New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Commentaries:
<< 1 John 4:18 1 John 4:20 >>
1 John 4:18-19
What John writes here, in simple terms, is probably the major reason—other than the fact that mankind is cut off from God—why we do not love more and better. We are afraid. We fear it will cost us something, that we are going to get hurt, lose something, be humbled, look bad, be rejected, put down, or that our neighbors will not accept us. As John writes, "Fear involves torment."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Love's Emotional DimensionRelated Topics: Cut off from God | Fear involves Torment | Fearfulness | Love | Love's Emotional DimensionOther Forerunner Commentary entries containing 1 John 4:19:
Joshua 5:10-11
Matthew 24:12-13
John 13:35
<< 1 John 4:18 1 John 4:20 >>
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What Does 1 John 4:19 Mean?
God stuck His neck out, sacrificing Himself through His Son with no guarantee of return, hoping our response to His love would create obligation and admiration, leading us to dedicate our lives in obedience to Him. This follows the pattern where, even as Christ loved us while enemies, we love others first with humility, submitting to God. They then understand and love us even as we love God because He first loved us.