1 John 4 - Introduction

He warneth them not to believe all teachers who boast of the Spirit, but to try them by the rules of the faith delivered by the apostle: and by many reasons, exhorteth to brotherly love.

Anno Domini 90.

BECAUSE the Gnostics and other heretics, in the first age, to gain the greater credit to their erroneous doctrines, assumed to themselves the character and authority of inspired teachers, St. John put his disciples in mind, chap. 1 John 2:27 that they had an unction from the Holy Spirit, by which they were enabled to judge with certainty, both of teachers and of their doctrine. He, therefore, in this chapter, commanded the disciples in general, not to believe rashly every teacher who pretended to be inspired; but carefully to examine, and prove by the touchstone of the word (Isaiah 8:20.), what manner of spirit they were of and were influenced by, and what doctrines they preached; whether they were agreeable to the holy nature and revealed will of God, and derived their original from him, or not. There was great need of their being very cautious on this head, because there were swarms of impostors at this day, who, according to our Lord's prediction, were gone abroad, and made a great noise in the world, (see Matthew 24:24.) 1 John 4:1. Now, in this, adds the apostle, you may distinguish the Spirit of God, which is the Spirit of truth, from that of error: every spirit which confesseth Jesus Christ, who is come in the flesh, (see the note on this verse,) that pays a becoming deference to his authority, and the divine discoveries which he has made, is of God: there cannot, in the general, be any better attestation of any spirit than this, that ittends, in its agency and operations, to promote the honour of the great Redeemer, 1 John 4:2.—On the other hand, such inspired teachers as did not thus confess Christ, were not inspired of God, but of the devil; and were the antichrists, or deceivers, foretold by Christ to come before the destruction of Jerusalem, 1 John 4:3.—But, my dear children, ye are of God, says St. John, and have overcome these antichrists in all their snares and delusions; because theSon of God, who stands at the head of that interest in which you are embarked, and who aids you by the mighty communications of his Spirit, is infinitely too strong for Satan, the great head of the apostacy, and for all his confederates, 1 John 4:4.—who, being worldly men, speak from worldly principles, and are listened to by those wicked men who resemble them in their corrupt maxims and practices, 1 John 4:5.—Therefore regard our temper and conduct, and compare it with that of those who oppose us; and you will find a carnal principle continually prevailing in them, and a spiritual principle governing us: in consequence of which you may know assuredly that we are of God, and they of the world, 1 John 4:6.

Having thus taught the brethren, how to distinguish the real inspirations of the Spirit of God, both from those which were feigned, and from those which came from evil spirits, the apostle, in an oblique manner, condemned those heretical teachers, who made the whole of a Christian's duty to consist in the speculative knowledge of God, without any regard to Christian experience and a right practice. For he enjoined mutual love on all Christians,from these considerations, that it derives its origin from God, and that every one who cordially loveth his brother, and no one else, hath been begotten of God, and knoweth God, 1 John 4:7.—Withal, that his affirmation might make the deeper impression on his readers, the apostle, according to his manner, denied its contrary: He, said he, that doth not love his brother, whatever he may pretend, doth not know God. For God is love, 1 John 4:8.—and by this manifested his love to us, even by sending his Son, the only-begotten, into the world, made flesh, that we might live eternally through him, 1 John 4:9.—Farther, the apostle observed that God greatly enhanced his love to men, in sending his Son to save them, by this circumstance, that they did not love God first, but he loved them so exceedingly, that he gave his Son to die as a propitiation for their sins, 1 John 4:10.—And from this he inferred, that if God so loved them, they ought, from love and gratitude to him, to love one another, ver.

11.—Next, he told them, that although no man hath seen God at any time, because he is not an object of men's senses, yet if we love one another, God really abideth in us, by virtue of his nature communicated to us; and, by that great blessing, the love which he bears to us is carried to perfection, 1 John 4:12.—And as he had in the preceding verses, been mentioning love as an argument of our union to God, he adds, "In this also we know, that we abide in him, and that he dwells in us, because he has given to us the communication of his Spirit, which operating in us by its gracious influences, sets, as it were, the mark of God upon us, and thereby assures us that he owns us as his, and is become our God, 1 John 4:13.—Now, both before and after his resurrection, we beheld the Son of God in the flesh, and bear witness that the Father hath sent his Son a Saviour of the world, and our testimony is rendered indubitable by the miracles which we perform," 1 John 4:14.—From these things St. John drew the inference: whoever, in a steady and uniform manner, shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God sent into the world a Saviour, maintaining this profession of faith with resolution and zeal, and acting in conformity to it, gives the happiest proof that God dwelleth in him, and that he dwelleth in God; there is a blessed union between God and his soul; so that it is in the language of scripture (Isaiah 57:15.) the habitation of God, and he may be said to be, as to his affections and hopes, with God in heaven, 1 John 4:15.

Having thus taught the disciples to distinguish true from false teachers, and true from false Christians, by their doctrine, their love, and their obedience, the apostle still further urges upon them the same important point. We, says he, have been well assured, and fully persuaded, on the ground of the gospel revelation, and the concurring witness of the Spirit with our spirits, that the most transcendent, free and unmerited love is in the heart of God toward us, and is manifested by his sending his Son to be the propitiation forour sins, that we might live through him. Hence we may certainly conclude, that whoever lives under the power of a cordial love to him, and to his children for his sake, is so assimilated to the God of love, as to abide in a reciprocal union and communion with him, 1 John 4:16.—And herein is love perfected in us (see the note on this verse), that, notwithstanding all the infirmities inseparable from this mortal life, we may have confidence in the day of universal judgment, because as he our Father and our God is, so are we as creatures in a very glorious sense, even while we reside in this world, so far as the infirmities of that mortal life to which we are here confined will admit, 1 John 4:17.—and happy are they, who are arrived to such a temper and character as this; for there is no servile and abject fear in love, but perfect love casts out such fear from the soul in which it resides. And this is a very desirable effect; because fear hath torment; it throws the mind into a most uneasy situation; therefore he that feareth, is not made perfect in love. Study then to increase more and more in that noble affection of love to God, and you will find your self-enjoyment rising in proportion to it, 1 John 4:18.—And reflect upon this with all humility, that if we do indeed experience that divine principle in our hearts, we must freely acknowledge that we love him, because he first loved us. He has not only poured in upon us numberless providential bounties, but has also appointed his Son to lay a foundation for our happiness in his own Blood, and his Spirit to diffuse that grace in our hearts, by which they are formed to every sentiment of pious gratitude, 1 John 4:19.—And let this also be remembered, as of the last importance, that if any one say, I love God, and hateth his brother, how high soever his pretensions to devotion may be, and to whatever fervour he may carry his zeal, he is a liar; for it is impossible that the love of God should be sincere in the soul which is destitute of this brotherly affection; as will appear, if you consider what peculiar advantages we have for engaging our hearts toward those with whom we are conversant. The invisible nature of the Divine Being is, in this respect, an obstacle which seems to be more difficult to overcome, than the obstacles which oppose the love of the brethren: but every thing is possible to grace, and therefore is so to him that believeth, 1 John 4:20.—And it is certain, that the neglect of this benevolent disposition would be a high instance of disobedience to God, since we have this express commandment from him, that he who loveth God, and professeth himself religious, should also love his brother. And God has hereby, in effect, declared, that he will treat those as his enemies, who pretend to devout zeal, while they are destitute of brotherly love, 1 John 4:21.