"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4: 15-16)
We were made for love, to be filled and fruitful in God's love:
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5)"
We are made to walk in love, and we make it in this world by living in God’s love for us as children of light, sons and daughters of the living God through Christ Jesus:
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
"(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)" (Ephesians 5: 8-9)
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5)"
We are made to walk in love, and we make it in this world by living in God’s love for us as children of light, sons and daughters of the living God through Christ Jesus:
"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
"(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)" (Ephesians 5: 8-9)
I used to live in fear, goading myself to do good or bad
based on what the consequences would be.
Yet no matter what I did, I could not make myself righteous:
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)
Yet because of Jesus' death on the Cross, I do not have to entertain such hateful or fearful thoughts:
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 14)
"Dead works" speaks of our attempts to earn our righteousness, which must be received by faith as a gift.
Then I learned about the fullness of God’s love for me at the Cross:
"Herein 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)
What does this accord to every believer in Him, regarding our fear. John explains later in the chapter:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. " (1 John 4: 17-18)
We live by the love of God, which is shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), and is the first listed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22) and we are assured of this because He has given us a new heart (Hebrews 8: 10-12). This heart grants us confidence:
"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John 3: 21)
We no longer meditate or fix in our minds in order to ascertain the truth. Instead, we rest in the grace of God -- which establishes our heart (Hebrews 13: 9). Thus we have no fear. We are no longer motivated by the letter, which kills, but by the Spirit, which gives life (2 Corinthians 3: 6)
Do no live out of fear, for His perfect love within you have already cast it out.. Live out His Love in you by Faith, for God is love, He dwells in you, and as you dwell in Him, you cannot help but live out His life!
Yet no matter what I did, I could not make myself righteous:
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." (Galatians 3: 11)
Yet because of Jesus' death on the Cross, I do not have to entertain such hateful or fearful thoughts:
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9: 14)
"Dead works" speaks of our attempts to earn our righteousness, which must be received by faith as a gift.
Then I learned about the fullness of God’s love for me at the Cross:
"Herein 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)
What does this accord to every believer in Him, regarding our fear. John explains later in the chapter:
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. " (1 John 4: 17-18)
We live by the love of God, which is shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), and is the first listed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5: 22) and we are assured of this because He has given us a new heart (Hebrews 8: 10-12). This heart grants us confidence:
"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John 3: 21)
We no longer meditate or fix in our minds in order to ascertain the truth. Instead, we rest in the grace of God -- which establishes our heart (Hebrews 13: 9). Thus we have no fear. We are no longer motivated by the letter, which kills, but by the Spirit, which gives life (2 Corinthians 3: 6)
Do no live out of fear, for His perfect love within you have already cast it out.. Live out His Love in you by Faith, for God is love, He dwells in you, and as you dwell in Him, you cannot help but live out His life!
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