7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us : 13 hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. 16 And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him. 17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love : but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love. 19 We love, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. 21 And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also.

Twice before in the course of this epistle love has been treated as a test of Christian life. In the second chapter it was the "commandment" which one in fellowship with God would keep; in the third, it was a sign of likeness to the Father, which "children of God" would show; here it is a disposition which is traced to its source in the very nature of God as manifested in the gift of his Son. In following this thought the writer reaches the profoundest depths and loftiest heights of his discussion. The paragraph is a worthy complement to the matchless "hymn of love" sung by Paul in the thirteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Corinthians, for it gives to the virtue which Paul praises its mighty motive, and finds its birth in the being of God.

From another point of view also, the epistle here reaches a climax and is found to be no mere series of tests by which a fact is discovered or on which an assurance is to be based, but a practical message of encouragement. It is designed not only to give tests of life, but to urge the fuller manifestations of that life. It is intended to secure not a mental verdict but a moral resolve, not a surer belief but a deeper experience. "Beloved," writes the apostle, "let us love one another."

The exhortation is enforced by the statement that "love is of God"; it is therefore the supreme test both of being born of God and of having fellowship with God: "Every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." This sublime statement as to the nature of God is unsurpassed in all Scripture: "God is love." Thrice in this brief paragraph the truth is affirmed. Here the statement is followed by a description of the supreme expression of divine love: "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him." This is in fact the expression of love in its very essence: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Thus the love of God was shown in the greatness of his gift: he not only sent a Saviour; he sent his own Son, his only Son. His love appeared further in the benefit received, namely life, eternal life, for all believers: "that we might live through him." This was ideal, essential love, for it was shown toward the unworthy and unlovely. The love of man for God would not have been so surprising, but, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us." This love involved an infinite cost, of sacrifice, of suffering and death, to secure the forgiveness of sins; this God provided; he "sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

If such is the nature of God's love, we must show that we are his children by a love like his, in its disposition toward others, and in a love which finds its supreme motive in gratitude for the gift of his Son. First then, in passion for the good of others, our life must be manifested: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." It is our duty, but it is the necessary expression of our nature, not only to love God for his goodness, but "to love one another," for God is invisible; we can seek or desire to confer no benefit on him: "No man hath beheld God at any time"; but if we seek the good of others, then we manifest his nature: "God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us." We are certain that he dwells within, for love is the fruit of his Spirit; "hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit." More particularly, his Spirit is the Author of belief; and our love has a divine source if it is associated with the acceptance of Christ as our divine and crucified Saviour, and if this belief becomes the motive of our love for one another: "We have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God." In him we see the love of God manifested: "And we know and have believed the love which God hath in us. God is love; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him."

God is love, but love is not God. Not every manifestation of charity or kindness or benevolence or sacrifice is a sign of a new birth or of being a child of God. We must take our stand near the cross. When love is associated with faith and devotion toward Jesus the Son of God, then it becomes a proof of "life eternal."

From such love two results are certain to follow: confidence toward God, and charity toward men. If we fully realize the love of God revealed in Christ, we shall not stand in dread of God; and if this love is the principle of our lives we shall have no fear of judgment, for, as the children of God, we are in this world like Christ the Son of God, in our love, our confidence, our trustful relation to the Father: "Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Quite as truly, if we realize God's love for us, we shall love one another: "We love, because he first loved us." Not only do we love God, but love becomes the animating principle of our life. This principle has its source in the love of God for us. It finds its natural and first expression in our love for one another. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother who he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen." The test is simple and obvious. If one does not love his brother, then love is not ruling his life. It is foolish to boast of love, particularly to an unseen person, when love is not being shown and felt toward one who is seen daily, walking in the same sphere of life, to whom it is much more easy to express affection and devotion. Life cannot have two supreme motives, two opposing ruling principles. Love for God is inseparable from love for men. Hatred for men is a proof that love is not controlling the life; it shows one to be a liar if he is boasting his love for God. Christ himself taught us that if one is keeping the supreme commandment he will love God with his whole heart and his neighbor as himself: "This commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also."