The document explores the biblical concept of love as expressed in 1 John 3:16-18, emphasizing the sacrificial nature of love and the call for Christians to demonstrate love through actions, not just words. C.S. Lewis and other theologians highlight the importance of vulnerability in love and the consequences of selfishness, arguing that true love involves giving oneself to others. It concludes with reflections on commandments, grace, and the necessity of love in authentic Christian theology.

1. 1 John 3:16–18

2. These things I have written to you
who believe in the name of the Son
of God, that you may know that you
have eternal life, and that you may
continue to believe in the name of
the Son of God.

3. Keep His commandments (2:3-27)
Abiding in Christ (2:28-3:3)
Break patterns of continuous sin (3:4-10)
Loving the brethren (3:11-23)
Indwelling of His Spirit (3:24-4:21)
Believing Jesus is Messiah (5:1-13)
Answers to prayer (5:14-16)

4. 16 By this we know love, because He laid
down His life for us. And we also ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and
sees his brother in need, and shuts up his
heart from him, how does the love of God
abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word
or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

5. not as Cain who was of the wicked one and
murdered his brother. And why did he murder
him? Because his works were evil and his
brother’s righteous.

6. To love at all is to be
vulnerable. Love anything,
and your heart will certainly
be wrung and possibly be
broken. If you want to make
sure of keeping it intact, you
must give your heart to no
one, not even to an animal.
C. S. Lewis
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little
luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up
safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

7. But in that casket – safe, dark,
motionless, airless – it will
change. It will not be broken; it
will become unbreakable,
impenetrable, irredeemable.
The alternative to tragedy, or at
least to the risk of tragedy, is
damnation. The only place
outside of heaven where you can
be perfectly safe from all the
dangers and perturbations of
love is hell.
C. S. Lewis

8. Greek Word Type Effect
EROS physical sensual, sexual
STORGE familial, social affection
PHILOS mental & emotional loyalty, honor
AGAPE spiritual sacrificial giving of
self for the benefit
of another

10. 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He
laid down His life for us. And we also ought to
lay down our lives for the brethren.
“One can give without loving,
but one cannot love without
giving.”
Amy Carmichael

11. “Whoever
loves much,
does much.”
Thomas à Kempis
Of the Imitation of Christ

12. John 15:13 Greater
love has no one than
this, than to lay down
one’s life for his
friends.

13. 1. Suffers Long
2. Kind
3. Does Not Envy
4. Does Not Parade Itself
5. Is Not Puffed Up
6. Does Not Behave Rudely
7. Does Not Seek Its Own
8. Is Not Provoked
9. Thinks No Evil
10. Does Not Rejoice In Iniquity
11. Rejoices In The Truth
12. Bears All Things
13. Believes All Things
14. Hopes All Things
15. Endures All Things
16. Love Never Fails

14. • Childish Talk
• Childish Beliefs
• Childish Thinking
• Adult Talk
• Adult Beliefs
• Adult Thinking

16. 1. Christ did not regard His Rights & Privileges
2. Christ emptied Himself
3. Christ identified with Mankind
4. Christ was obedient even to the point of
sacrifice

17. “It is not that we keep
His commandments
first, and that then He
loves; but that He loves
us, and then we keep
His commandments.
This is that grace, which
is revealed to the
humble, but hidden
from the proud.”
Augustine

19. “After all, Brethren, the whole end
of Theology is love. It seems hard
to realize that that is so, but so it is.
If your theology does not make you
more loving, it has not
Christianized you and to that
extent is not a Christian theology...
All ecclesiasticism and all
doctrinalizing are in order to form
character, and the soul of character
is love. Preach the truth in love,
and for the development of love.”
Nathaniel J. Burton

20. “The whole being of
any Christian is Faith
and Love... Faith brings
the man to God, love
brings Him to men.”
Martin Luther