This week we are going to be looking deeper at 1 John 4: 13-21:

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.

Today we’ll see what this passage can mean for in the living our lives.  Today we see a little something that is always important for us to understand, that is the concept of assurance. Today in verse 13 we are told those who abide in God have the spirit. For John Wesley, he taught the presence of the Spirit in our lives was that assurance. We can know that we are in God and God is in us.

That’s what the old hymn Blessed Assurance is talking about:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

We have that assurance, that “knowing” that Jesus is our ours. He loves us and He has saved us.  We don’t have to doubt if we are a Christian, we don’t have to wait to find out if we are getting into heaven, we can know.  In fact, if we are a Christian, we will know. We will have that assurance.  His Spirit will speak to us, call us, convict us, encourage us, be present with us each day.

This great hymn of the faith speaks to the truth that this assurance is a foretaste of what is coming one day. We get a glimpse of what heaven will be like. The Spirit that deposit, it is that insurance or assurance.  We can be assured that God loves us and is with us.

And we’ve already talked about it, but I want to say it again – God is love.  He loves you.  That is simply who He is.  He is love.  He is Holy. And He is love. Those are the two central parts of God’s very nature.

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