Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 John 4:20-21

"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, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also." — 1 John 4:20-21 (ASV)

For he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loves God love his brother also.

And the word "brother" is to be understood in the widest possible sense. We are all brothers, springing from the same common parent; and therefore we ought to be philanthropists, lovers of man, loving even the guilty and the worthless, having an earnest desire to do good even to those who do us ill. If we have not yet reached that spirit, we need to begin our true Christian life, at the foot of the cross, by trusting and loving him who there died out of love for sinners; for there only can we learn, in the person of Christ Jesus our Lord, this divine philosophy of love to God and men.

For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Now I do not know to whom this message may specially apply in all this great congregation; but there is the Word of God as plain as a pike-staff. If you do not live in love, you do not live in God; and if any of you are harbouring any animosities, ill-feelings, and unkindnesses, get rid of them, get rid of them at once.

The sun has nearly gone down; remember the apostle Paul’s injunction, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, but, as God has forgiven you, forgive all others for Christ’s sake, and dwell in a loving-hearted, Christ-like spirit toward all mankind.