Love Series #13 - Part 2

Now let’s continue I John 2:5. Notice what we’re going to see here: "But whoso keepeth [keeping – notice the "eth", which means "is keeping"] His word [and that means everything that Jesus said and taught], in Him verily is the love of God perfected…" And that means "is being perfected on an ongoing basis" – that’s why it’s a whole lifelong project. Now notice verse 6: "He that saith he abideth in Him [the one who is abiding in Him] ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." (I John 2:3-6, paraphrased). How did Christ walk? Didn’t we say He was the way? Didn’t Jesus say He was the way? We are to walk in the ways of the Lord. Didn’t Jesus walk in all the ways of the Father? Yes. So that’s pretty dogmatic, isn’t it? Now that really ties in good with what we covered back here in John 14.

Before we go back to John 14 let’s go to II John 6. There are no chapters, just the one little epistle of II John – 13 verses. Verse 6: "And this is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." Now notice the warning: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (II John 6-7, KJV). So again we have the warning.

Now let’s come back to John 14 and let’s continue on in verse 22 because Jesus said that He would be manifesting Himself to them. Now how’s Christ going to appear or reveal Himself (that’s what manifest means), how is Christ going to reveal Himself to certain people and not other people? So when Jesus said that: "Judas saith unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" How’s that possible? How is it possible that God can reveal Himself to you and you and you and you and me and all of those that God calls and He doesn’t reveal Himself to the world? Very simply answered right here in verse 23: "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me [if anyone is loving Me], he will keep [be keeping] My words [everything that Jesus taught]: and My Father will love [be loving] him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." Now there’s an awful lot that is said here. We need to take a little time and examine all the aspects of this verse.

Now let’s begin by going to Matthew 10 because if you truly, as it were, in your spirit’s minds eye comprehend Jesus Christ nothing is going to take that away from you, is it? No. That’s why He said here in Matthew 10:37 – now again we’re talking about the love of God. Christ is going to manifest Himself for those who are loving Him. It requires this love: "He that loveth [the one who is loving] father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me…" And that’s why the world will say, "Well if you love me you wouldn’t do this." If it’s causing you to transgress the commandments of God, then you can’t do that. You love God more. "…And he that loveth [is loving] son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not [up] his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it" (Matt. 10:37-39, KJV). That’s all a part of explaining John 14:23.

Now let’s go a little bit further with this. Let’s go to the book of Ephesians. There are several Scriptures which we will pick up here. The book of Ephesians is my favorite book in all the New Testament. So if you listen to me very long you will hear I go to the book of Ephesians rather frequently, and every time I do I get more out of it. You know, and that is the thing that is so important. Let’s look at it this way, if we’re really learning of God and God is inspiring us in our teaching and in our listening, every time we go back over a Scripture that we’ve understood in the past, rather than get bored if we go over it again, if it’s going to be motivated by the Spirit of God, we are what? We’re going to get more out of it, are we not? Yes. Well that’s what we are going to find here.

Now let’s pick it up here in verse 3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings…" Every spiritual blessing is waiting there for you. Now it says "in the heavenlies." Now it says in the King James "in heavenly places." Well, we’re not in heavenly places. I mean we’re in the Holiday Inn in Valdosta, Georgia. The fact that there is the Holy Spirit here is heavenly in the sense that it comes from God Who is in heaven, and we’re here. But it shows in Ephesians 2 (we’ll get to it in a minute) that in the ages to come we will literally sit in these "heavenly places." What does it say in Revelation 20? "And I saw thrones, and they that sat on them…", that’s us. That’s when we will truly be in heavenly places.

Now: "…According as He hath chosen us in Him…" That’s why, brethren, we can have supreme faith and confidence in God and not be all lifted up in vanity and self-exaltation, because God the Father Himself has chosen us in Christ Jesus. "…Before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love…" That is the pinnacle of the relationship God wants us to have in loving Him and He loving us, that we stand wholly and blameless – no fault. One of the very gifts of grace that God gives is that He imputes to you, as unworthy as you are and I am, He imputes the righteousness of Christ to inspire us to want to be as Christ. That’s why it’s such a damnable thing to turn the grace of God into license to do evil. It was never intended to do that. It was intended to inspire us and give us His love and His Spirit to uplift us.

"…Having predestinated us unto the adoption [sonship] of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His [own] will…" And that means God’s very own desire and will. "…To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of His will…" That’s why the world won’t believe it when they find out that you believe that you’re going to become a son or daughter of God, and you are going to look and be seen exactly as Christ is today in glory. They can’t believe that because it’s a mystery. We can because God has opened our minds. "…According to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself…" (Eph. 1:3-9, KJV). So God has proposed it. Isn’t that wonderful? God’s purpose. Let’s keep that in mind always.

Now let’s go to Ephesians 2:1: "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins [Remember we read that – being dead? Yes]; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in [is now inner-working within] the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us…" Now the word for "great" is megalo. That means fantastic, marvelous, broad, overwhelming love that He has loved us. Now remember this is part of the New Testament covenant renewal through the Passover. That’s tremendous.

"…For His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)…" (Eph. 2:1-5, KJV). Now you understand why this cannot be what you do? God’s grace – that’s why it’s going to redound to the glory of God. And that’s why Satan rebelled – he could never figure it out, how God could take human beings and reproduce Himself. And how God determined before the foundation of the world that the one Who became Jesus Christ emptied Himself of all of His divinity to become a human being to pay for the sins of all of His creation.

Now let me interject right here one thing. Hold your place and we’ll come back here. Go to Matthew 16. Have you ever had Scriptures that you’ve thought on for a long time, that you puzzled over and it was very difficult to answer, and finally one day the answer came? I think we have the answer to this section of Matthew 16. Let’s pick it up in verse 21: "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." Notice the next verse: "Then Peter took Him…", implying he reached up and grabbed Him by the shoulders or arms and took Him on the side: "… and began to rebuke Him [began to rebuke Jesus Christ, correct Him], saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee." Now notice the next verse. This becomes even more difficult, doesn’t it? "But He turned, and said unto Peter…", "Well, Peter, I know that you don’t understand now. I know that you’re well intentioned in what you’re doing and I forgive you for being nasty to Me." No, look at the answer. This is something. He said: "…Get thee behind Me, Satan…" Now I think this is telling us that Satan rebelled when He understood what Christ was going to do and die for the sins of mankind. The same attitude, because of Satan, could prevent Christ from being crucified when it was time for Him to be crucified, he would think that he could thwart the plan of God and succeed in his rebellion. Because that’s pretty strange to answer that way if that weren’t the case, isn’t it? How would you like it if you were doing something which wasn’t right and someone came up to you and rebuked Satan? This is pretty powerful stuff. So I think that’s what it’s telling us. "…Thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matt. 16:21-23, KJV).

Now let’s come back to Ephesians 2 and we’ll finish this section here. So I really do believe, since He called us in Christ, we have the Spirit of Christ, we have the Spirit of God the Father with that, which is called the Spirit of Truth; and He’s raised us up and He’s chosen us, because you see we are going to be elevated into a higher realm. We are going to be elevated into a higher relationship with God than what Lucifer had before he fell.

Let’s pick it up here in verse 7. To sit in heavenly places in Christ: "…That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…", through His love to you, with a great love wherewith He has loved us, you see. "…Not of works, lest any man should boast." Now what boasting do we have if God has done all of this? There is no boasting. There just is none. And as Paul said, in the final analysis we brought nothing into the world and we’re surely not going to take it out. And he also said in another place that we are nothing. Everything we have has come from God. Then he said in another place, "He that glories, let him glorify in the Lord."

Verse 10: "For we are His workmanship…" Now we become the new vessel – the workmanship of the hands of God the Father and Jesus Christ, but we have to be willing and choose. We have to be the supple clay with a tender heart in the hands of God, and God can do great and magnificent things with that because that’s based on love. "…We are His workmanship, created…" Salvation is creation, brethren. We are being created in Christ Jesus. That’s why the flesh doesn’t mean a thing. "…Unto good works…" (Eph. 2:7-10, KJV). And what are the greater good works that we are going to do? Think of the good works we’re going to do as the resurrected sons and daughters of God, serving all of humanity in the Millennium. Are not those great and wonderful, good works? Yes they are. We have good works that God has ordained that we should walk in them now. What is that? Keeping His commandments, loving God, loving each other, serving each other, you see. Very powerful.

Now let’s come back to John 14 again, and this is going to bring us some greater understanding. Verse 23: "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love [anyone is loving] Me, he will keep [will be keeping] My words: and My Father will love [will be loving] him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." Now, put in your notes Jeremiah 31:3, because that says that God is going to be loving us with an everlasting love. It is going to continue – never cease. Now there are times when God blesses us… Have you ever experienced that there are times when you really feel the love of God when you’re praying or you’re studying, or you’re in the midst of a trial and you’re overcoming, or you are down and God begins to pick you up and you just feel so grateful and humble and thankful and God’s love just picks you up. Now if we can, multiply that thousands of times over but keep it for all eternity. That’s what God wants.

Now then, it really doesn’t matter what happens in the flesh because Paul said that he was crucified with Christ yet he lived, but the life that he was living in the flesh he was living by the faith of the Son of man "Who gave Himself for me." So we have faith and we have love together with complete dedication. That’s why Jesus said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind, and all your soul, and all your being. You want to know why that’s the motto for the Christian Biblical Church of God? Because my experience was there wasn’t any love where I was before and I got beaten to a pulp. And maybe you have too. So that’s why it is, because that’s the most important thing to focus on.

Now let’s look at something else here: "…My Father [will be loving] him, and We [not I, or He, but We] will come to him, and We will make our abode with him." Alright, now let’s understand something concerning the Holy Spirit. Let’s come down here to verse 26: "But the Comforter [the helper], which is the Holy Ghost [Spirit], whom [which] the Father will send in My name…" Now Who’s sending it? The Father.

Now go to John 15:26. Notice what it says about the Spirit again: "But when the Comforter [helper] is come, [which] I will send unto you from the Father…" So the Father and Christ sends it, which means it’s a joint project. "…The Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father…"

Now, John 16:13: "Howbeit when [that one shall have come], the Spirit of truth, [it] will lead you into all truth…" (paraphrased). You see, the thing is this: We must keep everything in perspective. Now it says the Holy Spirit is going to lead you in all truth. We’ll see a little later "call to remembrance everything I said to you, and will show you things which will come." How do you understand prophecy? By studying prophecy alone or by loving God first? You love God first.

Now let’s come back here to John 14:23: "…We will come unto him, and We will make Our abode with him." So the Holy Spirit of God that you have as a begettal from the Father, is that not correct? Yes. The Holy Spirit of God is sent by the Father then, which is the begettal. The Holy Spirit of God, Jesus Christ also sends and He has His part which then is Christ in you. So we have the joint operation of the Spirit of God with the Father and the Son. Those two are one are they not, correct? Yes. Now we’re talking about some pretty deep stuff right here now. Pretty profound things to grasp. Let’s see if we can look at some Scriptures which will help us.

Let’s go to Romans 8 please. We see it stated the same way here in Romans 8:9: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit…" That’s how God looks at you. You know what God wants? He wants to see you as you’re going to be in the resurrection because God talks about those things that are not as though they are. That’s what he’s saying here. "…If so be that the Spirit of God dwell [is dwelling] in you." Now when it says back in John 14 that "We will come and make Our abode with him", that means They are going to come and dwell within – to dwell within, to live within. "…That the Spirit of God [is dwelling] in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ [notice it is called here ‘the Spirit of Christ’], he is none of His." But the Sprit of Christ and the Spirit of the Father work together. You cannot have one without the other.

Let’s read on. Verse 10: "And if Christ be in you [that is the functioning of the Spirit of truth of Christ which is in us], the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead [that is the Spirit of the Father]…" So again, this is verifying that when Jesus said "We will come and We will make Our abode [or dwelling place] with the one who is loving Me." That’s wonderful. That is tremendous, brethren, that we can grasp that and understand that that God will grant us His Spirit and His Truth and His Word that we can be lifted up to understand the deep things of God. This is one of the deep things of God. Remember what the apostle Paul said? He said that the things of God are revealed by His Spirit, Yea the deep things of God. And brethren, if there’s any one thing that we ought to desire to understand, we have to have the desire and love of God in order to do so, that is to desire to understand the deep things of God. I desire that. And if God will and it does happen, I want to teach as many brethren as I can so they know God greater, more personally, more involved than at any time in their entire lives. That’s what it has to be.

Now: "…If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [or that is, make alive] your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:9-11, KJV).

Now let’s come back to John 14. We’ve just finished verse 23. Let’s read that last sentence again "We will come to him" because the Father draws. None can come to Me unless the Father draws him. Now notice you’ve heard in the past "the Spirit of the Father." It doesn’t say that in John 6:44 – "the Father draws him." That is a direct personal involvement. Yes He does use the Spirit, but it is God the Father directly Who is doing it. "…And We will make Our abode with him." That’s why Paul said, "Know you not that you are the temple of the living God, and that the Holy Spirit of God is dwelling in you?" This is so great. How terrible it is, brethren, that some of the worst and heinous sins, ever in the world, are known and heard of within the church of God when you compare what God has done.

Let’s continue on, verse 24: "He that loveth Me not [the one who is not loving Me]…" Now this is very plain. "…Keepeth not My sayings [is not keeping My words]…" So they can mouth the love of God all they want, but you see God judges the heart not the lips. Because with the lips flattering and kind words can be spoken, but if there is hatred and murder in the heart it does not matter.

"[The one who is not keeping My words, that is the one who is not loving Me]…" Now notice in who’s authority does He state this on: "…And the word [that means the whole message, everything that Christ taught] which ye hear [are hearing] is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me." So if you reject Jesus Christ you reject God the Father. That’s why when we come to John 17 and Jesus prays, He says, "Father, I pray that they may be one as You and I are one. I in them and You in Me, that they may be one in Us." That’s the covenant that God has with us. So how can anyone turn and dedicate themselves to evil? Well, part of it is they have never taken the time to find out what God really wants them to know. May God forgive them, be merciful to them, but may they keep their feet off the rest of us.

"[…And the word which you are hearing is not Mine, but the Father Who has sent Me]." So if we reject Christ we reject the Father. "But the [helper] which is the Holy [Spirit], whom the Father will send in My name…", and we just covered that that the Father sends it, Christ sends it. "…[It] shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." And brethren, that’s why we have the book of John. And that’s why the Gospel of John is different than Matthew, Mark, and Luke, because the Holy Spirit inspired John to write things that the others did not contain. Now there are some parallels and overlaps, that’s true, but none of them have this. God wants us to know it.

Verse 27: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." And this peace is profound. It comes from the grace of God. Really tremendous. Isn’t that really wonderful – that Jesus Christ says, "Look, before I called you, you were My enemy; before I called you, you were carnal-minded and hostile to Me; before I called you I died to forgive your sins; before I called you I was resurrected and sat on the right hand of God and worked with the Father to choose you." That’s tremendous. That’s the peace that we need to have. Not torment, but peace.

"Peace I [am giving to] you…not as the world gives it…Let not your heart be troubled [or be fearful]…" Don’t worry, everything’s going to work out. "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe." Notice how many times the word "believe, believing, belief" is here. "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince [ruler] of this world cometh…" Satan the devil, possessing Judas Iscariot. "[…And he does not have a single thing in Me]. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do [this is exactly what I am doing]. Arise, let us go hence" (John 14:23-31, KJV, paraphrased).

Now let’s add a couple of things concerning the peace of God. Let’s go to Romans 5:1: "Therefore being justified by faith…" Now you see, isn’t it true, if we have more of the love of God can we not have more faith in God? Yes. Without a doubt. We are justified by faith. "…We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Now we’re going to see in this section faith and hope and love just like John 14, 15, 16, and 17 are based upon.

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience [endurance]; and patience [endurance], experience…" And that’s where we are right here, are we not? Do we not have experience, and does that experience not want us to love God more? Yes. And to see more what God is doing? Absolutely. And we are to learn from the things that we experience so that we can discern the right from the wrong, and the good from the evil, and the love from the hatred, and the sincerity from the hypocrisy, and the true service from the politicians.

"…And experience, [brings] hope…" And so with all the brethren having been out there and gone through what they’ve gone through, I know that God is going to use that experience to reinvigorate their hope and their love and their faith – I know it! He will. Now they’ve got to be willing and choose on the other hand. "…And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad [poured out] in our hearts [and may that be so always] by the Holy Ghost [Spirit] which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:1-5, KJV). So brethren, this tells us an awful lot concerning our covenant with Christ and the very reason why John 14 is based upon faith and love together.

Now we’ll finish another section here a little later and then we will get into hope and love. But just think of what Christ has done – how wonderful that it is, and how great that it is, and how much He desires to love you and give you His Spirit and give you His Word and to understand His Word, and to see you there sitting in the heavenlies with Jesus Christ because of the love of God the Father. That’s what He’s telling us here. That’s why God inspired John to write this. And I’m thankful for that. Well, we’ll go ahead and end it here and we’ll pick up John 15 next time.

Love of God # 13

Scriptural References

1. John 14:7-11 21) Jeremiah 31:3

2. John 20:30-31 22) John 14:23, 26

3. John 21:25 23) John 15:26

4. John 14:12-15 24) John 16:13

5. Deuteronomy 10:12-16 25) Romans 8:9-11

6. I John 5:1-3 26) John 6:44

7. Revelation 14:12 27) John 14:24, 26-31

8. Revelation 12:17 28) Romans 5:1-5

9. John 15:10

10. John 14:16-17

11. Revelation 3:15-17, 19-20

12. John 20:19-22

13. John 14:17-21

14. I John 2:3-6

15. II John 6-7

16. John 14:22-23

17. Matthew 10:37-39

18. Ephesians 1:3-9

19. Ephesians 2:1-10

20. Matthew 16:21-23