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Perfected in Love

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.1 John 2:15

It is an amazing thing, being perfected in the love of the Father. John writes, “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”1 John 4:18 Now, what is love? “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”1 John 3:16 This is how we know we have been perfected in love, that we abide in Him, in which I will love my brother, “whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.”1 John 2:10 It is the essence of godly leadership, that the first become last, they are servants of all, laying down their lives for little children.

“whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:” 1 John 2:5

The love of God is perfected in one who keeps the words of Christ, who has built his house upon the Rock, not on traditions of men, nor of the elders, but on the words of Christ. This is the one who loves his brother and doesn't cause him to stumble. Those who have not been perfected in love, these love the world, “all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.”1 John 2:17 Those who love the world put value in the things of the world, but "the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”1 John 2:17 Those who practice sin, these love the things of the world and have not been perfected in love. Paul writes dominion over sin comes not under the law but under grace, as the love of God, grace, reigns through righteousness.

“I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything—and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you—abide in him.”1 John 2:26-27

There are no lies in truth, those who walk in lies walk in the darkness. “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”1 John 3:10 “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”1 John 3:11 If you cause a brother to stumble, you walk in death, not in Life. “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:14 Can I say I am obedient to Christ going after the one lost while turning my heart from my brother in need?

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”1 John 3:16

Be not deceived there will be false prophets and teachers who will use the church to seek the things of the world, these speak empty words of love without deeds. Those who have been perfected in the love of the Father do not love the things of the world. “if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”1 John 3:18 Whoever has been perfected in the love of the Father, loves not the things of the world, he loves his brother, being obedient to the words of Christ.

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”1 John 3:23-24

What good are the things of the world? If I have not the testimony of the Spirit within me then what does it profit, all the good things I do? If I tithe ten percent of all I have and neglect the more important words of Christ, like loving my brother, what does it profit me? And if I have faith to move mountains, but have not love, it profits me nothing. If I love the things of the world, and love not my brother, the love of God has not been perfected in me. “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him.”1 John 3:1

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