1 John 4:11
Verse
Context
Love Comes from God
10And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
If God so loved us - Without any reason or consideration on our part, and without any desert in us; we ought also, in like manner, to love one another, and not suspend our love to a fellow-creature, either on his moral worth or his love to us. We should love one another for God's sake; and then, no unkind carriage of a brother would induce us to withdraw our love from him; for if it have God for its motive and model, it will never fail.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
God's love to us is the grand motive for our love to one another (Jo1 3:16). if--as we all admit as a fact. we . . . also--as being born of God, and therefore resembling our Father who is love. In proportion as we appreciate God's love to us, we love Him and also the brethren, the children (by regeneration) of the same God, the representatives of the unseen God.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Beloved, if God so loved us,.... As to send his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, and to obtain eternal life for us through his sufferings and death: the apostle uses the same language his Lord and master did, Joh 3:16; we ought also to love one another; for those who are the objects of God's love ought to be the objects of ours; and if God has loved our fellow Christians and brethren to such a degree, as to send his Son to die for them, we ought to love them too; and if we are interested in the same love, the obligation is still the greater; and if God loved them with so great a love, when they did not love him, but were enemies to him, then surely we ought to love them now they are become the friends of God, and ours also; as God loved them freely, and when unlovely, and us likewise in the same manner, and under the same circumstances, then we ought to love, and continue to love the saints, though there may be something in their temper and conduct disagreeable: God is to be imitated in his love; and his love to us, which is unmerited and matchless, should influence and engage us to the love of the brethren, who have a far greater claim to our love than we can make to the love of God; and which indeed is none at all, but what he is pleased to give us.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
4:11-12 Those who have received God’s love cannot help but spontaneously love those who have done the same. As this love flows through us to each other, it becomes evident that we love God.
1 John 4:11
Love Comes from God
10And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Matthew 15:29-31. Christ Heals the Multitude on the Mountain-Top.
By Favell Lee Mortimer0MAT 15:30LUK 5:20EPH 4:32JAS 5:161JN 4:11Favell Lee Mortimer preaches about the miracle of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man, emphasizing the importance of friends bringing the afflicted to Jesus for healing and forgiveness. The sermon highlights the deep joy Jesus feels when sinners repent and seek His mercy, drawing parallels between physical and spiritual healing. It encourages believers to show kindness and love to others as they have received from friends and loved ones, ultimately pointing to the boundless love and forgiveness found in Jesus.
The Challenge of Love
By T. Austin-Sparks0Love in RelationshipsDivine LoveJHN 15:12ROM 5:51CO 13:1GAL 5:22EPH 2:4EPH 4:301JN 3:141JN 4:111JN 4:19T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the profound challenge of embodying Divine love as a reflection of God's love for us, as articulated in Ephesians 2:4 and Romans 5:5. He asserts that our relationship with God is fundamentally tested by our love for one another, highlighting that true love is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit within us. Sparks warns against allowing bitterness to hinder our love for fellow believers, as this can obstruct our communion with God and affect our prayer life. He concludes that genuine ministry and spiritual growth are rooted in the love of God, which must be the driving force behind our actions and relationships with others.
1 John 4:11
By John Gill0Love for One AnotherGod's LoveMAT 22:39JHN 3:16ROM 5:8GAL 5:13EPH 5:2COL 3:141PE 4:81JN 3:161JN 4:111JN 4:19John Gill emphasizes the profound love of God as demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Son, urging believers to reciprocate that love towards one another. He highlights that since God loved us while we were still sinners, we are called to love our fellow Christians, regardless of their flaws or past enmity. This obligation to love is intensified by our shared experience of God's grace and mercy. Gill encourages believers to imitate God's unmerited love, recognizing that our love for others should reflect the depth of God's love for us. Ultimately, he asserts that our love for one another is a direct response to the love we have received from God.
The Lord's Love
By Mary Wilder Tileston0MAT 11:28JHN 13:35JHN 14:61JN 4:111JN 4:16Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the profound love of God and the importance of reflecting that love by loving one another. She emphasizes that by showing love to one another, we demonstrate that we are true disciples of Jesus. Tileston encourages the congregation to come to Jesus, who offers rest to those who are weary and burdened, and to find light, life, and compassion in Him. She highlights that dwelling in love allows us to dwell in God, who desires the happiness of all His creatures.
Ointment Poured Forth
By Miles J. Stanford02CO 4:12GAL 6:2PHP 2:3COL 1:231JN 4:11Miles J. Stanford preaches about the personal journey of maturity in the Lord Jesus, emphasizing the transition from personal growth to sacrificially serving His Body. He highlights the importance of selflessness in leadership, drawing parallels to Moses' wilderness experience before leading the people. The sermon challenges listeners to choose the path of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, emphasizing the need to pour out oneself for the progress and well-being of the Body of Christ. Stanford underscores the significance of embodying God's patient grace and love in relationships within the Church, mirroring the Father's care and leading towards spiritual unity.
The Church the Body of Christ
By Elijah Goodwin0MAT 1:23JHN 1:1JHN 1:3ROM 6:31CO 11:31CO 12:12GAL 3:27EPH 1:22EPH 5:23COL 1:18HEB 1:101JN 4:11Elijah Goodwin preaches about the significance of Christ as the head of the church, emphasizing His supremacy in various biblical figures and the pre-eminence He should have in all aspects. The sermon delves into the character of Christ, highlighting His divine nature as the creator and upholder of all things, and the unity that exists between Christ as the head and the church as His body. Practical reflections are drawn on the importance of loving one another, honoring Christ, cooperating for the church's welfare, maintaining purity, and the assurance of resurrection for the members of Christ's body.
Sympathizing With Others
By Herbert Henry Farmer0PSA 51:10PRO 17:9MAT 9:2LUK 7:47ROM 7:15GAL 5:13EPH 4:32COL 3:131PE 4:81JN 4:11Herbert Henry Farmer preaches about the impact of sin on our ability to empathize and love others, highlighting how our own self-judgments and internal conflicts can hinder our understanding and compassion towards those around us. He emphasizes that true love and empathy for others can only flow when our souls are freed from exhausting internal struggles, allowing us to fully embrace and support others. Farmer explains that experiencing God's forgiveness can temporarily alleviate our inner conflicts, leading to a deep sense of compassion and willingness to share the benefits with everyone we encounter.
The Unlikely Idol
By Evan Schaible0DEU 32:4PSA 85:10ISA 6:3JHN 3:16ROM 3:25ROM 5:8EPH 2:8COL 1:201JN 4:81JN 4:11Evan Schaible preaches about the danger of exalting love above all other attributes of God, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's holiness, justice, and mercy in conjunction with His love. He warns against falling into idolatry by distorting the true nature of God and neglecting His multifaceted character as revealed in Scripture. Through powerful imagery and biblical references, he urges believers to have a balanced view of God and to worship Him in spirit and truth, focusing on Jesus as the ultimate expression of God's love and salvation.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
If God so loved us - Without any reason or consideration on our part, and without any desert in us; we ought also, in like manner, to love one another, and not suspend our love to a fellow-creature, either on his moral worth or his love to us. We should love one another for God's sake; and then, no unkind carriage of a brother would induce us to withdraw our love from him; for if it have God for its motive and model, it will never fail.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
God's love to us is the grand motive for our love to one another (Jo1 3:16). if--as we all admit as a fact. we . . . also--as being born of God, and therefore resembling our Father who is love. In proportion as we appreciate God's love to us, we love Him and also the brethren, the children (by regeneration) of the same God, the representatives of the unseen God.
John Gill Bible Commentary
Beloved, if God so loved us,.... As to send his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, and to obtain eternal life for us through his sufferings and death: the apostle uses the same language his Lord and master did, Joh 3:16; we ought also to love one another; for those who are the objects of God's love ought to be the objects of ours; and if God has loved our fellow Christians and brethren to such a degree, as to send his Son to die for them, we ought to love them too; and if we are interested in the same love, the obligation is still the greater; and if God loved them with so great a love, when they did not love him, but were enemies to him, then surely we ought to love them now they are become the friends of God, and ours also; as God loved them freely, and when unlovely, and us likewise in the same manner, and under the same circumstances, then we ought to love, and continue to love the saints, though there may be something in their temper and conduct disagreeable: God is to be imitated in his love; and his love to us, which is unmerited and matchless, should influence and engage us to the love of the brethren, who have a far greater claim to our love than we can make to the love of God; and which indeed is none at all, but what he is pleased to give us.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
4:11-12 Those who have received God’s love cannot help but spontaneously love those who have done the same. As this love flows through us to each other, it becomes evident that we love God.