1 João 4
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 4:7
Henry - As the Spirit of truth (1Jn 4:6) 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. John has three major sections on the subject of love - (1) 1Jn 2:7-11 (2) 1Jn 3:10-14 (3) 1Jn 4:7-21. John returns to the subject of is love, especially perfect love available to every saint. The ESV Study Bible entitles this section "The Assurance of God through the Love of God." This beloved disciple breathes nothing but love; as if he had been born with love in his mouth, as they say. -- John Trapp Beloved (agapetos), let us love (agapao - present tense - let us habitually love) one another - John literally writes (agapetoi agapomen) "those who are loved, let us love." John is addressing believers with a tender word of exhortation, even as he assures them of his love for them. It's easy to call someone a tender name, but John clearly practiced what he preached. His life matched his lips. His behavior was in harmony with his words. Could we say the same, beloved? And so John begins this section on love with the term of endearment, beloved, indicating they are loved not just by him, but far more amazing, they are beloved of God. They who were once helpless, ungodly, sinners and enemies of God (Ro 5:6, 8, 10+), are now the focus of His perfect love (cf 1Th 1:4+). This amazing thought is worth pondering for a moment. And when we do grasp the significance of the greatness of God's love bestowed on us as His children (1Jn 3:1+), we should be motivated and led to obey John's exhortation to continually love one another, relying of course on His indwelling Spirit to give us the desire to love and the power to love (Php 2:13NLT+), for only by the Spirit can we exhibit this supernatural, selfless, giving, God-like love. Love one another speaks of a mutual love, love flowing in both directions. Love which God is in His nature, the love which is produced by the Holy Spirit in the heart of the yielded saint, the love which was seen in action at the Cross. -- Kenneth Wuest Gary Burge writes that John's "exhortation to obedience does not come with a threat. Instead, obedience is encouraged through inspiration. God’s inspiring love, his generous affection, compels us to obey. If he has done this much for us, how can we do less? Genuine love cannot be exhibited in any community unless it reflects God’s love, unless it is empowered by an experience of being loved." (See The Letters of John - Page 186) Chris Benefield - As the children of God, we are expected to love one another. (I have met some who claimed Christ as their Savior who apparently didn’t get the memo.) John doesn’t say love when we feel like it, or when we think it is deserved. He doesn’t say love those who agree with our position always. He doesn’t ask us to love only those within our circle of influence. We are to love one another. I am convinced this applies to our love for all people, especially those within the body of Christ. Jesus revealed this was the second great command: love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Mk 12:31+, Ro 13:8-10+, Gal 5:14+). Surely you would agree we need to show love to one another! (1 John 4:7-10 Defined and Delivered in Love) Love one another is a key phrase occurring 3 times in 1Jn 4:7-21 - 1Jn 4:7+, 1Jn 4:11+, 1Jn 4:12+ (cf 1Jn 4:21+). It was also used in 1Jn 3:11+ and 1Jn 3:23+. All Biblical uses of Love one another - 13x/12v - Jn 13:34; 15:12, 17; Ro 13:8; 1Th 4:9; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jn 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11-12; 2Jn 1:5) Study "one anothers" - most positive, some negative. See note on love one another. F F Bruce - "The love which the New Testament enjoins involves a consuming passion for the well-being of others, and this love has its wellspring in God." God’s love is: spontaneous in its source; universal in scope; long-suffering in intensity; self-sacrificing in character, aggressive in action; and constant in duration. --W Griffith-Thomas For (hoti) love (agape) is from (ek = out of, as the Source, the Fountainhead) God; and everyone who loves (supernaturally - agapao - present tense) is born (fathered by - gennao - perfect tense) of (ek = out of, the Source) God and knows (ginosko - present tense - spiritually, experientially, habitually, personally, intimately) God - Always pause and interrogate For (hoti) when it is a term of explanation as in the present context, asking at least "What is John explaining?" John is explaining why the believers ought to love one another and it is possible because love comes from God. God is the Source of this supernatural love and when we manifest this love as the habit of our lives we demonstrate that we have been born again and that we have an intimate personal relationship with the Almighty God. One thinks of the saying "like Father, like son" for as children of God we are partakers of His nature (2Pe 1:4+). In this passage, John states positively what characterizes a true child of God and in 1Jn 4:8 he states it negatively speaking of the unbeliever. Love for fellow Christians provides proof of spiritual birth and relationship with God. --Bruce Barton Note that born (gennao) is in the perfect tense which speaks of that past moment we confessed Christ as Lord and Savior (Ro 10:9-10+) and we entered into God's family (Jn 1:12-13+) and forever will abide in His family. So even this tense (perfect tense) underscores the believer's eternal security and gives him/her assurance that their salvation is abiding and cannot be lost (cf Jn 10:27-29+, Heb 7:25+, 2Ti 1:12+, Jude 1:24+, Ro 8:38-39+). "The relationship between God and the believer as Father and child is a permanent one." (Wuest) As those who have genuinely been born of God, they can affirm "Once saved, always saved." The caveat is one must be genuinely saved! Asking Jesus into one's heart and living the rest of your life like the devil is absolutely not evidence of genuine salvation in contrast to a false doctrine that has begun to pervade evangelicalism! Do not be deceived, dear reader! The expression knows (ginosko) God speaks of the intimacy and personal relationship that believers now can experience continually (present tense) with the Holy God. And as we practice exhibiting His love (cf Eph 5:1-2+), we grow in the knowledge of God (cf Col 1:10+, 2Pe 3:18+). Amazing grace indeed! Love has a double relationship to God. It is only by knowing God that we learn to love and it is only by loving that we learn to know God (1Jn 4:7-8). Love comes from God, and love leads to God. -- William Barclay John is not speaking of natural human "love" (which can be sacrificial to a degree) but of divine love, a selfless love, a love that seeks the best for the recipient, and a quality of love that believers can demonstrate only when they are filled with, controlled by and walking in the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18+, Gal 5:16+). The Holy Spirit Alone can produce this supernatural love in our hearts (Gal 5:22+).
1 João 4:7
Henry - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7 The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love. He that does not love the image of God in his people has no saving knowledge of God. For it is God’s nature to be kind, and to give happiness. The law of God is love; and all would have been perfectly happy, had all obeyed it. The provision of the gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, and the salvation of sinners, consistently with God’s glory and justice, shows that God is love. Mystery and darkness rest upon many things yet. God has so shown himself to be love, that we cannot come short of eternal happiness, unless through unbelief and impenitence, although strict justice would condemn us to hopeless misery, because we break our Creator’s laws. None of our words or thoughts can do justice to the free, astonishing love of a holy God towards sinners, who could not profit or harm him, whom he might justly crush in a moment, and whose deserving of his vengeance was shown in the method by which they were saved, though he could by his almighty Word have created other worlds, with more perfect beings, if he had seen fit. Should we search the whole universe for love in its most glorious displays? It is to be found in the person and the cross of Christ. Does love exist between God and sinners? Here was the origin, not that we loved God, but that he freely loved us. His love could not be designed to be fruitless upon us, and when its proper end and issue are gained and produced, it may be said to be perfected. Adrian Rogers - There are those among us who do not want to face some very serious issues. They would prefer to ladle honey over all of our problems with the hope that, perhaps, they can be made to disappear. These well-meaning people have the gospel of saccharin sweetness, but it is not the Bible Gospel. There is the honey gospel that tells us over and over again that God is love. This is indeed true. God is love - infinite love, inexpressable love and holy love. While it is true that God is love, that is not all of the truth. When part of the truth is taken for all of the truth, then that part of the truth becomes an untruth. God is also a holy god, who "will not at all acquit the wicked," He said, "Speak the truth in love." Let us beware of loveless truth and truthless love. A Church That Cares By Bill Crowder While traveling together, my wife and I started talking with a delightful young woman we met. The time passed quickly as we chatted about lighthearted topics. But when she heard that I was a minister, the conversation took a heart-wrenching turn. She began to share with us that when her husband left her only a few months earlier, she had struggled with the pain of that abandonment. Then she smiled and said, “I can’t tell you how much my church has meant to me these past months.” Her mood and countenance changed dramatically as she recounted the ways her church family had wrapped their loving arms around her in her season of heartache. It was refreshing to hear how that local assembly had surrounded her with the love of Christ. Far too often, it seems, we limit the significance of church to what happens on Sunday. But the church is to be so much more. It is to be a safe haven, a rescue station, a training center for spiritual service. It is particularly to be an expression of the concerned heart of the Lord for hurting, broken people, such as our young friend. It was only a brief little note, Or a word that was prayerfully spoken, Yet not in vain, for it soothed the pain Of a heart that was nearly broken. —Anon. Hope can be ignited by a spark of encouragement. Love the Brothers - In his book Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, Richard Foster tells of an old sage who asked his disciples, “How can we know when the darkness is leaving and the dawn is coming?” “When we can see a tree in the distance and know that it is an elm and not a juniper,” one student responded. “When we can see an animal and know it is a fox and not a wolf,” replied another. “No,” said the teacher. Puzzled, the students asked for the answer. The sage replied quietly, “We know the darkness is leaving and the dawn is coming when we can see another person and know that it is our brother or sister; otherwise no matter what time it is, it’s still dark.” Do we take seriously John’s words, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren”? (1 Jn. 3:14). Or do we know of Christians whom we dislike intensely? Do we hold in contempt those who go to a different church and don’t agree with us on every issue? What about Christians of another race? Do we like them not only from a distance but also when they are up close and personal? Every kindness done to others Is a kindness done to Thee; Christlike love for all my brothers May the world observe in me. —Brandt People with a heart for God have a heart for people. The Cry of Love - A father sat at his desk poring over his monthly bills when his young son rushed in and announced, “Dad, because this is your birthday and you’re 55 years old, I’m going to give you 55 kisses, one for each year!” When the boy started making good on his word, the father exclaimed, “Oh, Andrew, don’t do it now; I’m too busy!” The youngster immediately fell silent as tears welled up in his big blue eyes. Apologetically the father said, “You can finish later.” The boy said nothing but quietly walked away, disappointment written all over his face. That evening the father said, “Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew.” But the boy didn’t respond. A short time after this incident the boy drowned. His heartbroken father wrote, “If only I could tell him how much I regret my thoughtless words, and could be assured that he knows how much my heart is aching.” Lord, teach us the secret of loving, The love You are asking today; Then help us to love one another— For this we most earnestly pray. —Anon. Nothing is more costly than loving—except not loving. Family Trademarks - The Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, are known for their beautiful sweaters. Patterns are woven into the fabric using sheep’s wool to craft the garments. Many of them relate to the culture and folklore of these small islands, but some are more personal. Each family on the islands has its own trademark pattern, which is so distinctive that if a fisherman were to drown it is said that he could be identified simply by examining his sweater for the family trademark. In John’s first letter, the apostle describes things that are to be trademarks of those who are members of God’s family. In 1 John 3:1, John affirms that we are indeed part of God’s family by saying, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” He then describes the trademarks of those who are the children of God, including, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (4:7). Because “love is of God,” the chief way to reflect the heart of the Father is by displaying the love that characterizes Him. May we allow His love to reach out to others through us—for love is one of our family trademarks. Love is the family resemblance the world should see in followers of Christ.
1 João 4:12
Henry - Wondrous Love No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12 The Father sent the Son; he willed his coming into this world. The apostle attests this. And whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. This confession includes faith in the heart as the foundation; makes acknowledgment with the mouth to the glory of God and Christ, and profession in the life and conduct, against the flatteries and frowns of the world. There must be a day of universal judgment. Happy those who shall have holy boldness before the Judge at that day; knowing he is their Friend and Advocate! Happy those who have holy boldness in the prospect of that day, who look and wait for it, and for the Judge’s appearance! True love to God assures believers of God’s love to them. Love teaches us to suffer for him and with him; therefore we may trust that we shall also be glorified with him. We must distinguish between the fear of God and being afraid of him; the fear of God imports high regard and veneration for God. Obedience and good works, done from the principle of love, are not like the servile toil of one who unwillingly labors from dread of a master’s anger. They are like that of a dutiful child, who does services to a beloved father, which benefit his brethren, and are done willingly. It is a sign that our love is far from perfect, when our doubts, fears, and apprehensions of God, are many. Let heaven and earth stand amazed at his love … The love of God in Christ, in the hearts of Christians from the Spirit of adoption, is the great proof of conversion. THE POWER OF PRAYER - 1 John 4:11-12 - Good Night, God: Night Time Devotions to End Your Day Nan stood at the window one winter day watching the wind whipping the pine trees. The cold rain had sneaked in the night before. Early that morning, she had struggled to get out of bed as the extreme cold and dampness wreaked havoc on her joints. At the post office, everyone seemed to feel as she did. No one smiled, and everyone seemed to be struggling through the day. She decided then and there to at least change her own outlook. She smiled—not a forced smile, but a caring smile that radiated the love of God. For some, she whispered a “flash prayer” that their day would be blessed by the Heavenly Father. Her smiles brought blessings from God in the form of a grandmother who rushed to her side to share a funny story, a man who asked her opinion on which handbag to buy for his wife, and the boy who allowed her to take his place in the express lane. Nan remembered how a smile began a friendship with a young grocery store bagger who had Down’s syndrome. One winter day, with snow clouds slung low across the sky, the young man carried her groceries to her car. Digging in her purse for a tip, she was embarrassed when she found she had nothing to give him. “I’m sorry,” she said, not wanting to disappoint the young man. A smile as bright as the summer sun spread across his face. “That’s okay,” he said. Then he wrapped his arms around her. “I love you,” he said. Shivering in the cold, she whispered a “flash prayer” for this special child of God. “Lord, bless this precious child,” she whispered. Sometimes the most unexpected encounters can teach us a lesson in humility, but the greatest lesson in humility is found in Jesus Christ. (Nanette Thorsen-Snipes, Southern Lifestyles, Summer 1996, p. 38.) Tonight, whisper a “flash prayer” for someone you saw today. Family Trademarks - The Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, are known for their beautiful sweaters. Patterns are woven into the fabric using sheep’s wool to craft the garments. Many of them relate to the culture and folklore of these small islands, but some are more personal. Each family on the islands has its own trademark pattern, which is so distinctive that if a fisherman were to drown it is said that he could be identified simply by examining his sweater for the family trademark. In John’s first letter, the apostle describes things that are to be trademarks of those who are members of God’s family. In 1 John 3:1, John affirms that we are indeed part of God’s family by saying, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” He then describes the trademarks of those who are the children of God, including, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (4:7). Because “love is of God,” the chief way to reflect the heart of the Father is by displaying the love that characterizes Him. May we allow His love to reach out to others through us—for love is one of our family trademarks. Love is the family resemblance the world should see in followers of Christ.