Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits. Many false prophets have gone out into the world. The test centers on Jesus: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not of God. That is the spirit of the antichrist. But believers belong to God and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

The writer then turns to love. Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed when he sent his only born Son into the world, that we might live through him. Love begins with God’s action: not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. No one has seen God at any time, but if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

God’s love removes fear. We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. Love made perfect gives boldness in the day of judgment. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. We love him, because he first loved us. Love for God cannot be separated from love for people, for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.