1 John 5:1

1 John 5:1 says, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  John tells us that anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord is born of God.  This is the second birth by faith and not just our physical birth.  If we are to be a child of God, then we must be born again.  

Verse two adds, By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  John says that we can know that we love others by loving God and keeping His commandments.  Even though the law of God cannot save us, we are expected to obey it because it is His law.  

Verse three continues, For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.  John said that we show our love for God by keeping His commandments and that they are not grievous.  Following God's law as a Christian should not be seen as a burden but as an opportunity to show God's love to other people.  We cannot show the Holy Spirit indwelling us, but we can show that we obey God to the best of our ability.  

Verse four concludes, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  John tells us that if we are a born-again follower of Christ that we can overcome the world by His power.  This is accomplished by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. 

1 John 4:17

1 John 4:17 says, Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.  John said our love is made perfect by loving God and loving as He loves.  He said if we have this type of love that we can have boldness on judgement day.  We will not have to stand in fear before God if we love as He does, and we can only love this way by accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord and then being led by the Holy Spirit.  

Verse eighteen adds, There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  John then says there is no fear in love, which I believe means a God like love.  He said love casts out fear, and that if we live in fear, then we are not made perfect in love.  I think too often we let fear cast out love in our lives, and we are not made perfect in the love that God expects us to have for others if we are Christians.  

Verse nineteen continues, We love him, because he first loved us.  John says we love God because He first loved us.  We were all sinners, some more so than others when God sent His only begotten Son to die for us, and He expects us to love others even when they are sinners.  

Verse twenty states, 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?  John then makes it very plain.  If we say that we love God, but we don't love our brother, which means all people, then we are liars.  He asks if we don't love our brother who we have seen, how can we love God Whom we haven't seen.  Followers of Christ should show the same love for people that He did, and He died for all people, even the worst of sinners.  

Verse twenty-one adds, And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.  John said it is God's commandment that if we are His people, then we will love our brother.  This is not an optional thing but a commandment. 

1 John 4:12

 1 John 4;12 says, No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  John tells us that no one has seen God at any time. Even those who walked and talked with Jesus did not see the entirety of God, nor do we today who have the Holy Spirit indwelling us.  We will not see God in this lifetime, but we can feel His presence by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and being indwelled by the Holy Spirit.   

Verse eleven adds, Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  John added that even though we could not see God, we could know that we dwelled in Him by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.  The moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells us and will lead us to do what God expects us to do, which begins to be shown by our loving others.  

Verse fourteen continues, And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.  John said that they had seen and did testify to the fact that they had seen the Son, Jesus Christ, and that He was sent by the Father to be the Savior of mankind.  This was not just certain people, but all people for all time, but they must accept this gift for it to save them.  

Verse fifteen states, Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  John said that anyone who confessed by faith that Jesus Christ is the Son of God dwells in God and God in Him through the presence of the Holy Spirit.   

Verse sixteen adds, And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  John said that as followers of Christ we know and believe in the love that God has for us and then we dwell in that love.    

1John 4:7

1 John 4:7 says, Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  John then calls on us to love one another if we are followers of Christ.  This is not just a good feeling we have about other people, but a willingness to lay down our life for them, even if they don't like or even hate us.  This is the love that Jesus Christ displayed on the cross.  He loved sinners enough to die for them, and this includes you and me.  John said that people who truly love other people with this type of love are born of God.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are born of God.  

Verse eight adds, He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.  John then said the opposite is true.  If we don't have this type of love for others, then we are not of God.  We cannot profess to be a Chrisitan and at the same time display hatred toward anyone.  

Verse nine continues, In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  John said that we could know God's love is manifested toward us because He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we might live spiritually through Him.  If we are born again Christians, which is the only way to be a Chrisitan, then we should live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.   

Verse ten states, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  John said that love is not known by the fact that we love God, but that He loved us enough to send His only begotten Son to die for our sins.  Love comes down from God to us by faith in the Son.  

Verse eleven adds, Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  John then says that if God loved us this much, then if we have accepted His gift of salvation, then we should love everyone the same way.  Yet, too often we don't even love our fellow believers.