And love is the supreme test of the new life. Love is a central test of our spiritual life in Jesus. I suppose that I had heard that often enough, but I can recall one day sitting in a church congregation. He could have run me over with a truck, for somehow it had never dawned on me that love is measurable growable. But that is precisely what John wants to say love is a test check in on yourself from time to time and see how you re doing.
Love is a test for spiritual health.
In verse 16 John moves on to say to us that the essence of love is to be self-giving. Love is to be self-giving. I wrestled long and hard with this part of the sermon as I prepared it. For Verse 16 says that self-giving love is costly and risky and certainly not easy. We sing about it, we talk about it, we hear it preached so often.