We are very blessed to have the God of creation taking residence in our body. It is made possible since we have been redeemed and washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. His presence shines through us. The perfect love of God should be like a fragrance that permeates through us in all the different settings we have been placed to create an impact for Him.
1 John 4:12-15(NKJV) No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
The fragrance of Christ permeates through our lives when He takes residence in us. People feel good, relaxed, and blessed being around us. Isn’t that the case for you and I? If not, there is some reflection to be done today. Well, all of us will grow from spiritual infancy to maturity throughout our walk with Him on earth.
Nobody has seen God, but the people will know that we are Jesus’ disciples by the love that we show one another and to the people in the world. No, it is not loving with our Phileo love because that will fail miserably but with the perfect love of God that flows out of our hearts.
1 John 12:20 (NKJV) If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
We live in a fallen, and broken world. In fact, the world has gotten darker, because there is animosity in the family, between business partners, racial tensions, heightened geopolitical differences and people of different agendas have divided the society deeply in different countries.
It’s a vicious, unforgiving, and ruthless world. If Christians were to keep feeding into these habits of being unkind with words and action, then it will affect their spiritual growth and the unity in the church.
Apostle John is reminding us that we can’t be saying that we love God and hate our brothers or sisters! How can we profess that we love God but in the same breath show divisiveness, hatred, and contentions towards people whom we can see, feel, and communicate with?
Love is not perfected in us if we are still behaving in this manner. We need to delve into the word constantly to remind ourselves to keep all these unhealthy words, actions, and behavior at bay. We must never allow it to creep into the family, cell group and church.
Sermon Series: The Best Abode
爱神与恨人
创造万物的神住在我们的身体里，我们是非常蒙福的。因为我们已经被耶稣基督的血救赎和洗净，才使这一切成为可能。祂的同在照耀着我们。上帝完美的爱应该像一股馨香之气，通过我们在所有不同的环境中散发出祂的影响。
约翰一书4:12- 15 从来没有人看见过神。我们若彼此相爱、神就住在我们里面，爱祂的心在我们里面得以完全了。因神将祂的灵赐给我们，我们就知道我们住在祂里面，祂也住在我们里面。 父差子作世人的救主，这是我们所看见并作见证的。凡承认耶稣是神儿子的，神就住在他里面，他也住在神里面。
当基督住在我们里面的时候，祂的香气透我们的生命散发。人们和我们在一起时感觉舒适，放松，蒙福。这不是你和我的状况吗? 如果答案是否定的，那么我们今天就应该做一些反思。随着我们与祂在世上的同行，我们终将从属灵婴孩长成大人。
没有人见过上帝，但是透过我们向彼此以及世人展现的爱，人们就会知道我们是耶稣的门徒。不，这不是菲利奥式（朋友间有条件）的爱，因为那是经不起考验的，而是从我们心中涌出的上帝那无条件的完全的爱。
约翰一书4:20 若有人说我爱神，却恨他的弟兄，他就是说谎话的。人若不爱他看见的弟兄，怎能爱他没有看见的神呢？
我们生活在一个堕落、破碎的世界。事实上，世界已经变得更加黑暗，因为家庭纷争、商业伙伴之间的敌意、种族紧张关系、加剧的地缘政治分歧和不同政见的人在各个国家造成了深刻的社会分裂。
这是一个狂暴邪恶，冷酷无情的世界。如果基督徒继续以不友善的言语和行为养成这些习惯，就会影响他们属灵的成长和在教会里的团结合一。
使徒约翰提醒我们，我们不能说我们爱上帝却恨我们的兄弟姐妹!我们怎么能声称我们爱神，却对那些我们可以看见、感觉到和交流的人表现出分裂、仇恨和纷争呢?
如果我们继续这样做，爱在我们里面就不能完全。我们需要不停地探究经文来提醒自己远离所有这些不健康的言语、动作和行为。我们绝不能让它渗入家庭、小组和教会。
讲章系列：最好的住所