What is…

Royal Holloway Regenerate CU 04/02/10 Neil Richardson 1 John 4:6-21

Love is…

1. True

2. God-born

3. Sacrificial

4. Trinitarian

5. Fearless

6. Y&X

Some implications

Cubic zirconia

Love is…

1. True (1 John 4:6)• We = the apostles • Spirit of falsehood = non-apostolic• Spirit of truth = apostolic (NT)

Then the rainstorm came over meAnd I felt my spirit break.I had lost all of my belief, you seeAnd realised my mistake.But time threw a prayer to meAnd all around me, it came still.

I need love, love’s divine.Please forgive me now, I see that I've been blindGive me love, love is what I need to help me Know my name

Love is…

2. God-born (7,8)

• True love = divine (7a)

• God’s love REGENERATEs (7b)

• Loving = knowing God (8)

Love is…

3. Sacrificial (9-12)

• Incarnation: Manger = God’s love (9)

• Substitution: Cross = God’s love (10)

• Imitation (11)

• Love of God>>Love of people (12)

Love is…

4. Trinitarian• Indwelling God

confirms spiritual life (13)

• Spirit testifies Father has sent Son (14,15)

• Relying on Trinity = knowing love (16)

Sonsaves &sends..

Spiritindwells &testifies…

Fatherloves &sends… God

is love

Love is…

5. Fearless

• Judgment Day is scary (17)

• Love like God = Are like God > No fear (17)

• Love & fear cannot co-exist (18)

Love is…

6. Y&X (19-21,12)

• God’s initiative (19)

• Our inevitable response (12)

• No Y without X (20,21)

Some implications

1. True love can’t be based on a lie

2. Love that isn’t God-born isn’t love

3. The greatest expression of love is sacrifice

4. God’s Triunity is the key to love

5. More of God’s love received, less fear

6. Impossible to love God and hate a person