The Scripture makes it clear that God has made His Word available to make us grow and hear fruits that will benefit His kingdom. However, Jesus said fruit will be pruned for more productivity. We must, therefore, remain in the love of God to be able to bear fruit because, without Him, we can do nothing.

This lesson of today is centred on the love of God for humankind for our sins. Believers must love God and one another because we have been shown love through Christ’s death for our sins. If we share His nature, love must flow through us to others.

1. Admonition to Love

In John 4: 7-12, John intended to expose the activities of false teachers who claimed to know God but did not translate their knowledge into moral or ethical behaviour. Christian love is sacrificial. Thus, John encouraged the people to love one another by responding to the needs of members of the faith community.

From the passage, it is evident that God is the source of love. God showed His love to us when we were deep in sin and unlovable. He, therefore, expects us to extend the same love to one another (v.7, 11; Romans 5:8)

2. Abiding in God through Love

Scripture, in 4: 13-17, confirms that God is love, and through the death of Jesus Christ, He has shown us what love is. Loving one another is evidence that God abides in us and His love is in us. Indeed, this is a mutual fellowship that is only made possible by His Spirit and our salvation experience.

Because God sent His only Son as a show of His love, we must also love one another so that we can attain this perfect fellowship.

Unfortunately, we live in a society where love has been abused and restricted because of ungodly behaviour. Sometimes, conditions are attached to love whereas sincere love and obedience ought to be the hallmark of believers.

3. Commitment to Love

I John 4: 17:21 taught that the Biblical principle to love one another is not negotiable. When the Lord was asked about the greatest commitment, He replied that the commandment is to love God and to love our neighbours as ourselves. Ultimately, our love for God is based on obedience to His commands (John 14: 15).

Unfortunately, a society with its impiety does not encourage sincere love toward others. Nevertheless, we must rely on God to love because it is impossible to love others if we do not love God and it is impossible to love God if we do not love our neighbors.

4. No fear in love

In verses 4: 18-19, when believers constantly live in love, it is proof that we live in God and He lives in us. When we allow the Holy Spirit to help us maintain this type of life, we grow into maturity; a state that derives away the fear of condemnation on the day of judgment. Instead of receiving condemnation, we will receive a commendation.

5. God’s Love Manifested through Fruitfulness

John 15:1-8, Jesus, therefore, presents Himself as the Vine. As the Vine, Jesus represents the fulfillment of God’s purpose and as the branches, believers must key into this purpose. For the branch to bear fruit, it must remain connected to the tree.

This is a description of an abiding fellowship of Christians with Christ Jesus. It involves a process of spiritual discipline about His commandments. A believer is pruned, cleaned, and washed by the Word of God (Vs 3; Eph. 5: 26)

6. God’s Love Manifested through Obedience

In John 15: 9-11, God first loved us and He expects us, believers in Christ, to also show that we love Him. The only evidence of our love is to obey His commands. The climax of God’s love is the sacrificial death of His Beloved Son Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the cross for the sin of humankind.

Jesus demonstrated His love for the Father through complete obedience. Believers must emulate Jesus by acting out their love for God through total obedience, even when it is difficult.

7. God’s Love Manifested through Loving One Another

John 15:12-17 states that Jesus’ love for humankind was not just in words. He demonstrated it when He laid down His life for the remission of the sins of the whole world. He revealed to His disciples everything about His Father (V15).

Even though it was customary for the disciple to choose their preferred rabbi, Jesus emphasized that He was the one who chose His disciples. As His disciples, loving one another is not optional (V. 17), it is, in fact, the proof of being His disciples. (John 13: 35)

8. God’s Love as Means of Security

Romans 8:31-36 shows that our security, even amid challenges, has been provided for in the plan of redemption. Therefore, nothing is to be dreaded. Believers in Christ Jesus have no grounds for apprehension; our final salvation is fully secured through the love of God, which is expressed in the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

9. God’s Love as Means of Victory

In Romans 8: 37-39, the Bible says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” We live in a world characterized by wickedness of all sorts, which is capable of weakening our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should nevertheless be encouraged and confident in the victory that God has won for us in Christ Jesus. Whether we have pleasant experiences or we are faced with life’s difficulties, we must never lose sight of this victory which makes us more powerful than conquerors. Our hope should rest on God’s love, which guarantees our victory.

The Enduring Nature of Love

Paul has highlighted the supremacy and the nature of love. In continuation to the other 13: 35).characteristics of love. Prophecies, speaking in tongues, and knowledge will all come to an end; only love remains forever. Love will outline all spiritual gifts. The assertion means that when Christ returns and God’s work of salvation is completed, (Philippians 1:6), there will be no need for spiritual gifts.  Paul continued that spiritual gifts were a mere shadow of the reality that would come with Christ. As believers, we should make conscious efforts to be more loving to our neighbours, family, and church members even those we do not have a cordial relationship. The admonition is important because we have been commanded to love one another as a distinctive characteristic of God’s people (John

Applicable Lessons

• God loved us where we were unlovable
• When we love, we acknowledge we are children of God.
• Knowing God is the key that opens our hearts to love others.
• Fear cannot co-exist with love.
• We are chosen to bear fruit to the glory of God.
• God demands total obedience from us as His children.
• Abide in Christ so that you can bear fruits.
• Christians should extend God’s love to others as we witness, both in words and deeds.
• One of the ways we can prove our love for God is to obey Him.
• We cannot say we love God without loving His children, especially through our actions.
• Learn love from God and show it to others.
• Perfect love is the antidote to fear.