In this very informative epistle, the grand Apostle of love, John, will caution us to be aware of the prevalence of false teachers (I John 4:1-6), and the need for believers to love one another (I John 4:7-21). The Apostle John has already discussed the fact that God is light (I John 1:5), and now John declares that God is love (I John 4:7). These are two wonderful attributes that the Apostle John has declared about God.
I John 4:1-21 may be outlined as follows: I. The Declaration Involving False Teachers – I John 4:1-6; II. Demonstrating the Love of God – I John 4:7-21.
I. The Declaration Involving False Teachers – I John 4:1-6
In verse1, the Spirit of God must be distinguished from false spirits. It is very crucial that we understand that there are many false prophets (teachers) that are in the world today! The genuine teachers of God’s word will honestly confess “that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” (v. 2). However, failure to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh will reveal the spirit of the antichrist that John had already spoken about (v. 3; I John 2:18-27).
Simply put, “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God” (v. 2); however, false teachers are proclaiming a severe heresy when they fail to acknowledge the veracity of Christ’s incarnation (v. 3). John is vehemently informing us that the spirit of the antichrist (false teachings) is prevalent! We are not to believe everything that we hear, but “try (prove) the spirits whether they are of God.” Satan has many spiritual counterfeits who are advancing things that the Scriptures are not saying! We need to test everything we hear by the veracity of God’s word!
As children of God (v. 4), we can resist the antichrists (false teachers) by means of the One who indwells us (the Holy Spirit). The Holy Spirit is greater than the one who is in the world, namely, Satan. In verse 5, the antichrists are from the world and speak from the viewpoint of the world. However, in verse 6, people who are from God listen to the apostles. Listening to the apostolic doctrine will help one to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
II. Demonstrating the Love of God – I John 4:7-21
Beginning in verse 7, John is encouraging us to love one another. The reason we are to do so is that love is from God. Love stems from a regenerate nature and also from fellowship with God, which issues in knowing Him (v. 7). Since God is love, this dominant attribute of our Father must be seen in believers who claim to know Him. We cannot purport (claim) to know God and persist in withholding sincere Christian love from our brothers and sisters (v. 8).
In verses 9-10, the greatest demonstration of God’s love toward us was the sending of His Son. God dispatched His only begotten (“one of a kind, unique”), Son into the world so that “we might live through Him” (v. 9). God loves us unconditionally unto the end that He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (v. 10). Christ came willingly to secure our redemption as He served as the atoning sacrifice for us! Since God love us sacrificially, then this should be an incentive for us “to love one another” (v. 11).
While no one can see God, those who love one another show that God is dwelling in them and that His love is being made perfect (complete) in their lives (v. 12). In verse 13, we evidence that we know God because the presence of the Holy Spirit within us encourages behaviour that reflects Christian character (Galatians 5:22-25).
As an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, the Apostle John could say – “We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (v. 14). John lived among Christ, heard Him teach, and saw Him alive after His death; and “his testimony is true” (St. John 21:24; I John 1:1). Through confession that Jesus is the Son of God, the one who confesses enjoys a mutual abiding relationship with God (v. 15).
In verse 16, John stated again that “God is love” (v. 8, 16) and one who lives in love, lives in God and has God abiding with Him. Christian love is perfected or made complete in the life of a believer; and such love leads one to boldness in the Day of Judgment. As believers, being identified with Christ, our position in this world is like His exalted position in heaven. A believer who is fearful is lacking something in the development of his or her love (v. 18). A believer who considers Judgment Day with fear is the one in whom divine love has not yet reached its full maturity.
Love cannot be comprehended until we understand that “He first loved us.” Long before we ever thought of loving God, He loved us (v. 19). It is incomprehensible for one to say “I love God (v. 20) while hating his Christian brother. One who loves God will love his brother (v. 21).
May God Bless!
Dr. Johnny Calvin Smith
