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It's easy to say we love God when that love doesn't cost us anything more than weekly attendance at church services. But the real test of our love for God, according to the Apostle John, is how we treat the people right in front of us—our family members, fellow believers, coworkers, and neighbors. We can't truly love God while neglecting to love those who are created in His image.

1. To what commands do you think John is referring in v. 21 (see Matthew 22:37–40)? How did Jesus clarify them (Matthew 5:43–48)?



2. In vv. 19–21, some translations render the term brothers as restricted to fellow believers. Does this feel correct to you, or too limited?



3. What is your reaction to John's logic in v. 20? If you find tracking with his logic hard, might you need to more fully absorb His love to you (v. 19)?



4. Where would you say you are in the perfecting process John talks about in the first sentence of v. 17?

Ask our unseen God to so increase your love for Him that it becomes perfected, overflowing. Ask for a sense of specific persons to whom you should direct that love.

¹⁶We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. ¹⁷And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.

¹⁸Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. ¹⁹We love each other as a result of his loving us first.

²⁰If someone says, "I love God," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? ²¹And God himself has commanded that we must love not only him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, You died for me while I was still a rebel. Help me to reach out to other outsiders on your behalf.

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