◄ What Does 1 John 4:12 Mean? ►

God is Spirit, and John tells us on a number of different occasions that no one has seen God at any time, apart from a brief season at Christ's First Coming, when the invisible God was made manifest to the world through His only begotten Son.

Christ had come to set up His kingdom, as foretold by the prophets, but He was mocked and crucified. He died, was buried, and on the third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated on the right hand of the Father.

Today however, the invisible God is manifesting Himself through the Body of Christ, which is His Church. As believers, we are called to abide in Him, to rest in Him, to remain in Him, to live holy in Christ Jesus, to walk in spirit and truth, and not to be conformed to the fleshly ways of the world.

And as we abide in Him and live godly in Christ Jesus, the indwelling Holy Spirit abides in us and produces in us an abundance of spiritual fruit. As we submit to the Holy Spirit in spirit and truth, He transforms us into the likeness of the Lord Jesus. The more we rest, remain, and abide in Him, the more the love of God is perfected in us.

Christian love for one another is the outward manifestation of the invisible God in our world today. The life that rests, remains, and abides in Christ is the one that demonstrates godly love for one another. As God abides in us and His love is perfected in us, so we become a channel of His love to each other.

The way that God manifests Himself to the world today is through the love we have for one another, but this is only possible as we rest, remain and abide in Him. May we become channels through whom the love of God may be poured out to others.

Heavenly Father, make me a channel of Your love and blessing to others. May I rest, remain, and abide in You so that Your love may be perfected in me. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.