1 John 4:7-16 – The source and inspiration of love

In these verses, John returning to his favorite topic: love for the brethren. The call to love our fellow believers is the call to emulate the God of love. In ten verses, he dealt with two main matters: the source and the inspiration of love. Verse 7 tells us that the source of true love is God. The ability to love is the work of God in the believer’s life. The Christian who knows God will love. The term “know” refers to experiential knowledge. In other words, only as one has constant and intimate fellowship with God, than would he find the ease to love others. Hence, the source is from God. But we also see that the converse is true. The absence of love would be an indication of a lack of fellowship with God. Because God is love, it follows therefore that the one who remains in Him would manifest His loving trait. The greatest proof of God’s love is seen in the fact that He sent His only Son to secure our eternal life. And this love began with God. He took the initiative by reaching out to mankind through Christ, His Son.  

John then tells us that God’s love should be the inspiration by which believers should love others. He set an example of love for the believers to follow. Verse 12 says that no one has ever seen God in His purest form. But when we, the believers love one another, we demonstrate that God abides in us. And as the loving relationship between us fellow believers continues, God’s love would be made complete in us.

It is by the relationship of love that we become aware that we are in God. Not only that, we will also become aware that God remains in us, and through His Holy Spirit, we are able to love. Verse 13 elaborates on verse 12. John showed that the Holy Spirit is the Person behind the fellowship’s ability to demonstrate and complete God’s love. The ability to love is very dependent on the Holy Spirit. He dwells in believers, plants God’s love in our hearts, and helps us to exercise that love. Verse 14 continues the thought he gave in verse 13. By mutual love, Christians would demonstrate the presence of God. Although many might not have seen Jesus Christ in the flesh, they would be able to see Him in the fellowship because of the believers’ love for one another. Hence corporately, they have become the testimony that God had sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. In verse 15, John showed that when one confesses that Jesus is God’s Son, he affirms that he is abiding in God and conversely, God in him.

With that, John summed up all that he had said in verse 16. Several thoughts had emerged. Firstly, believing in Jesus Christ would result in God dwelling in the believer and vice versa. Secondly, this personal relationship with God should be perpetuated by a loving relationship. Thirdly, this loving relationship for God and for others must be sustained actively. Therefore, let us love one another as God has loved us. It is by our love that all men will know we are His disciples!