1 John 4

1 believe not every spirit. Do not acknowledge all who claim to be under the special guidance of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Thess. v. 21; 1 Cor. xii. 10; xiv. 32, and notes); but “test” them, lest you err either in receiving the false, or in rejecting the true.

2 confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. Believing and maintaining the true humanity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This was the aspect of the truth which false teachers in the early Church especially denied. The Deity of Christ was incontrovertible, but it was maintained that He came only in the appearance of a man (the teaching of Docetism): see John i. 14, and note.

3 and this is that spirit of antichrist, etc. See note on ii. 18.

4 have overcome them. That is, ye have overcome the anti-Christian teachers: see ii. 13.

5. They are of the world, etc. Worldly in mind, they teach doctrines accordant with the feelings of worldly men, and are therefore eagerly followed by such; whilst, on the contrary, only those who are taught by God will listen to our spiritual teaching; and thus hearers as well as teachers are tested (6).

7 let us love one another. An inference from the preceding. If our faith truly rests in Christ incarnate, it will be proved by love: the sign of sonship and of true knowledge.

8. God is love. Love is not only an attribute of the Eternal, but His essential Being. His attributes and acts are but forms and revelations of Love. “No religion in the whole world outside of revealed religion, has ever attained to the knowledge of God contained in these three short and simple but unfathomable sentences: ‘God is Spirit,’ ‘God is Light,’ ‘God is Love’” (Barrett).

9. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, etc. The gift of the only begotten Son to save us from eternal death is the great proof and manifestation of “the love of God to us”: see ver. 16, and cp. John iii. 16.

10. Herein is love, etc. Love as it exists in God is self-originated and spontaneous, as well as costly in its gift.

propitiation. See Rom. iii. 25; v. 6-8, and notes.

12. No man hath seen God at any time. God is indeed invisible to the eye of sense; but in the exercise of love one toward another, we become conscious of His Spirit dwelling within us and reflect that love which constitutes His nature. “It is only through love that we can become conscious of God, and be convinced of the reality of His being and nature; love being itself the reflection and product of His nature” (Neander). And this love is fully developed in us only when we love all His children also (ver. 1).

13. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, etc. The Spirit must have been imparted to every one in whom this love and faith exist: cp. iii. 24.

14 we have seen and do testify, etc. Although God is invisible (12) He has presented Himself to our sight in the person of His Son. We is emphatic. The testimony of the apostles as eyewitnesses is the ground of our faith in Christ, and therefore in the love of the Father who sent Him; and this again is the origin of our love.

17. Herein is our love made perfect. Rather, “Herein love with us has been perfected.” Our likeness to Christ in love is the measure of our approach to Christian perfection; and it is a ground of confidence in prospect of the judgement; cp. iii. 19.

18. There is no fear in love, etc. Reverential one must ever accompany true love to God; but this is quite a different thing from slavish dress, which is altogether incompatible with perfect love. For “torment,” R.V. reads, more accurately, “punishment.” “That which fear has to expect is regarded as inherent in it” (Huther).

19. We love Him. Huther, Archbishop Alexander, Nestle’s Greek Testament, Moffatt, and Weymouth, omit “Him.” Christian love of every kind has its root and origin in His.

20 he is a liar. He is shown to be so, both by the nature of the case, and by the words of Christ in John xiii. 34.