We know that are to love others as Jesus as loved us (John 13:34-35), but at times that seems like an impossible task. How can we love like Jesus loved? The Apostle John reveals that we can love others if we know that God has first loved us,

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16)

John is emphasizing that he not only knows about God’s love, but that he is experiencing God’s incredible love! The word “know” denotes an experiential knowledge, a knowledge that is realized in everyday life. This passage describes a love that is known as agape love. This type of love is volitional, it’s an act of the will. It’s also an unconditional love, it’s not dependent upon the behavior of others. Finally, this type of love is sacrificial, it puts the needs of the other person above our own needs.

Victor Hugo observes, “The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved – loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” This is an amazing truth –  God knows all about us and He loves us just as we are. You aren’t loved because you’re valuable – you’re valuable because God loves you.

How do I know if I have this type of love? This passage reveals three ways to assess our love. The first way is to ask yourself, “Does my life reflect confidence?” When God’s love is perfected in our lives, we can have confidence,

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)

Your life is characterized by confidence because you are reflecting the life of Jesus. You must also ask yourself, “Does my life reflect courage?” We see that God’s perfect love literally expels fear from our lives.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)

What fears are you facing? God’s love can give you the courage to face those fears. The third way to determine if you’re experiencing God’s perfect love is to ask, “Does my life reflect God’s love toward others?”

We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

When we have experienced the fullness of God’s love then we become a channel of His love to others. Julius Gordon reminds us, “Love is not blind – it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less.” We must realize that human love will only carry us so far. God’s love can enable us to love others like Jesus!

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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