1 John 4:7-21

Summary: For the Apostle John, there is no trade-off between a God who judges and a God who is love. In fact, the truest and deepest expression of love is the lengths God went to in order to set us free from the claims of his justice (v. 10). The love that John talks about here is cross-shaped love…not mere niceness or friendliness but a willingness to endure sacrifice for the good of another. Christians are called to a higher and deeper expression of love for others as a direct consequence of how deeply we have been loved by Christ. To know God’s love in Christ and to see that love flowing out of us toward others is a sure sign that we belong to him.