What are three benefits of God’s Love?

Outline:

• Who is God?
• What is God’s love?
• What are some of God’s commandments?
• What are some of the benefits of God’s love?
• 3 surprising things about hypocrisy
• Summary

Love without obedience is hypocrisy
Obedience without love is slavery
Love + obedience = real love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are you in?

Romans 1:1

Who is God?

• Believing is the main theme of Romans
• Love is the main theme of Ephesians
• Hope is the main theme of Thessalonians

The phrase “God is love” occurs only twice in the entire bible, establishing it’s truth and both are in I John 4.

1 John 4
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Love is God’s very nature. Its what makes him who he is. God is love in its fullest conceivable form.

I John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Psalms 103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

It says east and west because if you are on the equator and go north or south, you will end up at the north or south pole and if you continue on the exact same path, you will end up going in the opposite direction! In other words, your sins will be thrown right back into your face.

But if you go east or west, you will be going in that direction forever and the east and west will never meet. In other words, God will never throw your sins back up in your face again because he has forgiven and forgotten them.

Throughout all history, many things on earth have changed, but God’s love for mankind has never varied.

These 4 qualities of God’s love don’t even take into account the 14 characteristics of God’s love listed in I Corinthians 13…

I Corinthians 13 [amplified bible]
4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant.

5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.

6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail].

7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].

7 in the bible represents spiritual perfection.  That is why God’s love has 14 characteristics because its double love, which is spiritual perfection established.

Romans 5:5
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [gift of holy spirit] which is given unto us.

First off, we need to fix a few things in this verse…

The word “the” was deliberately added to the bible and does not occur in the Greek texts from which the King James Version was taken.

Secondly, the phrase “Holy Ghost” comes from the root Greek words hagion pneuma, which is better translated “holy spirit”, referring to the gift of holy spirit we receive when we get born again.

In the third place, the phrase “shed abroad” literally means “poured out”.  Just picture yourself on a hot, humid summer day and you are taking in a big cool refreshing drink of God’s perfect love.

So here is a much more accurate translation of Romans 5:5:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is poured out into our hearts by [the gift of] holy spirit which is given unto us.

All of this can be verified in the Greek interlinear 

What is the love of God?

I John 5
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

This goes way beyond the ten commandments which were given to the Israelites. Although we don’t violate them, there is so much more to us in this age of grace.

If I were Buzz Lightyear, I would be saying, “to I John and beyond!!!”

Jesus Christ condensed the hundreds of old testament laws down to only 2 – Love God and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

What are some commandments of God TO US?

Ephesians 5
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

These verses are not talking about physically walking, but walking metaphorically; in other words, live your life in love, in light and circumspectly.

Here are the dynamics of how these verses are intertwined:

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith [believing] which worketh [from the Greek word energeo = is energized] by love.

So the perfect love of God energizes our believing. Grammatically speaking, this is a verb and verbs are action words, so what do we do?

The love of God in our heart energizes us to walk in the light of the Lord.

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Once we’re doing that, then we can apply the infinite wisdom of God so that we can spiritually see a full 360 degrees all around us without any blind spots.

Ephesians 6:10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

I Thessalonians 4:11 [amplified bible]
and to make it your ambition to live quietly and peacefully, and to mind your own affairs and work with your hands, just as we directed you,

I John 3
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Just like I John 5:3 said, these are not grievous!

3 OF THE MANY BENEFITS OF GOD’S LOVE

God’s Love casts out fear

I John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

How does this work?

II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1. God’s power overcomes the ultimate source of the fear, who is the devil
2. God’s love casts out the fear itself
3. The sound mind of Christ prevents the fear from coming back

God’s solution to fear has 3 parts because 3 in the bible is the number of completeness.

In reference to point #1 above, in the KJV, the word “overcome” is used in I John 3 times, [tied only with the book of Revelation], which is more than any other book of the bible.

However, when you look at the Greek text, you get a much different picture.  The word “overcome” comes from the Greek word “Nikao” [the verb form], which is used 6 times in I John alone [bolded & italicized]:

I John 2:13
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

I John 2:14
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

I John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

I John 5
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Some great acronyms for F.E.A.R..

1. False Evidence Appearing Real
2. Fear Explains Asinine Responses
3. [Will you] Face Everything And Run or
4. Face Everything And Rise
5. Fear Evades Authoritative Responses
6. Fear Exacerbates Amygdala Response
7. Fear Eliminates Active Rationality
8. Freeze Essential Analytical Response

From wikipedia on the amygdala: Shown to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision making, and emotional responses (including fear, anxiety, and aggression), the amygdalae are considered part of the limbic system.

According to Chris Voss, former head of hostage negotiations for the FBI, when you are afraid, the amygdala shorts out the cerebrum, the most important part of the brain we need to make good decisions.

The cerebrum is where we process knowledge; i.e. the word of God! So this is why we need the love of God to cast out fear so that we have a sound mind in order to make sound decisions in order to have victory in every situation.

That is why any decision based upon negative emotions such as fear, anger, revenge, etc go south and end in regret and you keep asking yourself, “why did I ever do that???”

God made man perfect, but in Genesis 3, there was the fall of man where the devil had taken over and become the god of this world and corrupted everything he could, including the nature of man.

That’s where the resources of God come in, enabling us to overcome innate deficiencies such as a faulty amygdala.

Definition of “overcome”
Strong’s Concordance #3528
nikaó: to conquer, prevail
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (nik-ah’-o)
Definition: I conquer, am victorious, overcome, prevail, subdue.

HELPS Word-studies
3528 nikáō(from 3529 /níkē, “victory”) – properly, conquer (overcome); ” ‘to carry off the victory, come off victorious.’ The verb implies a battle” (K. Wuest).

The Greek word Nikao comes from the root word “Nike”, which is also a famous company that makes athletic shoes.

The Greek word “nikao” is used 18 times in the book of Revelation, more than any other book of the bible.   That’s very appropriate since God has the final victory in the end.

God’s Love covers a multitude of sins

1 Peter 4:8
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

The phrases “fervent charity” and “charity” are the same Greek word agape, which is the love of God.

This word “cover” comes from the Greek word kalupto that is used 8 times in the bible and 8 is the number of resurrection, renewal and one who abounds in strength.

We don’t have to live in guilt, condemnation, regret or fear that somebody might find out what we said or did.

Isaiah 55
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The love of God is so powerful it can hide a multitude of sins!

Now that’s a better way to live.

God’s Love energizes our believing

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

The word “faith” is believing.

Definition of “worketh”:
HELPS Word-studies
1754 energéō (from 1722 /en, “engaged in,” which intensifies 2041 /érgon, “work”) – properly, energize, working in a situation which brings it from one stage (point) to the next, like an electrical current energizing a wire, bringing it to a shining light bulb.

Because of God’s boundless, endless, fathomless & measureless love that is energizing our believing, we literally have the ability to believe every verse in the bible and see the benefits in our lives.  This is why we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us [Philippians 4:13]

Ephesians 1:19
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working [energizing] of his mighty power,

Ephesians 3
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth [surpasses] knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

In verse 19, the word “passeth” actually means: surpassing,

Strong’s Concordance #5235
huperballó: to throw over or beyond, to run beyond
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-bal’-lo)
Definition: I surpass, excel, exceed, transcend.

HELPS Word-studies
5235 hyperbállō (from 5228 /hypér, “beyond, above” and 906 /bállō, “throw”) – properly, throw beyond; (figuratively) surpassing (transcending); excel, exceed (“be eminent”).

Because we have the mind of Christ and God’s unlimited love energizing our believing that transcends our mind, we can believe even beyond what we can think or ask…

Is that something worth tapping into?

3 surprising things we need to know about hypocrisy

The Greek word anupokritos [Strong’s #505] is used 6 times in the bible, the number of man as he is influenced by the world which is run by Satan, the God of this world.

Anupokritos is further broken down into the prefix a = not and hypokrínomai, to act as a hypocrite.

This very simply means, “don’t act like a hypocrite!”

• We are to manifest God’s love without hypocrisy [Romans 12:9]
• We are to believe God’s word without hypocrisy [I Timothy 1:5]
• God’s wisdom is without hypocrisy [James 3:17]

Romans 12:9
Let love be without dissimulation [anupokritos>>hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

In the context of verse 9, we can see that hypocrisy is evil.

This is verified in Matthew 23 where Jesus Christ called the evil religious leaders hypocrites 8 times.

I Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith [believing] unfeigned [anupokritos>>hypocrisy]:

James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy [anupokritos>>hypocrisy].

SUMMARY

1. The bible says twice that God is love, which establishes it
2. God is light and does not contain any darkness at all
3. God’s love is Boundless, Endless, Fathomless and Measureless
4. The love of God is to do what God commands us to do, which are way better and go way beyond the 10 commandments. Buzz Lightyear would say, “to I John and beyond!!”
5. Just 10 of God’s commandments written directly to us are:
   1. Love one another with his perfect love [I John 3:11]
   2. Walk in love [Ephesians 5:2]
   3. Walk in light [Ephesians 5:8]
   4. Walk circumspectly [Ephesians 5:15]
   5. Be strong in the Lord [Ephesians 6:10]
   6. Put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness & longsuffering [Colossians 3:12]
   7. Believe on the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ [I John 5:5, 10]
   8. Live quietly and peacefully [I Thessalonians 4:11]
   9. Minding your own affairs [I Thessalonians 4:11]
   10. Work with your hands [I Thessalonians 4:11]
6. In II Timothy 1:7, the dynamics of God’s power, love and sound mind are these:
   1. God’s power overcomes the ultimate source of the fear, who is the devil
   2. God’s love casts out the fear itself
   3. The sound mind of Christ prevents the fear from coming back
7. God’s love energizes our believing [Galatians 5:6]
8. God’s love covers a multitude of sins [I Peter 4:8]
9. God’s love casts out fear [I John 4:18]
10. We are to manifest God’s love without hypocrisy [Romans 12:9]
11. We are to believe God’s word without hypocrisy [I Timothy 1:5]
12. God’s wisdom is without hypocrisy [James 3:17]