You will remember that I did not have much time to develop the fourth point last week, because we partook of the Lord’s Table. So, let’s focus in on this point…

• Since God Loved Us We Ought To Love One Another – v. 11

When we get saved, we are partakers of God’s divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). That makes it possible for us to think God’s thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:16) and to live like Christ would live. His love to us is unmerited and matchless and God expects His children to love others. That’s what 1 John 4:11 is all about -- "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Since we are saved and since God loved us, we need to show God’s love others. However, it is even more powerful than that. Look at the word ought. It is a translation of the Greek word ofeilomen – opheilomen, which means to have a personal obligation or duty. Believers have a personal obligation to love one another because God loved us. Turn with me to James 2:8"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:" Agape-love is The Royal Law! The old commentator Matthew Henry wrote – "The objects of the divine love should be the objects of our love. Shall we refuse to love those whom the eternal God hath loved? We should be admirers of his love, and lovers of his love, and consequently lovers of those whom he loves." Turn with me to 1 John 4:21 "And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

Now, let get practical? It is quite easy to wax eloquent about love. But, John earlier warned of this superficial love -- 1 John 3:18 "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Christian friends, we need to do MORE than just talk about love. Talk is cheap!

At this point, I want to pose a question. What is the most loving thing you can do for a person? Let’s look back to one verse previous to our text - 1 John 4:10 we can find the answer in this verse. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." This verse tells us that God showed He loved us by sending His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins, so that if we would believe in Him, our sins are forgiven. So, what is the most loving thing that we can do for a person who we do not know for sure if they are saved? The answer is share the Gospel with them! That reminds me of something that happened to me years ago on the Ohio Turnpike. Linda and I saw a car smash into the guardrail and burst into flames. I pulled over and told Linda I was going to try and help the couple. I was the first person on the scene. The woman was dazed and the man was out cold. The gas tank had ruptured, and I believed the car would blow up any time. I yelled at the lady to open the locked door. She finally did, I reached my hand in and she grabbed my hand. Her blouse and hair were on fire. I pulled her out of the car got her blouse out and hair out. I then led here far enough from the car so if it blew up, she would not be injured further. I went back for the man. The interior, particularly the back seat was raging. I could not get to the man. I was yelling, wake up, wake up. Another man came on the scene. As I was just about to kick in the windshield, the man woke up and we were able to get him to open his door and we got him out. As we dragged him away from the car, the tank blew up. As far as I know, both of these people lived. But, here’s my point. Just as I spoke loudly to the lady and offered her my hand, and she took it and was rescued, sharing the Gospel with someone who is lost offering then rescue from the very real fires of Hell. Sharing the Gospel with someone who is not saved is the most loving thing you can do for him or her. If they reject your witness, their blood is on their own head. Ezekiel 33:1-11. Listen Christian friends, increasingly we are being intimidated by the God haters, telling us that we have no right to share our faith! We have more than a right, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION (Romans 1:14-17). The most loving thing you can do is to share the Gospel with those who are not saved.

Let’s look at some other ways…

• How We Can Love Others?

Ephesians 4:1-2 "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;" Forbear means to be tolerant, or to be patient. When you love someone you overlook their shortcomings, forgiving injuries done, sympathizing with, and assist them in difficult circumstances. All of this springs from agape-love.

2. Speak the truth

Ephesians 4:15 "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" When you operate on the basis of biblical love you will speak the truth openly, honestly, and sincerely, and in love to the souls of men, and in a way consistent with love. Speaking the truth in love" is in opposition to secret, ensnaring, and malicious spreading of falsehoods.

3. Let your life demonstrate love

Ephesians 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." To walk in love means that our lives will be characterized by love. That is, we show agape-love in our demeanor, our language and our behavior.

4. Serve one another

Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." What does that phrase means? Simply stated, believers show their love by their service to each other. They pray one with and for one another. They bear each other's burdens, sympathizing with and communicating to each other in things that are both temporal and spiritual. They forbear one another and forgiving one another. They admonish each other when there is occasion for it, in a meek, kind, and brotherly way. They instruct and building up one another on their most holy faith, and they stirr up each other to do all their Christian duties. Simply, they strive to promote each other’s welfare.

5. Incite or motivate others to perform acts of love

Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" The word provoke is the translation of the Greek word incite, stimulate, or encourage others to do good.

These and other things fulfill this fourth lesson in love -- "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 1 John 4:11