1 John 4:11-14 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“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. 13By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.”

Who are we to love? Not just people who are kind and loving to us, but the hateful, the wicked, the sinful, and those who sin against us. We are to love those who hurt us, not just physically, but emotionally, who reject us, who falsely accuse us of wrong we did not commit, who speak lies about us to others, and who do evil against us. For we are to love our enemies, pray for them, do good to them, and speak to them what will be beneficial for them, such as sharing the truth of the gospel of Christ with them.

Now we are not to entertain or approve of evil. And we are not to give in to what is evil just so people will like us and not hate us. Even if someone is in a position of authority over us, we are not to obey what is sinful. And love is not pacifying people in their sin or ignoring sin or refusing to address sin. Love speaks the truth in love to people for their good, for their salvation, and for their betterment. And when it comes to others’ sins, we need to set boundaries for ourselves so we don’t end up joining them in their sin.

So many people have this idea that loving people is lying to them to make them feel good. But lying to people is never kind, and it is not loving. And loving people is not refusing to tell the truth when the truth needs to be spoken in love. And withholding the truth that needs to be spoken so that people will not be upset with us is also not kind or loving. And this does not mean we go around just blurting out whatever is on our minds. We should pray for discernment but we must be willing to be hated for telling the truth.

This word “love” is “agape” which means “to prefer,” and in this context it means to prefer to love, to love as Christ loves us. It is to prefer what God prefers which is all that is holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, upright, faithful, honest, and obedient to God and to His commandments. For the believer in Christ, it means that we are preferring to live through Christ, obeying His will, and serving His purpose, all in the power of God under His direction, and so we are actively doing what the Lord prefers, in practice.

And this love is not optional. We cannot just choose to hate and to not love, for God is love. And if we love one another, then God remains in us and His love is perfected in us, but provided we cooperate with God in loving others as Jesus loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us so that we might die with Him to sin and walk with Him in obedience to His commands, all in the power of God. For “Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother” (see 1 John 3:10).

[Proverbs 24:17-20; Proverbs 25:21-22; Matthew 5:8-12,43-48; Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 10:27; John 13:33-35; John 15:12; Romans 12:9-11,14-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-8; 1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 John 4:7-21]

Who Are We To Love?
An Original Work / November 7, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

In Harmony

Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Love each other truly. Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil. Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor. Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction; Praying faithfully.
Honor one another. Live in harmony.

Share with all God’s people who are found in need.
Do not be conceited. Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion in humility.
Keep your tongue from evil. Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another. Live in harmony.

God sees who are righteous; listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil – is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear. Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord. Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another. Live in harmony.