Love Obligation: John describes our duty to love one another as indebtedness (“ought”). Just as forgiveness is a non-negotiable must for the Christian (Matt. 6:14-15; 18:35), even so love for God’s people is our moral obligation. Because God has so profoundly loved us (4:9-10), we cannot justify a cold-heartedness toward His people. No one can know and believe the redeeming love of God and not love His people (3:17; 4:16). How can a man tap into a giant aquifer and let his family die of thirst? How can a man possess a storehouse of firewood and let his siblings freeze to death? Unless the man be mentally ill, he will channel his wealth to take care of his family. The love of God is our wealth. When we have discovered the treasure trove of God’s love, we cannot let our spiritual family remain impoverished. We open up that chest and pour out of that repository our Father’s abundant blessing and care.

Truth and Love: It is the gospel truth that fuels this love, and it is love that confirms that we possess this truth. John presents the two ideas of truth and love as interconnected. John opens and ends with love as the confirmation of our mutual abiding in God in love (4:12, 16). Sandwiched in between is the gospel that propels Christian love (4:13-15).[1] Jesus is the Son of God sent to be our Savior (4:15); He is the propitiation for our sins (4:10); and out of His love He laid down His life for us (3:16). This gospel truth is what invariably leads us to love. Where there is coldness in the heart, there is fogginess in the head. Where love is cooled, truth is confused. Where love is superficial, truth is sullied. Where the gospel is crystal clear, God’s love shines through (3:18).

[1] This is the same argument we saw in 4:9-10. God’s love is seen in the gospel that saved us from our sins.