Walking in God’s Love | Healing Springs Church, Basingstoke

Colossians 3:12-17
1 John 4:7-12
1 John 4:16-21

What is the proof of spiritual maturity?

Why did God create mankind despite knowing that mankind may fall into sin?

God created mankind as an expression of His love!
God is love and love always requires expression
Love never wants to exist in isolation; Love wants relationship and intimacy (friendship and fellowship)
It is God’s love that provides for everything good in life. Every ‘good and perfect’ thing in life is an expression of God’s love
James 1:17, Genesis 1
However, the rejection of love (God’s love) has serious consequences
To reject God’s love is to ultimately reject His goodness
Pure goodness is not possible without God, 1 John 1:5-7
Every ‘evil and imperfect’ thing in life is a (direct or indirect) consequence of man’s rejection of God’s love
Hell is the ultimate consequence of man’s rejection of God’s love (a place where the love and goodness of God is totally absent)
John 3:16-21
Rejecting God’s Love includes refusing to respond to God’s love
Rejecting God’s Love includes refusing to walk in God’s love
1 John 4:7-12
Stubbornness is the art of not yielding; not walking in God’s love is a yielding problem. The more you yield by faith, the more you will walk!

What does it mean to say that ‘he who does not love does not know God’ according to 1 John 4:8?

God is love!
The God-kind of love is found in God alone
Natural human love is based on ‘pride and selfishness’
God’s love is based on righteousness (spiritual) but natural human love is based on thoughts and feelings (mind and body)
God’s love is selfless and sacrificial, focused mainly on the ultimate good of the receiver
Natural human love is selfish and proud, focused mainly on the ‘feel good factor’ of the giver.
As a believer grows in their knowledge of God, they will begin to grow in the God-kind of love and thereby walk more in God’s love, 2 Peter 1:5-9
A believer who is generally ‘mean, harsh, stingy or cold’ is not growing in God’s love. This implies that they are deficient in the true knowledge of God

How can I grow in love; how can I progress in my love walk?

Walking in God’s love is expected but not automatic for the believer!
Although the love of God has been shed abroad in the heart of each believer, we still have to deal with the ungodly desires of the flesh
Walking in love is a lifetime journey of humility, faith and perseverance
Walking is love is a lifetime journey of submission and cooperation
Walking in love is a lifetime journey of repentance and forgiveness
Romans 5:1-5, Colossians 3:12-17
Walking in love demands generosity: sacrificially releasing the love of God in you by giving into the life of others to bless them and advance God’s righteousness
Your growing in love depends on your knowledge of God
You will not grow in love if you don’t know/believe the Word
You will not grow in love if you don’t submit to the Word
You will not grow in love if you are not taught or if you refuse to yield!
You receive knowledge by studying the Word and by submitting yourself to godly teaching of the Word in the place of church fellowship
You will not grow in love if you isolate yourself from the church

What is the difference between being nice and walking in the God-kind of love?

A person who is not born-again does not have the love of God inside their heart
Romans 5:5, 1 John 4:7-8
An unbeliever can be cultured (trained, educated) to act nicely and yet not have the love of God in them. In this case, their niceness falls short because it is not motivated by the love of God (i.e. a desire to please God and do His will). Behind such niceness is the flesh working in them as pride (self-righteousness)
1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Romans 3:10-12,23
On the other hand, you can have the love of God in you (by being born-again) but not give it expression because you have not been cultured (trained, educated) by the hearing and teaching of the Word
Your not being cultured can be a function of ignorance or resistance!
Any action that is focused on pleasing/glorifying self rather than God is sin
Love unexpressed is love denied!

2021: A Year of Sanctification