You Can't Love Until You've Been Loved

Since God Loves Us (4:7-12)

• Since God loves us, we should be known for our love for others.
• You can’t claim to know God if you don’t love the people He loves (4:7-8).
• The cross forbids us ever to question if God truly loves us (4:9-10).
• The tangible way we love others is what puts God’s love practically on display (4:11-12).

Since God Lives in Us (4:13-21)

• Since God lives in us, we should exhibit confidence that we will endure to the end.
• The presence of the Holy Spirit reminds us that we are never detached from God (4:13-16).
• The sacrifice of Jesus eliminates the fear from our lives that punishment still awaits us (4:17-18).
• The love of the Father robs us of any excuse as to why we can’t love others (4:19-21).

The greater we comprehend the love of God, the more natural our love will be for others.