1 John 4-5

What I Noticed Today (1 John 4-5)

1 John 4

In verses 1-6, John continues what he started in 1 John 3:24 discussing the Spirit:

• Do not believe every spirit (false prophet) but test them to see if they are from God because there are many false prophets in the world.
• This is how you know the Spirit of God: 1) they confess Jesus Christ, 2) He came in the flesh, and 3) was sent by God.
• Every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist who is in the world now (Satan).
• The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
• They (the antichrists) are from the world, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.
• We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to Him.
• From this, we know the Spirit of truth.

In verses 7-21, John discusses how Christians should reflect the character of God.

• Love one another. Love is from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
• The one who does not love does not know God because God is love.

• The proof of God’s love is He sent His One and Only Son into the world that we might have eternal life through Him.
• God loved us and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins.

• If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.

• Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God.
• God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God and God in him.
• Love is perfected in us, so we have confidence in the day of judgment.
• There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out all fear because fear involves punishment.
• The one who fears has not reached perfection in love.

• We love because He first loved us.
• Anyone who says he loves God yet hates his brother is a liar. The one who loves God must also love his brother.

1 John 5

In verses 1-5, John continues the command from 1 John 4:21 to love our brothers:

• Everyone who believes Jesus is Messiah has been born of God. Everyone who loves the Father also loves the Son.
• We show we love God’s children by obeying His commands.
• God’s commands are not a burden.
• Whatever has been born of God conquers the world.
• The one who conquers the world is the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

In verses 6-13, John proves God’s love through the testimony of His Son, Jesus:

• Jesus Christ came by water and blood.

• The Holy Spirit testifies because the Spirit is truth.
• The water, blood, and Spirit testify and are in agreement.

• The one who does not believe God has made Him a liar because he did not believe God’s testimony about His Son.
• The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son does not have life.
• I have written this, so you will know you have eternal life.

In verses 14-17, John speaks to the importance of prayer:

• We are confident that anything we ask in the will of God. He hears us. And if He hears us, we know we will receive what we have asked for.

• If anyone sees a brother committing a sin that does not bring (spiritual) death, he should ask, and God will bring him life.
• You do not have to pray about sin that brings death (eternal separation from God).

In verses 18-21, John summarizes and concludes the letter:

• Everyone born of God does not continually sin.

• The evil one (Satan) does not touch the believer who is born of God.

• We know that we are of God, and the world is under the influence of the evil one (Satan).
• We know that the Son of God has come and given us understanding, so we know God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
• Avoid idols.

Some additional thoughts for consideration:

• As a child of God, we should reflect God’s love to our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we do that, we are a witness to others in a way that allows people to experience God’s love through us.
• God will keep us safe from the evil one. But we must abide in Him, and He is us!

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: 2 John, 3 John, Jude