To Love, To Be Loved (1 John 4) The Message

 God is Love. When we take up permanent residence in a life

of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way love has 

the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so

we are free from worry on Judgment Day - our standing in 

the world is identical to Christ's. There is no room in love for

fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling,

a fearful life, fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not fully

formed in love.

We, though, are going to love-love and be loved. First we were

loved, now we love. he loved us first.

If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother

or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person

he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we

have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people.

You've got to love both.

Eugene H. Peterson






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