1 John 4:15-19 – “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us.” NASB

In these few verses, there are several life-changing truths that I want to highlight and discuss briefly:

• The Way to God – – “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
• God Is Love – – “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
• As He “is,” So Are We IN THIS WORLD – – “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.”
• Love Defeats Fear – – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

God’s Love Draws Us to Himself – –“We love because He loved us.”  The New King James says it better – “We love Him because He first loved us.”

I want to touch on each of those and will do so one day at a time.  Let us briefly examine the first one – “The Way to God.”

1 John 1:9-10 provides the pathway to Salvation: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV

John 3:16-17 we find the doorway to Salvation – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” NKJV

Jesus declared in John 10:7-9 that He was the “DOOR TO SALVATION” – “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” NKJV

I am not focused on what other religions or cults say about the pathway to Salvation.  The explicit declaration of the Bible is that aside from Jesus and His atonement, there is no access to Salvation.  He came and lived as a man, without sin, and offered Himself a sacrifice for us.  He paid the penalty for sin and broke the legal claim that the devil had on mankind, opening the door to Salvation.  He is the Messiah!  We can be cleansed from sin through the Cross and His Sacrificial Blood.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.

If you do not know Jesus as your personal savior, please listen to His offer and believe in your heart that He is and that He died for your sins.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us all unrighteousness.  We can be “born again” today and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  I desire that all come to the knowledge of and experience repentance and receive His Mercy.

May the Lord Bless you as you go through this day.  Tomorrow, we will consider “God Is Love.”