1 John 4:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

NIV: This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

NASB: By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit.

CSB: This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

NLT: And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

KJV: Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

NKJV: By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

John gives further evidence of someone who has true fellowship with Christ in this verse. The Holy Spirit is the sign of our true faith. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" Second Timothy 1:14 makes reference to "the Holy Spirit who dwells within us." Those who don't display this Spirit need to examine their relationship with Christ—at worst, they may not have one at all.

If a person has God's Spirit, he or she has Jesus, too. John has already taught that the one who has the Father has the Son. Here he adds that the one with the Spirit also has the Son. All three persons of the triune God are involved in our salvation. God sent the Son to provide salvation. The Spirit lives within us to help us live for Christ at the point of salvation and beyond. All three persons are involved in the life of the believer.

First John 4:11–19 is the backbone of John's letter. The primary way Christians are to be recognized is by love. This is not merely what we feel, but what we do for others. True, godly love is the most powerful evidence of being ''born again'' as a child of God. This love comes from God, who loved us before we loved Him. When we live in obedience to God, according to love, we can be confident in our relationship with Him, and have no need to fear His judgment.

Chapter 4 warns Christians not to accept every claim they hear. Instead, believers are to compare what they hear to the basic truths of the gospel. John then returns to the theme of love, explaining how believers ought to live out the presence of God's love in their lives. In addition, living according to God's love takes away our fear of judgment. In no uncertain terms, those who claim to love God, but hate others, are liars.

First John chapter 4 emphasizes the way God's love removes the natural human fear of rejection. Fear is a punishment of its own, and those who do not believe have reason to fear judgment. Believers, on the other hand, have confidence. Not only has Christ forgiven our sins, but He gives us God's love. Following in this love leads to acceptance, which leads to confidence, driving out fear. This passage is the key section of John's letter, explaining how confidence in the life of a believer ought to be accomplished.

First John seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the gospel. Rather than re-state these facts, John is concerned with building confidence in Christian believers. At the same time, his words encourage believers to examine their own lives for signs of their relationship with Christ. This letter also challenges false teachers and their incorrect claims about Jesus. Many themes are shared with the Gospel of John.

Accessed 5/6/2024 3:45:04 AM