In verses 14 and 15, John tells us that love, first of all, is a test . We know that we passed from death to life, because we love our brothers and sisters. So the first truth about this kind of love is that love is a test for spiritual health . The principle is that where hatred is alive, love is not. And love is the supreme test of the new life.
Love is a central test of our spiritual life in Jesus.
I suppose that I had heard that often enough, but I can recall one day sitting in a church congregation. He could have run me over with a truck, for somehow it had never dawned on me that love is measurable growable. But that is precisely what John wants to say love is a test check in on yourself from time to time and see how you re doing. Love is a test for spiritual health. In verse 16 John moves on to say to us that the essence of love is to be self-giving.