See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are!
LOVE: 1st John

Week 4 of 1st John: LOVE
Scripture: 1st John 3:1-10
Teacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 11/5/13
Listen or download:

Key words: love & children of God

PURPOSE: to know and live in the truth that we are now the children of God. God declares His love for us,
which changes everything.

“A vast economic and media machine semi-consciously enforces the ultimate importance of superficial and degrading morals and models.
How is a person to resist this? We are prey to a network of influences that insist that one’s personal worth depends on physical appearance, youthfulness, money, gadgets, and an ability to impress people. Even if we are successful in meeting these demands, they will destroy us.
The person who possesses some of these qualifies is condemned to be valued only in terms of beauty, money, and success [which all can be easily lost at some time].
The person who has the courage to rebel against them is judged worthless by society. This judgment is a powerful deterrent to rebellion.” —Dick Keyes, Beyond Identity

Scriptures: 1st John 3:1-10

3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Verse to memorize:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” —1st John 3:1

Kids’ verse:


Audio for this teaching is included in the RENEW Church podcast: subscribe in iTunes here, listen to all Women’s Bible Study messages at Godrenews.us/women, or access the church podcast feed directly here.