1 John 4:1-21
Naturally Love Comes from God
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
At the core of our existence lies a profound Truth: God is LOVE...This isn't merely a characteristic or a desirable trait; it is the Very Essence of who God is. "God is LOVE," as stated in 1 John 4:8, foundational to understanding ourselves and our interactions with the world...With everyone loving everybody there is harmony in our world...We are told, "We love because He first LOVED us" (1 John 4:19)...This Divine LOVE isn't just an abstract concept; it's the blueprint for our own capacity to love...Given that we are made in God's Image, love should, in its purest form, flow naturally from within us...If LOVE is God's Intrinsic Nature and our original design, then it follows that hate is not inherent to humanity...Instead, it is a learned behavior, often acquired at a young age, shaped by environmental influences and the examples we observe...
This perspective challenges the notion that children arrive in this fallen world carrying personal hatreds...Instead, children often embody the very qualities Jesus uplifted, demonstrating a natural inclination towards humility, simplicity, and open-hearted trust...They possess an innate ability to form genuine friendships, readily playing with anyone, regardless of superficial differences like skin color...This natural inclusivity in children provides a compelling argument that negative emotions such as anger and hate are indeed learned traits, rather than being an intrinsic part of our being...They are absorbed from the world around us, particularly during our formative years, through negative experiences, conflicts, or harmful parental and societal examples...
Jesus frequently emphasized the profound importance of children, highlighting their unique qualities and their special place in the Kingdom of God...He instructed His followers to emulate children in their humility and trust, offering a radical perspective on true greatness...His comments on children consistently point to their innocence and the lessons adults can learn from them...
One of Jesus's most powerful statements regarding children is found in Matthew 18:3: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven." This declaration, echoed in various forms throughout the Gospels, underscores the critical importance of childlike qualities—humility, simplicity, and unreserved trust—as prerequisites for entering God's Kingdom...This humility extends to how we interact with all people, fostering an environment where we are genuinely present with others, whether working, playing, or simply being together...Further emphasizing humility, Jesus stated in Matthew 18:4, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."...He used a child as a living example of humility, indicating that true spiritual greatness stems from a humble, dependent heart, a quality deeply intertwined with the capacity for love...
Jesus also expressed deep concern for children's well-being, portraying them as objects of Divine Care and protection...In Mark 10:14, He rebuked His disciples for trying to keep children away, declaring, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."...This explicit welcome signifies their inherent value in God's eyes...Moreover, in Matthew 18:10, Jesus cautioned, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones...For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."...This highlights the special status and Divine Protection afforded to children, implying a constant heavenly watchfulness over them...The act of caring for children is also directly linked to welcoming Jesus Himself: "Whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me," as recorded in Matthew 18:5...This underscores that showing genuine care and respect for children is tantamount to showing care and respect for Christ Himself...
The Bible also acknowledges the profound blessing and joy that children bring to life...Psalm 127:3 states, "Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward," emphasizing the Divine Gift they represent...Proverbs 29:17 further speaks to the delight and fulfillment that children can bring to their parents, affirming their positive impact on family life...
Accompanying this blessing is the crucial aspect of parental responsibility...Ephesians 6:4 instructs, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the LORD."...This verse serves as a vital guide, reminding parents to nurture their children in a manner that honors God..."Provoking" children can manifest in various ways, including constant quarreling between spouses or creating a harmful, unstable home environment during their youth...Such actions can cause deep emotional traumas that may lead to lifelong issues, reinforcing the idea that negative emotions like anger and hatred are often instilled or intensified by early experiences...The responsibility of parents, therefore, extends beyond mere provision to cultivating an atmosphere of love, discipline, and godly instruction that fosters healthy emotional and spiritual development...
In essence, Jesus's words and actions unequivocally demonstrate that children are precious in God's sight, deserving of Unconditional LOVE, vigilant protection, and thoughtful guidance...He uses them as profound examples of genuine faith and humility, urging His followers to embrace these very qualities in their own lives...These teachings collectively support the idea that children possess a natural capacity for love and that negative emotions such as anger, hate, and fear are primarily learned during their formative years...St. John even says that Perfect LOVE drives out fear, a negative emotion...
This understanding resonates deeply with the Apostle John's first epistle, where he lovingly refers to believers as "dear children" (1 John 4:4), indicating a tender affection and a profound grasp of Jesus's teachings on childhood...John further elaborates on the nature of Divine LOVE: "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God...Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God...Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is LOVE" (1 John 4:7-8)...He explains that God demonstrated His LOVE by sending His Only Son so that we might live through Him (1 John 4:9-10)...John concludes this powerful section by reiterating, "We love because He first LOVED us" (1 John 4:19) and challenges the authenticity of any claim to love God while harboring hate for a fellow human: "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar...For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen" (1 John 4:20)...He reinforces God's command: "Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister" (1 John 4:21)...This profound emphasis on love and the direct link between loving God and loving one another powerfully reinforces the idea that love is our natural state, bestowed by God, and that hatred is a deviation, a learned response that we are called to overcome through God's Indwelling Spirit...