God is love

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4v16

This is love...God is love. This two really make sense when taken together. God is love – He is the essence of love. If one truly has God living in him then he will love. If we abide in God and He abides in us and He is love then we will abide in love.

I think this is the essence of 1 John. The book was written to battle the Gnostic heresy sweeping the young church. The focus in Gnosticism was some kind of 'higher plane' Christianity. It split the spirit and the flesh. In response John rights of the true test of being spiritual – do you love?
Love is the ultimate test - 'love the Lord your God and love your neighbour as yourself...he who does love His brother abides in death...above all these things put on love...above all these things have fervent love one for another...'

Why is that? Because God, the One Who is love lives, in true believes and therefore they will reflect His nature.

God is love. Those who have God will therefore love. It seems almost too simple to be real, doesn't it.

My issue comes with the rarity of love shown in some places, mostly in my own heart. This section began with a challenge to not believe every spirit but to test them to see if they really are of God. One of those tests is love. How do we do when our lives are scrutinised on the light of God's love. That love sent His Son to the cross for us. What does our love do?