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"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."
(1 John 4:15-16)
Whoever—anyone—can believe and be saved: from the pauper to the prince, from the servant to the sultan—whosoever! (See Romans 10:13.) John 4:14 says, "But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
What is the content of your confession? You must confess that Jesus is the Son of God. The word confess (aorist tense) refers to a "single and decisive public confession" (Stott, p. 167). Remember: it is only by the Holy Spirit's conviction and convincing that you can say Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 4:2 states, "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God."
In verse 16, John refers to the Apostles, and possibly all in the Christian community, when he says "we have known and believed." These two verbs are in the perfect tense, past action with continuous results. Notice what they have known and believed: the love that God has for us.
They knew that God giving His only Son was the clearest demonstration and act of God's love. Then he makes the grand statement that he made in verse 8: "God is love." He is, in His very nature and being, love. When God gave His Son to be the Savior of the world, He was acting out of the very essence of who He is, and that is love.
The noted German theologian of the last century, Karl Barth, was asked what the greatest doctrine in the Bible was. He replied, "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
John draws the natural conclusion at the end of verse 16. The one who abides in love abides in God and God in him. It is indeed a miracle of God when a person abides in a constant state of sacrificial love. God has changed that person in a supernatural way. In our natures, we do not love others sacrificially; rather, we look out for ourselves. But when we love as God loves, it is evidence that God has come into us, and He is loving people through us.
How is your love life today? I am not talking about your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife. I am speaking of living out your love for others; how are you doing at that? We all have room to grow, no doubt; I know I do. Selfishness comes most naturally and easily for me. But to love like Jesus loves, that is impossible without the Holy Spirit living in me and empowering me to do so.
Do you know Jesus? Have you followed Him in baptism? Are you a part of a local church in which you love others and sacrifice for them?
I will close this week's devotions with an appeal for you to testify to others about how much God loves them. A few weeks back at church, Mia, who is 8 years old, and her mom, spoke to me about how Mia was wanting to be baptized. I told her that was great, and someone would be talking to her more. Pastor Leighton met with them the next week, and he told me the following story, and I thought this was amazing. Leighton asked Mia if she had received Christ in her heart, and she said yes. Leighton asked her to tell him about that. She spoke of when the church had the root beer floats at the Hub. Leighton remembered it well because it was very cold, and he wondered if anyone would show up. But many came, and three of them were Mia, her mom, and her dad, a defense attorney in Austin. Mia said, "A little girl came up to me and gave me a little Jesus figure." Later that night in her bedroom she said she wanted that boldness that the little girl had, and so Mia accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. That little 4-year-old girl was our sweet granddaughter, Bella.
I pray that the Lord helps us all have simple childlike faith, believe God, and tell others about Him.
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