Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Sunday, December 7, 2008

1 John Series 1 John 4:18-21 Perfected in Love

1 John 4:18 “...In fact, the person who is afraid has not been matured by virtue-love.”

True love is the absence of fear. It is impossible to have fear and be occupied with Christ at the same time.

True courage means sound judgment, thinking under pressure, and good judgment at all times. Sound judgment comes from Bible doctrine, not from emotion.

Spiritual maturity is always characterized by courage or lack of fear. Psa 3:6, 56:3, 11; Heb 11:27.

Psa 3:6, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.”

1 John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.”

"We love" is the function of our impersonal and unconditional love towards all of mankind.

"Because He first loved us" - all that God has done for us that has resulted in our salvation and giving us His Power System to fulfill His Plan for our lives.

How God's love was manifested towards us. Romans 8:28-39

1) Vs. 29, “…so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”

2) Vs. 32a, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,…”

3) Vs. 34b, “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

Rom 8:3 “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.”

Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, December 7, 2008 Tape # 08S-047 He first loved us! Communion 1 John Series 1 John 4:18-19; Rom 5:12 8:3, 28-39; Phil 2:5-8 Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, December 7, 2008 Tape # 08S-047 He first loved us! Communion 1 John Series 1 John 4:18-19; Rom 5:12 8:3, 28-39; Phil 2:5-8 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008