Today we will explore 1 John 4:7-21 in the New Living Translation (NLT). To preface our exploration of the text, I’d like to provide a bit of context.
John – the same author of the book of John, the apostle – writes to believers who have doubts about the divinity and/or humanity of Jesus due to various lies being spread about the gospel – the story of Jesus Christ’s divine origin and sacrifice for all sins of mankind – and how Christians should live. He writes to them with the aim of encouraging them to use wisdom and sound judgment as it pertains to identifying false teachers.
In the midst of his letter, he addresses the topic of God’s love and how a believer can identify and embody the true love of God. This is where today’s text begins. Let’s jump right in:
[7] Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. [8] But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
To know and love God is to love what He loves and to obey His commandments. When we love others, we are committing to what Jesus instructed – we are fulfilling a biblical command (Matthew 22:26-30). This is the evidence we have that God lives in us – that we belong to God. This seems simple enough. Yet, how do we know if we are exhibiting the authentic love of God? How do we know whether we are loving others well? Does our method of love please God?
[9] God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. [10] This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
To recognize and experience real love is to believe that God sent his Son to save us from a life of sin. Real love requires sacrifice. To exhibit real love we must embody humility, understanding that our ability to love comes from a God-given sacrifice on our behalf.
[11] Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. [12] No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. [13] And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
We must extend love to others from the revelation of God’s empowering love towards us. This revelation is that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace (Romans 3:23-24). The presence of God is experienced when genuine love is expressed. Genuine love stems from the personal acceptance of God’s love through Christ by the empowerment of His Spirit (Romans 8:1-4). Believers are marked by the Spirit of God, who enables us to love God, ourselves and others. This genuine love is practically shown in our repentance from sinful living and in treating others with kindness and respect, looking beyond their faults.
[14] Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. [15] All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. [16] We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.
John refers to himself and the other apostles who witnessed Jesus’ ministry up close and who taught His methods to other followers. Our confession of faith in Jesus as the Son of God is evidence of our belief and status in Christ as His followers.
[17] And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. [18] Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. [19] We love each other because he loved us first.
Knowing God’s love and expressing it leads to greater confidence. Confident, sacrificial love does not involve fear. Our love is a model and extension of God’s love for us.
[20] If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? [21] And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.
Loving fellow believers signifies the unity of God’s love in Christ and fulfills the commandment to love God and our neighbor. This is how we confirm whether we are loving in a way that God approves. This is how we become a blessing to others and bring glory to God.
I hope today’s post gave you some insight into understanding love and expressing it God’s way.
Until next time,
Be well.
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