How does 1 John 4:7 connect with Jesus' commandment in John 13:34? Reading the Key Verses 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” John 13:34: “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another.” Seeing the Same Authorial Voice • The apostle John records both statements—one from Jesus’ lips (John 13) and one written decades later under the Spirit’s inspiration (1 John 4). • John’s Gospel shows the command; John’s letter shows the command lived out in the church. Four Interlocking Truths • Love is commanded (John 13:34). • Love originates in God (1 John 4:7). • Love proves new birth (1 John 4:7; 3:14). • Love mirrors Christ’s own example (John 13:34; 15:12). Love: The Proof of New Birth • “Everyone who loves has been born of God” (1 John 4:7). New life produces a family resemblance. • Romans 5:5 affirms this internal transformation: “The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” • Without that divine wellspring, human affection stalls; with it, supernatural love flows. Love: The Standard Set by Christ • Jesus doesn’t leave love undefined. He says, “As I have loved you.” Think foot-washing (John 13:1–17), cross-bearing (John 15:13), patient restoration of Peter (John 21:15-19). • 1 John 4:10 echoes that measure: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Love: The Ongoing Work of the Spirit • Galatians 5:22 lists love as the first fruit. • 1 John 4:13 ties the indwelling Spirit to our capacity to love: “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.” • The Spirit enables obedience to the “new commandment,” making it more than a human resolution. Walking It Out Today • Draw from the source: stay in fellowship with the God who is love (1 John 4:8). • Reflect Christ’s pattern: initiate, serve, forgive, sacrifice. • Guard the testimony: love authenticates discipleship—“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples” (John 13:35). |
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