First Love

John writes so much of love. One of the first verses we teach children comes from him:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

We should never outgrow our love for this verse. John didn’t forget Jesus’ words. He wrote of Him again and again:

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16 KJV)

It is John who explains the love Christians have for others:

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3 KJV)

It also is John who explains that some do not:

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1 John 1:6 KJV)

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4 KJV)

John gives us the very best of advice:

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6 KJV)

How can we walk as Jesus walked unless we spend time learning of Him, and why He was here? Or would Jesus speak to us as He to Peter:

And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? (Matthew 15:16 KJV)

John wrote of what he came to understand:

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:6 KJV)

After memorizing John 3:16, it would do well for us to memorize:

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)