MONDAY, JULY 17
1 John 4:7-21
1 John 4:7

"…every one that loveth
is born of God, and knoweth God."

LOVE GOD AND HIS CHILDREN AND SERVANTS

The second sign of born-again believers is they love God, love the Lord Jesus and love His children and servants. "… every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (1 John 5:1b). The Lord Jesus summarises God’s commandments into two: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind… And … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matt 22:37-40). Sadly, due to man’s sinful,
depraved and rebellious nature, those who are not born again can never be "subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom 8:7). Nor are they able to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, nor to love their neighbours as themselves. Many professing Christians may think that they love the Lord and worship Him with all their zeal, waving and clapping their hands, jumping, dancing, etc, but they are deceived by their feelings! The Lord Jesus says, "If a man love me, he will keep my words…" (John 14:23).

Once we are born again, we shall be God’s children, we shall know Him as our Heavenly Father, we shall be partakers of God’s nature, even His love and holiness. "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:7-8), and "…ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Pet 1:4). It is amazing that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom 5:5) so that we may love God, keep His Word, and love His children and servants. Sadly, many professing Christians hate and persecute God’s true children and servants who have a high view of God’s perfectly inspired and preserved Word! The Jews thought that God was their Father while they hated and persecuted the Lord Jesus! Jesus told them the truth: "If God were your Father, ye would love me… Ye are of your father the devil…" (John 8:42, 44). What about you?

THOUGHT: If I am born again, I shall love God and His people.
PRAYER: Lord, I thank Thee for Thy gracious work of regeneration!