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NASB | 1 John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 4:8 The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.] |
Bible Question:
why is loving your enemy so much like divine love? what is this implication of this for our salvation? For our life style? |
Bible Answer: Greetings, When most people think of "The Love Chapter", they think of 1 Corinthians 13, but there's a second chapter: 1 John 4. In this chapter, John goes into detail about the importance of Christian love, and it is here that the answer to your question lies. He states plainly in verse 8 that the one who does not love does not know God. Later on in verse 18, he says that "perfect love casts out fear". In verse 20, he says that the one who says he loves God, but has hatred for his brother is a liar. Now, Biblically, a brother is the same as your neighbor. Basically, anyone that isn't yourself. Now, most Jews separated their enemies from this group. It comes from a misinterpretation of Deuteronomy 23:3-6 which says that no Ammonite or Moabite shall enter into the Assembly of the Lord. The passage that teaches about loving your neighbor is Leviticus 19:18, which says: "You shall not take vengeance, not bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord." As you can read there, and in Leviticus 19:17, the Old Testament Law said not to hate, which was one of the primary focus's of Jesus's message on the Sermon on the Mount. As John points out in 1 John 4, Love is the very basis of who we are. Love is the purpose for which Salvation was made possible. Without Loving others including our enemies, how can we properly teach others about the love of God? Jalek |
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Questions and/or Subjects for 1 John 4:8 | Author | ||
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ulysses roberson | ||
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terrifel | ||
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amandacompton | ||
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skyline | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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brothwell | ||
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Jalek |