C J 1. Discrimination of spirits.
K 2,3. Test of spirits.
J 4,5. Discrimination of professors.
K 6. Test of professors.
1 John 4)
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test (prove. By the Word of God. See Rom. 1:28. 12:2) the spirits if they are of God: because many false prophets (see Matt. 7:15) are gone out into the world. (You can spot false teachers. See Prov. 1:7.)
2 Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ to have come in flesh is of God: (See Ps. 22.)
3 And every spirit that confesses not the Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of the Antichrist (see 2:18. Instead of Christ. See Esek. 18-23), whereof you have heard that it comes; and even now already is it in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. (Satan.)
5 They are of the world: on account of this speak they of the world, and the world hears them. (Cosmos - evil part.)
6 We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. From this know we the spirit of truth (see 1:6), and the spirit of error.
D q 7,8. Call to love of the brethren.
r 9. Proof of God's love to us.
s 10. God's love 1st.
t 11,12. Love perfected.
u 13,14. Hereby...because.
v 15. God's indwelling.
v 16. Dwelling in God.
u 17. Herein...because.
t 18. Perfected in love.
s 19. God's love 1st.
r 20. Proof of our love to God.
q 21. Command to love the brethren.
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is begotten (from above. See John 3. Jude 1-6) of God, and knows God. (It is absolutely necessary.)
8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. (Most powerful force in the universe. See 2 Thess. 3:5-15.)
9 In this was manifested the love of God in us, because that God has sent His only begotten Son (see John 1:14) into the world, in order that we might live through Him. (No other way to have eternal life.)
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atonement. He is able to forgive our sins. See Rom. 3:25) concerning our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought also to love one another. (And that does not mean all sugar coated. See 2 Thess. 3:6.)
12 No one has beheld God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is made perfect in us. (He matures us.)
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (Freely, i.e. the gifts , Gr. chrisma.)
14 And we have seen and do bear witness that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior (the only One) of the world. (See Ps. 22.)
15 Whosoever shall confess (believe) that Jesus is the Son of God (see Matt. 16:26), God dwells in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and have believed the love that God has in us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (Love = gentle love, tough love, and hard love.)
17 Herein is love with us matured, that we may have boldness (see 2:28) in the day of judgment (good rewards there also. He never erases rewards): because as He is (see 2:6), so are we in this world.
18 There is not fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear (take names and kick dragon. See Rev. 9:4): because fear has punishment (see Matt. 25:46). He that fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love Him, because He first loved us. (Rev. 4:11.)
20 If any one say, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
21 And this commandment have we from Him (cp. 3:11,23. John 12:34; 15:12.), That he who loves God love his brother also.