Tyndale Open Study Notes1 John 4

Those who belong to God can tell the difference between spiritual truth and error (4:4). The presence of the Holy Spirit teaches them (3:23–24; see 2:20, 27; John 14:15–26; 16:5–15). Yet John gives clear tests that Christians can use so that there will be no confusion. These tests are a beginning point for identifying true teachers, not a complete list. John designed them to answer the false teachings that were spreading in the churches of the people he is writing to.

every spirit: The teachers who left John’s churches said they were prophets, but a true prophet is someone the Holy Spirit uses to bring his message (Acts 4:25; 1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 19:10). Every speaker should be tested by comparing their message with what the Holy Spirit has already said through the apostles (1 John 4:2–3, 6).

By this you will know the Spirit of God: If someone claims to be a prophet, John provides a test for them. True prophets and teachers, guided by the Spirit of God, confess that Jesus Christ came in a real body ("in the flesh"). This means they must confirm that Jesus is both fully human and fully God. Those who deny these basic teachings are antichrists (2:18).

Some false teachers in John’s time, called Docetists, taught that Jesus only appeared to have a human body. They denied that God truly became flesh (see 1:1–3; John 1:14).

The viewpoint of the world is shaped by evil and stands in opposition to God (2:15–17).

• We are from God: John tests whether a person truly belongs to Christ by seeing if that person listens to the teachings of the apostles and agrees with them.

• The Spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit (John 14:17, 26; 15:26; 16:13–15). The Holy Spirit teaches the truth about Christ (1 John 2:20, 27).

• False prophets have a spirit of deception. This is the spirit of antichrist, which leads people away from Christ (see study note on 2:22). For this reason, staying united with the historic body of Christ and remaining faithful to the shared teaching that began with the apostles shows loyalty to Christ’s work in the world.

John explains where a Christian’s love comes from and how it is shown in daily life.

God is love: God is the source of all love and shows what true love is. This truth, together with the truth that “God is light”(1:5), forms the foundation for John’s message in this letter.

Jesus Christ, whom God the Father sent, showed God’s love in his life on earth. He also showed this love in his sacrificial death on the cross, where he became the sacrifice that reconciles us to God.

Those who have received God’s love will also love others who belong to God. When we show love to one another, it becomes clear that we truly love God.

Those who believe in Christ live in God, and God lives in them. The Father and the Son share this close fellowship (John 10:38; 14:10; 17:21). Christians receive this same gift of fellowship with God, which is a special privilege (see John 14:20; 15:5; 17:21–24).

• love has been perfected: The Greek word translated as has been perfected means mature and complete. It does not mean without flaw. This confidence motivates us to mature in our relationship with God, and God's love completes our love.

• Experiencing and expressing God's love and doing what it requires does not make us acceptable to God. But it guarantees us that we have been accepted, and our fears of the final judgment disappear.

• Perfect love drives out fear: As we live with Christ and grow more mature and complete in God’s love, we have confidence in facing the day of judgment. This day will be terrifying for those who do not know God (Acts 24:25; Romans 2:16).

• Based on a sense of guilt, people fear the punishment they know they deserve. This fear produces dread, and that dread is like a small experience of the coming punishment. Christ died to set us free from this dread (Hebrews 2:14–15).

God loved us first, even when we were still sinners and had not yet turned away from sin (Romans 8:5–11). God began this work. Because he loved us, he gave us the ability to respond to him with love and to show that same love to other people.