Love Leads to Fellowship
1 John 4:17-21
Moreover, love must be perfected (or, matured; 4:17–21). Love stands completed by the mutual abiding (v. 16); the result (NIV so that) is that believers will have “confidence” on the day of judgment. (Another interpretation is that John means that love stands completed when one has confidence on judgment day.) This is so because in this evil world we are abiding in the Father and in his love (John 14:10–11, 20; 15:9–10; 17:21–23, 26). Now and on judgment day there is no fear because complete love “drives out” fear (v. 18). Fear of punishment and love are incompatible. Sin breeds fear; fearless love breeds confidence. Verse 19 echoes verse 10. Christians do not fear but love. Yet all our love, whether of God or of men, is only a response to his first and greater demonstration of love in Christ at the cross.
Another test of love is set forth in verse 20. The phrase if anyone says introduces a false claim (see also 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9), here to love God while hating one’s brother. Such a person is a liar about love (cf. about morality, 1:6, 10; 2:4; about doctrine, 2:22; 5:10). One cannot love the invisible God (the harder thing and not easily tested) if he does not love God’s visible image in a brother (the easier thing, easily tested). Verse 21 completes this section by restating the command to love both God and one’s brother as a single command (Mark 12:30–31). To love God is to obey his command (3:23) to love him and others (Deut. 6:4; Lev. 19:18).
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995. Print. Baker Reference Library.
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