In chapter 2 John first uses a word that shapes his first letter more than any other Bible book: that word is love. On average every third verse of this letter includes the word love. Love is that passionate affection that stirs up actions that express our love. The best human love is energized by God's love. We love because God loves us (1 John 4:19). God's love should also regulate our love. We should love like God.
But we struggle to love properly. Our affections become confused. It is hard for us to both love one another and avoid a wrong kind of love for this world. Most of us lean in one of two wrong directions.
Some of us love people but are worldly. We are affectionate, joyful, peaceful, patient, and kind (Gal. 5:22). But we lack self-control. We are enjoy sexually illicit movies. We abuse alcohol (19, 21). Our ambitions seem no different from people outside the church.
Others of us stand strong against worldliness but don't seem to love people. We resist sexual immorality, and worldly vocabulary. But we're harsh and judgmental. We hold grudges. We hide within our tribe, criticizing people we don't understand.
Which of these profiles best describes you? I surveyed 10 of your acquaintances and gave them only these two stereotypes which would they use to describe you? None of us will come to maturity if our affections are misplaced. No church will be healthy if it is made up of two parties; the people lovers and the worldliness resisters. God's wants us all to fully walk like Jesus; resistant to worldliness and well-known for our love of people.
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