Whoever Abides in Agape Love

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world” (1 John 4:16-17 ESV).

Just in case someone reading this does not yet know this, the “love” being spoken of here is not human love. It is not based in our emotions, though it is not absent of emotion. It centers in moral preference, and it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, honest, upright, faithful and obedient to the Lord and to his commands (New Covenant). For the believer it means to prefer to live through Christ, to choose his choices, and to obey them in his power, wisdom, and strength.

For God is love, and God is holy, righteous, honest, pure, upright, and faithful, etc., and so much more, for he is absolutely perfect and fully sovereign and in control over all that he has made. And as his followers we are to be becoming like him in character and in action. For Jesus Christ died that horrible death on a cross one day in order that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to his righteousness.

And that is why it says here that whoever abides in (agape) love abides in God. For if we are abiding in his love, this love which prefers what he prefers, we are remaining and staying in this love. We are continuing in this love and we are living in this love, indicating that we are loving God and others with this kind of love, meaning that we are walking in holiness and righteousness and in moral purity and honesty and faithfulness and not in sinful rebellion against our Lord Jesus.

Now this is an interesting statement which comes next. It says, “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.” Do you get what that is saying? This is speaking of sanctification, which is the process of our salvation. For if we are of God-given and God-persuaded faith in Christ, we were saved (past), we are being saved (present active) and we will be saved (future) when Jesus returns and our salvation is made complete.

Thus, we must be those who are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, who are walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands (New Covenant) and not in sin, whose lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ to do his will and who are no longer wandering aimlessly doing what our evil hearts desire. For if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, and not obedience to our Lord, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of what faith we professed with our lips.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

And a day of judgment is coming on the earth. First there will be a time of tribulation at which time God will be judging the people of the earth, but this is also a time when some people will be repenting of their sin and turning to faith in Jesus Christ, and it will also be a time when the saints of God will be purifying themselves and making themselves ready to meet their Lord. And the saints of God are also going to be persecuted greatly during this time. So don’t count on being raptured, especially if you are living in sin.

Now, this afternoon I was scrolling through YouTube videos to see if there was anything worthwhile to watch or to listen to. And I saw that there was a video put out by this young lady and so I watched it. She was sharing with the world and with the church the message that God had given her to give to the people. The message is the same as what the Lord has been having me give these past nineteen years, so immediately there was confirmation in my heart that what she was sharing was of God, and it was biblical.

So I am going to share a link here to her video and I hope and pray that some of you will take the time to watch it and to prayerfully consider what God has put on the heart of this young woman to share. And I know from experience that it takes enormous faith and courage to give out such messages, knowing full well that most people will not receive them. But I was encouraged at the number of people who did receive her message. And this is what I am going to conclude with today.

Video by Hope Owens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqu97La_7to

Caution: this link may contain ads

A secular song “Still the One” by Robert Lange & Shania Twain, but applying the chorus to our love relationship with God/Jesus Christ:

You're still the one I run to

The one that I belong to

You're still the one I want for life

You're still the one that I love

The only one I dream of

You're still the one…

Amen!