“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love…” – 1John 4:16
LIGHT FOR NOW: Victory in the Christian life does not come merely from knowing that God loves people. It comes from personally knowing and believing the love that God has for you.
There is a significant difference between hearing about God’s love and being established in God’s love. Many believers have heard countless sermons about the Father’s love. They can quote the scriptures. They can explain the doctrine. They can even teach others about it. Yet when trials come, fears arise, or failures occur, they often respond as though they are uncertain of God’s love. This is why John’s words are so important: “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us”. Notice that John uses two words: known and believed; both are necessary. A person may know something intellectually without truly believing it in his heart. Likewise, a person may believe something emotionally without understanding it properly. But spiritual maturity requires both. The word “known” speaks of experiential knowledge. It is more than information. It is relationship. It is the knowledge that comes through fellowship and experience.
John is saying: “We have experienced the Father’s love”. “We have encountered it”. “We have walked in it”. But he also says: “We have believed it”. This is crucial. Many believers have experienced God’s goodness yet still struggle to believe He truly loves them. When life is favorable, they feel loved. When life becomes difficult, they question His affection. But the Father’s love is not measured by changing circumstances. It is measured by His unchanging character. John then makes one of the most profound declarations in all of Scripture: “God is love”. Notice what he does not say. He does not merely say: “God has love”. Though, He certainly does. He says: “God is love”. Love is not simply one of God’s activities. It is part of His very nature.
Everything God does flows consistently with who He is. His wisdom operates in love. His power operates in love. His justice operates in love. His mercy operates in love. Even His discipline, as we saw previously, flows from love. This truth provides incredible security for the believer; because if God’s love were merely an emotion, it might fluctuate. But because love is part of His nature, it remains constant. God does not wake up loving one day and indifferent the next. He remains who He is. The Father’s love is therefore as stable as His character; as unchanging as His nature; as eternal as His existence. This is why believers must learn not only to know God’s love but also to believe it. To believe God’s love means trusting His heart even when circumstances are unclear. It means trusting His goodness when answers seem delayed. It means trusting His affection when feelings fluctuate. It means allowing His Word to speak louder than your emotions.
The apostle Paul understood this. That is why he declared: “I am persuaded…” He had become convinced. The revelation of God’s love had moved from theory to conviction. This is where the Father desires every believer to arrive. Not merely informed about His love; but persuaded of His love. Not merely aware of His love; but established in His love. A believer who truly believes the Father’s love becomes spiritually stable. He is not easily shaken; not easily offended; not easily controlled by fear. Why? It is because he has anchored his heart in the unchanging character of God. And when a believer becomes rooted in that reality, he begins to experience the freedom, confidence, and peace that flow from the Father’s love.
INSTRUCTION: Today, spend time meditating on scriptures about God’s love. Do not merely read them; believe them personally and apply them to your life.
CONFESSION/PRAYER: Father, thank You for Your unchanging love toward me. Help me not only to know Your love but to truly believe it. Establish my heart in the certainty of Your affection so that I may walk in confidence, peace, and spiritual stability. Amen.
For More light; get the message, ‘The Love of God’
QUOTE: Many know about the Father’s love; transformation begins when they believe the Father’s love.
DAILY READING: MORNING: 1JOHN CHAPTER 4; EVENING: ROMANS CHAPTER 8:31-39
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 