查經資料大全

 

| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index |

 

1 John Chapter Four

 

I. Content of the Chapter

 

Differentiate the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

A.  Do not believe every spirit (v.1);

B.  Confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh or not (v.2-3);

C.  Hear the words of the apostles or not (v.4-6);

 

Fellowship in the Love of Life

A.  The love of God that begets us makes us love one another (v.7-11).

B.  He who abides in love abides in God and God in him so that the love of God is perfected (v.12-16).

C.  Love has been perfected among us that we may have boldness (v.17-18).

D.  He who loves God shall also love brothers (v.19-21).

 

II. Verse by Verse Commentary

 

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

YLT: “Beloved every spirit believe not but prove the spirits if of God they are because many false prophets have gone forth to the world;”

Meaning of Words: spirit”: wind breath; believe”: trust rely on;test”: try;false prophets”: lying prophets;  

Literal Meaning: “beloved do not believe every spirit” “every spirit”: the spirit that inspires men to speak; generally it is the spirit of truth (see v.6) namely the Spirit (see John 14:16 17 26; 16:13) that works in the prophets in the church who speak for God and enables them to understand the truth and then teach to all believers. “Do not believe” because there are many spirits of error in the world (see v.6) namely the spirit of the Antichrist (see v.3; 2:22) who pretends to be the Spirit to speak to the children of God and entices them by false teachings (see 2:21-23 26-27) to errors (see Jude v.11).

  “But test the spirits whether they are of God” “test”: to distinguish truth from falsehood by means of testing; “whether they are of God”: whether they are of the Spirit;

  “Because many false prophets have gone out into the world” “false prophets”: who are driven by the spirit of error namely the spirit of the Antichrist to preach the word of God falsely “have gone out into the world” false prophets have emerged in an endless stream ever since to deceive the children of God.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Today many Christians are deceived by supernatural miracles thinking that only can God work miracles. However the evil spirit can also do supernatural things.

2)    To whatever who claim them to speak for God let us neither believe nor despise them and prove all their words (see 1Thess. 5:20-21).

3)    The device of the devil is to make unbelievers not believe the truth at all and make believers believe truth and falsehood. And finally both of them are cheated.

 

1John. 4:2 “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God ”

YLT: “in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come of God it is ”

Meaning of Words: confess”: assent; Christ”: the anointed;know”: understand be aware of;

Literal Meaning: “by this you know the Spirit of God” “know”: discern; “the Spirit of God”: the prophetic spirit that confesses Jesus is Christ openly is the Spirit of God namely the Holy Spirit.  

Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God” “confesses”: declare openly; “Jesus Christ” Jesus emphasizes His humanity and Christ emphasizes His deity ---- He is a perfect man and a perfect God. Therefore through Him only man can approach to God (see John 14:6). “Has come in the flesh” the Lord Jesus was incarnated and came to the world (see John 1:14 18).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The center of the faith of Christianity is the confession of “the divine incarnation” ---- Jesus Christ who is the only one qualified to be our Savior to bear all men’s sins.

2)    The heresy Gnostic denies the humanity of Christ. And the Social Gospel does not confess the deity of Jesus. It is known from this verse that their spirits are not of God. 

3)    The great theologian Augustine said “except for Incarnation of the Word all theories of the philosophers have not gone against the New Testament”. Therefore “Incarnation of the Word” is the focal point Satan attacks.

4)    Sometimes the heretical teachers claim that they confess Jesus is Christ and is both divine and human but the evil spirit in them denies the Lord. Therefore we may not only hear their words but also observe their conversation ---- whether they have truly magnified the Lord.

 

1John. 4:3 “and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world.”

YLT: “and every spirit that doth not confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come of God it is not; and this is that of the antichrist which ye heard that it doth come and now in the world it is already.”

Meaning of Words: “the Antichrist”: the opponent of Christ; “world”: system;

Literal Meaning: and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God” “does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” deny that Jesus is the Son of God and is Christ; “is not of God”: is not of the Spirit for the Spirit has been sent by God to the world to bear witness to Jesus Christ (see John 15:26).

And this is the spirit of the Antichrist the Antichrist” is not false Christ but the one opposes against Christ; “the spirit of the Antichrist” the Antichrist will finally appear in the last period during the Lord’s coming (see 2Thess. 2:3-10). However its mystery of lawlessness already works and its spirit is working in the false teachers of heresies. 

“Which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world” “have heard…”: when the apostle were still on the earth in the early church time; “have heard was coming”: the church had heard the teachings of the apostles that the Antichrist will appear in the last days (see 2Thess. 2:3); “now”: when the apostle John was still on the earth;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     Many heresies confess that Jesus was a historical character but deny he was incarnated. And some heresies proclaim that the Lord Jesus was not a real man but a ghost who appeared before the Jews for a short period two thousand years ago ---- that is to say there was not so-called suffering or death or resurrection.

2)     The main works of the evil spirit is deceiving believers to be corrupted from simplicity as to the Christ (see 2Cor. 11:3).

 

1John. 4:4 “You are of God little children and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

YLT: “Ye -- of God ye are little children and ye have overcome them; because greater is He who in you than he who is in the world.”

Meaning of Words: overcome”: conquer;greater”: more excellent higher stronger;

Literal Meaning: “you are of God little children and have overcome them “you are of God”: who are begotten by God (see v.7) namely believers of Jesus Christ (see 5:1); “have overcome them”: overcome the evil one (see 2:13-14) and the evil spirits under him;

“Because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” “He who is in you” “He who is in you”: the holy Trinity (see 3:24 4:12-13 15-16); “he who is in the world”: the devil and those who are under him; “greater”: greater in person and in power;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     The whole world lies under the sway of the evil one (see 5:19). Before we are saved we were also under its power (Acts 26:18). However we are enabled to overcome by Him in the Lord (see 1Cor. 15:57; 2Cor. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Rev. 12:11).

2)     None of the spiritual giants can overcome the enemies by his own power or talent but by the Spirit in believers (see Zech. 4:6).

 

1John. 4:5 “They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world and the world hears them.”

YLT: “They -- of the world they are; because of this from the world they speak and the world doth hear them;”

Meaning of Words: of the world”: out of the world; speak”: talk about;

Literal Meaning: “they are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world “of the world”: things or the people that are controlled by Satan namely things or the people that are of the evil system of the world; “…as of the world”: the heresies speak and perform according the evil system.

“And the world hears them” “the world”: unbelievers who were of the evil system before they were saved; “hears them”: be willing to hear and receive and follow;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     Man’s nature decides the nature of things he speaks of. Man’s words may often unconsciously expose his inner nature.

2)     Men in the world seem to be independent creature. However they can also not help being influenced by the people or things around. Satan manipulates men by taking advantaging of men’s corruption and weakness so that men will hear him and his evil spirits rather than God.

3)     The heretical teachers are popular because they only speak the words pleasant to the world. The servants of Christ shall speak faithfully what they ought to say as God as inspired and revealed rather than please men (see Gal. 1:10).

 

1John. 4:6 “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

YLT: “we -- of God we are; he who is knowing God doth hear us; he who is not of God doth not hear us; from this we know the spirit of the truth and the spirit of the error.”

Meaning of Words: know”: understand be aware of; “error”: deception falsehood; 

Literal Meaning: “we are of God. He who knows God hears us” “we”: the workers of God like the apostles; “are of God”: who are begotten by God (see v.9) and have been sent by God to bear witness to Him (see 1:1-3); “know”: seek to know God ceaselessly; “know God”: believers who are simple and love God; “hears us”: hear the teachings of the apostles including all the teachings of the truth;

  “He who is not of God does not hear us” “is not of God”: is of the world (see v.5); “does not hear us”: do not receive the teachings in the Bible;

By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” “by this”: by the above-mentioned six verses (see v.1-6); “the spirit of truth” refers to the Spirit whose main work is to lead men into the truth (see John 16:13); the spirit of error” refers to the evil spirit whose main work is to deceive men away from the truth (see Eph. 2:2).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     The nature of a man decides the nature of the words he is inclined to hear. One’s interest in some sort of words reveals his inner inclination. For example a proud man likes to hear flattery words.

2)     The fundamental principle of discerning the spirit of truth and the spirit of error is: a) the former confesses openly the right person of Jesus including His words and works but the latter denies Him; b) the former likes to hear biblical teachings of the truth including the words and works but the latter denies them.

3)     Truth is opposite to error. One can only please the living and true God and obtain ever growing spiritual reality by receiving and practicing the truth. However if one is deceived by the spirit of error he will fall into falsehood and vanity.

 

1John. 4:7 “Beloved let us love one another for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

YLT: “Beloved may we love one another because the love is of God and every one who is loving of God he hath been begotten and doth know God;”

Meaning of Words: love one another”: love each other (agapao); is born of God”: is begotten by God; “know”: understand be aware of;

Literal Meaning: “beloved let us love one another for love is of God the love that makes us love one another is not out of us but “of God”. God is the origin of love who grants us this love so that we are inspired and urged and motivated to love one another.

“And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” “love”: love divinely; “is born of God” the love we love brothers is of the life of God. The life of God with the divine love abides in believers. “Knows God” there is the power of know God in the life of God. The more we love with the love in life the more will we know God’s love and Himself.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     Once we have the life of God we will have the love of God. No life of God no love of God. Since believers have the relation of life with God the origin of love it will be revealed in our disposition.

2)     The love of God and the life of God and the knowledge of God are closely linked: a) the more we love the more we grow and the more we know God; b) the more we grow the more can we love selflessly and the more we will know God; c) the more we know God the more will we reveal love and the more mature we will be.

 

1John. 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God for God is love.”

YLT: “he who is not loving did not know God because God is love.”

Meaning of Words: love”: agapao;

Literal Meaning: “he who does not love does not know God” “love”: the divine love; “does not know God”: he who does not know God will not believe God. This verse explains the relation of God with the divine love. An unbeliever in the world has neither nor God’s life so he has no love of God abiding in him.

  “For God is love” love is the nature of God and is the bridge between God and men. Man’s condition cannot satisfy God’s holiness and righteousness. The love of God makes God send His Son to be propitiation for our sins ---- this is love (see v.10).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     The secret of knowing God for us is to love God and men and experience God who is love in the life of love.

2)     God is love. Anyone disobeys the nature of love does not know God at all. On the contrary he who obeys the nature of love and experiences the love personally will know God.

 

1John. 4:9 “In this the love of God was manifested toward us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.”

YLT: “In this was manifested the love of God in us because His Son -- the only begotten -- hath God sent to the world that we may live through him;”

Meaning of Words: sent”: dispatch; through”: by; live”: be alive; “manifest”: reveal;

Literal Meaning: “in this the love of God was manifested toward us” “was manifested”: the invisible love can be revealed by visible case.

  “That God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him” “His only begotten Son” refers to Jesus Christ who is the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father (see John 1:17-18); “into the world”: the Lord Jesus came to the world (see Phil. 2:7-8); “through Him”: receive the eternal life by His name (see 5:13; John 3:14-16);

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     He who denies the deity of Christ has abandoned the chance of obtaining the divine life as well as the graciousness of the love of God.

2)     God commends His love to us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

3)     “The love of God in us” many times we will clearly know the great love of God toward us when we see the internal works of His love in us without seeing any external work.

4)     The great love of God forgives our sins and grants us the eternal life. The purpose of remission of sins is to make us a clean vessel for the divine life that we will abide in God and He in us (see v.13 16).

 

1John. 4:10 “In this is love not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

YLT: “in this is the love not that we loved God but that He did love us and did send His Son a propitiation for our sins.”

Meaning of Words: propitiation”: appeasement make atonement; 

Literal Meaning: not that we loved God but that He loved us” here it points that what love is (see 3:16). Note that all the word “love” in this epistle in the original is the divine love. We had no such love in ourselves. What we have is human love selfish love. Therefore it is not “that we loved God” for we have no such divine love but “that God loved us”. That is to say God has given the divine love to believers who are saved.

“In this is loveand sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” “our sins” sins hinder our fellowship with God (see 1:6-10) so they should be taken away. “Propitiation”: the wrath of God toward our sins are appeased through the blood of the Lord Jesus so that we are reconciled with God; “this is love” that God sent His Son to bear sins on the cross revealed that nature of love ---- it is the sacrificial and active and selfless love.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     True love is not out of man for the love out of man is characterized by human affection sense of heroes and vanities of all forms and self-boasting.

2)     The love of God is perfectly thinking for others. Even though one is not love God still loves him and even sacrifices himself.

3)     Love needs to pay cost and the cost concerns oneself ---- time money interest dignity status etc. And love is efficacious and the effect concerns fellowship with others ---- the elimination of misunderstandings estrangements hostility gaps etc.

4)     The Modern Theology divides the love of God and the redemption emphasizing the love of God only. Here it is mentioned that the great redemption is the love of God.

 

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

YLT: “Beloved if thus did God love us we also ought one another to love;”

Meaning of Words: ought to”: have to; 

Literal Meaning: “beloved if God so loved us “so” it shows the causal relationship between this clause and the next clause. “So loved” God sent His only begotten Son to fulfill the salvation (see v.9-10).

“We also ought to love one another” “we also ought to”: the necessary response of us to the love of God; “love one another” we shall love brothers and sisters with the divine love as God loves us.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     God pours His love upon our heart by the Spirit (see Rom. 5:5) so that we can both enjoy and know His love.

2)     Whoever has enjoyed the love of God cannot help responding to it. And the most proper response is to let the love of God flow out of us unto others. This is to love one another.

3)     Whoever is really led by the Lord to see His love of crucifixion can in no wise return to his self-centered life because he must be seized by the unspeakable love of the Lord.

 

1John. 4:12 “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another God abides in us and His love has been perfected in us.”

YLT: “God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another God in us doth remain and His love is having been perfected in us;”

Meaning of Words: seen”: gaze at; “perfect”: fulfill;

Literal Meaning: “no one has seen God at any time” the nature of God is spirit (see John 4:24) whom cannot seen by men (see 1Tim. 1:17; 6:16). In the times of the Old Testament man saw only the angel of God (see Gen. 18:1-2) not the substance of God.

If we love one another God abides in us if we love one another the nature of God will be manifested on us (see John 13:35). Thus God will be pleased to abide in us instead of hiding Him from us.

“And His love has been perfected in us” “been perfected” the love of God is perfect and full. However our experience of God’s love is insufficient. Therefore our knowledge of God’s love shall be increased by loving one another (see Eph. 3:17-18) and be practiced and finally perfected.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     If we love one another we will abide in God (see v.13). And if we abide in Him He abides in us (see v.13; John 15:4). Therefore if believers love one another God will abide in us.

2)     Christ manifests God the Father through His Incarnation (John 1:18). And believers experience the indwelling God through loving one another (see John 14:21) and manifest God before men (see John 13:35).

3)     The love of God must be perfected so that such perfect love will be revealed on man. And believers’ loving one another is the best way of perfecting the love of God.

4)     The blessings and love of God do not linger on us only but will be distributed out by us. Therefore more people will enjoy the blessings and love and thus the love of God will be perfected in us.

 

1John. 4:13 “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us because He has given us of His Spirit.”

YLT: “in this we know that in Him we do remain and He in us because of His Spirit He hath given us.”

Meaning of Words: Spirit”: breath wind; “abide”: dwell;

Literal Meaning: “by this we know that we abide in Him “by this”: by the fact that God gives the Spirit to us; “know that we abide in Him”: know that we keep the fellowship with God in life; believers receive all their spiritual knowledge and experience by the teaching and guidance of the Spirit (see John 16:13).

“And He in us in our fellowship with God in life we feel that God is true and living in us (see 1Thess. 1:9).

“Because He has given us of His Spirit” “has given us” the Spirit has been given to us when we were just saved (see Acts 2:38). And the indwelling Spirit enables us to receive the pouring out of God’s love (see Rom. 5:5) and know that God abides in us (see 3:24)

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    When believers love one another God abides in us (see v.12). And we know He abides in us for we have the guidance and inspiration of the Spirit.

2)    The experience of God’s presence is built upon the foundation of the objective faith (see v.14-15) and subjective experience ---- know (v.13 16).

 

1John. 4:14 “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.”

YLT: “And we -- we have seen and do testify that the Father hath sent the Son -- Saviour of the world;”

Meaning of Words: Savior”: deliverer; seen”: beheld;testify”: prove;

Literal Meaning: “and we have seen and testify “we”: the apostles and their fellow workers; “have seen”: to the disciples of the first generations had seen the Lord in the flesh (see 1:1-3); to we believers of the later generations they have seen the Lord spiritually (see 2Cor. 4:4-6); “testify”: preach and prove what we have seen to all;

“That the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world” “the Father has sent the Son” it is mentioned again (see v.9-10); “Savior of the world” there is no salvation in any other and the world can be saved by Him only (see Acts 4:12).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     The love of God is practical (the Father sent His Son) and the works of Christ reaches far (all over the world) and the power of the Spirit is abundant (Savior).

2)     The works of Christ are given to the whole world. Only those who stubbornly refuse to repent and believe shut themselves off from the divine works.

 

1John. 4:15 “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God God abides in him and he in God.”

YLT: “whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God God in him doth remain and he in God;”

Meaning of Words: confess”: admit; abide”: dwell live;

Literal Meaning: “whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God” “confess”: it is not intellectual identification but whole-hearted believing and trust; “Jesus is the Son of God Jesus is the only begotten Son Sent by God (see v.9-10 14) and is of God (see v.2-3) and is divine.

God abides in him and he in God” such bidirectional dwelling has mentioned thrice in this chapter (v. 13 15 16) and this is the second one. Nevertheless the order here is contrary. In other two verses it is first mentioned that we abide in God and then God abides in us (see v.13 16; 3:24) because here it emphasizes that no one can say Jesus is Lord but in Holy Spirit (see 1Cor. 12:3).

 

1John. 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.”

YLT: “and we -- we have known and believed the love that God hath in us; God is love and he who is remaining in the love in God he doth remain and God in him.”

Meaning of Words: know”: have known; 

Literal Meaning: “and we have known and believed the love that God has for us” “the love that God has for us” it indicates that we have experienced the love of God in our life. “We” refer to Christ’s believers. “We have known and believed”: we have already known and believed and are still knowing and believing the love;

God is love “God is love” (see v.8) in believers’ fellowship with God believers have stronger and deeper feeling toward God’s love than other dispositions of God. Whenever we meet God we have met love. Therefore definitely God is love.

“And he who abides in love abides in God when believers are immersed in the love of God they take God as their life and all for only God is the source of this love.

“And God in him” this verse is the last time of mentioning that we abide in God and God in us. And different conditions or elements are mentioned in each verse: a) keep the commandments of God (see 3:24); b) know by the Spirit of God; c) by the faith that Jesus is the Son of God;

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     Faith and love are closely related. Whoever has no faith in the holy Trinity has no love of God. Whoever knows the love of God will have faith in God.

2)     He who really knows and believes the love of God will not leave the love of God but remain in this divine love and enjoy the abundant love.

3)     Whoever has known and enjoyed the love of God will regard God as all of his life. Whoever has received God as his life will manifest the love of God in his daily life.

 

1John. 4:17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is so are we in this world.”

YLT: “In this made perfect hath been the love with us that boldness we may have in the day of the judgment because even as He is we -- we also are in this world;”

Meaning of Words: perfect”: fulfill; judgment”: condemnation; boldness”: confidence; 

Literal Meaning: “love has been perfected among us in this” “in this”: in love (see v.16); “love” it is not human love but the divine love; “has been perfected” it does not mean the love of God is not perfect but our experience and appropriation of love are not perfect. Therefore we have to “abide” in love so that the love of God will be perfected in us.

  “That we may have boldness in the day of judgment” “the day of judgment” refers to the day of Christ’s second coming (see 2Thess. 1:10) who will judge according to righteousness (see 1Pet. 2:23). And the judgment begins from the house of God (see 1Pet. 4:17). “Have boldness” believers in whom the love of God is perfected do not fear the judgment of Christ.

  “Because as He is so we are in this world” “as He is” here it does not mention His perfect power but His perfect love. “We are in this world”: when we are in the world; “so we are…” the love of God in us will be fulfilled as perfect as the Lord (see Matt. 5:48).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     If we are bold in the normal fellowship with God (see 3:21) when the Lord comes again we will also be bold before the judgment seat of Christ.

2)     It is cruelly difficult for believers to seek to be perfect in “works”. However if we seek to be perfected in “the love of God” we need only to “abide” in love (see v.16). The divine love will help us to live a perfect life.

3)     Loving brothers is like loving God. The one who most has love is the one who likes God most. As God is filled with love so are we. He who treats with men by the love of God will surely have boldness toward God.

 

1John. 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

YLT: “fear is not in the love but the perfect love doth cast out the fear because the fear hath punishment and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;”

Meaning of Words: fear”: terror be afraid; perfect”: fulfill complete accomplish;cast out”: throw out thrust;involve”: get obtain;torment”: infliction;

Literal Meaning: “there is no fear in love” “fear”: fear the wrath of God (see John 3:36; Rom. 8:15; Heb. 12:21); “there is no fear in love” when believers abide in love they will not be in fear.

“But perfect love casts out fear “perfect love” the love of God is perfected in a man; “casts out fear” love can eliminate fear in heart.

“Because fear involves torment” “torment”: the punishment of the Lord when He comes again (see Luke 12:46-47); “fear involves torment”: fear is a kind of torment both at present and in future;

But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” “he who fears” one who is often in fear of torment; “has not been made perfect in love” it means that one has not abided in the love of God and the divine love has not been manifested in him.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The love of God has not been perfected in the life of whoever fears his future.

2)    The perfect love dispels fear as the light dispels darkness for he who loves brothers abides in light (see 2:10).

3)    He who fears predicts what he has done will make him in torment.

4)    As long as Christians shall live in fear now (see Eph. 5:21; 1Pet. 1:17) they will not fear the coming judgment of God.

 

1John. 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.”

YLT: “we -- we love him because He -- He first loved us;”

Meaning of Words: first”: beginning; 

Literal Meaning: “we love Him” our love to God (see v.10-12; Mark 12:30-31);

  “Because He first loved us” it does not mean that we love God to reward His love for we cannot reward the divine and gracious love. This verse tells us that it is God that has first poured out His love into us (see Rom. 5:5) so that we are enabled to receive the divine love to love God and our brothers (see v.20-21).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     Our love is the natural manifestation of the divine love in us. The more we enjoy the love of God the more will we love God and men.

2)     Though God loves us He does not force us. If man’s love is not active or voluntary it is not love.

 

1John. 4:20 “If someone says "I love God " and hates his brother he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen how can he love God whom he has not seen?”

YLT: “if any one may say -- `I love God ' and his brother he may hate a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?”

Meaning of Words: hate”: detest; “see”: behold;

Literal Meaning: “if someone says "I love God" many in the church confess they love God especially the heretical teachers with ulterior motives.

“And hates his brother “hate”: “not love”; positively it is “hate”. And passively it is “not love”. Hatred includes the lack of kindness toward brothers and the ignorance of brothers’ profits in dealing with things and betraying brothers.

“He is a liar it means that he deceives himself.

“For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen “does not love”: care naught for others “his brother whom he has seen” it has two meanings: a) the common people; b) brothers around us;

“How can he love God whom he has not seen” “love God whom he has not seen” for no one has seen God (see v.12).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    God is love (see v.8 16). There must be objects of this love. The love of God is especially toward those who are born again in the house of God. If we desire to have fellowship with God we have to love those whom He loves.

2)    The practice of love should be started from loving brothers. Loving brothers is the truest practice and learning. The love of God shall be manifested from the vivid work of “loving brothers”.

3)    To love brothers shall be done from the brothers whom we have seen. Many people do not love the brothers whom they have seen but love those who are afar off.

 

1John. 4:21 “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

YLT: “and this the command we have from Him that he who is loving God may also love his brother.”

Meaning of Words: commandment”: precept; 

Literal Meaning: “and this commandment we have from Him” “commandment”: that we have to keep; let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth (see 3:18).

“That he who loves God must love his brother also” “he who loves God”: he who thinks that he loves God (see v.20); “love his brother”: love the brother around him (see v.20);

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)     He who desires to love God shall also love brothers. This is the commandment of God not our own choice.

2)     It is not to love loveable brothers but just all “brother” ---- every brother born of God.

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

Know the Spirit of Error

A.  Whose tool ---- false prophets (v.1);

B.  Whose strategy ---- deny that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (v.2-3a);

C.  Whose source ---- be not of God but of the Antichrist (v.3b);

D.  Whose location ---- be now already in the world (v.3b);

E.  Whose power ---- be smaller than He who is in believers (v.4);

F.   Whose nature ---- be of the world (v.5a);

G.  Whose work ---- be of the world (v.5b);

H.  Whose influence ---- the world hears it (v.5c);

 

Know the Spirit of Truth

A.  Whose insistence ---- confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (v.2a);

B.  Whose source ---- be of God (v.2b);

C.  Whose location ---- abide in believers (v.4a);

D.  Whose power ---- be greater than he who is in the world (v.4b);

 

Reasons Why Believers Shall Love One Another

A.  For love is of God ---- be born of God and love is in the divine life (v.7);

B.  For God is love---- know God by love (v.7-8);

C.  For God loved ---- the love is manifested (v.9-11);

D.  For God abides in us ---- such love renders God abide in us (v.12a);

E.  For love is perfected in us ---- we are enabled to abide in God and God in us (v.12b-16);

F.  For there is no fear in love ---- have boldness in the day of judgment (v.17-18);

G.  For he who loves God must love his brother also ---- he who does not love whom he has seen can not love God whom he has not seen (v.19-21);

 

Enjoyment of God’s Love

A.  Share the love of God (v.7-11) ---- it is God that first loved us so such love shall be shared with others;

B.  Partake of the love of God (v.12-16) ---- if we love one another we have been partakers of the love of God together;

C.  Fully enjoy the love of God (v.17-21) ---- God’s love is perfect so man’s love shall also be perfected;

 

Love of the Trinity

A.  Love of God the Father ---- who sent His only begotten Son to the world (v.9);

B.  Love of God the Son ---- who had become the propitiation for our sins (v.10);

C.  Love of God the Spirit---- who is given to us and abides in us (v.13);

 

Works Done by God’s Love

A.  In the past ---- we were remitted and born again (v.9-10);

B.  At presence ---- we are enabled to love one another (v.11-16);

C.  In the future ---- we are enabled to be bold in the day of judgment (v.17-18);

 

Two Aspects of Love

A.  Know love by love (v.19 see v.8);

B.  Manifest love by love (v.20);

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

   Translated by Mary Zhou