Lesson 6: Love 71
f lesh testified that he was the One whom God sent to be the Savior of
the world. The opening verse of the letter explains how the original fol-
lowers of Jesus heard him with their ears, saw him with their eyes, and
touched him with their hands (1 John 1:1). Later followers, based on this
earlier eyewitness testimony, acknowledged that the Son of God came
in the f lesh in order to save us. This affirmation of faith provides addi-
tional evidence that God lives in us and that we live in God.
4:16. What we believe, the profession of our faith, impacts our actions.
After we come to know what God has done for us and realize that God is
love, we desire to live or remain in this love. As heart, mind, and actions
unite, we abide in this love of God, and he abides in us. The Greek verb
for abide (meno) occurs six times in verses 13–16, highlighting the
importance of love as evidence that we have a genuine relationship with
God.
No Fear in God’s Love (1 John 4:17–18)
4:17–18. We should not have any fear about future judgment because of
God’s love for us. God has demonstrated his love for us by sending his
Son. We have experienced his intention for us. We know his character
and therefore should have no fear about the future. We can live life con-
fidently, having the assurance that God abides in us and we in God. In
this way, love reaches its completion, accomplishing its intended pur-
pose in our lives.
No Boasting in Our Love (1 John 4:19–21)
4:19 –21. We have no reason to boast about our love. We are able to love
God and others because God took the initiative to love us first (cf. 1 John
4:10). Our love for God is revealed by the way we treat others. When
Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another, he told them their
love for one another would identify them as his disciples (John 13:34–
35). Conversely, hatred toward other believers reveals that we do not
truly love God (v. 20). Even if we say we love God, we are liars if we do
not love other believers. In short, love exercised by, among, and between
disciples proves our love for God, and that love originates with God. If