Satisfaction

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1Jn 4:10, NASB)

I am open to correction on this,  but the easiest way for me tot think of "propitiation" is "satisfaction."Jesus satisfied the Father

Assurance

In John 3 Jesus said, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (v.26)

John himself later wrote, “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1 John 5:11-12)

These are two of the clearest statements in Scripture for both what we need to do, “believe,” but also for assurance of our eternal life. Do you have that assurance?

Try It Yourself

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world -our faith.” - 1 John 5:4, NASB

I usually break down something like this and try to apply it for you but today I’d like the opposite. You tell me what this verse says to you.

Standards

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:11

The exact phrase “love one another” appears 13 times in the New Testament; all except one by Paul are found in John’s Gospel or letters. (The idea it coveys is mentioned at least another 9 times I found with a quick search.) This verse tells us that the standard is set for us. Our love for others must reflect God’s standard – His love for us. Love someone new today.

Love Died

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:10

The essence of love – that God sent his Son to die… for the white lie you told, for the anger in your heart, for your unconfessed unbelief, and for the…. It was to pay God for the sins of your life. Praise God, praise Jesus, and praise the Holy Spirit.

A High Calling

And this commandment we have from Him [Jesus], that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1John 4:21)

Often repeated in the New Testament is this call for us to love one another. It is first commanded by Jesus in John 13:34-35 right after Judas leaves the Upper Room to betray the Master. God knew that with some who would become Christians, this would be hard to do; thus the repetition. Is there some whom who find hard to love? The command is never stated with conditions attached, so show some love. John 13:35 says, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”