To Love is to Give (5.6.18)

^{Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 Jn 4:8, ESV)}

^{God’s essence is Love}

^{“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, ESV)}

^{Love is most clearly expressed through giving.}

^{For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:7–9, ESV)}

^{Gifts can’t be earned}

^{Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights...(Jas 1:17, ESV)}

^{God has given us everything we need.}

^{2 Big Gifts}

^{For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ro 6:22, ESV)}

^{We are dead without God's gift of life.}

^{And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Ac 2:38, ESV)}

^{We can’t seperate the gift of eternal life from the gift of the Spirit.}

^{10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace (1 Pe 4:10, ESV)}

^{Gifts carry great responsibility.}

^{Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.}

^{(1 Ti 4:14, ESV)}

 

^{Gifts can be neglected}