1 John Chapter 4 from the King James Version (KJV) is a powerful and essential passage for Christians seeking to navigate the spiritual landscape. Penned by the Apostle John, this chapter offers profound insights into discerning true and false spirits, emphasizing the paramount importance of love as the hallmark of genuine faith, and solidifying the core confession of Jesus Christ’s incarnation. This exploration delves into the depths of 1 John 4 Kjv, unpacking its timeless wisdom and relevance for believers today.
Discerning the Spirits: Testing for Truth (1 John 4:1-6)
The chapter opens with a crucial command: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1). In a world filled with diverse voices and claims, John urges believers to exercise discernment. Not every spiritual manifestation originates from God. The test, according to verse 2 and 3, is centered on the confession of Jesus Christ: “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.” This is the litmus test to distinguish the Spirit of God from the spirit of antichrist.
This criterion underscores the foundational Christian belief in the incarnation – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came in human form. Any spirit denying this truth is identified as being “not of God.” John further clarifies the contrasting origins of believers and false prophets in verses 4-6. True believers are “of God” and have “overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” This highlights the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit in believers, enabling them to overcome the deceptive influences of the world. False prophets, on the other hand, “are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” Their message resonates with the world because it originates from worldly principles, not divine truth. The passage concludes this section by affirming, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” Obedience to apostolic teaching becomes another marker of discerning truth from error.
Love as the Essence of God and True Faith (1 John 4:7-16)
Transitioning from discernment to love, the Apostle John emphasizes love as the very essence of God and a defining characteristic of those born of God. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (1 John 4:7). This section unveils the profound connection between love and knowing God. Verse 8 declares unequivocally, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” Love is not merely an attribute of God; it is His very nature.
God’s love is manifested supremely through the sending of His Son into the world: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). This act of divine love is further elaborated in verse 10: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” God’s love is not a response to human merit but a proactive, sacrificial love that seeks our salvation. This understanding of God’s love compels believers to reciprocate love towards one another: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11).
Verses 12-16 continue to explore the indwelling presence of God through love. “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:12). Love becomes the tangible manifestation of God’s presence in the believer’s life. Confessing Jesus as the Son of God is reiterated as a condition for God dwelling in believers and they in God (1 John 4:15). The section culminates with the powerful declaration, “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).
Perfect Love, Boldness, and the Commandment to Love (1 John 4:17-21)
The final verses of 1 John 4 KJV delve into the implications of perfected love. “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17). Perfected love, reflecting Christ’s love, brings confidence and removes fear, especially concerning judgment. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Fear and love are presented as mutually exclusive.
Verse 19 emphasizes the origin of our love: “We love him, because he first loved us.” Our love is a response to God’s initiating love. John concludes with a strong warning against hypocrisy: “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20). Love for God is inseparable from love for fellow believers. The chapter ends by reiterating the commandment: “And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:21).
Conclusion: Embracing Discernment and Love
1 John 4 KJV provides a timeless guide for Christians. It calls for vigilant discernment in a world of competing spiritual claims, urging believers to test every spirit against the foundational truth of Jesus Christ’s incarnation. Simultaneously, it elevates love to its rightful place as the defining characteristic of God and His followers. True faith is not merely intellectual assent but a lived reality of love for God and for one another. This chapter serves as a constant reminder to cultivate both discernment and love, ensuring our faith is both grounded in truth and expressed in genuine, Christ-like love.
