The book of 1 John is a powerful source of guidance for Christians seeking to deepen their faith and understanding of God’s will. Chapter 4, in particular, offers profound insights into discerning truth from falsehood and the very nature of God’s love. Within this chapter, John 4:20 stands out as a crucial verse, directly addressing the relationship between loving God and loving our fellow human beings. This verse is not just a simple statement; it’s a cornerstone of Christian living, challenging believers to examine the authenticity of their love for God through their actions towards others.
Chapter 4 of 1 John begins by cautioning believers about the presence of false prophets and the need to test the spirits to ensure they are from God. This discernment is crucial in a world where not every spiritual message originates from divine truth.
Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
The Apostle John emphasizes that the true Spirit of God can be recognized by its affirmation of Jesus Christ’s incarnation. This serves as a foundational test for any teaching or spiritual claim. Those who deny Jesus’s coming in the flesh embody the spirit of the antichrist, already present in the world. However, believers are assured that they belong to God and have overcome these false spirits through the power of God within them.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
This initial section sets the stage for understanding the subsequent verses on love. True faith, rooted in God, is inextricably linked to love, which is the very essence of God’s being.
The focus then shifts to God’s Love and Christian Life, beginning in verse 7. John passionately urges believers to love one another, grounding this commandment in the very nature of God. Love originates from God, and those who love are born of God and know God. Conversely, a lack of love signifies a lack of knowledge of God, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)
This divine love was manifested supremely when God sent his only Son into the world, offering life through him. This act of sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of God’s love, not based on our merit but on His initiative. It’s not that we loved God first, but that He loved us and provided atonement for our sins through Jesus.
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
This understanding of God’s immeasurable love for humanity becomes the foundation for the commandment to love one another. If God has loved us so profoundly, we are obligated to extend that same love to our brothers and sisters in faith and to all people. Verse 12 highlights that while no one has physically seen God, His presence is revealed and perfected in us when we love one another.
No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. (1 John 4:12)
Alt text: Depiction of people helping each other, symbolizing brotherly love and unity as taught in 1 John 4:20.
Verses 13-16 continue to emphasize the reciprocal relationship between God and believers. We know we abide in Him and He in us because He has given us of His Spirit. The testimony of the apostles, who witnessed and proclaimed the Father sending the Son as Savior, further strengthens this knowledge. Confessing Jesus as the Son of God is essential for God to abide in us and we in Him. Verse 16 powerfully reiterates the central theme: “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.”
Love, perfected in us, brings confidence on the day of judgment because as Christ is, so are we in this world. Perfect love casts out fear, particularly the fear of punishment. This perfected love is not something we initiate but is a response to God’s prior love for us. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
This brings us to the pivotal verse, John 4:20:
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20)
This verse delivers a stark and undeniable truth. Love for God and love for humanity are not separable; they are intrinsically linked. John uses strong language, calling someone who claims to love God while hating their brother a liar. The logic is irrefutable: if we cannot love someone we see daily, with all their imperfections and challenges, how can we genuinely love a God we have not seen? Brotherly love becomes the tangible, visible manifestation of our love for the invisible God. It’s the practical test of our faith, moving love from abstract sentiment to concrete action.
Alt text: Image of clasped hands symbolizing brotherly love and connection, relevant to the teachings of John 4:20.
The chapter concludes with the commandment derived directly from God: “whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:21). This is not merely a suggestion but a divine imperative. Love for God is incomplete and potentially insincere if it does not translate into love for our fellow human beings.
John 4:20 serves as a powerful reminder that Christian love is not just a feeling but a demonstrable action. It challenges us to examine our hearts and lives. Do we genuinely love our brothers and sisters, even those who are difficult to love? Our answer to this question is, according to 1 John, a direct reflection of the authenticity of our love for God. This verse urges us toward a holistic faith where love for God and love for neighbor are not just compatible but utterly inseparable, forming the very essence of a true Christian life.
