One of the great tests of true Christianity is that God puts in His people a special love for other true Christians. In this sermon Tim looks at the verses around 1 John 2:8 “At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.“
1 John 2:9 says “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness…” and in 1 John 3:14 it says “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” This verse leads us to ask, “What does John mean when he says love?” If it is the test of whether we are actually saved or not, we don’t want to get the meaning wrong. He goes on in verse 16 to show us what true love looks like, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” Then in the following verse he gives us something very practical to tell if we have this love or not: 1 John 3:17 – But 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?
