To Be One in Christ: We Have Treasure in the Jars of Clay -- the Series of Explanation and Analysis of Scripture (19) - 4
The Explanation and Analysis of the Verses in Chapter 4 of 1 JOHN
It is edited and compiled under the guidance of Holy Spirit. All thanks, praises and glories be to God!
5. Recognize the spirits (4:1-6)
The message in this paragraph is similar to (2:18-23). However, in chapter 2, it pays more attention to those antichrists mixed in the church. While this paragraph pays more attention to those apparent spirits of the antichrist, the spirits of the heresies; that is, the evil spirits of the devil. In (2:8-26), it points out that the antichrists disturb the church in the organization of the church. In this paragraph, it points out the disturbance of those antichrists on the spiritual experience and truth in the church, including those supernatural activities of the spirits of the antichrists. No matter in chapter 2 or this chapter, the faith and attitude of the antichrists are the same.
Here, we are told how to identify the spirits of the antichrists, which can be studied in the following three points:
(1) identify their source (4:1)
1 JOHN 4:1 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.
(NOTES)
It has been mentioned in the previous verses that we know that God lives in us through the Spirit He gave us. Here, the apostle immediately asks the believers not to believe in “every spirit” without identification. It is because there are also the evil spirits. The evil spirits and the devil try to entice people to be away from God any time and anywhere. The heresies and false prophets are often from the devil and the evil spirits.
“do not believe every spirit”:
It is not saying that do not believe in any supernatural things; but it is saying that do not believe in every supernatural things. One should not believe easily that it is from God only because it is supernatural. It is because the false prophets can also imitate them (Mat 24:24). The cunning scheme of the devil is to let those who do not believe do not believe in anything, and let those who believe believe in everything. As a result, both of these two kinds of people fall into the trap that the devil sets up.
“but test the spirits to see whether they are from God”:
“test” is a reminder for us to identify by tests, but not to swallow the dates whole and accept blindly. What is most important is to test whether their source is from God or not.
In this case, what kind of spirits come from God? This will be explained in the following verses. Besides, other verses in the Bible regarding the Holy Spirit can also be as the reference, and help us to know what is not from the Holy Spirit:
the promised Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13): the Holy Spirit Himself comes from the promise of God; He won’t let us ask for things that God never promises.
the Holy Spirit of truth (Joh 14:17): the Holy Spirit of God will lead people to do the truth, but not to be against the truth of the Bible .
the Holy Spirit of life (Rom 8:2): make people follow the law of the new life, but not gratify the sinful nature.
the Holy Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29): “grace” won’t bring the curse and the hatred of jealousy.
the Holy Spirit of glory (1Pe 4:14): do not do the disgraceful things and make people to glorify LORD.
the Holy Spirit of prophets (1Co 14:32; 12:10): are subject to the control of prophets.
the eternal Holy Spirit (Heb 9:14): must admit that the blood offered by Christ has the eternal achievements of redemption.
(2) identify their faith (4:2-3)
1 JOHN 4:2-3 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, 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.
(NOTES)
The basic criterion to identify whether the spirit is the Holy Spirit or the evil spirit is: whether acknowledge Jesus Christ is LORD and has come in the flesh or not. Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; this is the Holy Spirit. But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God; this is the evil spirit. All the antichrists on earth have the devil and evil spirits in them.
(3) Identify their followers (4:4-6)
1 JOHN 4:4 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.
(NOTES)
Here, the apostle turns to the believers to exhort them: although the spirits of the antichrist have been on the earth already, the believers should not be afraid. It is because we belong to God, and the Spirit who lives in us -- the Spirit of Christ is greater than the spirit in those false prophets, and we have overcome them in Christ.
It is because some believers will be scared for the spirits of the antichrist have been on earth already. Therefore, these encouragements are inserted here. Although the work of the evil spirits is quite fierce, the believers have the Holy Spirit who lives inside and has overcome them, and have been the victors in Christ already. If we fear them, we will give them the chances to attack us instead. However, if we are confident that we who belong to Christ have overcome them, the evil spirits dare not to and can not attack us.
We should remember it well that our LORD has overcome already, and has received all authority in heaven and on earth (Mat 28:18). As long as we rely on the Holy Spirit in us firmly, we will be victors.
1 JOHN 4:5-6 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 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.
(NOTES)
Here, “they” refer to those false prophets with the spirits of the antichrist, and those mentioned above who have the spirits of antichrist on earth. “We” refer to the apostles and the servants of God.
Here, another difference between the false prophets and the true servants of God is pointed out, which is that their followers are different. The false prophets belong to the world; their opinions, conducts and all kinds of propositions to this world, all cater to the worldly people. And are accepted and listened to by the worldly people. Therefore, their followers are the same as them and belong to the world. However, since the Christians know God, have the life of God, and have the fellowship with God in their life experience, they will listen to the teachings and truth proclaimed by those true servants of God. Thus, we can tell weather it is true or false according to the truth.
6. Love one another (4:7-21)
This is the third time to discuss the message of “love” in this letter. The first time is in (2:7-11), which talks about that to love the brothers is the expression to walk in the light. The second time is in (3:10-18), which talks about that to love the brothers is the distinct difference between the children of God and the worldly people. The third time is in this paragraph, which talks about that to love the brothers is certainly the responsibility and conducts of those who are born of God.
The message in this paragraph is more close to the message in (3:10-18). However, in (3:10-18), it emphasizes that “love” is the difference between the believers and the worldly people; while in this paragraph, it emphasizes that love is the expression of the life that the believers should have. In order to “set apart” from the worldly people, we should love one another; for the sake of being the children of God together, we should love one another even more.
(1) We love one another because God loves us (4:7-11)
Here, the apostle reminds us repeatedly that we should love one another; the fundamental concept is the same as the message in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians -- love is the value of all the spiritual activities, and is “the most excellent way” to make efforts to be like Christ in the spiritual life. Love sums up all the Laws and Prophets (Mat 22:40). The love of the believers is the highest expression of the spiritual life in church, and is also the most practical learning in the growth of the individual spirituality.
A. We come from the same source of love (4:7upper)
1 JOHN 4:7upper Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
(NOTES)
God is the source of love. Since we are the children of God, are born of God of love, and come from the same source of love, how could we not love one another? Therefore, we should love one another, for we have had the fundamental condition to love one another.
Love is from God; on the contrary, hatred is from the devil. Is our deeds from love or from hatred? That is a mark to help us to know in principle whether it is from God or from the devil.
B. To love one another is the evidence of children of God (4:7latter-8)
1 JOHN 4:7latter-8 Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(NOTES)
Here, whether love one another or not; it is as the proof of the difference between the believers and the worldly people. God is love; whoever is born of God will become man of love. Whoever has the life of God will receive the love of God and practice the love of God; and they will know more of God through the experience of love. On the contrary, those who do not have love are proved to be not born from God, and do not know God.
Note that the definition of love in this letter is: “(God) he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ” (4:10); and “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (3:16) According to these two verses, the definition of “love” is:
a. God sent His Son to redeem us;
b. Christ laid down his life for us.
In another word, only the love on the cross can be counted as love; only the love of God is the true love. As to those who do not accept Christ, since they have not got the experience of the love of God and have no love of God in them, they certainly do not know God. Therefore, “Whoever does not love does not know God”.
Those who do not know God won’t love the brothers. On the contrary, those who have the love of God know how to love one another; and they will know more of God through putting the love of God into practice more and their experiences of practicing love.
“God is love”. This is to describe the nature of God is love; but it is absolutely not saying that love is God. LORD Jesus says: “I am the truth”; that is of the same principle as the verse of “God is love” here. What LORD Jesus says and does are absolutely errorless and are correct forever from every aspect; therefore, LORD Jesus is the truth. What God does are all from love. The nature of God, what are filled in Him, and all that are expressed, are love. Therefore, “God is love”.
C. God loves us; therefore, we should love one another (4:9-10)
1 JOHN 4:9 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.
(NOTES)
This verse talks about how God showed His love; there are two important points:
a. God loves us; what He gave up for us?
“He sent his one and only Son into the world”. Note that the honor of the one and only Son of God and the lowness and filth of the world.
b. God loves us; what He accomplished for us?
“that we might live through him”. This shows that the sacrifice of the one and only Son of God is not in vain. The sacrifice of God for us has great accomplishment and is not in vain.
These two points show that the love of God are revealed to the people through the facts. Not only God loves us in the willingness of His mind, or with words, but also God showed His love with actions.
1 JOHN 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
(NOTES)
“not that we loved God, but that he loved us ”
As the love between the parents and the children, the love of the children to the parents is limited, and they even often forget to say thanks. While the love of the parents to the children is much more profound and selfless. While the love of God to us is even more wide and long and high and deep, and is far beyond that of the parents on the earth.
This verse expresses the meaning of verse 9 repeatedly, and further explains the definition of love. What is love? Love is that God “sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins”, so that we can be saved through His grace, that is the essence of love.
“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ” (Rom 5:7-8)
D. The conclusion (4:11)
1 JOHN 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
(NOTES)
This verse draws a conclusion of the teachings in the previous verses, and let the believers see the reason to love one another. Since we received such a love, and received the teachings of God directly, knew the essence of love, we should love one another.
The love of God is not only for us to admire how lofty and great His love is, or to let people enjoy privately, but to spread His extraordinary love among the men’s world through us who received His love.
(2) Because to love one another is to unite with God (4:12-16)
How can one unite to the invisible God? How can one live in God? This is not easy to understand. However, here, the apostle uses a very simple and practical experience to point out how the believers live in God; that is, one should walk in the light and love one another. Thus, one will live in God who is omnipresent.
A. To love one another is to unite with God (4:12)
1 JOHN 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(NOTES)
There are three points in this verse:
a. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us. This is even better than “having seen God”. To see God with one’s own eyes might not let one have the love; instead, it might let one become proud because of it. Paul had the experience of being caught up to the third heaven, but he was very afraid that he might become proud because of this. However, if we love one another according to the commands of God, then God who dwells in the third heaven will live in us. Our heart will be filled up with the love of God. We are united in God through practicing the love of God, and are even more blessed than seeing the appearance of God outside the body.
b. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, we will let others see God who lives in us. Although God is invisible, our life of love will make others know the invisible God. Just as LORD Jesus says: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Joh 13:35) Through faith and love, God lives in us. We are united with the life of God. “Love” is the most convincing testimony of the believers to the outsiders; while the testimony of love is also the testimony of the church to be one spiritually.
c. If we love one another, God’s love is made complete in us. This means that: if we love one another, the love that is given to us and belongs to God, will flow out because of our loving one another, and will be shown on earth and be known by the worldly people; that is to be made complete. On the contrary, if we do not love, the love that God gave us can only be confined inside the individual who received the love and can not be shown. Thus, the love that is given us won’t be complete.
B. How do we know that to love one another is to unite with God (4:13)
1 JOHN 4:13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
(NOTES)
This verse seems to have no direct connection with the previous verse. However, by thinking about it carefully, it can be seen that this verse continues the previous verse from at least two aspects:
a. Here, it is to let the believers understand the connection between the work of Holy Spirit and our loving one another. To love one another, we need to rely on and follow the word and inspiration of Holy Spirit in us. We originally do not know how to love one another. However, “because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. ” (Rom 5:5), then we know that we should love the brothers. This verse and verse (3:24) are complementary to each other.
b. Here, it makes the believers to know surely that to love one another is to live in God, and God will live in them . While the Holy Spirit that God gave us is the proof that we can know surely.
It is apparent that this verse is closely connected with the previous verse. It shows that if one gets close to God and lives in Him, and lives a life by following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that will be shown clearly on his relationship with others. This display is that there will be the love of God flowing out from him. Therefore, as a result of getting close to God, the relationship with other members will be even closer.
C. The testimony that God sent the apostles to give (4:14)
1 JOHN 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
(NOTES)
According to this verse, the apostles were sent by God to give the following testimony:
a. God has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world, for all who believe.
b. We are able to be united with God; this is completely through the salvation of God. It is all up to the design of God, and is not up to our own knowledge.
c. In order to make us united with Him, God has sent His Son to come to the earth for us. The love of God has been shown practically to be as the model for us to love one another.
d. This message preached by the apostle, has been seen and testified by the apostle himself (1:1).
D. How do we unite with God through the Son of God (4:15-16upper)
1 JOHN 4:15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.
(NOTES)
Since in order to let us united with Him, God has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world, how can we receive Jesus as our Savior and be united with God? That is to “acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God”.
“acknowledge” is to admit, confess and believe (Joh 12:42), which echoes with to “know and rely on” in (4:16) . If we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, we will receive the promised Holy Spirit (Joh 14:16); God lives in us and we live in God.
The heresy of Gnosticism denies that Jesus is the Son of God that the Word became flesh. Therefore, this verse is a reply to their falsehood, and points out how to believe in Jesus is correct; that is to acknowledge and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and the Word became flesh. If one does not believe in this way, he does not live in God, and God does not live in him.
E. The conclusion (4:16)
1 JOHN 4:16 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 him.
(NOTES)
We know and rely on God all through Jesus Christ. Therefore, to know and rely on God, we should first know and believe the love of God to us.
“God is love”; it is the same as verse (1Jo 4:8) to emphasize repeatedly that God is love. God is the source of love, “for love comes from God” (1Jo 4:7).
Therefore, “Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. ” The believers who are one in Christ must live in love.
This verse continues the previous verse to show repeatedly that: faith and love make us to be one in Christ -- we live in God, and God in us. Also, this verse is a conclusion of the above discussion; getting back to the topic of verse 12, why God lives in us if we love one another? It is because: God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
(3) Loving one another will let us have confidence in front of God (4:17-18)
A. How to have confidence on the day of judgment? (4:17)
1 JOHN 4:17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
(NOTES)
This verse tells us that loving one another will let us have confidence in front of God on the day of judgment. There are three points:
a. “In this way, love is made complete among us ”:
“In this way”; refers to the previous verse; that is, to live in love and live in God. “love” refers to the love of God in us. “is made complete”; see also verse (4:12). That is, one practices the love in the life and expresses the inner love; therefore, it is said that “love is made complete among us”. Love shows that we are born of God and walk in the command of God -- live in God. This is the way that we can live in God when we are still living in the body.
b. “the day of judgment”:
Since love is the evidence that one is born of God, if the believers put the love into practice and are united with God closely, and have obeyed the commands of LORD, “on the day of judgment” (2Co 5:10), we can have confidence. It is because love sums up the laws -- loving God and loving others. He who loves God with all his heart and with all his mind and with all his strength, and also loves the neighbors as himself, won’t be condemned in the judgment.
c. “because in this world we are like him”
As to the believers who are one in Christ, that is “because in this world we are like him”. How God is filled up with love, so should we be filled up with love. To treat others according to the love of God, and to love the brothers is to be like LORD. One who has love most is like Christ most. Therefore, one can certainly have confidence in front of God.
In this letter, “confidence” is mentioned for four times (2:28; 3:21; 4:17; 5:14). This is the characteristic of the salvation by Christ. Those who are redeemed are free and close in front of God. Only those who sin without repentance can not have confidence in front of God. According to the normal situation, the believers might approach the throne of grace with confidence all the time.
B. Love and fear (4:18)
1 JOHN 4:18 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.
(NOTES)
a. “There is no fear in love”:
This sentence can not be reversed as: Those who have no fear are in love, for no fear might because of ignorance, but not because of love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Thus, will there be any disaster, temptation, or accusation of the devil that can make him fear? This sentence is related to verse (4:17). Those who put the love into practice, his love is made complete ( not have wish only yet without practicing); thus, they “will have confidence on the day of judgment”. It is because if we put the love into practice like Him, we will have no fear.
b. “But perfect love drives out fear”
The complete love can drive the fear out, just as the light will drive the darkness out, for “Whoever loves his brother lives in the light” (2:10). All who walk in the light can have confidence, and do not need to cover or fear others to know something.
c. “because fear has to do with punishment”:
This means that fear includes the idea of punishment. Those who fear have the feeling to anticipate the possible punishment. This feeling shows that what he did are not in the light completely. On the contrary, it might be something without a clear conscience. Therefore, “fear has to do with punishment”.
d. “The one who fears is not made perfect in love”
This means that the one who fears does not practice love completely, does not walk in the light completely, and still has some selfish and hidden ingredients. This fear does not indicate that the appearance of some scaring things makes one surprised; but refers to the fear of those who have some selfish desires or are lawless, are afraid to be disclosed. The previous sentence of “fear has to do with punishment” is the strong basis that this sentence should be explained in this way.
(4) The motive and practice of loving one another (4:19-21)
A. The motives (4:19)
1 JOHN 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
(NOTES)
“We love”:
In this verse, the Bible does not point out what to love and implies that the objects of love include God and men. However, “because he first loved us”, this points out the reason that “love” is our motive and principle as our acts, is because God loved us first.
a. No matter what we do for men or for God, we are compelled by the love of God, but are not because of our own interests. Love is our best motive, and the strength to act. God is the source of our love.
b. Although our love starts from God, it does not stay only on loving God. It is not that because God loved us, we will love God only; but is that we should let the love of God flow out to all people in need.
c. God loved us first, and we should love others first, and should not wait to receive the love from others. Since we are “first loved”, we should love others initially as God loved us.
B. practice (4:20-21)
Both of these two verses tell us about:
a. the practice of love (4:20)
1 JOHN 4:20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
(NOTES)
The practice of loving God is not only up to what one speaks, but is up to what one does. If one says that he loves God while he hates his brothers actually, he is a liar. To love God in mind without being able to show it on the brothers, such a so-called “love” is the love with words only and is most likely a false love.
The similar tones can be seen in (1:6, 8,10). Verse (3:17-18) in this letter has pointed it out already that let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Although loving the brothers is the highest spiritual virtue of the believers, its true value lies in revealing it practically, but not in advertising. Those who says “love” without loving might be:
i. those who only have a wish and do not want to practice it at all, and do not want to sacrifice anything for loving God and loving others.
ii. those who do not have love at all, but mention the love a lot deliberately so that to cover one’s own selfishness.
There are even some false teachers who talk about the love a lot deliberately, not to really encourage the believers to love LORD, but to mislead the believers to listen to and believe in their wrong teachings so that to gain the trust from the believers and gain the “love” for themselves. That is not the love, but is only the “means of love”.
b. The practice of love (4:21)
1 JOHN 4:21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
(NOTES)
To practice loving God, one needs to start from loving the brothers. Loving brothers is the most practical learning of loving God. Otherwise, so-called “loving God” is very easy to trap in the self-deceiving. Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
“Whoever loves God must also love his brother” :
This is the command that the apostle received from God. To obey this command does not allow the self-deceiving or making-believe; one must have the motive of loving God and loving brothers, and love brothers as the practice of loving God, so that to obey this command completely. On pursuing all the spiritual virtues, the Christians must not be self-deceiving. To be self-deceiving is to walk in the darkness. While the main message in this letter, is to let the believers walk in the light, and is to let them know their real spiritual situation clearly according to the standard of the truth. However, loving the brothers is the important part of the life of the believers, and love (loving LORD and loving others) can be as the standard to determine the spirituality of the believers. It is because of this reason, that it is more easy to be hypocritical and pretending on love such that the words are not in consistent with the deeds. Regarding loving the invisible God, it seems to be easier to have nice words yet without the willingness to really give up something. Therefore, the apostle brings up a simple and detailed way to test: “anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen”.
Reference:
1. Zhongdao Chen: “The Lectures on the Bible Studying of the Letters in New Testament”.
