I John 4: 13-21 " My Father--My Brother---My Sister"

 I John 4:13-21

John Calvin said this ," It is a false boast when anyone says that he loves God, but neglects His image which is before his eyes."

What do have in common with our Christian brethren?

1. 4:13 God has given us both of the same Spirit.

We know we abide in Him because of the Spirit He has given to us.

1:3 of this book " the fellowship we have is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ"  So because of this we have fellowship, ( in common ) with each other.

When I attended Princeton Seminary in the 93-94 Semesters for continued training in Ethics for the Army, I had some reservations about going there at all.  Oh, they ordain women , oh they are liberal, oh and the list went on of my concerns.  But what I found when there was a respectful attitude toward others, and a wllingness to let all opinions come to the fore, with the result we reached a consensus of sorts.  No, we did not agree on every point, and I was surprised to see they never really ever quoted the Westminster Confession of Faith, but what I did see what friendship outside the bounds of agreement.  The same was in the Army Chaplaincy where I worked with faith that I did not agree with, but the people were sincere in their beliefs even though they did not line up with mine.

2.  4:14,15  We both confess the same Saviour.  

4:15   in the aorist tense which you do not see in the English.  Whoever has confessed ( past )that Jesus is the Son of God... , God abides in such a person and he in God.  

I sometimes wonder why we do not start our Service with a confession of sin .  I know in the historic Services of the reformed as well as the Catholic tradition that is a must.  " I confess to You....well let me quote it Confiteor- I confess"

I confess to almighty God

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned,

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done and

in what I have failed to do,

[Pray while striking the breast three times.]

through my fault, through my fault,

through my most grievous fault;

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,

all the Angels and Saints,

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord our God.

or....this For example, the 1st-century Didache states, “But every Lord’s day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.”

----there is something missing when we don't do it, because all of us are still sinners, still sin, and need forgiveness from God and each other. aleteia.com

3.  We both possess the same love.  4:16

" he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him."  God is love.  And we have known and and believed the love that God has to us....

" an uncommon love produces a kindred spirit" 

What kind of love is it?  God's love that dwells in us is perfect, but we are not.  Our new nature is however.

vs. 18 says there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear...He that fears is not made perfect in love

---an example is while I was writing this in a deep concentration, the UPS delivery came, and I had to get up and see the dog barking.  I was not sure what it was, but I got up ..God does that for us, does He not?  He interupts and comes down to see what we need wherever or whenever we need His love.

" there is no room for fear in love" NEB  Casts out fear as well as hatred. This is the same kind  of confidence that we will have in the Day of Judgment---we are as He is, that is God's Child, and we do not need to fear God's punishment.

---the same kind of unfearing and loving attitude should be towards our brothers and sisters in the faith.

The one who hates, and we all do this from time to time, is really afraid of finding out the truth about himself.  So sometimes he has to lie to himself, and perhaps a little more each day to cover up his own faults, and all he sees is the faults of others.

Conclusion:  We have been given His Spirit to enable us to believe and to love.  When we are unloving we are untrue to our Christian profession.  There may a need for revival of our belief when fail to love God as we show this by not loving our brethren.  Mt. 22:37-40 has a needed reapplication.  That is said every Sunday in some churches .

Now apply what John has said.  Pray for ways to build up others.  Invite , care, pray, love with the love you have also received when unworthy to be made the child of God.

Does God abide in us?  amen.