God is Love

God is love; 

and he that 

abideth in love 

abideth in God, 

and God 

abideth in  him. 

1 John 4:16 RV

This was todays epistle reading (well it was part of today's epistle reading)

It has to be one of the greatest sentences ever. I know it may be a bit corny, even a bit seventies, but it is wonderful.

A friend recently told me it was one of her favourites, and one that she would use to describe the essence of the faith to a non-believer.

I would agree with that. It is sort of like one of those Buddhist sayings that consist of a paradox; that on contemplation leads to a meditative state. But it does not contain a paradox. 

The meditative state will come from contemplating the mutual indwelling that is stated. Not only does the sentence explain the existence of God, it also tells us how we can know this.

Like much of 1 John, it is not only a theological treatise, it is also a how to manual.