“We love because he first loved us. 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 love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” I John 4:19-21 (ESV)

CONTEXT

These verses conclude and sum up what John has been writing about love (4:7-21).

- vss 7-12 love for the brethren

- vss 13-16, talks about living in God and living in love

- vss 17-18, love drives out fear

- vss 19-21, summarizing love

WE ARE ABLE TO “AGAPE” BECAUSE GOD FIRST “AGAPED” US.

God took the initiative. After mankind’s fall in the Garden of Eden, God began taking the initiative, and set everything in motion to redeem the world, through the death of His Son, Jesus the Christ. We read this in Genesis 3:15-16 “I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This is the very first prophesy in the Bible about the coming Messiah. Paul also tells us in Rom 5:8 and Titus 3:3-5 that even though we were sinners, God, through his love took the initiative to save us. It wasn’t because of anything we have done, but totally through His love.

IF YOU DON’T LOVE OTHERS, YOU CAN’T LOVE GOD

John speaks bluntly and directly in verse 20. If you say you love God, but do not love your brother you are a (pseustēs), a liar, faith breaker, a false and faithless person. Harsh words, but true. John Stott provides this very interesting insight on this verse: “The folly of the liar’s position is seen not only its inherent inconsistency, but in the fact that love for God and love for our brother form one single command. Jesus himself taught this. It was he who united Deut 6:4 and Lev 19:18, and then declared that all the Law and the Prophets hung upon them (Matt. 22:37–40). We may not separate what Jesus has joined.”

LOVING GOD BY LOVING OTHERS

John makes it clear, that the Love of God and the Love of our brother is inseparable. In these passages, John isn’t talking about our earthly family, rather our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus clearly told his disciples that “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35. Unfortunately, in many churches around the world, we can witness hatred towards others who are not like themselves. It is sad to see Churches split because they can’t love each other as Christ loved us. Maybe it is a different race, nationality, interpretation of scripture, political position, or even the style of worship. It is a tragedy when fellow brothers and sisters cannot live in love. John Piper sums it up perfectly, “If you don't love your visible brother, then you can't be loving the invisible God.”

APPLICATION

Here are the words of an old saying: “You love Jesus only as much as you love the person you love the least.” These words are similar to 1 John 4:20, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?”
How often do you catch yourself criticizing and thinking badly of others, yet at the same time overlooking your own glaring faults? If we loved Jesus only as much as we loved the people that we find ourselves criticizing, then we indeed love Jesus very little. Ask God to bring to mind people you struggle loving. Then ask Him to help you see those people in the say way that Jesus sees them. Pray for them and look for a way of loving them in a tangible, Christlike manner.