1 John 4:11: We Also Ought To Love One Another

1 John 4:11
[11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (ESV)

BELOVED. Consider whom the Apostle John is speaking to. Beloved. Those who belong to the Kingdom of God are loved. John also loves those whom he is writing to. We are called many things by all kinds of people, but beloved is a title that we all should embrace. As a believer in Jesus Christ we are recipients of the most amazing love.

IF GOD SO LOVED US. Consider how God loved us. We were spiritually dead in our sins. We were following all of the passions and desires of our flesh. We were in rebellion to all of God's Law. We were slavishly following the marching orders of the devil himself. This position of utter rebellion caused us to be considered children of God's wrath.

But God, seeing our wickedness, made a way possible for us to not only spared his wrath, but made a way to become his children. We are now heirs of his kingdom. We have eternal reward instead of eternal ruin. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 2:1-7) That is love beyond compare. That is love beyond our comprehension. That is God's love.

WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. We struggle to love others, don't we? We are perfectly happy loving those who love us. But, if someone posts something on Facebook that we disagree with, they are no longer worthy of our love. We claim to be loving, yet we have not talked with a family member for decades because of an argument that we cannot even remember. We say that we love one another, but we badmouth someone in our own church because we disagree on their views of the color of the carpet or the style of worship music they prefer.

If God so loved us, we ought to love one another. Do you realize what that means? We are called to love like God loves. God sets the standard of what our love is supposed to look like, not us. I always chuckle when people say, "I love them, but I don't like them." Hmmm. Is that how God loved you? He saw you in your rebellion and chose to love and like you! He sets the standard, not you.

A hard word today. You are BELOVED. Consider HOW God loved you. Love ONE ANOTHER in the same way that you have been loved. You will need some help loving.  Ask the Lord to help you. He will!