Christians who are well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, and who are filled with humble dependence upon Divine teaching, may discern between faithful ministers who set forth doctrines according to the Word of God, and heretics and false prophets who contradict it. The Scriptures reveal to us all that is necessary for us to know concerning Christ, His Person, and His work; and if a teacher or pastor preaches these doctrines according to the Word of God, then we may be sure that his teaching is from God. But false teachers, on the other hand, will mingle the words of truth with words that match the opinions and tastes of the world, so as to not offend carnal unbelievers like themselves. The world approves of such persons; they made rapid progress in their supposed “ministries,” and have many devoted followers; for the world will love its own, and its own will love it. The true doctrine of our Savior leads sinners away from the world and draws them to God; this is a mark of the Holy Spirit of truth, in opposition to the spirit of error. But why do we wonder that people of a worldly spirit should cling to teachers who are like themselves, who suit their schemes and discourses to their own corrupt tastes?
The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love (verses 7-13). A person who does not love the Lord’s people, who bear the image of God, has no true saving knowledge of the Lord; for it is His nature to be kind, to give happiness, and to show love. Even the law of God is love, and all mankind would have been perfectly happy if they had been obedient to it. And so the provision of the Gospel also shows that “God is love!” In harmony with His glory and justice, the Gospel sets forth before us the forgiveness of sins and the salvation of sinners. In fact, although strict justice would condemn us to hopeless misery because we break our Creator’s laws, our God has so clearly shown Himself to be love that we cannot come short of eternal happiness unless we are unbelieving and impenitent. None of our words or thoughts of praise and thanks can do justice to the free, astonishing love of our holy God towards unholy sinners – whom He might justly crush in a moment, and who would be very deserving of His vengeance! Do we search the whole universe for love in its most glorious display? We do not need to look any further. It is to be found in the Person and the cross of Christ. Does love exist between God and sinners? Here was the origin of that love – not that we loved God, but that He freely loved us. And His love is not designed to be fruitless within us; He dwells in us by His new-creating Spirit, and transforms us into loving Christians. Love oils the wheels of our affections toward our fellow human beings, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ; and it sets us busy doing that which is helpful to others.
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 (verses 14-16). He proclaims the fundamental foundation-stone of the Christian religion, which is such a beautiful picture of the love of God: “We have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (verse 14). “God is love” (verse 16); He is essential, boundless love; He has incomparable, incomprehensible love for us, which He has demonstrated in the mission and mediation of His beloved Son. And there is great communion between the God of love and the loving soul; “he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (verse 16). A person who dwells in sacred love has the love of God shed abroad in his heart, the influence of God upon his spirit, and the Spirit of God sanctifying him. And having thus shown us the love that dwells in God Himself, John now proceeds (verses 17-21) to encourage us to love Him in return – and also to love our brothers and sisters.
The Lord’s love is the incentive, the motive, and the cause of ours. We cannot help loving such a good God! He was first in the act and work of love, He loved us when we were unloving and unlovely, He has been seeking and soliciting our love at the expense of His own Son’s blood, and He beseeches us to be reconciled unto Him. Let heaven and earth stand amazed at such love! And if we love Him, it is only reasonable to expect that we should also show love to our brothers and sisters in Christ! How shall the hater of a human being – who is made in the visible image of God – pretend to love the unseen and invisible God Himself? Our Christian brethren have also received a new nature and excellent privileges from our God, and God has His interest in them as well as in us; therefore, it cannot be anything other than a natural obligation that the person who claims to love God should love his brother or sister also!
Lord, we repent of times when we have said that we loved You; and yet at the same time, we have had hatred in our hearts for our brothers and sisters, who are made in Your image. Shed abroad Your love in our hearts, so that we may love You as You have first loved us; and help us to show our love to our brothers and sisters in Christ as well! Amen.
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