Hope That Yields Love

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” [1]

Glory to God our Father for loving us and adopting us into His eternal family. When we see Him face to face, we shall be like Him! This hope comes from the Word of God. This hope shapes our priorities and practices.

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” [2]

How do we overcome sin? By abiding in Christ! Only Jesus Christ by His Spirit fills us with love for God and love for neighbor. Jesus helps us to hunger and thirst for righteousness.

“In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” [3]

Righteousness and love for brothers and sisters flow from Christ.

Without Christ unloving actions flow from a person. For example, celebrating the freedom to abort an unborn baby from its mother’s womb. With Christ’s love for an unborn baby in one’s hearts, condoning and celebrating its death is undoable. Christ’s love leads a person to love and protect people. Satan’s hatred leads a person to hate and to destroy people.

“By this we know love because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” [4]

Love is a verb. Love is demonstrated with actions. Christ’s love is demonstrated by a willingness to open ones heart to a brother and sister in need, and to sacrifice goods for them that you initially thought to use for yourself. Christ love is about caring and sharing.

“We keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” [5]

The Holy Spirit fills us with God’s love. [6]

Adherence to God’s Word is an expression of love for God and those around us. We don’t love to earn merits with God or people. We love because God has graciously given us the gift to love. He loved us first. He sent His Son to die on the cross to atone for our sin.

“When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” [7]

In His love for us, Christ made way for His Spirit to dwell within us. He paid a debt we could not pay. He did this for us when we least deserved it.

With the Holy Spirit’s love within us we reflect the life of Jesus. For example, Christ’s gratitude towards the Father and His generosity towards people. Before Jesus gave food to the hungry multitude, He gave thanks to God. Before Jesus gave the bread and cup to His disciples... the bread and cup that represented His body and blood given for the forgiveness of their sins, He gave thanks. [8] Gratitude and generosity come forth from us as we abide in Christ.

“We know that when He [Christ] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” [9]

Hope in Christ and purification for Christ is another way of saying, “God, my primary purpose is to love You, and to love people who reflect Your likeness.”

[1] 1 John 3:1-3
[2] 1 John 3:4-6
[3] 1 John 3:7-12
[4] 1 John 3:16-18
[5] 1 John 3:22-24
[6] Romans 5:5
[7] Romans 5:6-8
[8] Mark 8:6; 14:23
[9] 1 John 3:2-3