What Does 1 John 4 Teach About Love?

Jul 02,2025 00:00

What Does 1 John 4 Teach About Love?

1 John 4 centers on the theme that “God is love” (v. 8) and examines how genuine love flows from God’s nature into human relationships.

1. Divine Source of Love

“We love because He first loved us” (v. 19). John emphasizes that human love is a response to Christ’s initiating, sacrificial love.

2. Love’s Evidence

  • Brotherly Love: “By this we know we abide in Him: by the fact that He laid down His life” (v. 16–17).
  • Mutual Indwelling: “Whoever does not love does not know God” (v. 8).

3. Practical Exhortation

John calls believers to live out this love: no longer fearing judgment but perfecting love in community (vv. 17–18). Genuine faith manifests in acts of compassion and forgiveness.

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