1 John 4:12-16

Love, A Means of Seeing God

No man has ever seen God in the fullness of His nature (John 1:18). However, Jesus came to declare the nature of God to man. While man has not seen God in all His glory, when believers love one another, He indwells them and His love is brought to maturity in them. As one evidence of God's indwelling the faithful and their abiding in Him, John gives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Woods notes the first fruit of the Spirit is love, which is interesting in light of John's present discussion (1 John 4:12-13; Galatians 5:22-23).

While no man has seen the Father, John and the other apostles had seen God in the flesh. Further, they were witnesses of God's having sent His Son in the flesh to take away the sins of the world (John 3:16; John 1:29; Luke 19:10). The apostle of love further informed his readers that anyone who confesses Jesus as God's Son has God abiding in him. The confession here must at least be somewhat synonymous with keeping Jesus' commandments since both are said to cause the Father to abide in Christians. This confession is more than mere acknowledgment of Christ's Sonship (Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 1:23-24; James 2:19). It is the full belief in His Sonship that motivates one to do His will knowing he is truly Lord of all (1 John 4:14-15).

The apostles knew Jesus, who declared the authority of the Father. He declared that authority because of the love the Father had for Him from eternity. Once they yielded to that known Lord and the authority of His Father, His love extended to them also (John 17:24-26). These thoughts which are essentially illustrated in Jesus' prayer for unity, should help disciples to see how they can know and believe the love God had for them in sending His Son. That love, which comes through knowing God's Son, is the Christian's abode and because we abide in it God abides in us, since God is love (1 John 4:16).