1 John 4:20

20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

1 John 4:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 4:20

If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother
Than which profession nothing can be more contradictory, not black and white, or hot and cold in the same degree:

he is a liar;
it is not truth he speaks, it is a contradiction, and a thing impossible:

for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen;
his person, which might have drawn out his affection to him; and something valuable and worthy in him, which might have commanded respect; or his wants and distresses, which should have moved his pity and compassion:

how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
it cannot be thought he should; the thing is not reasonable to suppose; it is not possible he should; (See Gill on 1 John 4:12).

1 John 4:20 In-Context

18 There is no fear in love. On the contrary, love that has achieved its goal gets rid of fear, because fear has to do with punishment; the person who keeps fearing has not been brought to maturity in regard to love.

19 We ourselves love now because he loved us first.

20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

21 Yes, this is the command we have from him: whoever loves God must love his brother too.