15 whoever may confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God in him doth remain, and he in God;
who is he who is overcoming the world, if not he who is believing that Jesus is the Son of God?
that if thou mayest confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and mayest believe in thy heart that God did raise him out of the dead, thou shalt be saved,
in this know ye the Spirit of God; every spirit that doth confess Jesus Christ in the flesh having come, of God it is,
`Every one, therefore, who shall confess in me before men, I also will confess in him before my Father who is in the heavens;
God no one hath ever seen; if we may love one another, God in us doth remain, and His love is having been perfected in us;
Every one who is believing that Jesus is the Christ, of God he hath been begotten, and every one who is loving Him who did beget, doth love also him who is begotten of Him:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 John 4
Commentary on 1 John 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the apostle exhorts to try spirits (v. 1), gives a note to try by (v. 2, 3), shows who are of the world and who of God (v. 4-6), urges Christian love by divers considerations (v. 7-16), describes our love to God, and the effect of it (v. 17-21).
1Jo 4:1-3
The apostle, having said that God's dwelling in and with us may be known by the Spirit that he hath given us, intimates that that Spirit may be discerned and distinguished from other spirits that appear in the world; and so here,
1Jo 4:4-6
In these verses the apostle encourages the disciples against the fear and danger of this seducing antichristian spirit, and that by such methods as these:-
1Jo 4:7-13
As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, v. 7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: "Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love.' This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as,
1Jo 4:14-16
Since faith in Christ works love to God, and love to God must kindle love to the brethren, the apostle here confirms the prime article of the Christian faith as the foundation of such love. Here,
1Jo 4:17-21
The apostle, having thus excited and enforced sacred love from the great pattern and motive of it, the love that is and dwells in God himself, proceeds to recommend it further by other considerations; and he recommends it in both the branches of it, both as love to God, and love to our brother or Christian neighbour.