1 John 4:11

“Beloved, if God so loved us, &c.] As to send his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, and to obtain eternal life for us through his sufferings and death: the apostle uses the same language his Lord and master did, (<430316>John 3:16); we ought also to love one another; for those who are the objects of God's love ought to be the objects of ours; and if God has loved our fellow Christians and brethren to such a degree, as to send his Son to die for them, we ought to love them too; and if we are interested in the same love, the obligation is still the greater; and if God loved them with so great a love, when they did not love him, but were enemies to him, then surely we ought to…”

“God's love to us is the grand motive for our love to one another (Jo1 3:16). if--as we all admit as a fact. we . . . also--as being born of God, and therefore resembling our Father who is love. In proportion as we appreciate God's love to us, we love Him and also the brethren, the children (by regeneration) of the same God, the representatives of the unseen God.”

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another - Because he is so much exalted above us, and if he has loved those who were so inferior and so unworthy, we ought to love those who are on a level with us; (2)Because it is only in this way that we can show that we have his Spirit; and, (3)Because it is the nature of love to seek the happiness of all. There are much stronger reasons why we should love one another than there were why God should love us; and unless we do this, we can have no evidence that we are his children. return to 'Top of Page'”

“4:11-12 Those who have received God’s love cannot help but spontaneously love those who have done the same. As this love flows through us to each other, it becomes evident that we love God.”

“Jo1 3:16, Jo1 3:17, Jo1 3:23; Mat 18:32, Mat 18:33; Luk 10:37; Joh 13:34, Joh 15:12, Joh 15:13; Co2 8:8, Co2 8:9; Eph 4:31, Eph 4:32, Eph 5:1, Eph 5:2; Col 3:13 1 John 4:12”