A Scary Verse?

~ @barefacedgirl

by Julie Zine Coleman

I saw a link to a blog post the other day about the scariest verse in the Bible. Intrigued, I clicked on over. Apparently the offending passage was 1 John 4:7-8: “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” NASB

Not only the author but several commenters took this verse to mean if we did not show love, we’d better be worried about our salvation. I had to leave a comment. Because any time we think our relationship with God is dependent on how we act, we are headed for serious trouble.

We are saved through grace alone. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man think to boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). The key to salvation is in understanding that nothing I can do could ever earn forgiveness or favor with God. When I realize my insufficiency, I can then, in turn, put my trust in the sufficiency of Christ. His sacrifice more than paid for my guilt. When I believe in him, I am saved. That’s the gospel, plain and simple.

But as we try to live out our lives as believers, the reality of our insufficiency can fade. In our zeal to live holy lives, it can become once again about impressing God. If I am not acting like a Christian, I will fall out of his good favor. If I’m not being spiritual, I might never have even been a Christian to begin with.

Wait…what happened to grace?

Grace is undeserved favor. By definition we cannot earn it. It is one of those inexplicable sides of God: he gives it freely to those who believe. Even more astonishing: He continues to supply grace after we are saved: it is crucial to our relationship with him. Paul urged believers to “continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43, emphasis added, NASB). Our sense of dependency should only grow stronger as we walk with Christ. It should drive us to keep our eyes fixed on him, because looking at ourselves, our weaknesses, and continual failure will only lead to despair. When we understand grace, and how badly we need it, we cling to him like a life preserver.

So why then are commandments like this one to love so strongly stated?

  1. There is a purpose in our love. God’s intention is to reveal himself through the Church. In Philippians 2:14-16, Paul reminds his readers that their behavior (loving each other) will show God to the rest of the world. One sure-fire way to get some notice is by living the way the Bible instructs, and foremost, living lives of love (see John 17:20-21). When we love, we will stick out like a sore thumb. (In a good way.)
  1. Love is an expression of who we are. We have been rescued from sin’s hold over us. Why would we shed the robe of Christ’s righteousness and don the metaphorical garments of our old life? Paul writes, “Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7 NASB). We were rescued from the misery of sin’s mastery over us. This includes living for self and carrying hatred and bitterness in our hearts, the opposites of love. Why willingly jump back into the cesspool?
  1. Love is a healthy life-style choice. God loves us. His Word instructs us to love. Whenever we choose what goes against His Word, it cannot end well. So it is with withholding love. Nothing will make us sicker than anger or hatred. In the end, bitterness is a heavy burden to bear, and often leads to further sin (Ephesians 4:26-27). God’s way is always the best way.

In short, yes, 1 John urges us to love. It marks a true believer and is an effective way we can show God to the world. Loving brings meaning and satisfaction to our every action.

But in no way is love a condition for our salvation or any kind of a relationship with God. As children of God, we live under the huge umbrella of grace. He loves us, not because of what we do for him, but because he is a merciful God and has already paid our debt. Any sense of accomplishment we get from following his commands should not undermine the reality of our dependence on him for the most basic of spiritual needs.

He is all-sufficient. We must rest in that fact alone.

“For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”  John 1:17 NASB

Julie-Coleman-headshot-295x300About the author: Julie Coleman helps others to understand and know an unexpected God. A popular conference and retreat speaker, she holds an M.A. in biblical studies. Her award-winning book, Unexpected Love: God’s Heart Revealed through Jesus’ Conversations with Women, was published in 2013 by Thomas Nelson. Julie is the managing editor for Arise Daily. When she is not glaring at her computer, she spends time with her grandchildren, gardening, or walking her neurotic dog. More on Julie can be found at unexpectedgod.com and Facebook.

Free Book Contest!  Arise Daily will use a random number generator to pick a winner Screen Shot 2017-12-22 at 2.39.03 PMfrom today’s comments. To enter our contest for Julie’s book, Unexpected Love: God’s Heart Revealed through Jesus’ Conversations with Women,  please comment below.  By posting in our comments, you are giving us permission to share your name if you win!  If you have an outside the US mailing address, your prize could be substituted with an e-book of our choice.

Join the conversation: What is the scariest verse in the Bible for you?

 

Published by @barefacedgirl

Specializing in Global Brand and Communications Management, #barefacedcreative owner Amber Weigand-Buckley is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) and has over 20 years of award-winning multi-media experience. The publications she has served have received over 20 awards from the Evangelical Press Association. She was named the 2015 AWSA Member of the Year and the 2018 Evangel University Distinguished Communications Alumni of the Year. Currently, Amber serves authors and speakers in many consultancy, coaching and communication strategy capacities including her role as Marketing, Communications and Brand Director for the Right to the Heart Ministry Network, which includes AWSA. Amber is the founding editor and Art Director of Leading Hearts magazine (which has received an EPA award every year of its 6 years of publication. Amber is co-host of a weekly FB Live video podcast and internet radio show, Something 2 Celebrate on the Acts Media Network. She also serves Asia Pacific Media (a ministry based in Manila, Philippines) as a fundraising consultant as well as editor and art director for their multi-media e-mag MISSION magazine. In partnership with AP Media, this summer she traveled to Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baguio, Philippines, to teach media missionaries from Myanmar, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines to how to launch a Christian publication at their home churches. Amber heads social media and internet marketing for London Calling Pasty Company and client social media communications for Pregnancy Care Center of Springfield (Missouri). She is the marketing assistant for Red Umbrella Pictures an independent screenwriting company, marketing and editorial consultant for CEO Lifestyle Magazine in Richmond, Virginia and has helped launch businesses and ministries in the greater Richmond, Virginia community.

13 thoughts on “A Scary Verse?”

    1. It’s a truth I need to remind myself of almost daily! For example: on my way to a speaking engagement, as I pray that God would use my message in the hearts of others, I always think of whether or not I spent enough time preparing, or prayed enough while studying. If I didn’t put “enough” effort in, maybe God won’t bless it. As soon as the thought crosses my mind, the Lord impresses on me: nothing you do can “deserve” my blessing. Our relationship is based on My grace. Whenever we start thinking to “earn” anything, we are moving away from grace. Thanks for reading!!

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  2. Wow, really meaty! Thank ypu, Julie, words to live and grow on.

    One of the scariest passages for me us when Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.” Whether He was simply calling Peter His adversary, or He was calling Satan out, in that moment, I find it frightening that someone as close to Jesus as Peter was could, in a surely well-meaning gesture, become Jesus’ adversary.

    And that brings me to the passionately religious Paul, whom Jesus came to personally to ask,”Why are you persecuting Me?” How terrifying is that, that in our religious zeal we couls actually be persecuting, and hurting, God Himself?

    Gives me grave pause…

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    1. There as so many verses like that that require study, especially a look at the context in which they appear, to fully understand! I run across them all the time!

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    1. I’d always wondered if God considered women second-class citizens. So I decided to study Christ in His interactions with them. What I discovered was life-changing. I totally fell in love with Jesus as I saw Him start with where each woman was, and how He drew them into relationship with Him. I hope you’ll read the book!

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  5. Julie, thank you for illuminating those verses! It was helpful to see where grace begins and human effort throws us off course for God’s true path.

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  6. “Our sense of dependency should only grow stronger as we walk with Christ.”
    This … this truth changes everything, Julie. And yet sometimes, the longer we walk with Christ, we tend to say, “I’ve got this, God.” And we walk the Christian life out not in grace, but with Law — all the do’s and don’ts — thinking we can handle what comes at us each day that way. Forgetting grace. Forgetting love. Forgetting how it all started — with God’s love and his lavish grace.

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    1. So true, Beth. It’s the call of the flesh, to think we can do anything without Him. I think it is why Jesus made one of His last teachings to His disciples about the Vine and the branches. “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15)

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