The Certainty of Faith and Love
I John 4:13-21
1. The certainty of faith, v. 13-16
“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
-Romans 8:9-11
This is what the Spirit does…
a) the Spirit leads us to understand the mission of Jesus, v. 14
b) the Spirit reveals the deity of Christ, v. 15
c) the Spirit convinces us of the love God has for us, v. 16
2. The progression of love, v. 17-21
a) perfecting love prepares us for what is to come, v. 17-18
“perfected”- to bring to completion, to reach the goal
b) the love of God is visible, v. 20-21
Mental worship…
1. Are you doing anything right now that you know deserves to be punished?
2. Does your mission match the mission of Jesus?
3. What standard do you use to evaluate your faith?
4. Do you rely more on God’s love for you or your love for God?
5. Are you hating anybody these days?
6. How do the people you love know that you love them?