August 15, 2022
Distinctive Marks of Believers
1 John 4
Laura Scott
Central Truth
The Apostle John uses his eyewitness experiences and years of wisdom to help members of the Church discern marks of true Christ followers. These distinctive characteristics are as relevant today as they were in the first century.
Key Verse | 1 John 4:2-3, 7-8
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God . . . . Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4
Test the Spirits
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot 1 4:20 Some manuscripts how can he love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | 1 John 4
Pastor and Bible teacher Charles Swindoll observes that John's Gospel declares the way of life through faith in God's Son. 1 John emphasizes the nature of that life as possessed by God's children. Writing to the early Church around A.D. 85-90, John recognizes that believers need to know how to discern false teachings (1 John 4:1-6) and to understand why we are to love others (1 John 4:7-21).
John's tone in communicating these truths is firm and tender, lovingly addressing his audience as "dear friends," "little children," and "beloved" throughout this passage. John knows God's truth will equip believers to live as confident, loving disciples of Christ, attractively distinctive from the world around them.
The second- and third-generation Christians were beginning to doubt teachings about Jesus, especially His living in bodily form. John recognizes this struggle by reminding them that Jesus came in human flesh and by comparing the source of the spirit that confesses Jesus with the source of the spirit that does not confess Christ (1 John 4:2-3). These tests help believers to discern the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error (1 John 4:6). When we find ourselves struggling with false teachers and their messages, John points us to another benefit of having God's Spirit within believers (1 John 4:4).
Just as Jesus had exhorted John and the other apostles to love one another so that the world may know they are His disciples (John 13:34-35), John takes the rest of this chapter to encourage believers to love one another, demonstrating their faith in Him (1 John 4:7-21). He then goes one step further by contrasting those who love one another with those who do not love (1 John 4:7-8). Reminiscent of John 3:16, 1 John 4:9 defines God's supreme love. So, our love for others is a conscious response to God's great love for us, testifying to a searching world that God's love is like none other, promoting unity in the body of Christ and devotion to Jesus Christ, who is both fully God and fully man.
Discussion Questions
1. Regardless of the time in which we live, false teachers promote false messages to thwart the Truth of God. John's simple yet powerful test of such teachings (1 John 4:2-3) helps the believer to divide truth accurately and succinctly from lies. What do you believe about Jesus and His incarnation, as well as His deity?
2. From an early age, the Lord has used music to reveal His character to me. In fact, my earliest memory of this chapter in 1 John came in the form of a Scripture memory song. What favorite hymn or worship song can you meditate on today that will remind you of God's supreme love?
3. The Daily Walk Bible observes: "Revival is a new beginning of walking in obedience to God." A dear friend of mine has been praying for a "Love Revival" to sweep across our land. Fortunately, we as believers know how to fan the flame of revival as shared by John (1 John 4:7-21).
Dear Lord, as we consider Your great love for us, may we extend this same love to our family, friends, and neighbors so they may know You. Bring Your love revival today! Amen!