1. Real love comes from God.

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.” 1 John 4:7a

2. Real love is a sign of being God’s child.

“Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7b-8

3. Real love is perfectly demonstrated by Christ’s death for us.

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

4. Real love is brought to full expression when it is shared.

“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:11-12

“If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. 1 John 4:20-21

5. Real love can be trusted.

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.” 1 John 4:16

6. Real love grows more perfect.

“God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.” 1 John 4:16b-17

7. Real love expels all fear.

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” 1 John 4:18

8. Real love is a response to God’s love.

“We love each other because he loved us first.” 1 John 4:19

Share on Facebook or Twitter or post a comment. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From my reading in 1 John 4 in the One Year Bible New Testament.