1 John 4:1-21
On Denying the incarnation
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.
It's not difficult to envision a reality beyond our immediate thoughts, ideas, and senses, a truth accessible through faith...Imagine, if you will, the certainty of heaven, a realm of ultimate peace and communion with God, prepared for those who love Him...This stands in contrast to the somber reality of hell, a state of separation from that Divine LOVE...Yet, looking upwards, we see God's expansive blue sky, a canvas He painted, stretching out as a firmament adorned with celestial wonders...Consider the countless stars and planets, each meticulously placed and individually named by our Creator...As the prophet Isaiah prompts us, "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?...He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name...Because of His Great Power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing." This cosmic display isn't just random beauty; it's a testament to the immense power, meticulous care, and intimate knowledge of the God who orchestrates the universe, the same God whose very essence is LOVE...And we know this because God so LOVES the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life...For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him...Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but is saved through Him...
This understanding of God fundamentally shapes how we perceive life and our purpose within our journey on earth over our years...Imagine humanity shifting its focus from anxieties about the future or regrets about the past, instead choosing to live fully in the present moment, embracing each day as a gift...Embracing this Divine Perspective requires discernment, for as John cautions, we must "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" (1 John 4:1)...False prophets remain today in our midst...The crucial test lies in acknowledging the foundational truth that every one who acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every one that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God...This is the spirit of the antichrist" (1 John 4:2-3)...Recognizing this distinction empowers believers, for "the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4)...Those aligned with the world speak from a worldly viewpoint, and some follow those aligned in falsehoods and deception and find an audience there, but those who know God recognize and listen to the voice of truth (1 John 4:5-6)...They believe in things that are True...Why believe in something that is not the Truth...Grounded in this spiritual reality, this present-focused existence isn't one of hedonistic disregard, but rather a mindful awareness of God's Presence and calling in the here and now...Furthermore, envision a world where national boundaries and political divisions cease to be sources of conflict and animosity...Picture diverse peoples and nations coexisting not merely in tolerance, but in genuine love and harmony...This isn't a naive dream but a reflection of the core message found in 1 John 4: "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)...When we grasp that God is LOVE, the impetus for conflict dissolves...Why would there be anything to kill or die for when the foundational principle of existence is Divine, self-giving love?...God’s LOVE extends universally, embracing every individual without exception...Imagine, then, all people living their lives deeply rooted in the peace that only He can provide – a peace that surpasses all worldly understanding... A peace Jesus gives us; His peace He gives us...He does not give to us a peace as this world gives...So let us not have troubled hearts and let us know He is with us and therefore, let us not be afraid...
You might observe this perspective and label me, a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ...And you would be right...But crucially, this faith isn't a solitary path...It's a shared journey, a growing fellowship of those who have encountered the transformative LOVE of God...As 1 John explains, this love wasn't just an abstract concept; it was demonstrated in the most profound way: "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...This is love: not that we loved God, but that He LOVED us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10)...Recognizing this incredible act of love compels a response: "Dear friends, since God so LOVED us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11)...This mutual love is more than just human affection; it's evidence of God's Presence within the community of believers..."No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His LOVE is made complete in us" (1 John 4:12)...My hope, therefore, extends beyond personal conviction; it’s a heartfelt prayer that someday, everyone will join this fellowship of faith, recognizing Jesus as the Savior sent by the Father (1 John 4:14), and the world will finally achieve a true, unified existence centered on God's LOVE...
This vision profoundly reorients our relationship with material possessions and worldly ambitions...Imagine grasping the truth that genuine treasures aren't accumulated on earth, subject to decay and loss, but are stored in heaven...Picture a world where the relentless pursuit of material wealth loses its grip, replaced by contentment and a focus on eternal values and this LOVE...Can you conceive of such a world?..One where greed is unnecessary because the community ensures everyone's needs are met?...Where hunger vanishes not through complex economic systems alone, but through a pervasive spirit of generosity and mutual care, echoing the teachings and example of Jesus?...This embodies the ideal of a true "brotherhood of man," or more accurately, a family united under God...This isn't mere resource allocation; it's the practical outworking of Divine LOVE dwelling within people..."We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit... If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God....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" (1 John 4:13, 15-16)...Imagine all people, recognizing their shared identity as children loved by God, freely sharing the resources of the world, motivated by love, not obligation...
Yes, you might call me a dreamer, a believer holding onto a vision that seems distant from our current reality...But Jesus holds this dream and vision...So it isn't mine alone; it is shared by countless others who have put their faith in Jesus and experienced the reality of God's LOVE...It’s a hope rooted not in wishful thinking, but in the very nature of God revealed in Christ and confirmed by the His Spirit...This love, when truly embraced and lived out, has the power to dispel the anxieties and fears that so often dominate human existence, including the fear of judgment..."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" (1 John 4:18)...We love because He first LOVED us (1 John 4:19)...This Perfect LOVE gives us confidence and transforms our relationships...The ultimate expression of this transformed world, living as one, hinges on understanding and obeying the fundamental commandment that flows from God's Nature: "And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister" (1 John 4:21)...My deepest hope remains that someday, you too will join this fellowship of faith and love, and together, we will see the world live as one, reflecting the Perfect LOVE of the Father...