Fellowship in Love
1 John 4:1-21
The Foundation of Love
One of the things that really speak to me in this passage is the apostle John’s love that he shows toward the hearers of this letter. John calls them Beloved, and in various parts of this letter entreats them as a father would his adult children. He is not belittling or condescending to them; but rather in seeing the danger that lay before the church lay out the warning as if he really did care about them.
1 John 4:1-9
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
John addresses his “Christian” listeners warning them that their are many spirits that try to come into the church that are not of God. We are to prove the spirits to see whether they are of God. John 4:2,3 has a couple of tests that need to be put forth in order to see if a spirit is from God.
Spirits must be tested with the truth of God’s Word. The implication is that there are true spirits and false spirits. We are to discern between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. The reason we need to test the spirits is that false prophets abound. The early church in its zeal and purity had to be on the lookout for false teachings, and today, we need to be on the lookout even more.
A lot of the false teachings that the church face today are just repackaged ideas that have been around for centuries, and all, if followed will lead you away from the spirit of truth.
False teachers have ulterior motives, even if they don’t understand them. The bottom line is they are looking for confirmation in their sin and feel vindicated when others follow them.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And 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.
The antichrist is an ideal and not necessarily a person. It is a spirit that is against Christ! This spirit of antichrist will seek to destroy the person of Christ, the power of Christ, and the life of Christ in the life of the believer.
2 Peter 3:17
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
Let’s look at these tests and see how to apply them! In John 4:2 we have a statement. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”
So all one has to do is say is “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” and you will be received as having the Spirit of God, Right? Wrong! In wording for our modernized western English that is what is says, but the sense of what is really being said is found in the word confesseth.
The word confesseth comes from a Greek word that is a combination of two other Greek words.
- the first Greek word is Homou (homoo)
- It means the same or together
- The second Greek word is Logos (Log`os)
- Logos means - Something that is said including one’s thoughts, their reasoning, - There is a big list of various other ways to define it but the basic idea is “what moves you to do something such as why you think what you do and act the way you do” - Your reasoning
- The actual word confesseth, in Greek seen as homologeĊ - now being a combination of the two other Greek words; bring up the idea of to agree with, give assent to, declare openly, confess, or to praise or celebrate.
Now that we have looked at the word confesseth Let’s look at John 4:2 again. “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”
If confesseth means what the Greek declares it to mean, then the word is so much more than merely opening your mouth and uttering a few words. These words have meaning, they have conviction, and they move you to action; because they are a part of your vision.
Matthew 7:15-23
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 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 which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The False Prophets in Matthew 7:15-23 are depicted as having said a few timely words. By all appearances they had done everything right verbally, but their fruit was coming straight from the devil. Their motives were impure. We could say they talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk.
True confession will always affect the way we live our lives, and will always be because we believe in a higher power such as God. It is the belief in a higher power that cause men and women to order their lives in a fashion that brings glory to the power/God they believe in.
4 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.
“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world”. Even though we have crucified our flesh, the pull of the world is not necessarily taken away from us. It can be diminished at times, but is never gone outside of going to Glory. If the pull of the world had been taken away at our rebirth, what temptation would there be to go chasing after it again? Yet because we have the Spirit of God living within us and we resolve to listen to His voice, and we use the weaponry that He keeps in store for us, the spirit of this world is no match.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
The “they” in John 4:5 speak of the false prophets. The false prophets are of the world, and therefore speak of the world, and the worldly heart will hear them.
Now what are some of the things that are being taught today that resemble worldly doctrines?
- The world’s doctrine is focused on self
- Self assurance
- Self beauty
- Self strength
It is not wrong to affirm someone, but for someone to post self-ies, humble brag, and be dependent on other people’s responses for self affirmation indicate a heart condition that shows pride. The only opinion that matters is God’s opinion. When God affirms us as an individual, we should be humbled, that the God of the Universe can be so personal.
6 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.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 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.
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.
The foundation of Genuine Love is our God who is Love. This Love that is the very essence of God’s Character is shown to us through a number of venues in which specifically has God pouring out the last full measure for the good of humanity. Genuine love is a self-less love, it is a devoted love and it is in our devotion to God which will play out in our relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Other tests that are put forth in this passage are: whether one hears the message of God, Love for the brethren which includes being willing to sacrifice your self and your reputation for the brethren.
John 15:13
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
The Confession of Love
1 John 4:11-16
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16 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.
In 1 John 4:11-16 there is an outpouring of God’s Love through us toward each other made possible through dwelling in God and He in us.
The Perfection of Love
1 John 4:17-21
17 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.
18 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.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
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, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
“Our love is made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment”. 1 John 4:18 is often misrepresented and even though is can apply to the way it is often used it does mean something different. This verse is often interpreted to mean there should be absolutely no fear/worry, etc…, if you have love. However, in context, it is talking about fear of judgment. The words in a paraphrased manner say that if you have love for God that has been perfected, we will have boldness in the day of Judgment. This is directly linked to assurance of Salvation. So what is our response? Are we tormented with thoughts of judgment?
There are some thoughts here in 1 John 4 that may seem elementary to us like the words in 1 John 4:19 “We love him, because He first loved us”.
We would not know love, except for the love that God has shown us. What was that Love? It was God showing us Mercy and taking on a sentence of Death that was ours for our infractions against the holiness/righteousness of God. We were His enemies, and love as always will win, especially when desperate people accept it.
Our love in return to God’s Love to us will move us to obedience to God’s commandments. Because we love God, we will live our lives seeking to bring glory to God. You cannot have love for God and disobedience to His Laws, both and instead of making God a liar through your disobedience, you become the liar because you have obeyed to the father of lies.
We can avoid being misled into false teachings by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by following the Holy Spirit.
John 16:13
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Enoch walked with God Genesis 5:22, Moses saw God physically Exodus 33:17-23, and many others saw God at various times and in various manners. What is meant by know man hath seen God here?
John 4:24
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Jesus Himself said while he was here that God is a Spirit, so what is meant by that? Consider with me a God who is everything! A God who reveals parts of Himself from time to time but never everything about Himself. That would be reserved for the afterlife in glorified bodies that shall be awarded to the faithful. We see God at work in our lives and in the lives of others, so do we see God?
Psalm 19:1 says “1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Observing the natural world that declares the Glory of God is not really looking at something and seeing all of God. We are seeing one aspect, one characteristic of God, His Glory.
Now is this all of his Glory? God’s Glory is unimaginable to the human mind and there is no way we could comprehend it. To say no man sees God is true, but to say that God is unseeable is wrong. The evidence of God is all around us and it is because men have closed their minds to the evidence of God that results in their evil existence without God. Romans 1:21. About 2,000 years ago God chose to reveal His character of Love in its deepest form. Until that time, humanity had been enemies of God, working against his cause, alongside Satan, and though some of mankind did really try to please God, they were living an incomplete spiritual life. These people were living without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God Chose at that time to come and dwell among mankind, teaching them the ways He had ordained for a perfect relationship with Him, and then giving of Himself in the ultimate sacrifice...His own life, rising again to give these same men and women the power to become His sons and daughters. John 1:12
