a love-filled life in christ

A Love-filled Life in Christ

What do you believe is meant by having a love-filled life as a Christian?

Is having a love-filled life something that is optional for a Christian?

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The greatest commandment

“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Matthew 22:35-40» 35. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him

a question, trying Him: » 36. “Teacher, which is the great

commandment in the Law?” » 37. And He said unto him, “You shall love

the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

» 38. “This is the great and first commandment.

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Matthew 22:35-40» 39. “And a second like unto it is this, ‘You

shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ » 40. “On these two commandments the

whole law hangs, and the prophets.”

What does Jesus mean in verse 40?

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Mark 12:28-34» 28. And one of the scribes came, and

heard them questioning together, and knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the first of all?”

» 29. Jesus answered, “The first is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is One:

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Mark 12:28-34» 30. “and you shall love the Lord your God

with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

» 31. “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is none other commandment greater than these.” 32. And the scribe said unto Him, “Of a truth, Teacher, You have well said that He is One; and there is none other but He:

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Mark 12:28-34» 33. “and to love Him with all the heart, and

with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.”

» 34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And no man after that dared ask Him any question.

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Luke 10:25-28» 25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up

and made trial of Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

» 26. And He said unto him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”

» 27. And He answering said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

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“Experts in the law” tested Jesus:» Luke 10:25-28» 28. And He said unto him, “You have

answered right: this do, and you shall live.” The Hebrew shema (Jewish daily

prayer) is:» Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel! The

LORD is our God, the LORD is One! And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

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What’s a good definition of biblical “love”?

“Unselfish, loyal, and benevolent concern for the well-being of another.”

(Holman Bible Dictionary)

“…the most excellent way.”

(1 Cor. 12:31)

“…for God is love.” (1 John 4:8)

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Love of God

About those definitions…» Would those apply more to love of God or

to love of “our brother?” What does Moses mean by “love” in

these scriptures…

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Deuteronomy 10:12-13

“And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to lovelove Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

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Deuteronomy 11:1

“LoveLove the LORD your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands always.”

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Deuteronomy 11:

13So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to lovelove the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul…

22If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow – to lovelove the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to hold fast to Him…

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Love of God

1. “…you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

2. With a sinceresincere love.» Not in word only, but inwardly in truth and

action.

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Love of God


2. With a sinceresincere love.

3. With a strongstrong love.» If God is “our all”, we must give Him and

only Him our all.

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Love of God



3. With a strongstrong love.

4. With a superlativesuperlative love.» We must love God above anyone or

anything.

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Love of God




4. With a superlativesuperlative love.

5. With an intelligentintelligent love.» To love Him with all our heart, we must see

good cause to love Him.

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Love of God




4. With a superlativesuperlative love.

5. With an intelligentintelligent love.

6. With an entireentire love.» “whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in

the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Col. 3:17)

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Love of God

“…you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

With a sinceresincere love. With a strongstrong love. With a superlativesuperlative love. With an intelligentintelligent love. With an entireentire love. With an obedientobedient love.

» “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. ” (John 14:15)

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

7. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is begotten of God, and knows God.

8. He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.

9. Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12. No man has beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us:

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

13. hereby we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

14. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God.

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

16. And we know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love; and he that abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

17. Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, even so are we in this world.

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

18. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment; and he that fears is not made perfect in love.

19. We love, because He first loved us. 20. If a man say, I love God, and hates

his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

21. And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loves God love his brother also.

1. Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loves Him that begat loves him also that is begotten of Him.

2. Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do His commandments.

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1 John 4:7 - 5:4

3. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.

4. For whatsoever is begotten of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

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Learning to love Why do we love God? (Question 3)

» 1 John 4:19 “We love, because He first loved us.”

How do we love God? (Question 4)» By revolutionizing our priorities

– Nothing should be more important than seeking God’s kingdom: “But seek you first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

– Observe Jesus, whose priorities were perfect.

» Be obedient – God in center of our universe

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1 John 4:7-5:4

Love is from God (v. 7). “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is begotten of God, and knows God.”

Whoever does not love does not know God (v. 8). “He that loves not knows not God….”

God is love. (v.8) “... for God is love.”

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1 John 4:7-5:4

How did God show His love (v. 9)? “Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.”

Why should we love one another (v. 11)? “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

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1 John 4:7-5:4

What is “love for God” (5:3)? “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”

Key verse: 1 John 4:20 “If a man say, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God Whom he has not seen.”

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1 Corinthians 13 - the Love Chapter

1. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

2. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

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3. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4. Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up,

5. does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not provoked, takes not account of evil;

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6. rejoices not in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8. Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.

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9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;

10. but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

11. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things.

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12. For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known.

13. But now abides faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

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1 Corinthians 13

Love is…» Patient (4)» Kind (4)» Pleased with truth (6)

Love is not…» Jealous (4)» Boastful (4)» Proud (4)» Rude (5)» Self-seeking (5)» Easily angered (5)» A record-keeper (5)» Pleased with evil (6)» A failure (8)

Question 5: Why is Why is love greater than love greater than faith or hope?faith or hope?

(1 Cor. 13:13)(1 Cor. 13:13)

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Questions 6 & 7

It has been said that “Love for others, if unchecked by the truth, can cause us to be wishy-washy and even tolerant toward sin.” Do you agree with this, or disagree?

What does John mean in 4:12, “…His love is perfected (made complete) in us”?

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Questions 8 and 9

If we have difficulty loving other Christians, what might be the root of the problem? (1 John 4:19)

Where’s the line between legalism and love?

Bonus question: Why is it impossible to Why is it impossible to love God and yet hate one of the love God and yet hate one of the members of His family (1 John 4:20-members of His family (1 John 4:20-21)?21)?

a love-filled life in christ

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superlative love

intelligent love

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