1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 4:20
John confronts a practical test of genuine faith: love. In a world where vocal piety can mask personal enmity, he asserts that true devotion to God cannot coexist with hatred of neighbors. The Christian community in the first century wrestled with divisions, rivalries, and social distinctions; some claimed superior spiritual status while mistreating others. Hatred toward a brother (a fellow believer) betrays a fundamental inconsistency: you cannot claim to love the unseen God while denying love to those you can see. The phrasing echoes Jesus’ command to love one another as evidence of abiding in Him (John 13:34-35) and parallels the Law’s call to love one’s neighbor (Leviticus). The verse emphasizes internal belief and external behavior are inseparably linked. “Brother” broadens beyond biological kin to the community of faith, sometimes extending to all people who share God’s image. The issue is not merely personal sentiment but observable action: moral consistency is the test of authentic worship. In short, genuine love for God must issue in loving conduct toward others.
This verse anchors the inseparability of love for God and love for others in Christian anthropology and ethics. God’s nature is love (1 John 4:8,16), and the embodied life of Jesus models the standard. If one professes love for God while harboring or acting with hatred toward others, the claim collapses; love for God is disclosed in love for neighbors. The passage emphasizes moral integrity and communal holiness: faith is not private spirituality but relational obedience. It also guards against spiritual pride and deceit, warning that a counterfeit faith cannot sustain itself when challenged by real-world relationships. Theologically, it guards against anti-social piety and reinforces the command to pursue reconciliation, justice, and mercy as essential expressions of worship.
In daily life, examine your relationships: Are there people you mistreat, overlook, or scapegoat? This verse invites honest inventory—what would it look like to love a difficult coworker, neighbor, or family member whom you find painful to be around? Practical steps: initiate reconciliation where possible, practice humility, and choose to act with kindness even when feelings lag. Loving “the unseen God” is demonstrated by visible love for “the seen” people God has placed in your life. Church communities can create spaces that model this love—relational accountability, concrete acts of service, and conflict resolution that seeks restoration over winning. If you struggle with hatred or indifference, invite the Spirit to renew your heart and ask God for increase of compassion, patience, and mercy. Let your daily choices echo the love you claim to have for God.
Cross-References: John 13:34-35; Matthew 25:31-46; James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:10-18; Romans 12:9-21