In this study we continue the theme of our Research Night of understanding Love and the Manifestations of the holy spirit. Love is much more than a sentiment. It energizes our faith. In First John, we learn that we are able to love because God first loved us by giving his son up to death on the cross. We first love God, and then we love one another. In fact, the love we have for one another is really an extension of our love for God, because we are actually loving those whom God loves.
We learn from Matthew 24, however, that because of an increase of lawlessness in the world, the love of many will grow cold. We look into the nature of the person, called the man of lawlessness; otherwise known as the antichrist. This person figures prominently in First John and stands in stark opposition to Christ.