Real Hope: A Study of 1 JohnSample

Love Without Limits

Chapter 3 of 1 John contains so much wonderful help for us that reassures us, encourages us and tells us what it means to be part of God’s family. It is summed up in the first verse of the chapter. 

By being children of God, we have His love lavished on us. That means God’s love is given in great amounts, without limits. How amazing is that? This love has come to us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, dying and rising again – John 3:16 sums it up: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

What does this mean for us? It means a few things according to 1 John 3. It means that when we sin, we can seek forgiveness because Jesus did not sin and so was able to take our sin from us (v5–6).  

It means that Jesus has destroyed the devil and his work, the battle is over and won. The devil doesn’t like that, but that is the truth of the situation, so we can claim victory (v8–10). It means that because we belong to God, we should love one another and that is shown by our actions and truth (v16–18).  

It means that we belong to the truth and thus we can bring everything to God because He knows our hearts (v21–23). How do we know this? We know it by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (v24). Grab hold of the God who knows us and loves us forever – fully and completely.

written by DAVID BARKER