What does loving Jesus reveal about our relationship with God, according to John 8:42? The Verse at a Glance “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on My own, but He sent Me.’” (John 8:42) Key Truths Unpacked • Love for Jesus is the unmistakable evidence that God is truly our Father. • Loving Jesus requires recognizing His divine origin: He “came from God.” • Our affection for Christ shows a heart aligned with the Father’s will, because the Father is the One who sent Him. • Absence of love for Jesus exposes a heart still estranged from God, no matter how religious it may appear. Supporting Scriptures • John 14:21 — “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father.” • John 15:23 — “Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.” • 1 John 5:1 — “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the one born of Him.” • 1 John 4:7–8 — “Love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” What Loving Jesus Says About Our Standing with God • We share the Father’s nature—His love is “in us” (1 John 4:12). • We accept the Father’s testimony about His Son, honoring the authority of the One who sent Him (John 5:23). • We are born into God’s family, receiving His Spirit, who pours out His love in our hearts (Romans 5:5). • We participate in the mission of God, joining the Son whom the Father sent (John 20:21). Living in the Light of This Truth • Cultivate love for Jesus daily by abiding in His word (John 15:7). • Express that love through obedience—doing what He commands (John 14:15). • Reflect the Father’s heart by loving fellow believers, the “children born of God” (1 John 5:1–2). • Guard against mere religious claim; genuine sonship is proven by active, growing affection for Christ. |
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