1 John 4

      12-16. No man hath seen God. He is invisible to mortal eyes, yet we may have a sense of his presence in us. If we love each other he dwells in us. His love is perfected. It is made complete by our loving each other. It is incomplete unless his love for us is supplemented by brotherly love. This love in us is the proof that God is in us. 13. Hereby know we, etc. We know that God dwells in us by the Spirit given us. But we know we have the Spirit by its fruits. The first and greatest of these is love. See Gal. 5:22 . 14. We have seen and do testify. See John 15:27 . This is John's personal testimony as an apostle. 15. Whosoever shall confess, etc. In verse 2 confession of Jesus Christ in word and life is declared proof of the indwelling Spirit; here it is proof of God dwelling in us, which means the same thing. 16. We know and have believed (Revision). The love of God is a matter of knowledge and was a matter of faith. Love binds us to God.

      17-21. Herein is our love made perfect. When love is perfected in us we will have no fear of the judgment day. Those who love God supremely will not be terrified at his presence. Because as he is, so are we, etc. The great ground of boldness is that we are as Christ; purified like him, made sinless like him, filled with love like him and appear at judgment in his likeness. This transformation begins when we are converted, hence, in this world. 18. There is no fear in love. There may be reverential fear, but there is no terror. Fear of God gives way to love. Fear hath torment. Because it fills us with forebodings. 19. We love him. His wonderful love in Christ fills every redeemed soul with love. 20. If a man say. Yet no one can claim to love God who hates his brother. We cannot love the unseen God when we hate the brother who is in God's image. 21. This commandment. It is God's will that he who loves the Father should love the children also.