Changed by His Love
1 John 4:20: If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
An immature Christian who is not growing in his love for God may think he has to impress others with his “spirituality.” This mistake turns him into a liar! He is professing something that he is not really practicing; he is playing a role instead of living a life.
Perhaps the best example of this sin is seen in the experience of Ananias and Sapphira Their sin was hypocrisy. They were trying to make people think they were more generous and spiritual than they really were.
Pretending is one of the favorite activities of little children, but it is certainly not a mark of maturity in adults. Adults must know themselves and be themselves, fulfilling the purposes for which Christ saved them. Their lives must be marked by honesty. Spiritual honesty brings peace and power to the person who practices it. He does not have to keep a record of the lies he has told, and he is not using his energy to cover up. Because he lives in open honesty with the Father, he can live in honesty with other people. Love and truth go together. Because he knows God loves him and accepts him (even with all his faults), he is not trying to impress others. He loves God, and therefore he loves his fellow Christians. 1
Loving Him
Are you ready to take the love test? Read Galatians 5:13-15. Do you use your liberty to love and serve others, or is there a critical spirit that looks more like hate than love?
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4
Loving Others
The simple truth: If I am truly loving God, then I will be truly loving others.
Make Me Like You
Lord, please help me each day to excel in my love for others, just like You love me.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 523). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
