[:en]TEST THE SPIRITS (vs. 1-6)
The Spirit of God acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. The Spirit of Anti-Christ is already in the world. It does not acknowledge that Jesus is from God.
Children from God have overcome the Spirit that is not from God because “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world, so they speak from the viewpoint of the world and the world listens to them. We are from God and God listens to us; God will not listen to those who are not from Him. This is how we can recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood” (vs. 4-6)
GOD’S LOVE AND OURS (vs. 7-20)
God is love and love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God but whoever does not love does not know God. God’s love is shown by sending His only Son into the world as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus is the complete expression of God in human form and He has revealed God to us. When we love one another, the invisible God reveals himself to others through us and His love is made complete.
We received the Holy Spirit when we become Christians and God is present in our life. The Holy Spirit give us the power to love and reach out to others. There is not fear in love. But perfect love drives out fears. God’s love can quiet our fears and gives us confidence.
The real test of our love for God is how we treat the people around us – our family memebers and fellow believers. We cannot truly love God while neglecting to love those who are created in His image.
And He has given us this command. “Whoever loves God must also love his brother (v. 21)[:]