God is holy, pure, exacting, perfect love. He cannot tolerate the presence of anything less. (He declared no one could see His face and live. Ex. 33:20). The calamitous introduction of sin through Adam’s rebellion condemned all humanity to a sinful nature, banning it from original Garden of Eden intimacy, and simultaneously preventing God from enjoying this highest of pleasures. To heal the breach, God’s Plan ‘A’ required a pure, ‘unblemished by sin’ sacrifice with the shedding of blood. None was found (Ps. 53:1-3) so Jesus was commissioned to be that propitiation (action to regain favor). “[God] made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” (2 Cor. 5:21, TPT). Love’s perfection is now satisfied. The way back home is now available.

1 John 4:7-21, 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

1. 1 John 4:7-14 – Love’s ______________________

2. 1 John 4:15-21 – Love’s ____________________

3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 – Love’s _____________