Bible Commentaries
1 John 4

Verses 1-6

1Jn 4:1-6

SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND

SPIRIT OF ERROR CONTRASTED

(1 John 4:1-6)

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; --The fervent address of love with which this verse begins, "beloved," occurs three times in this chapter, verses 1, 7, and 11, and indicates the tender warmth of affection characteristic of the writer for those addressed. To it a warning is appended with reference to false teachers which then abounded. Such were the "spirits" referred to, and often elsewhere alluded to in the Epistle. (E.g., 2:18, 22, 26; 4:5, etc.) The sense of the admonition is, therefore, "Refrain from believing every teacher who claims to be from God, but prove (test) them and see whether or not they really are of God." This warning was especially needful at the time because Asia Minor generally, and Ephesus particularly, was rampant with magic and mysticism, heresy and error, and the advocates of each cult claimed supernatural direction and aid. Affecting to be led by the power of God, they sought to support their theories in the same fashion, and by means of the same claims as false teachers today.

The readers of the Epistle were thus admonished to "prove" the spirits (dokimazete to pneumata) run an assay on them. as a metallurgist does his metals, and determine whether they were of God. This, they were able to do, either by exercising miraculous power in the discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), or by comparing the claims of these men with the known teaching of the Holy Spirit through properly accredited representatives. (See the comments on 1 John 2:27 ff.) There was undoubtedly a wide diffusion of spiritual gifts during the miraculous age of the church in order to supply the deficiency obtaining in the absence of an infallible, documented report of the Spirit’s teaching such as we have in the New Testament today. It is significant that it was John’s readers who were to make the test and not some ecclesiastical dignitary or official head. Here, by implication, is positive proof of the falsity of the claim to infallibility by the pope of Rome and the consequent denial of the right of private judgment in matters religious as is done in the Catholic Church today.

Because many false prophets are gone out into the world. --The reason for the injunction delivered in the earlier clauses of this verse. These false prophets are referred to by John in 2:18 as "antichrists," and the Lord, during his public ministry, warned that such would appear: "And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray." (Matthew 24:11.) It was, therefore, a time of crisis; and the welfare of the cause of Christ and the salvation of their own souls were dependent on the immediate repudiation of these deceivers and antichrists. Such still abound, and the injunction is equally applicable to us today. Men still affect to be led by the Spirit of God; still claim to be representatives of the Most High; yet attempt to propagate their doctrines on the basis of supernatural aid. These we are to prove (try, test) by the infallible standard we possess--the New Testament. It matters not how pious or religious a teacher may affect to be, he is worthy of belief only when his teaching is in complete harmony with the word of God. If it is not in harmony therewith, he ought to be, he must be, speedily repudiated. To do otherwise is to imbibe the poison of unbelief; it is to espouse false doctrine it is to become a party to the propagation of error. "If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works." (2 John 1:10-11.) Because Satan ever attempts to counterfeit the work of the Lord, false prophets have ever abounded. (Luke 6:26; Acts 13:6; Revelation 16:13.) We must be constantly watchful, we must exercise ceaseless vigilance lest we, too, succumb to their allurements and surrender to their seductions.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:--The test by which certain false teachers then prevalent might be discerned and identified is here indicated: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." Conversely, any man who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh was not of God. Numerous false doctrines regarding the nature of Christ were then being propagated. Some of these questioned his deity (See underothers,;humanityIntroduction,his."The Design of the Epistle.") The apostle thus provided a test by which false and true teachers might be distinguished in the matters then confronting the church: those who confessed that Jesus had come in the flesh were of God. (a) Those who acknowledged such, confessed the deity of Jesus by admitting that he was the Christ, and thus the Messiah of the Old Testament prophets (b) in confessing that he had come in the flesh they repudiated the doctrine of the Docetic Gnostics who denied this. These men denied the humanity of Jesus by alleging that he only appeared to have a body of flesh but, in reality, did not. Thus, in acknowledging both the humanity and the deity of Jesus one vindicated his claim to the Spirit’s direction. Paul similarly said, "Wherefore I make known unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is anathema ; and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3.)

The verb "is come" in this verse is translated from a Greek perfect, thus indicating past action with existing results. The incarnation was past as to its occurrence, but its effects--benefits and blessing--yet remain, and will continue to do so throughout time and eternity, involving the sum of all that Christianity has vouchsafed to man. This confession embraces the basic truth on which Christianity rests, the foundation stone on which the church is built. (Matthew 16:13-20.) To deny it is the mark of the false teacher; to acknowledge it, with all that this involves, is to vindicate one’s claim to the truth. It thus supplies an infallible test and by it the true may be separated from the false.

3 And every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh and now it is in the world already.--This is a negative statement, embodying the same truth as that which is positively put in verse 2, with the additional information that to refuse to confess both the deity and the humanity of Jesus is to manifest the spirit of the antichrist. (See comments on 1 John 2:22, for the identity of the antichrist.) Warnings had been given that such would appear and now they were there. Though these false teachers were not the antichrist primarily designated in this fashion, they exhibited the spirit of the antichrist, in their opposition to Christ and his teaching. In this sense, all false teachers, including those in the world today, are of the antichrist. They are of the antichrist in that they are opposed to the teaching of Christ, his church, and his people; and though they pretend to be of him, they have, in reality, arrayed themselves against him. The fact that they teach much that is true does not justify their claim of being of the Lord; the error which they teach and the opposition which they exhibit establish their true spirit--the spirit of the antichrist. The Catholic Church teaches many things that are true; but this monstrous ecclesiasticism is so formidably arrayed against the truth and the cause of the Lord that it is on the side of Satan, and so of all the denominational and sectarian world.

It is the spirit of the antichrist to do as they do, and all who manifest this spirit derive it from the same source. It originates from the love of error and from an unwillingness to abide in the truth. It is indeed possible for one to have the spirit of truth, i.e., a love for truth while in error; and, conversely, to have a spirit of error while holding much truth. The former repudiate, without hesitation, error as they learn the truth; the latter, though holding much truth, are often motivated by the same spirit as that which characterizes the world. Those of this class are sometimes met with in the church. Prejudice is not a peculiarity of the denominational world alone.

4 Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.--"Ye" is in emphatic position in the Greek text which, literally rendered, is: "Ye out of God are, little children . . ." a clause indicative of John’s love for them ("my little children"), his relation of a counselor and father ("my little children"), and their relation to God ("Ye are of God"). Emphasis is given to the pronoun for the purpose of setting his readers over against the false teachers under consideration in the context. They were thus sharply distinguished from each other, the saints were on one side, the false teachers on another; and thus the test provided might be easily applied.

"Overcome" is translated from a perfect verb, thus indicating that John’s readers had earlier reached a decision regarding the nature of these teachers and had rejected them; and an abiding conviction of the matter yet remained with them. They had overcome the false teachers by refusing to listen to their false doctrines, and by repudiating that which these teachers sought to impose upon them. The reason assigned why they were able to do this was that "He who was in them is greater than he that is in the world." God was in them and thus the power which motivated them was greater than that of Satan who is in the world. "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one." (1 John 5:19.) Satan is the prince of this world. Hence, Christians are taught to "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15.) Satan is the guiding spirit of all those who are of the world, and hence "Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God." (James 4:4.)

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them.--These men who were teaching false doctrines were of the world; the world, therefore, was the origin and source of that which they were and taught. In a similar statement, and to Jews who were advocates of false doctrines, though not that here particularly contemplated, but possessed of the same spirit of error, Jesus said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof." (John 8:44.) In this verse John may have been echoing words he had heard from the Lord: "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hateth you."(John 15:19.) The word "world" in these passages is a term used to denote unregenerate human nature and all that is in harmony with it--that sphere which is dominated by the devil and which willingly submits to his domination.

To guard the saints against any disappointment they might experience in observing that the preaching of these men was attended with success, more success, perhaps, than that which followed the preaching of the true gospel, John pointed out that the popularity of their preaching was due to the fact that it was suited to the desires and inclinations of the world. Such is equally true today. It is a sad commentary on human nature that the masses of people prefer to listen to pleasing falsehoods, rather than unpleasant truth. This disposition has not always been exclusively of the world. Frequently, in the past, and occasionally in the present, members of the church have exhibited the same attitude. Having charged Timothy to preach the word, Paul assigned as the reason why he should "reprove, rebuke, and exhort," that "the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:1-4.)

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he who is not of God heareth us not.--"We" is emphatic, and those included in it are put in contrast with the false teachers earlier considered. It does not embrace all of the saints (if so, who were those who heard them?), but the apostles primarily, and in a secondary sense, those who taught the same truth. Those who are "in tune" with God are "in tune" with each other; hence, "He that knoweth God (recognizes him for what he is) heareth us" ; and, conversely, "He who is not of God heareth us not." Jesus said, "He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God." (John 8:47.) "Knoweth," in this verse, is translated from a present active participle, and designates "one who keeps on knowing God," i.e., an individual ever increasing in the knowledge of the one and only true God. Such a one, in knowing God, recognizes God’s truth when it is preached, and hears it gladly; whereas, one who is not of God, hears it not. This, indeed, is one reason why some consider some sermons as uninteresting and dull, and others regard the same efforts as highly interesting and inspirational. The gospel was, to the Jews, a stumbling block, and to the Greeks, foolishness (literally, silliness); and to all who are not of God today, the gospel is a boresome, tiring thing. The reflection in all such instances is not on the message, or on him who presents it, but on the person exhibiting such a disposition. Of such, Jesus said, "Ye hear them not because ye are not of God." One may determine his spiritual level by measuring the degree of interest which he feels in the preaching of the gospel of God. How could such a one find the prospect of heaven inviting, when he experiences so little interest in the work of the Lord here? John knew what it was to be chilled and discouraged by the indifference and disdain of worldly hearers, even as every gospel preacher does today.

By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. --"By this," i.e., by the attitude people manifest toward the preaching of the truth it is possible to distinguish between those who held to the spirit of truth and those who are influenced by the spirit of error. The Holy Spirit is styled "the Spirit of truth" in John 14:17, and but for the fact that it is put here in contrast with "the spirit of error," the assumption would be that the Holy Spirit is directly referred to here. It appears, however here, that the "spirit of truth" is a disposition favorable toward the truth, as the "spirit of error" is a disposition friendly to error. In view of the fact that the word "spirit" in the text of the American Standard Version is spelled with a small letter "s," it follows that this was the view of that eminent body of translators. Inasmuch .as John had just been discussing the difference between those who hold to the truth and those who advocate error, the context supports this view. See the comments on verse 3.

Commentary on 1 John 4:1-6 by E.M. Zerr

1 John 4:1. The spirits means those men who profess to be speaking by inspiration, such as John mentions in the closing verse of the preceding chapter. The false teachers used that claim to obtain attention from the uninformed. The brethren are warned not to believe every man who makes such a claim, but first try them which means to test and examine them by the rule that is given in the next verse.

1 John 4:2. Nobody denied that a person lived on earth by the name of Jesus Christ, but some denied that He was divine in a body of flesh. That was equivalent to saying that He was not the divine Son of God. That would also mean that Christ had no authority or saving virtue. It was generally known that a person was predicted to come into the world to fulfill the law and the prophets, and to effect a plan of salvation on the merits of His blood. But it was denied by some that the person known as Jesus Christ was the expected one. Hence if a man acknowledged the divinity of Christ it was evidence that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Paul teaches this also in 1 Corinthians 12:3 where he says, "No man can say Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" or Spirit.

1 John 4:3. This verse merely sets forth the opposite of the preceding one, and completes the rule by which the brethren may try the spirits, thus avoiding the misfortune of being misled by the antichrists and other false teachers.

1 John 4:4. The disciples had overcome them (the antichrists) because they were the children of God. He will care for those who trust in Him, and that will insure them the victory over the enemy because God who is in them is greater than the "wise men" of the world who were trying to seduce them.

1 John 4:5. They (the antichrists) are of the world, which means they are interested in worldly practices. That is why they are opposing Christ because he condemns their evil ways. But the people of the world will hear their false teaching because it encourages their unrighteous life.

1 John 4:6. We has special reference to John and the other apostles because they had been inspired to write the truth. To know God means to have come into close fellowship with Him by obedience to the word that was given by the Spirit. All such persons would logically be inclined to hear the apostles. The conflict between truth and error still is the concern of the apostle. That conflict is determined by whether a man is of God or of the world.

Commentary on 1 John 4:1-6 by N.T. Caton

1 John 4:1—Beloved, believe not every spirit.

Here a solemn injunction is laid upon the brethren to whom this epistle is addressed. We must first understand just what is exacted of us before we can comply with the injunction. What is it to believe but to have faith in? We are not to believe—what? Every spirit is the answer. But spirits exhibit their presence by acts. Cain exhibited the spirit of a murderer. Hence it is that we must watch the exhibitions of those we come in contact with, and, until known to be good, we must not have faith in them. The apostle says, try the spirits, and the reason is given, making all things plain. False prophets have gone out in the world. These may make loud pretensions of piety. In them we must not place our faith until tried.

1 John 4:2—Hereby know ye the spirit of God.

There is, then, a spirit which is of God, and a spirit not of God. The former only are we to place faith in, and the latter reject. That we may know assuredly the spirit which is of God, this shall be the criterion, the crucial test—the spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God. None other is, and none other is to be believed.

1 John 4:3—And every spirit that confesseth not.

The crucial test being given, and the spirit tried by this test refusing to confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, you may know, beyond question, is not of God, but is of antichrist. It was not only foretold that antichrist would come, but be it known, such are already in the world. As it was in he days of John, so it is now in our age. Some of these false teachers claim to be inspired. They did then, and they do now.

1 John 4:4—Ye are of God, little children.

These, here called little children, were the servants of God, had received God’s spirit, were enabled to detect and refute these false teachers, because they believed in and relied upon God. The spirit that was in them was greater and mightier, being from God, than the spirit in the false prophets, which was from the wicked one.

1 John 4:5—They are of the world.

These false teachers are of the world. They belong to the world, and, speaking only from the principles of the world, all of their own kind, the wicked in the world, listen to and receive their utterances with pleasure.

1 John 4:6—We are of God.

Here, I think, the writer, by the word "we," means the apostles. They were clothed with miraculous or God-given powers, by which they could demonstrate that their message was from God. Now, a teacher who knows God, will hear us apostles and acknowledge our authority. A teacher that will not hear us as God’s messengers is not of God.

1 John 4:6 --Hereby know we the spirit of truth.

By this mark we can know whether the teachers that come among us are inspired by the spirit of God, or the spirit of the devil.

Commentary on 1 John 4:1-6 by Burton Coffman

There is a great deal of reiteration in this chapter, but additional truth appears with regard to testing the spirits (1 John 4:1-6), and there is more extended teaching on love. God is love, love as a test, love of one another, love of God, God’s love of us, etc. are all stressed (1 John 4:7-21). One of the features of this whole epistle is the presentation of a number of tests regarding the genuineness of Christian life. These have been organized by some and classified as the tests of: (1) obedience; (2) love; and (3) faith.^[1] However, they are not separate tests, but each partakes of the nature of the others. Note the following:

The Test What is Proved

Everyone that doeth Is begotten of him righteousness (1 John 2:29). (1 John 2:29).

By the Spirit which he gave us We know that he abideth in us (1 John 3:24). (1 John 3:24).

Everyone that loveth Is begotten of God, and (1 John 4:7) knoweth God (1 John 4:7).

If we love one another God abideth in us, and his (1 John 4:12) love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).

Because he has given us of his We know that we abide in him Spirit (1 John 4:13). and he in us (1 John 4:13).

Confessing Jesus as the Son of God abides in him, and he in God (1 John 4:15). God (1 John 4:15).

Believing that Jesus is the That one is begotten of God Christ (1 John 5:1). (1 John 5:1).

If we keep his commandments We love God (1 John 5:3). (1 John 5:3).

It will be noted that such tests have a prominent place in this chapter. They are not separate tests, actually, but a composite, each of the above Scriptures being, in a sense, commentary on each one of the others. What is Proved in each test, for example, being exactly the same thing that is proved by all the others. Likewise, the unity of the tests is seen in the fact that "keeping his commandments," "loving one another, ... doing righteousness," "possessing the Holy Spirit," etc., all amount to one and the same thing.

ENDNOTE:

^[1] R. W. Orr, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 617.

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

Believe not every spirit ... "The literal meaning of this is stop believing; evidently some of John’s readers were being carried away by Gnostic teaching."^[2]

Every spirit ... means every false prophet, or every false teacher pretending, or seeming, to be inspired. It is a gross misinterpretation of this passage to understand John here as "speaking not of men, but of spirits."^[3] The final clause of the verse states flatly that the "false prophets" were in view. Such men pretended to be prophets of God speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; and the concurrent existence in the church of that period of true prophets (such as Agabus) tended at times to encourage Christians to listen to anyone claiming inspiration. Blaney was correct in identifying the false prophets of this verse with the antichrists of 1 John 2:18.^[4] The problem of such men among God’s people was nothing new; false prophets had often troubled the Israel of the Old Testament, and Christ himself warned of the "false prophets ... in sheep’s clothing ... but who are ravening wolves, etc." (Matthew 7:15 f). Likewise, Paul had to contend with the same thing at Corinth (1 Corinthians 12:3). The test which Christ gave for recognizing such false teachers was, "by their fruits ye shall know them." That test should be added to the ones John was about to cite here.

Whether they are of God ... The expression "of God" is used seven times in these first seven verses; and, "It is of the first importance to attach a precise meaning to this phrase ... it means has its origin in God.^[5]

Prove the spirits ... This admonition to establish the validity of the claims of any teacher claiming God as the origin of his message, was directed to the whole church. Every Christian is responsible for checking out the claims of allegedly inspired teachers, as noted by Sinclair: "This examination of truth and error is inculcated on all alike, not merely on an ordained or materially separate class."^[6]

The nature of the doctrine taught by the evil teachers is easy to read in the apostle’s refutation of it in the following verses. Smith summed it up thus:

The Cerenthian heresy had much to say about the "spirit," boasting a larger spirituality. Starting with the theological postulate of an irreconcilable antagonism between matter and spirit, it denied the possibility of the Incarnation, and drew a distinction between Jesus and Christ. Its spirit was not the Spirit of truth, but the spirit of error.^[7]

^[2] Charles C. Ryrie, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 1022.

^[3] Amos N. Wilder, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XII (New York: Abingdon Press, 1957), p. 274.

^[4] Harvey J. S. Blaney, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 387.

^[5] William Barclay, The Letters of John and Jude (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 92.

^[6] W. N. Sinclair, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 487.

^[7] David Smith, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1959), p. 189.

1 John 4:2 --Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

"The confession here is a Christian creed in brief compass."^[8] Orr affirmed that a "better translation" of this verse is: "Every spirit which confesses Jesus as Christ come in the flesh is of God."^[9] Whether or not that is the correct translation, it is, in any case, a proper understanding of what the passage means. This is evident, as Morris noted; since, "The reference to flesh puts emphasis on the Incarnation."^[10] Smith also preferred the translation advocated by Orr, adding that, "It is an accurate definition of the doctrine denied by the Cerenthians,"^[11] and thus a perfect refutation of it.

This verse is actually a thumbnail summary of Christian doctrine, a synecdoche standing for all of it, as was pointed out by Ryrie, "From this verse, we are not to suppose that this was the only test of orthodoxy; but it is a major one, and it was the most necessary one for the errors of John’s day."^[12]

The true teaching of this verse was paraphrased by Stott: "Far from coming upon Jesus at the baptism and leaving him before the cross, the Christ actually came in the flesh and never laid it aside."^[13] This echoes the great confession by Peter in Matthew 16:13 ff; and, properly understood, the great confession of the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth the Christ the Son of God includes the whole of Christianity. In this great fact, the entire Christian religion is unified and bound together. This is why the Lord Jesus Christ made this the dogmatic foundation of the church.

^[8] R. W. Orr, op. cit., p. 617.

^[9] Ibid.

^[10] Leon Morris, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1267.

^[11] David Smith, op. cit., p. 189.

^[12] Charles C. Ryrie, op. cit., p. 1023.

^[13] John R. W. Stott, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 19 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1964), p. 154.

1 John 4:3 --and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and it is in the world already.

That confesseth not Jesus ... The person of the Son of God is the center of all true religion. No matter how attractive a system may be, no matter how skillfully it may be advocated by personable and attractive personnel, no matter how imposing are the names of "authorities" associated with it, no matter how popular it may become - any and every religion or philosophy that is not anchored in both the eternal deity of Jesus Christ and in his historical humanity is false, having its origin in Satan, not in God.

The New Catholic Bible translated this verse: "Every spirit that severs Jesus is not of God, but of Antichrist," admitting in the footnote, however, that this is not the best rendition of the Greek.^[14] It is included here, however, as valid comment on the implications of the passage. The heresy of the age was that of making a "severance" between Jesus as a man, and the Christ. The church historian Socrates affirmed that this was the original reading of the letter,^[15] but this is rejected by current scholarship.

The spirit of the antichrist ... There is no need whatever to capitalize Antichrist. As Macknight said, "From this, as well as from 1 John 2:18, it appears that Antichrist is not any particular person, nor any particular succession of persons in the church."^[16] It is thus clearly a mistake to identify this with Paul’s "man of sin" in 2 Thessalonians 2, as so many have done. Both, however, share in the fact of originating in the devil, not in Christ, and also in this, that the spirit of both was already working in the world at the time the apostles wrote.

^[14] New Catholic Bible (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1949), New Testament, p. 317.

^[15] David Smith, op. cit., p. 189.

^[16] James Macknight, Macknight on the Epistles, 1John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, reprint, 1969), p. 88.

1 John 4:4 --Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

Ye ... Stott pointed out that 1 John 4:4; 1 John 4:5; and 1 John 4:6 all begin with an emphatic personal pronoun: "(1 John 4:4) ye ([@humeis]), (1 John 4:5) they ([@autoi]), and (1 John 4:6) we ([@hemeis])."^[17] These refer respectively to (1 John 4:4) John’s readers in general, (1 John 4:5) to the false teachers, and (1 John 4:6) to John the apostle and other apostolic witnesses of Christ and the revelation of his doctrine to mankind. This distinction is important.

Ye have overcome ... This ought to be understood as a statement of fact. "By refusing to listen to the false teachers, the sheep have overcome them, conquered them; the seducers have gone out, unable to hold their own within the fold."^[18]

He that is in the world ... is a reference to the devil, "the prince of this world."^[19] It also includes the meaning that the indwelling God in Christian hearts is greater than any particular advocate of Satan’s teaching.

Morris was impressed that, "Apart from Revelation, where it is used 17 times, 1John uses the verb to overcome more often than any other book (6 times)."^[20]

He that is in you ... This is a clear reference to the fact of God indwelling, or being "in" Christians, a truth which is no different in any manner from Christ or the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. See more on this in my Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, pp. 97-99.

^[17] John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 157.

^[18] A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22,1John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 103.

^[19] W. N. Sinclair, op. cit., p. 487.

^[20] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 1267.

1 John 4:5 --They are of the world: therefore speak they as of the world, and the world heareth them.

They are of the world ... This is another in a series of tests by which evil teachers could be recognized and refused. Significantly, in the early church, there were persons supernaturally endowed with the ability to "discern spirits," that is, the ability to know which were of God and which were not (1 Corinthians 12:10); but it appears that John had the succeeding ages in mind here, a period when all who might have had that apostolic gift no longer lived. Other tests already stressed in this first paragraph of the chapter were: (1) the test of confessing that Jesus was the Christ who came in the flesh; (2) the test of whether or not they were indwelt by the Father (1 John 4:4); and (3) the test of their life-style. The false teachers were worldly, concerned chiefly with material and temporal things, living in pride and ostentation, being "of the world." These tests are still valid.

And the world heareth them ... This is not surprising. "These false teachers speak from the same principle, wisdom, and spirit of the world; and, of consequence, the world approvingly hears them."^[21] In our own times, the false teacher speaks the wisdom of the world, reasons from the worldly frame of reference, quotes its philosophers, heeds its authorities, accommodates to its theology, all the while neglecting to declare emphatically the precious teachings of the apostles of Christ as revealed in the New Testament.

ENDNOTE:

^[21] John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (Naperville, Illinois: Alec. R. Allenson, Inc., reprint, 1950), p. 914.

1 John 4:6 --We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

We are of God ... us ... The apostle’s high claim in this is that of "speaking for God in Christ," as one of the plenary representatives of the Son of God on earth and as one of the eyewitnesses of that full gospel which he declared, including his personal and first hand knowledge of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The blunt point of this verse is: that if the false teachers do not agree with the apostles of Christ, they are liars. Everything that was ever advocated in the name of Christianity must pass this test. As Roberts expressed it:

Notice that John sharpens the antithesis, the "us" (the apostolic teachers) and the "them," (the circle of the false teachers). They are two mutually exclusive groups with no neutral ground.^[22]

No private teacher could afford to say, as John said here that, "Whoever knows God agrees with me; and only those who are not of God disagree with me."^[23] But as regards the holy apostles of Jesus Christ, this is the simple truth. In today’s circumstances, this means that those who are of God and those who are not of God are revealed, absolutely, by whether or not their teaching agrees with the New Testament.

By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error ... This is a fourth test of the false teachers, to be considered along with the three tests mentioned in the preceding verse. There is nothing exhaustive about this list of tests; John’s extensive teaching on the tests of determining genuine Christianity reveal others.

^[22] J. W. Roberts, The Letters of John (Austin, Texas: The R. B. Sweet Company, 1968), p. 109.

^[23] John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 158.

Verses 7-21

1Jn 4:7-21

BROTHERLY LOVE COMMANDED

(1 Johm 4:7-21)

7 Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God-- Again, the writer exhibits tenderness and genuine love in ad-dressing his readers as "Beloved." He was the "apostle of love," and the frequency with which he enjoins love reveals the impor-tance he attached to this characteristic of true saints. The regularity with which he taught it is not surprising; he often heard it from the lips of the Lord during the public ministry. (Cf. John 13:34-35; John 15:9-23.) Inasmuch as love is the foundation stone of all the commandments (Mark 12:29-30), it was imperative that each saint should be impressed with its essentiality. John was later to write, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." (4:20.) It is very possible that there were those in the early church, as among us today, who, despite the fact that they claimed to be Christians, yet exhibited hatred for their brethren, and thus the great emphasis which John gives to the theme in all his Epistles.

"Love is of God," i.e., it finds its origin in him and proceeds from him; and one who loves God must, as a necessary conse-quence, love his brother. "He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now." (1 John 2:9.)

Everyone that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. -- Love for others is so peculiarly Christian in its origin that where it exists there is evidence of the new birth. Only one who has received the spiritual life which comes through the birth from above exhibits such a disposition. Love, in this passage, is a sign and proof of the new birth, and not a condition precedent to it. The writer is here showing how the claim to the new birth may be tested. Does genuine love fill the heart of the one affirming it, and does such a one really know God? If the answer is Yes, the birth from above may be assumed; if No, whatever the claim, it is weighed in the balance and found wanting. Love is the one characteristic of the Christian religion which it is impossible to counterfeit! While deploring the phraseology, the following quo-tation from the theologian Augustine, made many hundreds of years ago, is a marvelous statement of truth: "A wicked man may have baptism. He may have prophecy. He may receive the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:29.) All of these things a wicked man may have. But no wicked man can have love." How wonderfully true this conclusion is! How important it is that every child of God strive to exhibit this charac-teristic of the genuinely converted one!

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. --The verb here--loveth--is translated from the present active par-ticiple of agapao, "He who does not continue to love does not know (is without an acquaintance) God. "Knoweth not" is aorist active indicative (ouk egno ton theon), has not once known, hence, has never known, God. The meaning is that one who claims to be a child of God, but does not, and has not, felt the love which exists between true children of God, demonstrates the fact that he not only does not know God, he has never known him--was thus never genuinely converted. (See the comments on 1 John 3:6.) Love is an indispensable requisite of Christian character. Where it does not exist, there is no Christian love. God is love, and love thus becomes the infallible test of the birth from above. God is love because love originates with him; he is the very essence of love; and only those who truly love are born of him. (Verse 7.) This definition was not designed to be exhaustive; from John we learn that God is also light (1 John 1:5) and spirit (John 4:24). He is also a great many other things, such as power, and wisdom, and goodness; it is impossible for man to apprehend the divine nature. Inasmuch as love is a characteristic of his nature, it fol-lows that all who partake of his nature acquire the characteristic of love; in its absence, sonship itself is wanting.

9 Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.--From this we learn, (1) God’s love for man exists; (2) it has been manifested, i.e., revealed, made known ; (3) it was revealed in the gift of God’s Son; (4) the purpose of this gift was that we might live through him. Here is, (a) evi-dence of the falsity of the theory of the creeds that God was angry with man and that Jesus came to appease the wrath of a vengeful God; (b) proof that we did not first receive God’s love in conse-quence of the death of Christ, but that the sending of the Son resulted from love already existing: "But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8); (c) it is absurd to assume that the love of God was evoked by the prior love of man for him. God loved us ; loved us before we loved him; loved us while we were yet sinners, and gave his Son for us. The passage is reminiscent of that affirmed in John 3:16 : "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Of vital significance here is the phrase (also occurring in John 3:16), "his only begotten Son" (ton huion autou ton monogene), literally, "His Son, the only-begotten." Monogene, the word translated "only begotten," signifies the-only-one-of-its-kind, and was so used to distinguish Jesus from all other sons of God. All who are members of God’s family are sons of God, and often so styled in the sacred writings; Jesus, alone, is the only begotten Son. He is a Son in a sense characteristic of no other being in the universe; and to assign to him a position inferior to this, as modernists do, is infidelity. Attention is directed to the unique position of Christ to sharpen and enhance our concept of the vast-ness of God’s love--it being so great that he was willing to send such a Son into the world that we might "live through him." The life thus provided is spiritual life; and it is through him, be-cause in him only is life. "He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son hath not the life." (1 John 5:12.)

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.--"Herein," i.e., in the gift of the Son is love--a demonstration of its vastness, its comprehensiveness, its quality. And, as already indicated in the verse preceding, it was manifested, not because we loved God and thus provoked God to love us, but because prior love existed on his part toward us. "For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another, but when the kindness of God our Saviour, and his love toward man ap-peared, . . . he saved us." (Titus 3:4-5.) The gift of God’s Son was the highest possible manifestation of love, and in the nature of things could have issued only from a benevolent father.

The contactual force of the apostle’s reasoning should not be ignored. God is love. (Verse 8.) The love which God possesses has been revealed to us in the gift of his Son, the only-begotten (Verse 9.) This love was the result of no act on our part, but was antecedent to the love we now have for him. (Verse 10.) A consequence of this love was that Christ came as a "propitiation for our sins." The word translated "propitiation" (hilasmos) occurs only here, and in 1 John 2:2, in the Greek New Testament, though often in the Septuagint Version (Greek translation of the Old Testament), where it signifies a sacrifice of atonement. (Leviticus 6:6-7; Numbers 5:8-9; Ezekiel 44:27.) In referring to the death of Christ as a propitiation, John had reference to the sacrifice for sins which the Lord made in suffering himself to die upon the cross for our sins. (1 Peter 2:24; Matthew 26:28.) The essentials of a sacrifice are two: (1) a priest to offer, and (2) a victim to be offered. Christ was both, in that he offered up himself for our sins. (Hebrews 9:14.) The propitiation makes it possible for all men to be saved (Hebrews 2:8-9); and salvation becomes a reality to all who allow themselves to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). See the - comments on 1 John 2:2.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.--The particle "if" here raises no doubt, but directs attention to the inference based on that which had just been written. Inasmuch as, i.e., in view of the fact that, God loved us to the extent of giving his Son to die in our behalf, we also ought to love one another. The passage affirms not only that God loved us, but that he so loved us, i.e., in such measure as to give the priceless treasure of heaven as a sacrifice to die in our stead. The adverb not only indicates the immeasurable extent of the love, it also designates the quality of it. (Cf. Romans 8:32.) The word "also" establishes a basis of comparison: since God loved us to such an extent, and with such a selfless quality of love we, on our side, ought to love (agapain, keep on loving) one another.

12 No man hath beheld God at any time:--(John 1:18.) The noun God (theos) is without the article here, and thus refer-ence is made to the divine nature, and not to the first person of the Godhead, exclusively. The word God is properly applied to each of the divine persons of the Godhead, since it is the name of the nature which each possesses in common. By an ordinary figure of speech in which the whole is put for a part, each of the divine persons is so designated in the scriptures. E.g., 1 John 4:9, where the reference is to the first person; John 1:1-3, to the second; Acts 5:3-4, to the Holy Spirit, the third. The meaning is, no man has seen the divine nature, the real essence of the God-head, inasmuch as it is invisible to the physical eye. Deity (God) can be seen only through its manifestations, and the revelation which it has made of itself in the incarnation. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," i.e., revealed him. (John 1:18.) Since the advent of the Son into the world, it can be no longer pleaded that God is unknowable; Jesus has revealed him, made him known. Though God, deity, the divine nature, is not seen with the eye, this does not mean that he is not near us on the contrary, he is so near he abides in us, providing we love one another and his love is perfected in us.

Since there is but one divine nature, there is but one God. Each of the persons of the Godhead possesses the divine nature, and thus each is properly referred to as God. It is, hence, entirely in order to say, "God, the Father," "God, the Son," and "God, the Holy Spirit," since each is possessed of the one divine nature, and is styled God in the sacred writings. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit do not constitute three separate Gods; there is but one God. (Deuteronomy 6:4.) These three divine personalities are of but one essence, one nature; and this one nature is God (theos). There are, therefore, three persons in one God.

If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:--On condition that we love one another, two things result: (1) God abides in us; (2) his love is perfected in us. How does God abide in us? Not literally, physically, or bodily, but through that inward relationship which establishes fellowship with him. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

"If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." (1 John 1:3; 1 John 1:5.) God thus abides in us as we conform to his will and walk in harmony with his precepts. And thus, though God, in his essence and divine nature is invisible to our eye, we may enjoy the blessed privilege of his abiding presence if we love one another!

When we love one another, not only does God abide in us, his love is perfected in us. That which is perfected has been brought to maturity. We thus develop and make mature our love for God as we love one another more and more. Love for others is a token of the love which we have for God. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21.)

13 Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.--As a token by which we may know that we abide in him and he in us, he has given us "his Spirit"--the Holy Spirit. But how does the presence of the Spirit in us supply evidence of such an abiding presence? The first fruit of the Spirit is love: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meek-ness, self-control. . . ." (Galatians 5:22-23.) How may we know that the Spirit dwells in our heart? Because we love God and one another! Why does this love dwell in us? "And hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us." (Romans 5:5.) For the manner in which the Spirit dwells in the Christian, see the comments on verse 14.

14 And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.--Though no one had seen the divine nature, John and the other apostles had beheld (tetheametha, perfect middle of theaomai, to behold with adoring wonder), the Lord in the flesh (1 John 1:1-3), and were thus qualified to bear testimony to the fact that the Father had indeed sent the Son into the world. The perfect tense designates an act that is past the results of which continue to exist; John had, during the public ministry of the Lord, minutely scrutinized him, obtained clear and distinct impressions regarding him and these remained to convince him forevermore of the identity of Jesus as Lord. Such was, in part, the mission of the apostles; and to equip them for this, the Holy Spirit was given them. "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:26-27.)

Indicated also in this verse is the mission which prompted the Lord’s advent into the world. He was sent; he was sent from the Father he was sent to be the Saviour he was sent by the Father to be the Saviour of the world. The world, which he came to save, embraces all accountable and responsible beings. And so here, again, is emphasized what is often taught in the scriptures the blessings of the atonement are available to all who will appro-priate them to themselves on the conditions on which they are offered. The sacrifice of Christ was neither partial nor limited in its scope. "And he is the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." (1 John 2:2.)

We thus learn that the Spirit has been given; that through this divine person love has been shed abroad in our hearts. But how is the Spirit given to us? Paul inquired of the Galatians: "This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Galatians 3:2.) This is a rhetorical question, put in this manner for emphasis. The meaning is, "You did not receive the Spirit by the work of the law. You received the Spirit by the hearing (marginal reading, message) of faith. How does faith come? "So then belief (faith) cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17.) Paul’s affirmation is, therefore, that the Galatians received the Spirit through hearing the word or message of faith--that is, the gospel. The word of truth--the gospel--is the instrument by which the Spirit exercises his influence on both saint and sinner. Thus, as one receives the truth into his heart and allows it to motivate his life he is, to this extent, motivated and influenced by the Spirit, and enjoys his abiding presence. This is, of course, not to be interpreted as meaning that the Holy Spirit is the word of truth; the Holy Spirit uses the word of truth as the medium by which he influences; and his influence is limited to this medium. The Spirit prompts love for others through the instruction which he has given in the scriptures.

The Epistles of John are filled with instruction touching the duty of the children of God to love one another, as indeed, much of the New Testament. If it is the Spirit, independent of the word of truth which produces such love, why was such instruction given? Why, indeed, is there teaching on any theme if all faithful children of God, then and now, possess a measure of the Spirit from which they derive (independently) such instruction? The question is not, Do children of God possess the Spirit? this, the verse before us and numerous others (e.g., Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:16), affirm. Neither is it, Are children of God influenced by the Spirit today? This, too, the scriptures abundantly assert. The question is the manner or mode of such indwelling, and not the fact of it, which we raise. This Paul settles in the rhetorical question alluded to above. The only impact of the Spirit on the heart of either alien or Christian is by means of the Word of truth. Unfortunately, some brethren, while denying the direct operation of the Holy Spirit on the alien sinner, contend for just such an immediate and direct operation on the Christian following his baptism. The only difference between the positions is the time when the operation occurs. The denominational world contends for a direct operation on the sinner in order to his conversion. Those who hold to the view of a personal and immediate indwelling of the Spirit in the Christian, maintain that the operation of the Spirit is immediately following conversion. The one is as unten-able as the other, and both wrong. The Spirit dwells in the heart of the Christian; the Father and the Son, likewise; with reference to the latter, it would be absurd to contend that this indwelling is literal, actual, in their own persons. But, because the denomi-national idea of a mysterious, incomprehensible, intangible being as the Holy Spirit is alleged to be has been adopted in some cir-cles, brethren have allowed themselves to fall into such an error respecting the Holy Spirit.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.--Obviously, the apostle is not to be understood here as affirming that deity, actually, liter-ally, and bodily takes up his abode in a human being. One who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God confesses the truth. The truth thus abides in him. Since God is of the essence of truth, God abides in such a one. In similar manner does the Spirit abide. This verse, with many other similar ones in the first Epistle (e.g., 2:23; 3:10; 4:7; 5:18), must be interpreted in the light of conditions then prevailing. Certainly it was not the apostle’s intention to teach that one who merely gives lip service to the deity of Jesus abides in God, and God in him. Supercilious believers and indifferent professors concede this without hesita-tion; and even the demons acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God. (Mark 1:24.) Moreover, the Lord said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23.)

The Ebonites declared that Jesus was a mere man; the Cerenthians maintained that his body was, for a time, occupied by an aeon (or demon) called Christ; the Docetae argued that he only appeared to possess a body, but was, in reality, only a shadowy phantom. The confession, "Jesus is the Son of God," was a repu-diation of each of these heretical positions, and those who thus acknowledged him confessed (a) his humanity, (b) his deity, (c) his reality. Such a confession, therefore, established the fact that the one making it had not imbibed the poison of these positions, but did indeed accept him for what he is: the divine Son of God.

Implied in the confession is, of course, the complete surrender of the will to the Lord, such surrender expressing itself in willing obedience to his commands. This confession evidences the dispo-sition of mind and heart which prompts to obedience. Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:23.)

Moreover, the aorist tense (homologesei, confesseth), the exact force of which is difficult to render into English, reveals that the confession is a once-for-all act by which the one making it is committed to this concept of Christ with all the faculties of mind and body. God abides in us as we allow his teaching to fill us and motivate our lives; we abide in him as we practice the precepts of the gospel and find fellowship with him and his children in life.

16 And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us.--"We know" (egnokamen, perfect, active), "We have arrived at this knowledge, and continue to possess it, and have believed (and continue to do so) the love which God has in us." How was this knowledge arrived it? Jesus had taught it during his ministry: "O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:25-26.) Note the three steps indicated: (1) God’s name was made known; (2) the purpose for which the name was made known was to reveal that the love which the Father had for the Son was available to the saints; and (3) the indwelling of the life of the Son in them by which they were brought to the Father.

God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.--The clause, "God is love," is a repetition of that which occurs in verse 8. See the comments there. The second clause, "And he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him," is similar to the latter portion of verse 15. This verse thus combines the ideas advanced in verses 8 and 15. The meaning is, One who abides in love abides in God, and God in him, because God is love.

17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.--Herein is love made perfect in us, i.e., in the fact that he who abides in love, abides in God, and God abides in him. (Verse 16.) All of whom such may be affirmed may indeed have boldness (confidence, assurance), because in loving God and their brethren they may be sure that they will not be condemned by the judge of all at the last day. The more we in-crease in love and perfect it, the less we have to fear that in that day we shall be found wanting. Love expresses itself in service to others (James 2:1-6); and by this standard men are to be judged in the great day of accounts. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my Father, in-herit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, say-ing, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, and in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." (Matthew 25:34-40.)

The occasion or ground of the confidence those who love feel is that they resemble Christ in this respect. In loving all men they imitate Christ; and in following his example they do that which will obtain his approbation, and not his condemnation, in the day of judgment. Certainly, he will not condemn those who strive to make themselves like him. He is the embodiment of perfect love those who follow him as their pattern and guide may be sure of his approval and acceptance in the day when all shall stand before him as their judge.

18 There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath puishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.--Confidence excludes fear and since those who love have confidence, they have no fear. "Fear," as here contemplated, is not that which the Psalmist declares is "the beginning of wisdom" (Psalms 111:10), a reverential, godly fear, which shrinks from any action which would displease God, the fear which an obedient child has for a loving father, en phoboi, 1 Peter 1:17); but terror, dread, slavish fear, such as is characteristic of a slave in the presence of a cruel and heartless master. We are taught to perfect holiness "in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1); to submit ourselves to one another "in the fear of God" (Ephesians 5:21); and to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). This is the true fear of God; an attitude of respect, or reverence, of holy awe. The fear that is absent from genuine love is the fear of the whip in the hands of the master; the dread of the chastisement which comes to the disobedient. Perfect (mature) love casts out such fear, because it cannot exist where genuine love is. "Fear bath punishment," because in the anticipation of the punishment expected in the future there is torment in the present. In the realization that it is impending, there is a fore-taste of it before it actually begins. The child, aware that punish-ment is deserved and is pending, suffers before the lash is felt.

When, therefore, one entertains fear of the judgment, such evidences imperfect love; it indicates that there is not the development of Christian character which would have purged itself of such slavish fear, and eliminated all anxiety regarding the possi-bility of punishment. There are at least two kinds of fear re-ferred to in the sacred writings: that which possesses men as a result of their evil deeds and from the dread of God’s anger; and that of which the Psalmist wrote, "The fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring forever." (Psalms 19:9.) Perfect (mature) love casts out (literally, throws out, exo balled) fear, a strong figure indicat-ing the vigor with which it is excluded.

19 We love, because he first loved us.--Love obtains in the regenerate heart. This love finds its object in both God and man. But why do we love? In order that we may induce God to love us? On the contrary, he loved us before we loved him. Our love for him is thus evoked by a prior love on his part for us. "First" is in emphatic position in the original text, and is a thorough refutation of the creedal statement that Jesus came into the world to appease the wrath of an angry God. John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 constitute effective proof, along with this statement, that such a position is at variance with the teaching of the scrip-tures, and is a base slander on the character of God himself! As Christians we love. In this, we do not obligate God. He loved us before we loved him, and expressed his love by giving his Son to die in our behalf. Only an ingrate would refuse to love him in return.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.--Taught here is a principle often emphasized in the sacred writings that it is im-possible to separate love for God and man. He who affirms that he loves God, and at the same time hates his brother, is a liar! Though John was the "Apostle of Love," the very thought of one claiming to love God who, at the same time, hated his brother, led the apostle indignantly to reject his claim, and to style such a one a liar. It is a characteristic of love to fix its attention on that which is visible and near; if, therefore, one does not love his brother whom he has seen, it is impossible to love God whom one has not seen. Ordinarily it is easier to love that which is seen and near; if, therefore, one fails in the easier task of loving that which is seen--his brother--he will obviously fail in the more dif-ficult task of loving God. The love which we feel for our brethren is produced by the qualities in them which they have acquired from God. It follows, therefore, that if one is repelled by the qualities of goodness in his brother which are derived from God, he will feel the same aversion toward these same qualities in God himself! It is thus literally true that one who does not love his brother cannot love God. The one may be verified by the other. If genuine love for man exists, there is a corresponding love for God. Conversely, where one does not love his brother, it is proof that he does not love God. If he says he does, he is a liar.

21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.--In support of the argument of the verse which precedes this, an argument supported by analogy, by common sense, by the inspiration of the writer him-self, there is added here the testimony of Christ. He had given commandment that he who loves God is to love his brother also. When and where was this commandment given? In principle, Jesus stated it often, viz., John 13:34-35; John 15:13; and in essence it is set out in the great summary of the law in the Lord’s reply to the lawyer who said to him, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy-self. On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets." (Matthew 22:35-40.) Though it may be difficult to love men as men, we are to love them because they are in the image of God, and to love this image as it is reflected in them, though often obscured by sin and impaired by depravity. And, we are to love them, not only because of our kinship to them, but also because of our relationship to God who is our common Father and federal head.

Commentary on 1 John 4:7-21 by E.M. Zerr

1 John 4:7. The apostle again comes to the subject of love which seems to have been very near to him. He has a sound reason for such interest in that subject, namely, love and God are inseparable. For that reason if a man is born (begotten) of God he is sure to exhibit love also since it is the family trait of God’s children.

1 John 4:8. On the basis of the affirmative as shown in the preceding verse, if a man does not have love as a predominant factor in his life, it is proof that he has not yet become acquainted with God.

1 John 4:9. This verse corresponds with John 3:16.

1 John 4:10. The example of love was set by the Father and not by man. That is why we have the brief but comprehensive statement in verse 19.

1 John 4:11. If God was willing to love us first even when we were in sin, we ought to love each other since no one of us is any more worthy than another.

1 John 4:12. No man hath seen God literally, but we may exhibit evidences of spiritual knowledge of Him by having love for the brethren. If we do so it will cause God to dwell in us or in our midst spiritually. His love is perfected or made complete in us when we follow His example of loving the children of God,

1 John 4:13. This is the same in thought as chapter 3:24; see the comments there.

1 John 4:14. John and the other apostles could testify, because they had seen the evidences that the Father has sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1 John 4:15. See the comments at verses 1-3.

1 John 4:16. Known and believed. There is no conflict between these words as might be concluded because of the difference technically between them. The things that were known were the evidences, and what they believed was based on those evidences, namely, that God had a great love for man. The latter part of the verse has been explained in a number of the preceding verses.

1 John 4:17. Love made perfect means it is complete, and God made it Possible for man to have that perfect (or complete) love, to give them boldness in view of the judgment day. As he is. so arc we. To be confident with reference to the judgment, we must be on good terms with God in this world. That can be accomplished only by manifesting that unselfish love that was first shown by the Lord for us.

1 John 4:18. The Bible does not contradict itself, and when it appears that it does there is always an explanation for it. We know we are commanded to fear God (1 Peter 2:17), but our present verse says that perfect love will cast out fear. The explanation is very simple which depends on the meanings of the original Greek word phobos. Thayer gives us two definitions of the word as follows: "1. fear, dread, terror," and "2. reverence, respect." As we have seen frequently before, the particular meaning of any word must be determined by the connection in which it is used. The connection here shows John is using it in its had sense which would made it read, "There is no dread or terror in love." If we love God and manifest it by loving our brother, we will not have any dread at the thought of meeting God in the judgment.

1 John 4:19. This is commented on at verse 10.

1 John 4:20. John has previously made this same charge, but he adds a logical reason for it here. It certainly is as easy to love a brother who is with us and whose fellowship we can enjoy, as it is to love God whom we cannot see now and must love on the basis of faith.

1 John 4:21. On the basis of the reasoning in the preceding verse, John commands the disciples not to attempt loving God it they will not love the brethren also, for their profession of love will be rejected.

Commentary on 1 John 4:7-21 by N.T. Caton

1 John 4:7—Beloved, let us love one another.

We must not in any manner imitate the false teachers, for they would lead us astray, but be governed by the example and spirit of our Master. We show, as he did, by doing the will of God, our love of God. His command, repeated over and over again, is that we love one another, and we are assured that it is a certain evidence that we are begotten of God and that we know him, when we exhibit love, for love comes from God. Its source is in the Infinite One.

1 John 4:8—He that loveth not, knoweth not God.

We may pretend what we please, and yet if we do not love our brother, we do not know God aright, for

1 John 4:8—God is love.

God is essentially love. Here there is no mixture of malevolence whatever. As he is infinite in his other attri­butes, so in this—God is infinite in love.

1 John 4:9—In this was manifested the love of God.

The highest and grandest possible demonstration God could give to the world of his love is the sending of his Son—his only begotten Son—that through him the world might be saved—might have life. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

1 John 4:10—Herein is love.

The highest and grandest exhibition of love ever known, or that can be known in the universe, God manifested to man. While man loved not—while man was an enemy to God—God sent his Son into the world to die for man, that thereby a way might be opened up by which man—the enemy of God—might attain eternal life. Poets’ loftiest strains afford but feeble conceptions of the divine love. The voice of description is hushed into eternal silence. Mortals can only hear, learn and adore.

1 John 4:11—Beloved, if God so loved us.

Now, if God so loved us while we were sinners, we at least ought to show our gratitude for his matchless mercy by imitating his example in loving one another.

1 John 4:12—No man bath seen God at any time.

By our mortal eyes we can not see God. He has not been so seen by any one at any time. He is invisible. We, however, may have a sense of his presence in us, and this we know when we are assured that we love the brethren, for this is of God. His nature abides in us. We partake of his nature as we follow his will, and become more and more like him as we carry out the virtues enjoined upon us to perfection.

1 John 4:13—Hereby know we that we dwell in him.

The term "we," it would appear, more particularly applies to the apostles than to believers generally. I so conclude from the statement "he hath given to us of his Spirit." It is true, all believers have the Spirit, but when the next verse is consulted you discover the same "we" had special need for the gift of the Spirit in a different degree. Yet it is true that we know that God dwells in us, by the Spirit which is given to us, one of the fruits of this Spirit being that of love. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long^-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, tem­perance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).

1 John 4:14—And we have seen and do testify.

This is certainly personal. By the "we" John means himself and fellow apostles. They saw the Son when he was here on earth—saw his miracles; heard his teaching; saw him die. Saw him, and heard him, and handled him after his resurrection. Received from him power from on high, enabling them to testify with infallible accuracy, and "we do testify to all these things"; and they were further authorized to say, that there is "none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

1 John 4:15—Whosoever shall confess,

This is largely a repetition of verse 2; the only difference being that in verse 2, one coming and confessing that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh would be proof that the one so confessing did not possess the spirit of a false prophet; whereas, in the verse before us, the confession that Jesus is the Son of God is evidence to us that the one so confessing has God dwelling in him and he in God. God dwelling in us and our abiding in him is, I take it, practically the same thing.

1 John 4:16 --And we have known and believed.

Whether we love God or not is a matter of knowledge. That God loved us we believed when we heard the message of love his inspired apostles brought to us. And keeping the divine model before, and observing all God’s requirements, increase our confidence to such an extent that it is exalted in us to the height of personal knowledge. God being love, and loving God, that love binds us to God. So of a truth we dwell in God and he in us.

1 John 4:17—Herein is our love made perfect.

By the operation of God’s love in our hearts we are enabled to love our brethren and our neighbor, exhibiting the fruits of our love all around us, and so perfecting our love that when the great day of judgment shall come, we shall stand before him in all confidence.

1 John 4:17—Boldness.

Want of fear; having observed his will by obeying his command to love, we shall have no fears in his presence, because as he is, so we are; for so we conducted ourselves while in the world.

1 John 4:18—There is no fear in love.

The word fear is here used in the sense of terror. Now, this kind of fear is banished when love appears. There may be, and there is, and there ought to be the fear of reverence.

1 John 4:18 --Perfect love casteth out fear.

Where one truly loves God and his fellow-man all fear is expelled. Where that sort of love exists, no fear of the judgment is present. Fear only exists where there is peril or danger of punishment. This is the torment mentioned herein. Now, where this fear exists, it is proof conclusive that love is not perfect; that is, that he does not truly love God and his fellow-man.

1 John 4:19—We love him, because he first loved us.

Love begets love. God’s wonderful love, exhibited through Christ, fills every redeemed soul with love, and we show our love and gratitude to God by loving our brethren.

1 John 4:20—If a man say, I love God.

How can any one say he loves the unseen One, and yet hates his brother, whom he sees and knows. Such a claim is mere pretense. The one so claiming, the apostle says, is a liar. Here, then, we need not be deceived. Should one claiming to be a teacher, claim that he loved God and hated his brother, that teacher is a deceiver, an antichrist; should he be a private person, he is simply a hypocrite. The brother we see, and know by our natural senses all his excellencies of character; he is God’s image; him we hate. Now, how can it be said, while we hate him, we love the unseen God, whom we know only by the manifestations of himself that he has seen fit to give?

1 John 4:21—And this commandment have we from him.

Besides, we all have God’s will, expressed in a command given by him, that every one who loves God must love his brother also. This is the end of the matter. No command can be obeyed in part. A rejection of a part is the rejection of the whole, and is at the same time a rejection of the authority of the law-giver, and subjects the offender to his displeasure.

Commentary on 1 John 4:7-21 by Burton Coffman

1 John 4:7 --Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God.

Here, of course, is another test, the love of "one another," such love being of God himself. One stands in amazement at a comment on this like the following:

"Everyone" here includes all the human beings in whose nature love is or ever has been, whether they ever heard of God or Christ or not.^[24]

Such a comment is typical of much of the nonsense that has been written on this section of John’s letter. "Love one another" is neither sexual love ([@eros]) nor animal affection ([@fileo]), but Christian love ([@agape]). This is a love known only "in Christ," being the gift of God himself, having no connection whatever with mere humanism. John’s repeated stress of such Christian love in this epistle might have been due to the fact, as supposed by Macknight, that "some of the Jewish converts, retaining their ancient prejudices, still considered it their duty to hate the heathen,"^[25] even those who had accepted Christianity.

^[24] James William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1963), p. 603.

^[25] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 90.

1 John 4:8 --He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God is love ... This profoundly beautiful and encouraging statement about the Father must rank, along with others, as one of the grandest in all Scripture. Wesley said, "Love is God’s reigning attribute that sheds an amiable glory upon all of his other perfections."^[26] Barclay called this, "probably the single greatest statement about God in the whole Bible ... It is amazing how many doors that single statement unlocks and how many questions it answers."^[27]

However, Wilder cautioned that, "God’s nature is not exhausted by the quality of love."^[28] God is light (1 John 1:5), and spirit (John 4:24), and (considering the oneness of the Father with the Son) he is life, and truth (John 14:6). Moreover, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29).

It is a failure to recognize that no single word is capable of describing the ineffable God which leads to a gross perversion of this marvelous text in the popular mind. Some hail this verse, as if it said, "Love is God; and here is a God we can all handle; bring on the love!" Many who read these precious words of John do not seem to be aware of the holy and self-sacrificing love about which John wrote. God’s love for mankind and his glorious attribute of love do not in any manner alter or negate the revelation that "the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" (Romans 1:18), nor the revelation concerning God that he "will judge the world in righteousness" (Acts 17:31). Furthermore, there is no conflict between John and Paul on this point. John’s description of the final judgment in Revelation 6:15-17 is as soul-shaking a view of the wrath of God in judgment as any in the whole Bible. The proper view of God’s love must be big enough to understand that his final judgment and overthrow of wickedness will be, in itself, a mark of eternal love.

And yet such thoughts should not detract from the unique glory of this text. No one in the whole world ever knew that God is love until it was revealed from heaven and written in the New Testament. "It is here, and nowhere else; it is not found in all the literature of mankind."^[29]

^[26] John Wesley, op. cit., p. 914.

^[27] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 98.

^[28] Amos N. Wilder, op. cit., p. 280.

^[29] H. A. Ironside, Addresses on the Epistles of John (New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1931), p. 138.

1 John 4:9 --Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.

The marginal reading "in our case" instead of "in us" appears as the true meaning, since it is God’s sending his Son to die for the sins of the whole world, which is the manifestation spoken of, that not being something "in us" but "in our case," or on our behalf.

His only begotten Son ... This is a better rendition than that of making it read merely "only Son," because it is admitted by all scholars that "uniqueness" is an essential quality of meaning in this word.^[30] "Only Son" would therefore mean that God has no other sons; yet all Christians are "sons of God." "Only begotten" conveys that essential meaning of "uniqueness," exactly in the sense of the word ([@monogenes]) as translated in Hebrews 11:17 where Isaac is called Abraham’s "only begotten son," there being a uniqueness in Isaac’s sonship not found in Abraham’s many other sons. It is therefore a most happy and appropriate translation which reads "only begotten Son."

While mentioning Buechsel in Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, who defended this translation (only begotten), as "practically the only modern scholar" to do so,^[31] Roberts went on to reject it. But the old rendition may not be disposed of so easily.

W. E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Marshall’s rendition of the Nestle Greek Text, the translation in the Emphatic Diaglott, Frances E. Siewert in The Amplified New Testament, the New Catholic Bible, to say nothing of that great galaxy of New Testament scholars who produced the American Standard Version (still referred to by F. F. Bruce as the most accurate of modern versions), and also Kenneth S. Wuest - all translate the word as meaning "only begotten." The present day meaning of "only begotten" exactly fits the legitimate meaning. "Only begotten" carries the meaning of "uniqueness" without denying the sonship of Christians, making it superior to the RSV, etc.

The same word ([@monogenes]) was used of a man’s son (Luke 9:38), of Jairus’ daughter (Luke 8:42), and of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12). Roberts said, "It could hardly mean only begotten in that case (Luke 7:12), since begetting is a function of the male rather khan the female,"^[32] apparently overlooking the fact that nothing is said about the widow’s having done the begetting! Her son was the "only begotten" of whoever begot him, just as Jesus was Mary’s son, despite his having been the "only begotten of the Father."

Admittedly, this is a disputed translation; and the purpose here is to affirm appreciation and preference for the one that has come down through the ages. We simply do not believe that the modern scholars have any more information regarding this than did the translators of KJV and ASV, nor that the recent ones are any more competent.

That we might live through him ... The great purpose of that visitation from the Dayspring from on High was that, through obedience to the Son of God, people might have the blessing of eternal life.

^[30] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 115.

^[31] Ibid., p. 113.

^[32] Ibid.

1 John 4:10 --Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation, for our sins.

Herein is love ... This carries the thought, "notice just what love actually is." John defined it, even in God’s love, as being not merely a sentimental fondness for the human race, but a gracious, unselfish and unmerited act of divine giving of his "only begotten Son" to save people from eternal death. As Smith said:

The love which proves us children of God is not native to our hearts. It is inspired by the amazing love of God manifested in the Incarnation, the infinite Sacrifice of His Son’s life and death.^[33]

To be the propitiation ... For a discussion of this phrase, see under 1 John 2:2. The objection that "propitiation" leaves out of view the love of God is not well taken. As Denney observed:

So far from finding any kind of contrast between love and propitiation, the apostle can convey no idea of love to anyone, except by pointing to the propitiation.^[34]

^[33] David Smith, op. cit., p. 191.

^[34] James Denney, The Death of Christ (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1894), p. 152.

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

In this chapter, John repeated over and over again many of the closely related topics he had already mentioned, each time going a little further, giving a slightly different antithesis, stressing a little different aspect, or urging a closer attention, - all in such a marvelous way that, at last, his meaning becomes incontrovertible. In this verse, Christians’ loving each other is motivated by the overwhelming majesty of the love of God himself.

One another ... is incapable of meaning "everybody on earth," although of course, the love of every Christian reaches out to the ends of the world, but not in the intensity commanded here.

1 John 4:12 --No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

No man hath seen God at any time ... Blaney was probably correct in seeing this as a warning to Christians against "trying to know God in any other way than the one he is describing."^[35] Some have sought, outside of Christianity, to know more about God, hoping for a clearer perception; but this apostolic warning declares all such attempts to be futile. However, "John is not here discounting the visions of God reported in the Old Testament, but meaning that those visions were partial and incomplete. It is in Christ that we see God (John 14:9)."^[36]

If we love one another ... Love of the brethren is the primary meaning of this. The humanistic philosophy that reads this "love of all mankind" is an inadequate conception. "Our love toward God is perfected and brought to maturity by the exercise of love towards our brethren in him (Christ)."^[37]

The warning in this verse to the effect that the revelation of God is available to people only in Christ is widely needed. All such things as astrology, spiritism, witchcraft and Satanism are basically ways of finding a so-called "reality" apart from Biblical revelation. This apostolic injunction states unequivocally that there is nothing out there which might enlighten or bless people. The true revelation has already been given through people who is "the way, the truth, and the life." Despite this basic truth, the spectacle of a high ranking ecclesiastic losing his life in a desert while trying to communicate with spirits, only recently, was spread on the pages of the newspapers.

God abideth in us ... Why make excursions into deserts or dark rooms, or explore the mysteries of esoteric cults, or plunge into the abyss through drugs or alcohol? when all the while God himself will take up residence in the very soul of one who will through loving open up room for Him who is love.

^[35] Harvey J. S. Blaney, op. cit., p. 391.

^[36] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 1268.

^[37] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 104.

1 John 4:13 --hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

In this paragraph (1 John 4:12-16), the indwelling God is mentioned three times, and the reciprocal nature of it (he in us, we in him) is stressed twice. The evidence of God’s indwelling is differently stated as follows:

1 John 4:13, He hath given us his Spirit.

1 John 4:15, Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 4:16, He that dwelleth in love.

Because he hath given us of his Spirit ... It should be carefully noted that the Christian’s possession of the Spirit of God is an "evidence of," not an "antecedent cause" of God’s indwelling our hearts. Furthermore, it is a mistake to suppose that there is even any microscopic difference between God’s indwelling and the Spirit’s indwelling. There are no less than eight different New Testament designations of that inner presence which differentiates Christians from the world (See my Commentary on Galatians, pp. 97-99), as set forth in Paul’s writings; and John in this letter added to that list the fact that God’s love abides in Christians, and Christians abide in God’s love. This verse (1 John 4:13) is virtually a repetition of 1 John 3:24.

With regard to the question of prior conditions to be fulfilled by the believer before the indwelling of God, the reception of the Spirit, the indwelling Christ, etc., Peter’s summary of this on the Day of Pentecost stands as the eternal answer, binding both on earth and in heaven. To believers who desire the forgiveness of their sins and the indwelling Spirit, the commandment of God is: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38 f).

In the introduction to this letter, it was pointed out that John follows no classical outline. Roberts has another beautiful word regarding 1John, which, in a little wider sense, is applicable to all the New Testament books. He wrote:

John’s thought pattern continues to retrace ideas and to pick them up like an orchestra does the strains of a melody in order to develop them more fully.^[38]

ENDNOTE:

^[38] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 118.

1 John 4:14 --And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

And we ... This might be an epistolary, or editorial "we," for the apostle John, or, as Smith thought, "a reference to John and the rest of the apostles who were eyewitnesses."^[39] The words "bear witness" indicate that the latter meaning is the true one. As Plummer said, "The language of this verse would be strained and unreal in one who had not seen Christ in the flesh."^[40]

A tremendous weight of Christian truth is concentrated in this verse.

The Father sent the Son ... The entire story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is here reduced to one line.

To be the Saviour of the world ... The world’s being lost in sin is implied; otherwise no Saviour would have been required. Many do not seem to realize that they are lost without Christ. It is wrong to think of being saved, as if it meant, merely, to go to heaven when one dies. People are lost now; they need redemption now; We (all people) need salvation from ourselves, from our habits, our temptations, anxieties, fears, frustrations and uncertainties. One does not have to wait until he dies to be lost; every man without Christ is already lost. Only in the world’s Saviour can human life be endowed with that purpose, significance and vitality, without which, human life tends to wretchedness and misery. In Christ all is changed. Life in him is so exceedingly rich that John called it "eternal life," thus naming it after the ultimate reward which is the central hope of that life, and the great motivator of it here and now.

^[39] David Smith, op. cit., p. 192.

^[40] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 104.

1 John 4:15 --Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.

Confess that Jesus is the Son of God ... There is a form of metonymy (synecdoche) in a statement of this kind. The primary pre-requirements of salvation, the so-called "plan of salvation" is meant by this. The New Testament reveals that "obeying the gospel" as the New Testament writers called it, meant believing in Christ, repenting of one’s sins, confessing the Son of God, and being baptized "into Christ." As a consequence of such primary obedience, and subsequently to it, the Holy Spirit was given, not to make men sons of God, but because upon such initial faith and obedience they became sons of God (Galatians 4:6). There are two possible meanings of John’s words here, and both of them may be correct.

(1) He refers to the Christian’s obedience of the gospel at the time he became a Christian, the confession of faith in Christ, of course, being a prominent part of conversion. If this is what was in the apostle’s mind, the meaning of it is almost identical with Peter’s words on Pentecost (Acts 2:38 f), Peter’s "gift of the Holy Spirit" meaning exactly the same thing in that passage that John meant by "God abideth in him" here. There can be no difference in these.

(2) If, as Roberts thought, John was speaking of a time in the lives of Christians long after their conversion, then he may be "saying that if this confession can be sincerely repeated by the believer, that God abides in him, and he in God."^[41]

In either view, it is conversion itself, and primary obedience of the gospel to which this verse undoubtedly refers. This somewhat sudden mention of initial Christian obedience, after all John had been saying, and continued to say about "love," reminds us that:

With John, love always includes obedience to all God’s commandments; and where obedience is not manifested, love is not. Even with God, love was not mere sympathy, but sending his Son to be the propitiation.^[42]

^[41] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 119.

^[42] William Hurte, Restoration of New Testament Christianity (Rosemead, California: Old Paths Publishing Company, 1964), p. 489.

1 John 4:16 --And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him.

Know and have believed the love which God hath in us ... As Morris declared, "Believing and knowing the love is certainly a very unusual expression."^[43] It is perhaps John’s way of referring to one’s knowing and believing the whole thesis and system of Christianity, which might be summed up, really, as "knowing and believing the love of God." What a beautiful way to express it!

Abideth in love ... is in this verse equated to "abideth in God," making the expressions synonymous. It is an exercise in futility to attempt to make some kind of distinction between those and a dozen other similar expressions in the word of God. Note: It is undeniable that the New Testament teaches that Christians are in God, in Christ, in the Holy Spirit, and in love (in the sense of abiding in love); and at the same time the New Testament reveals that each of these: God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and love all abide, indwell, or reside in Christians. There are other significant additions to this list, such as "the mind of Christ" (Philippians 2:5), and "the word of Christ" (Colossians 3:16), both of which are flatly represented as dwelling "in Christians." It is the conviction repeated several times in this series of commentaries, that it is absolutely impossible to distinguish such expressions as indicating different states or conditions of the soul; on the other hand, they are clearly multiple designations of a single condition, that is, the saved condition, that which belongs to every Christian.

ENDNOTE:

^[43] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 1268.

1 John 4:17 --Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.

Have boldness ... One grand dividend received from a love-oriented and love-motivated life is a dramatic diminution of fear, both with reference to earthly fears and those regarding the ultimate summons of all people to the judgment of God.

In the day of judgment ... John, like the Lord Jesus, did not speak of many judgments, but only one. There are literally dozens of places in which the New Testament makes reference to the event of final judgment; and in all of them, the reference is invariably in the singular: the day ... the day .... etc.

Even as he is ... so are we ... It is Christ whom the Christians resemble, and therefore he is the one referred to here. Since all Christians are in the business of being like Christ, to the extent of denying themselves and seeking total identity with him "in Christ" and "as Christ," to the extent that this is achieved, through having love like him, it becomes also a pledge of our likeness to him in glory, the same being the firm ground of overcoming fear.

1 John 4:18 --There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

The apostle John here presents one after another "all but impossible levels of Christian attainment";^[44] (1) the love of all people with a self-sacrificing love like that of Christ; (2) the living of a life free from every sin; (3) confidence in the hour of the final judgment when people are pleading for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them; and (4) the banishment of all fear; and notice that last phrase made perfect in love. Is this anything less than the total God-like perfection enjoined by Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:48? Indeed, it is the same thing, exhibited, even as it was by the author of James, as God’s basic requirement of all who would be saved! Impossible for people? Certainly, except in the manner revealed in Christ. To those who are "in Christ" and who abide in him, loving him, following him, obeying him to the fullest extent of human ability - to all such persons shall be given and certified the very blessings in view here; and thus "in Christ" they may attain the unattainable!

ENDNOTE:

^[44] Amos N. Wilder, op. cit., p. 286.

1 John 4:19 --We love, because he first loved us.

Inherent in this epic declaration is the fact that Christ was not crucified in order to persuade God to love people, but because God already loved mankind, the divine love preceding the entire program of redemption, and even more, existing in the heart of God even before the world was. One great purpose of the cross was that of persuading people to receive the salvation God was so willing to give. Another truth evident in this is that, "Our love (whether of God or man) is a plain duty to us, since God first loved us."^[45] It should be considered by all that the very fact of God’s loving sinful and fallen humanity provides a powerful incentive for all perceptive souls to do likewise. Why did God love fallen and sinful men? Even their being sinful did not change the fact that they had been designed and created in the image of the Father; and through God’s provident mercy, all of the moral and eternal consequences of their sins were potentially removable, through the means God revealed. Moreover, the disaster which had fallen upon humanity in the events of the Fall, had actually been brought upon them by the seduction and skillful cunning of their inveterate enemy, Satan. God pitied those human creatures who were so heartlessly betrayed and ruined by the sadistic moral rape of their innocence in Eden; and pity is never very far from love. And should not similar considerations today lead every Christian in the direction of loving all people, every man, who like himself is a victim of sin, and yet is potentially an heir of eternal glory as a beneficiary of the blood of Christ? "Such love flows from the nature of the lover, and not from the worthiness of the one loved."^[46] The great redemptive purpose of God in Christ is that of making his children like himself, and, therefore, not to love is to negate our own redemption. "After God’s love in giving his Son for us, it would be monstrous not to love ."^[47]

^[45] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 123.

^[46] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 1268.

^[47] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 105.

1 John 4:20 --If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

If people have any proper knowledge at all of God, they cannot fail, at the same time, to be aware of God-like qualities manifested in all human life, even in the unregenerated; for all people were made in God’s image, irrespective of the eroding and defacing influence of sin. Failure to see this, with its consequent inclination to love people, is proof that the one so blind knows nothing of God and therefore does not love God. Loving God in some abstract sense is not the kind of love the apostle enjoined; and such a truth has many corollaries. In all times, people have found it easier to love mankind "away over there" in some foreign situation, than to love neighbors close to home. This truth reveals that if we do not love the man on our doorstep, we do not love any man who is unknown to us in any personal sense; and the same thing is true with loving God. The true test is found in the way we respond to people whom we know and with whom we associate, and whom, in many cases, we see every day.

In this verse, it is clear why John so boldly introduced the proposition in 1 John 4:12 that, "No man hath seen God at any time." He was leading up to the argument here.

In struggling to understand and walk in the light of a verse like this, many will encounter problems. One wrote to F. F. Bruce the following question:

I have a difficulty; it is not easy to love some of our brothers and sisters ... their inconsistencies which we cannot help seeing ... It seems much easier to love God, knowing how much He has done for us.^[48]

Who has not encountered the same difficulty? Bruce’s answer pointed out: (1) that love in the sense intended here is not sentimentality, or feeling, but a conscious recognition of our necessity to do all that is consistent with the true welfare of others, also (2) this attitude does not come automatically, but that it is developed and grows in hearts attuned to God’s will. (3) It is also aided by the Christian’s realization that he himself has "inconsistencies" and much worse; and that he has been forgiven; and that we who have lost such an intolerable burden of guilt in the love of Christ can best show our appreciation of so great a boon by forgiving and loving others.

If what one is contradicts what one says, he is a liar.

One who claims to know God and walks in darkness is a liar.

One who "knows God" but denies the Son of God is a liar.

One who pretends to love God and hates his brother is a liar.MONO>

The last three of the above statements are really phases of the first proposition stated; and Stott called these "the three black lies of 1John, in the aggregate contradicting the (1) moral; (2) doctrinal; and (3) social basics of Christianity."^[49]

^[48] F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), p. 133.

^[49] John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 170.

1 John 4:21 --And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

This verse almost certainly relates to the great summary of all the law and the prophets as given by Jesus Christ in these words:

The first (and great commandment) is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is one; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:29-31).

That almighty God desires that his human creation should love him is one of the most revealing statements in Scripture. That purposeful desire of God lies back of all that God ever revealed, all that he ever did, to redeem mankind. How universally do people tend to fall short of this basic love! Much of the love that passes for such is merely bigotry. "The bigot loves those who embrace his opinions,"^[50] and receive his peculiar bias or prejudice; and he loves them for that, not for Christ.

Concerning Jesus’ joining in this verse and in the Gospels these twin commandments to love God and love one’s neighbor, Stott remarked, "What Christ has joined, let no man sever."^[51] Plummer’s summation of John’s thoughts here is as follows:

Here is the Divine command to love, not only the invisible God, but the visible brother in whom the invisible God dwells. Sight may hinder as well as help; it is hard to love what is squalid and hideous. In such cases, let us remember the Divine command; let us remember the Divinity which even the most debased humanity contains.^[52]

May our attitude toward this holy commandment be that of freely confessing that the total fulfillment of it lies utterly beyond our unaided human strength to accomplish it; but may we also preempt unto that holy purpose the blessed promise of the apostle: "I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). "In him?" Yes, "in Christ," in whom we shall at last be presented before the Father in perfection!

What a wonderful world this would be, and what an incredible sweetness would pervade it, if even any appreciable percentage of its population would live by the principles laid down in this chapter of the word of God!

^[50] John Wesley, op. cit., p. 916.

^[51] John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 171.

^[52] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 105.