1 John 4
1 John 4 tells believers to test the spirits by whether they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, then explains that God is love. Because God sent his Son for us, we ought to love one another; perfect love casts out fear, and we love him because he first loved us.
1 John 4 (KJV)
Try the spirits v. 1-6
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
God is love, so love one another v. 7-12
7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Dwelling in God, and God in us v. 13-16
13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Perfect love casteth out fear v. 17-21
17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19We love him, because he first loved us.
20If 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, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
What 1 John 4 means
The chapter begins with a warning. "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God" because many false prophets have gone out into the world. The test John gives is about Jesus: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not is the spirit of antichrist.
John then encourages his readers. They belong to God and have overcome these false teachers, "because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (verse 4). The world listens to those who speak its language, but those who know God listen to the apostles' message.
From verse 7 the subject is love. Love comes from God, and everyone who loves is born of God. Twice the chapter says plainly that "God is love" (verses 8 and 16). God showed that love by sending his only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him, and as the propitiation for our sins. Real love starts with God's love for us, not ours for him.
No one has seen God at any time, John says, but when believers love one another, God dwells in them and his love is made complete in them. The Spirit he has given and the confession that Jesus is the Son of God are the signs that God lives in a person and that person in God.
The chapter closes with confidence. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear" (verse 18), so believers can face the day of judgment with boldness. "We love him, because he first loved us." Yet John adds a hard edge: anyone who says he loves God but hates his brother is a liar, because you cannot love the God you have not seen while hating the brother you have seen.
Background and context
1 John does not name its writer, but it has traditionally been attributed to the apostle John, who also wrote the Gospel of John. The writer says he heard, saw and touched the Word of life himself (1 John 1:1).
The letter was written to believers unsettled by teachers who had left the church and denied that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh. That is why the test in verses 2-3 focuses on who Jesus is.
Key verses
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1 John 4:4 · KJV
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8 · KJV
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18 · KJV
We love him, because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 · KJV
Cross references
- Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned of false prophets in sheep's clothing, the danger behind verse 1.Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
- 2 John 1:7 The same writer says deceivers do not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
- John 3:16 God's love in giving his only begotten Son, which verse 9 restates.For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- Romans 5:8 God commendeth his love toward us while we were yet sinners.But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the same words as verse 12.No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- John 13:34-35 Jesus' new commandment that his disciples love one another.A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
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Common questions
What is the main message of 1 John 4?
Test teachers by what they say about Jesus, and know that God is love. Because God loved us first and sent his Son, those who belong to him must love one another.
Where does the Bible say God is love?
In 1 John 4:8 and again in 1 John 4:16. Both verses say it in exactly the same three words.
What does try the spirits mean?
It means test teachers and messages that claim to come from God. John's test in verses 2-3 is whether they confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
What does perfect love casteth out fear mean?
As God's love is made complete in a believer, it removes the fear of punishment, so that person can have boldness in the day of judgment (verses 17-18).
Who wrote 1 John?
The letter does not name its writer. It is traditionally attributed to the apostle John.
100 Roots in Scripture
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1 John 4 rests on words like love and propitiation, and 100 Roots in Scripture explains the Greek and Hebrew words behind well-known verses like these.
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