Paul knew that nothing could separate him from the love of God that was in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:35-39), and each Christian should have the same confidence. 1. Other tests already stressed in this first paragraph of the chapter were: (1) the test of confessing that Jesus was the Christ who came in the flesh; (2) the test of whether or not they were indwelt by the Father ( 1 John 4:4 ); and (3) the test of their life-style. Oh, but I have been insulted. Just so: so was God: all the wrong was towards him, yet he sent. He would put honour upon his disciples, by employing them to baptize. a. This, with what follows, is said for the comfort of the saints, and to deliver them from the fears of being drawn aside by the delusions of the false prophets, and antichrists; since they belonged to God, were his elect, and therefore could not be finally and totally seduced; they were the children of God by adopting grace, and could not become Love was the constant, greatest evidence of the presence and work of God in Jesus Christ. We can imagine Jesus being bold before the throne of God, but us? i. He loved you when you were at hells gate, and drank damnation at every draught. The only way to have boldness in the day of judgment is to receive, and walk in, the transforming love of God today. If someone says, I love God: It is often easier for someone to proclaim his love for God, because that regards a private relationship with an invisible God. Seek reconciliation. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point Hereby know ye the Spirit of God We know that the man who teaches that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, and that he is come in the flesh, is of God-is inspired by the Divine Spirit; for no man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost. You can check these in your browser security settings. Commentary on 1 John 4:7-13. Love has been perfected: For perfected, John doesnt just use the Greek word teleioo (which has the idea of maturity and completeness); he writes teleioo teleioo speaking of love that is perfectly perfected or completely complete.. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. It isnt a matter of deciding between love or truth; we must have both. This land in our Saviour's time was divided into three parts: Judea in the south, Galilee in the north, and Samaria lying between them. Again, John insists that there is something that is given to the believer when they are born of God; a love is imparted to their life that they did not have before. Earlier in the letter, John brought up the idea of the world and its threat to the Christian life (1 John 2:15-17). We know all the judgment we ever deserved past, present, and future was poured out on Jesus Christ on the cross. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. i. 1 John 4 - Abiding in God and His Love A. T he spirit of truth and protection against the spirit of error. If love is of God, then those who claim to be born of God, and claim to know God, must be able to love one another in the body of Christ. Today, some groups deny that Jesus is really God (such as the Jehovahs Witnesses, Mormons, and Muslims). 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. Previous: 1 John 4:7 Next: 1-John 4:9 Choose a Verse from 1 John 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Minor Prophets i. It is up to us to respond to His command with our will and whole being. We might be satisfied to merely survive the day of judgment, but God wants to so fill our lives with His love and His truth that we have boldness in the day of judgment. The Whole Bible ii. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. The reason for discernment: Discernment is essential because Satan and his forces are at work in the world (4:1). Ah! i. Jesus said in John 15:4, Abide in Me, and I in you. It is something that every Christian should be unafraid to proclaim: I love Him; I love Jesus. Can you say that? Verse 1 John 4:2. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. i. Gospel: John 1:14-16 The Word became flesh. i. Tests of False Prophets. Verses 1-26: The story of the Samaritan woman reinforces John's main theme that Jesus is the Messiah and son of God. ii. He showed this life to us. He hates nothing he has made. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today? iii. The Bible says that one day, all of humanity will gather before Gods Great White Throne and face judgment. Yet in it all, that one may be like Cain, offering to God the fruit of his hands and not the fruit of the Spirit. We love him because we find he has loved us. The Gospels The problems in the churches were caused Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. As Jesus said, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). The two people in the relationship are at the base of the triangle, and God is at the top. Bibliographical Information 4. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. a. i. Therefore we are given a command to love, that he who loves God must love his brother also. This special term means Jesus has a Sonship that is unique (only) and begotten indicates that Jesus and the Father are of the same substance, the same essential Being. Pentateuch The Old Testament I know that some of you are greatly distressed because you cannot love Christ as much as you would like to do, and you keep on fretting because it is so. c. He has given us of His Spirit: John brings up the work of the Holy Spirit in us at this point for two important connections. This is one of the apostles citing the collective testimony of all the apostles and making that testimony the measure of truth and sound doctrine. (Boice). But here, in 1 John 4, that carefulness and hesitation is thrown to the side and John writes, "God is love.". e. We have seen and testify: Speaking as one who has the Spirit of God (He has given us of His Spirit), John declares three essential truths about who God is and how He saves us. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God: True prophecy, and true teaching, will present a true Jesus. He loved you when you could not have been worse or further from him than you were. i. Having boldness as we anticipate the judgment seat of Christ is the subject of the body of this epistle (1 John 2:28to 1 John 4:19). One might say, I want to love God more; I want to grow in my love for Him. 1 John 4:18. We can receive the healing power in our Fathers love. Major Prophets It is only the common sense response to knowing and receiving the love of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God: Some think that this is the only test of false doctrine. (1 John 4:19) The reason for our love to Jesus. What about the many passages of Scripture, Old and New Testament (such as Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 1 Peter 2:17), which tell us we should fear God? Series Recaps April 17, 2023 'Queenmaker' Episodes 5 & 6: Recap & Ending, Explained: Did Do-Hee Find Who Had A Hand In Her Father's Death? Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. There is love in many places, like wandering beams of light; but as for the sun, it is in one part of the heavens, and we look at it, and we say, Herein is light. He did not look at the Church of God, and say of all the myriads who counted not their lives dear unto them, Herein is love, for their love was only the reflected brightness of the great sun of love. (Spurgeon). He is glorified, justified, forever righteous and bold, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. ii. c. He who knows God hears us: Those who are of God enjoy fellowship with other believers; they speak the common language of fellowship with God and with each other, because one flows from the other (1 John 1:3). Do you believe it? 1 John 4 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. All prophecy is to be judged by Scriptural standards. many false prophets have gone out into the world, Test the spirits, whether they are of God, Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world, He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us, Let us love one another, for love is of God, Everyone who loves is born of God He who does not love does not know God, In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God sent His only begotten Son, That God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, the Father sent the Son as Savior of the world, Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God, And we have known and believed the love God has for us, He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him, That we may have boldness in the day of judgment, But he who fears has not been made perfect in love, If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar, He who loves God must love his brother also, David Guzik :: Hechos 2 El Espritu Santo Es Derramado Sobre la Iglesia, Four Views on the Millennium - Study Resources, Matthew Henry :: Commentary on Lamentations 4, Harmony of the Gospels - Study Resources - Study Resources, David Guzik :: Gnesis 2 La CreacinTerminada; Adn en el Jardn del Edn, Jonathan Edwards :: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, David Guzik :: Apocalipsis 20 Satans, el Pecado y la Muerte son Finalmente Eliminados, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus and the Holy Trinity (Walter Martin), 1 Samuel 17-25 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Lamentations 1-5 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Knowing and understanding Jesus is the foundation for abiding in Him (. This job is to be done using the gifts of discernment God has given to Christians in general, especially the leadership of a congregation. The idea behind the word confess is to be in agreement with. We must agree with God about who Jesus is, and we find out what God says about Jesus through the Word of God. You can also change some of your preferences. John seems to be speaking of a certain fear of judgment. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. But He needed to go through Samaria. He loved you when you were at hells gate, and drank damnation at every draught. 1 John 1:1-4 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touchedthis we proclaim concerning the Word of life. Marvellous, O Christ, is thy strange love! (Spurgeon). These verses are the equivalent of saying that a person cannot practice agape-love unless he can first practice philia-love. (Boice). Show me a fire without heat, then show me regeneration that does not produce love to God. (Spurgeon). Being born of God and abiding with Him give us the ability to love; but it is a choice of our will to draw upon that resource and give it out to others. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Christians are not just forgiven they are born anew by Gods Spirit. b. Yet, he preached five remarkable sermons on these eight words alone. Being born of God and abiding with Him give us the ability to love; but it is a choice of our will to draw upon that resource and give it out to others. Oh sir, this is indeed a cowardly fear! (Spurgeon), iv. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. d. Boldness in the day of judgment: How can anyone have such boldness? 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