We come now, in our project of reading through the Bible by the end of this year, to three Epistles that John the apostle wrote late in the first century. He was an old man, but his spiritual sensitivities were sharp and penetrating as he shared what it is to know God in a personal way through faith in Jesus Christ.
John’s motto for life was the Lord’s commandment that if you love God you should also love your brother. He was concerned, as James was, with a tangible expression of love to God. He knew all men are starving for someone to really love them. Victor Hugo indicated this when he said, “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.”
The problem is that many don’t know of God’s love for them, nor will they believe it to be true until they experience it through the life of one of God’s children. 1st John 3 begins, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” This could be translated, “How other worldly is the love the Father has lavished on us.” There’s nothing like it on earth. It’s hard to comprehend. But when you believe in Jesus Christ, you’ll have an experiential knowledge of His love for you. When that happens, you’ll want to share His love with others.
First-century Christians were known for their love to one another. We should be known by that love too. As you read 1st John note the qualities of this love explained, illustrated and applied.
