13-21

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect [complete/mature]. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love [each other] because he loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer [brother or sister], that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers*. (1st John 4)

God’s Spirit living in us (God indwelling) It is only by the grace of the Holy Spirit who is both the Spirit of truth (John 14 v17 & 16 v13) and whose first-fruit is love (Gals 5 v22) that we come to believe in Jesus and to love others. It is only by the Spirit that we can confess that Jesus is the Son of God (4 v1-3) and only by the same Spirit that we are enabled to love (4 v12,13). The Holy Spirit is central to the believer’s life.

Ephesians 1 13 And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised. 14 The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people…(GNT) you…were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it…(ESV)

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

The Father sent his Son into the world as saviour and also sent his Spirit into our lives as a witness. Christian faith rests on this combo of external (factual) and internal (personal) evidence: Objective and Subjective Historical and Experiential The Son’s mission and the Spirit’s witness Apostles’ witness and the Spirit’s confirmation The Word and The Spirit We must believe and confess Jesus as the incarnate Son in order to receive the Spirit (4 v2).

1. God’s Spirit living in us (God indwelling) v13-16 2. God’s Love perfected in us (Love maturing) v17-21 v17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect (NLT) …love is made perfect in us (GNT) v18 perfect love drives out fear (NIV) “perfect” means complete, mature, brought to fruition or full expression. v12 - No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression [made complete/made perfect] in us.

John gives two evidences of perfect/mature love: Confidence in God (v17, 18) and Love for our Christian brothers and sisters (v 20, 21) Confidence in God (v17, 18) Coming into God’s presence in prayer b. Meeting Jesus at his return as Judge – “parresia@parousia” Why? Because we are sons and daughters of God! “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3 v1)

2. Love for our Christian brothers and sisters (and neighbours) without hate. (v 20, 21) Perfect love drives out fear AND hate. Every claim to love God is a delusion if it is not accompanied by selfless, sacrificial and practical love for our brother and sister.

And