1 John – December 25

1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” God’s love in us is His character in us that causes us to put others above ourselves; it’s when we begin to live to serve others. God’s love isn’t just a change of action on our part, but it is His very character in us. If we say we love God but have hatred in our heart toward another, we are lying. How could the love of God in us hate another person? 1 John 4:20 says, “If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” The apostle John shows in these verses how the love of God is more than sentimental feelings toward God. He goes on in 1 John 4:21: “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” As children of God we need to grow in love; we must choose to “put on love” (see Colossians 3:14) while we choose to forgive and humbly serve and pray for others.