I John 2:7-11

Love What God Loves

Introduction

1. Beloved (agapetoi…love) God’s love is the root word.

2. Again, John is looking in two directions. He wants a test that will expose false teaching.

Also, he wants to assure the genuine.

3. Walk as Jesus walked. Here, love what God loves.

4. Love is overused. Agape love is from God. Agape love must have been overused in the

church at Ephesus.

5. John wants his readers to know that hatred or a lack of love is never of God.

Do you love what God loves? Walk as Jesus walked.

I. THE LAW OF LOVE 2:7, 8

A. Love Is Instilled 7

1. Brethern is Beloved (agapetoi) Love that is from God. Loved by God in a special

way.

*For God so loved the world…(John 3:16) God loved us!

*We are born into God’s family (v. 10). Each within God’s family is a brother or

sister.

2. I write no new commandment unto you. The command to love your brother is not

new.

3. Which you had from the beginning…God is love…love your neighbor as yourself, I

am the LORD (Lev. 19:18). A new commandment (John 13:34, 35) is no longer

new.

4. Which you heard from the beginning (3:11) Love was taught from the beginning

with John at Ephesus. Love is taught by us.

B. Love Is Indwelling 8

1. Again…on the other hand. I am writing a new commandment.

*The Greek word neos is new in time. Kainos the word here is refreshing in

quality...

*A new dimension is given on this side of the Cross.

2. That which is true in Him (Jesus Christ) is true in you.

*That’s New…we are new people by the Holy Spirit!

*We are a New Creation: It is True in Him originally. It is True in Him essentially

and in us reflectively. It is True in Him perfectly and in us faultily. The Law of

loving our brother is the law of new life that is within us.

3. Because (NASB) the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

*It is a growing process…as the fog lifts with the brightness of the sun.

*The darkness isn’t completely gone, but it is in the process of passing away. As the

darkness recedes the true light of God is already shining.

*We can have a newness in our daily experience. As we die to SELF He is seen.

SELF is put to death…the love of Jesus Christ shines through the fog!

Do you love what God loves? Walk as Jesus walked.

II. THE LIFE OF LOVE 2:9-11

It is impossible to be in fellowship with the Father and out of fellowship with another

Christian at the same time. Note: Brother If John thought that no Christian would hate

another Christian, there was no need to personalize the relationship…his. Christians can

and do hate other believers. It’s not of God! That one cannot be in fellowship with God.

A.The Profession He saith (1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6)

1.It is easy to practice the right Christian words: singing the right songs…using the right vocabulary…praying the right prayers…through it all deceiving ourselves into thinking we are spiritual.

2.If we are living in obedience to Christ, we will love our brothers. (Gender neutral)

B. The Possibility

1.Hate…Hatred is the absence of deeds of love.

2.When love is absent, hate is present.

C. The Problems

1.Hatred Darkens the Life!

*When Christian love flows out, we will have a greater understanding and perception of spiritual things.

*Christian love is to treat others the way God treats them and the way God treats us. (I Cor. 13:4-7)

*This one thinks he sees, but he is blinded by the darkness of hatred. Troubled people cause trouble. This is the kind of person who causes trouble in the Christian circle.

*He or she may read the Bible faithfully, pray fervently…if there is hatred, that one is living a lie!

2. Hatred Damages the Life! 10

*He or she becomes a cause of stumbling.

*He hurts himself and others. It’s serious to walk in darkness.

*If there isn’t love in the church there will be division, a lack of unity. When

we are falling all over each other instead of lifting each other higher we’ll never

be a happy family.

3.Hatred Distorts the Life! 11

*A blind man or a person walking in darkness can never find his way.

*That one does not know where he is going. He thinks he does and is often the most vocal!

*Walk attitude flows into action: “I’m sorry.” “I was wrong.” “Please forgive me.”

*If hatred is a habit, a practice…are you really saved?

D. The Performance

There are positive results of love:

1.Abides in the light…Love is self-giving. This is our general attitude. Love is the supernatural overflow!

2.That one is not a stumbling stone, but a building block.

3.We will grow spiritually and develop into Christlikeness with purpose, meaning and direction.

Is there anyone right now that you do not love?