1 John 4
Woods1 John 4:1-6
SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND
SPIRIT OF ERROR
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.
1 John 4:7-21
LOVE
(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.