1Jo 4 | MHM | STEP | Concerning Antichrist. In this section, John warns believers to be careful about who they listen to when it comes to spiritual teachings. Not everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit of God is truly from God. There are many false teachers in the world, so Christians must test what they hear. John also explains how to recognize the true Spirit of God and how to spot the spirit of antichrist, which opposes Jesus Christ. v. 1 : John tells the believers, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God (1 John 4:1 ). He warns them not to trust everyone who claims to have a message from God. Instead, they should test these spirits to see if they are really from God. This is important because many false prophets have gone out into the world, just as Jesus warned would happen (Matthew 24:23-24 ). Christians must be careful and use good judgment, because some people pretend to be inspired by God but are not.

‏ 1 John 4

Concerning Antichrist.

In this section, John warns believers to be careful about who they listen to when it comes to spiritual teachings. Not everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit of God is truly from God. There are many false teachers in the world, so Christians must test what they hear. John also explains how to recognize the true Spirit of God and how to spot the spirit of antichrist, which opposes Jesus Christ.

v. 1: John tells the believers, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God (1 John 4:1 ^a). He warns them not to trust everyone who claims to have a message from God. Instead, they should test these spirits to see if they are really from God. This is important because many false prophets have gone out into the world, just as Jesus warned would happen (Matthew 24:23-24 ^b). Christians must be careful and use good judgment, because some people pretend to be inspired by God but are not.

v. 2: John gives a test for knowing the true Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God (1 John 4:2 ^c). This means that anyone who truly believes and teaches that Jesus is the Son of God who became human and lived among us is speaking by the Spirit of God. The true message always agrees with what the Bible says about Jesus.

v. 3: On the other hand, every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God (1 John 4:3 ^d). Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ who came in the flesh is not from God. This is the spirit of antichrist, which John says is already in the world. God warned that there would be people and movements that oppose Jesus and his truth. This spirit of antichrist started even in the time of the apostles, and it continues today. Christians should not be surprised by this, but should be even more confident in the truth of Jesus as they see these things happen.

Danger of Antichristian Spirit.

In this section, John encourages believers not to be afraid of false teachers or the antichristian spirit. He reminds them that God’s Spirit is stronger than any evil force in the world. John also explains how true followers of Jesus are different from the world, and how we can tell the difference between true and false teaching.

v. 4: John says, You 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 ^e). Believers belong to God and have already defeated the false teachers, because the Holy Spirit inside them is more powerful than any evil spirit in the world. God protects his people from being led away by lies.

v. 5: John explains, They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them (1 John 4:5 ^f). False teachers care about worldly things like fame, power, and money. Their message fits with what the world wants to hear, so people who love the world follow them. But their focus is not on God’s truth.

v. 6: John concludes, We 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 (1 John 4:6 ^g). People who truly know God will listen to the apostles’ teaching, but those who do not know God will not accept it. This is how we can tell the difference between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. The real message from God will always lead people closer to God, not to the world.

Brotherly Love.

This section is about the importance of real Christian love. John encourages believers to love one another, showing that true love comes from God. He explains that loving others is proof that we know God, because God is the source of love. John also reminds us that God showed his love by sending Jesus to save us, and that we should love others in the same way. When we love each other, it is a sign that God's Spirit is living in us.

v. 7: John urges, Beloved, let us love one another (1 John 4:7 ^h). Love comes from God, and everyone who truly loves is born of God and knows God. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love, and when we have new life from God, we show it by loving others (Galatians 5:22 ⁱ).

v. 8: John explains, He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1 John 4:8 ^j). If someone does not love, it shows they do not really know God. Love is a main part of who God is. Just as God is light (1 John 1:5 ^k), he is also love.

v. 9: John describes how God showed his love: In 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 . God’s love is seen most clearly in the gift of Jesus, his unique Son, sent to give us new life.

v. 10: John continues, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10 ^l). God loved us first, even before we loved him. He proved his love by sending Jesus to take away our sins (Romans 5:8 ^m).

v. 11: John says, Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another (1 John 4:11 ⁿ). If God loved us so much, we should definitely love each other. God’s example should move us to love others, especially those he loves (Matthew 5:45 ^o).

v. 12: John adds, No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12 ^p). Even though we cannot see God, we can know he is with us if we love one another. God’s love reaches its goal in us when we share it with others.

v. 13: John explains, Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit . When we love others, it shows that God’s Spirit lives in us. The Spirit God gives us is a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 ^q). This is the proof that we belong to God.

The Divine Love.

This section explains how faith in Jesus leads to love for God and for other people. John reminds us that the heart of Christianity is believing that Jesus is the Son of God, sent by the Father to save the world. He shows that if we truly confess this, God lives in us and we live in Him. Understanding God’s love helps us love others, because God Himself is love.

v. 14: John declares, We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14 ^r). The apostles witnessed Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. They know that Jesus is truly the Son of God and the Savior for all people. This fact is the foundation of Christian love and faith.

v. 15: John continues, Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God (1 John 4:15 ^s). If anyone truly believes and openly says that Jesus is God’s Son, God lives in that person, and that person lives in God. This confession should be from the heart, spoken with the mouth, and shown in life (1 Corinthians 12:3 ^t).

v. 16: John explains, And 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 (1 John 4:16 ^u). The Christian message shows us God’s great love, especially through Jesus. When we stay in love, we stay close to God, and He is close to us. God’s love is the foundation of our faith and even the hope of heaven itself. God’s love reaches everyone willing to receive it (2 Corinthians 5:19 ^v). If we reject this love, we miss the greatest blessing God offers.

The Divine Love.

In this section, John continues to explain the importance of love. He teaches that true love comes from God and leads us to love both God and other people. When we understand and experience God’s love, it changes our hearts, gives us confidence for the future, and removes fear. Real love for God naturally leads to loving others, which is a true sign of following Jesus.

v. 17: John says that love is made perfect in us so we can have boldness on the day of judgment: Herein 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 (1 John 4:17 ^w). When we truly love God, we are confident in his love for us and do not have to be afraid of facing him. Love makes us more like Jesus, who loved both God and people, even when it was hard (Romans 5:5; 2 Timothy 2:12 ^x).

v. 18: John explains, 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 ^y). When we truly love God, we do not live in fear of his punishment. Instead, our love for him grows, and fear goes away. Fear brings pain and worry, but perfect love brings peace and trust.

v. 19: John reminds us, We love him, because he first loved us . God’s love came before our love. He loved us even when we did not love him. His love is the reason we can love him and others (Romans 8:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:5 ^z).

v. 20: John warns, 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, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20 ^aa). If someone claims to love God but hates another person, they are not telling the truth. It is easier to love people we see than to love God whom we have not seen. If we do not love others, we cannot really love God.

v. 21: John finishes, This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also (1 John 4:21 ^ab). God has clearly told us to love others if we love him. Loving people is part of loving God, especially our Christian brothers and sisters.