This verse is a statement about the nature of God and the importance of love in the lives of believers. The verse teaches that God is love, meaning that love is not just one of God's attributes, but it is central to His being. The verse also emphasizes that those who live in love are living in God and that God dwells within them.
In the broader context of the chapter, 1 John 4 speaks about testing the spirits to see if they are from God and how God's love is made complete in those who love one another. The verse encourages believers to have confidence in God's love for them and to live a life of love towards others as a reflection of that love.
The verse begins with the statement, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." This suggests that the preceding verses in the chapter provide evidence or reasons for this knowledge and reliance on God's love. In the preceding verses, the author explains that God sent His only Son into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and that through Him we can have eternal life. This demonstrates God's great love for us.
The phrase "God is love" is one of the most famous statements in the Bible, and it is often cited as evidence for the idea that God is a loving, compassionate, and merciful God. It's worth noting, however, that the verse doesn't say "Love is God," which would suggest that love is the ultimate reality and that God is a mere embodiment of that reality. Instead, it says "God is love," which indicates that love is an essential aspect of God's character and nature.
The verse also emphasizes the importance of living a life of love. It says that "whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." This suggests that love is not just an emotion or feeling, but it is something that is demonstrated through action. Those who love others are living in God and experiencing His presence in their lives.
It's interesting to note that the verse uses the present tense to describe the relationship between love and God. It doesn't say "God was love" or "God will be love," but "God is love." This suggests that love is not just a past or future reality, but it is something that is true in the present moment. When we experience and share love with others, we are encountering God in a very real and tangible way.
Overall, this is a powerful and comforting statement about the nature of God's love and the importance of living a life of love towards others. It reminds us that God's love is not just an abstract concept, but it is something that we can experience and share with others in a very real and transformative way.
1 John 4:16. We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.