1 John 4:20

20 if any one may say -- `I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?

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 fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;

19 we -- we love him, because He -- He first loved us;

20 if any one may say -- `I love God,' and his brother he may hate, a liar he is; for he who is not loving his brother whom he hath seen, God -- whom he hath not seen -- how is he able to love?

21 and this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.