If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20

This is a baffling statement.  We know it is true because it is in God’s Word, but yet it is difficult to understand.  Doesn’t it seem that it would be much easier to love God than to love a brother?  God is perfect. God is love. God is kind. God is compassionate. On the other hand our brother is … well, a sinner. 

God doesn’t mince words here.  If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar… A liar?  God says we CANNOT love God if we DO  NOT love our brother. 

That is not all, God also says, …“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” So not only are we to love our brother but we are also to love our enemy. 

Additionally, we cannot love God and hate our brother because to love God is to obey Him. 

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  1 John 5:2  If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15

We are commanded to love our brother, our neighbor.

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:36-39

Therefore, to love God IS to love our brother. 

How can that be?  This command creates a dilemma when we see love as an emotion or a feeling because, after all, how do we generate the feeling of love if no love exists?  The dilemma is dispelled however, when we understand love is not a feeling. 

Love is a verb.  Love is an action.  Love may be followed by a feeling but the feeling alone does not constitute love. 

How do we love our brother?  By being loving, by acting loving, by doing loving things.  Loving our brother or loving our enemy is not sitting around thinking good thoughts or having good feelings towards them, it is action.  Speak a word of encouragement, take a meal, send a note, give them a drink of cold water… the list is as long as your imagination.

Let us love God by loving our brother.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick.  In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.