1 John 4

In this chapter, John emphasizes the importance of love, not just as a virtue, but as an essential characteristic of God. He also warns about false prophets and how to discern the spirit of truth from the spirit of error. The chapter ties the understanding of God's nature with practical love among believers, highlighting that love is the defining mark of true faith.

1 John 4:1 (NKJV) "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

John warns believers not to be gullible or accept every spiritual influence they encounter. He urges them to test these spiritual forces to determine if they are truly from God. This caution is necessary because of the presence of false prophets and teachers who have infiltrated the church. Discernment, therefore, is crucial for avoiding deception.

1 John 4:2-3 (NKJV) "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."

John provides a practical test for discerning spirits: those that acknowledge Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh are from God. This confession affirms the reality of Christ’s incarnation. On the other hand, any spirit that denies this core truth reflects the spirit of the Antichrist, a deceptive force already at work in the world.

1 John 4:4 (NKJV) "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

John encourages believers, affirming that they belong to God and have already overcome the spirit of deception through Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit within them is greater than the influence of Satan or any false teaching in the world. This serves as a reminder of the victory they have in Christ.

1 John 4:5-6 (NKJV) "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

John contrasts those who are "of the world" with those who are "of God." The false prophets align with worldly values, and therefore, the world listens to them. In contrast, those who know God recognize and accept the truth spoken by the Apostles. This distinction reveals the difference between truth and deception, with true believers gravitating toward the message of Christ.

1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV) "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

John calls believers to love one another because love originates from God. The ability to love others is a sign that a person is born of God and knows Him. On the other hand, the absence of love indicates a lack of relationship with God. Since God’s very nature is love, anyone who truly knows God will naturally reflect that love in their relationships.

1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV) "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

God’s love is demonstrated in the most profound way through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ. This act was not based on humanity’s love for God, but rather on God’s love for humanity. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, as a propitiation for our sins, is the ultimate expression of love and provides the means by which believers can have eternal life.

1 John 4:11 (NKJV) "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

Because of the immense love God has shown to believers, there is a moral obligation for them to extend that same love to others. John emphasizes that this response of love is a natural consequence of experiencing God’s love personally.

1 John 4:12 (NKJV) "No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us."

Though no one has physically seen God, His presence is made manifest in the love believers show to one another. When Christians love each other, it demonstrates that God is living in them, and through this, His love reaches its full expression or perfection.

1 John 4:13-14 (NKJV) "By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world."

The presence of the Holy Spirit within believers is the evidence of their relationship with God. John also stresses the testimony of the Apostles, who were eyewitnesses to Jesus' mission and purpose. They proclaim that the Father sent Jesus to be the Savior, confirming the truth of the gospel.

1 John 4:15 (NKJV) "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God."

Confession of Jesus as the Son of God is a hallmark of genuine faith. Those who openly declare this truth have the assurance that God lives in them, and they live in God. This mutual abiding points to a close, personal relationship with the Creator.

1 John 4:16 (NKJV) "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."

John reiterates the central theme: God is love. The believer who remains in God’s love lives in harmony with God, and God abides in them. It’s a relationship grounded in the full trust and understanding of God's love for humanity.

1 John 4:17-18 (NKJV) "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

Perfect love brings confidence, especially when facing the day of judgment. Believers can have boldness because, through Christ, they are already seen as righteous. Fear, which brings anxiety and punishment, has no place where love is fully matured. True love drives out fear, giving believers peace.

1 John 4:19 (NKJV) "We love Him because He first loved us."

John reminds believers that their love for God is not something they initiated. Rather, their love is a response to the love God first showed them. God’s love always precedes and motivates human love.

1 John 4:20-21 (NKJV) "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."

John concludes with a powerful statement on the inseparability of love for God and love for others. A person cannot claim to love God while harboring hatred toward their fellow believers. True love for God must manifest in love for others, as this is the commandment given by Christ.