1 John 4 Study Notes

4:11 The phrase God loved us in this way means that Jesus was obedient to the point of death.

4:12 John used the phrase no one has ever seen God to refer to God the Father in his heavenly splendor, but God the Son makes the invisible Father clearly known (Jn 1:18).

4:13 His Spirit plays a crucial role in assuring and convincing believers. That is why it is so important not to tolerate the presence of false spirits (v. 1).

4:14 Like the “we” of the opening verses of 1 Jn, this we refers to John and other apostles. Few if any of John’s readers would have actually seen Jesus in the flesh.

4:15 Confession of the truth about the Son is a condition for a relationship with God the Father.

4:16 In some verses John emphasized the ethical side of saving faith; in others he stressed doctrinal fidelity. Here his emphasis is on the devotion of the passions and heart—love. On God is love, see the note v. 8.

4:17 The “he” in as he is, so also are we could refer to either Jesus or God the Father. If the reference is to Jesus, John was saying that as the Son lived in this world, loved others, and pleased God, so can his followers. If the “he” refers to the Father, John meant that as God dwells with his people and moves them to reflect his love, they have complete confidence in view of the coming judgment.

4:18 With the words no fear, John was speaking of the terror of final judgment (v. 17) and eternal punishment. He was not rejecting the healthy “fear of the Lord” that other biblical writers commend (e.g., Pr 1:7).

4:19 Because God first loved us, our wills and affections are transformed so that love replaces our selfishness.

4:20-21 Followers of Christ love God and love others—or they are not true disciples of Christ.