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1 John 4

21 verses

TL;DR

1 John 4 calls believers to test spirits, affirms that love is the hallmark of those who know God, and exhorts us to love one another as evidence of God's presence in us.

Summary

The chapter opens by warning against false prophets and urging believers to discern true spirits by the confession of Christ's incarnation. It explains that those who deny Christ’s physical coming are antichrists. The writer declares that believers are from God, contrasting them with the worldly spirits that speak only to the world. Love is presented as the defining evidence of belonging to God, and that the love of God is shown in sending His Son for our salvation. The author affirms that where we love one another, God's presence dwells and love is perfected. He stresses that perfect love eliminates fear and gives boldness in judgment, and that anyone who claims to love God but hates a brother is a liar. The chapter concludes with the command to love one another as a sign of loving God.

Outline
  1. Discerning true spirits and identifying antichrists
  2. Love as evidence of belonging to God and God's love manifested through Jesus
  3. Practical instructions: loving one another, fearlessness, and the command to love others
Themes
The reality of God's love through JesusDiscernment of spirit and truthLove as the proof of God's presence
Keywords
spiritloveGodJesustrutherrorantichristworldSon of Godpropitiationfear
People
GodJesus ChristAntichrist (as a spirit)
Places
world
Things
SpiritLoveTruthErrorSon of GodPropitiationFear
Key Verses
  • 1 John 4:1: Sets the tone of discernment and warns against false prophets.
  • 1 John 4:7: Identifies love as the defining trait of those who know God.
  • 1 John 4:12: Affirms that loving one another reveals God's presence within us.
  • 1 John 4:16: States that God is love and those dwelling in love dwell in God.
  • 1 John 4:18: Explains how perfect love eliminates fear and equips believers for judgment.
Questions
  • How can we apply the test of spirit to our daily encounters?
  • In what ways does loving one another reflect our knowledge of God?
  • What does it mean for fear to be cast out by perfect love?
  • How does the concept of the Son of God as a source of life transform our understanding of salvation?
Sentiment

positive
The chapter focuses on God’s love, hope, and encouragement to live in love.