1 John 4

Which worship songs are based on 1 John 4?

Authority (In The Name of Jesus) — Housefires (2024) 1 John 4:4
The song combines God's self-revealed divine identity to Moses with John's assurance that the one dwelling in believers is greater than opposing powers.
Never Too Far Away — Newsboys (2021) 1 John 4:4
The bridge directly invokes John's contrast between God's presence within believers and the lesser spiritual power operating in the world.
God Is With Her! — Anike & Porsha Love & HOLY GIRL X HLY GRL (2025) 1 John 4:4
The second verse directly invokes John's declaration that the divine presence within believers is greater than the hostile power operating in the world.
HIGH — Victor Thompson (2026) 1 John 4:4
The phrase 'Greater is He that's in me' directly quotes 1 John 4:4, affirming the strength and power of the divine presence within believers.
Powerful God (Live) [feat. Keneiloe Hope] — Spirit Of Praise & Keneiloe Hope (2023) 1 John 4:4
The song directly adopts John's assurance that God's presence within believers is greater than the power operating in the world.
Giants — Colton Dixon (2023) 1 John 4:4
The second verse closely reproduces John’s contrast between God dwelling within believers and the power operating in the world.
If He Did It Before....Same God - Live — Tye Tribbett (2022) 1 John 4:4
The claim that the greater power resides within the believer directly condenses John's assurance that God's indwelling presence is greater than the power operating in the world.
What Is Your Name? — Jon Guerra (2020) 1 John 4:8
The refrain asks whether love names the hidden divine presence, directly engaging John's identification of God's nature as love, though the song presents that claim as a searching question.
Mad at Today — Lecrae (2025) 1 John 4:8
The song explicitly states that 'God is love,' directly quoting the essence of 1 John 4:8, which emphasizes the nature of God as love itself.
I Want To Thank You — Kelly Price (2021) 1 John 4:8
The song directly repeats John’s theological identification of God’s nature with love.
Love Note (feat. Abbie Gamboa) — UPPERROOM & Abbie Gamboa (2021) 1 John 4:9
The opening presents God's love through His sending of His only Son, closely following John's description of how divine love was revealed.
I Just Want You - Live — Planetshakers (2026) 1 John 4:10
The song reflects the concept that God's love is freely given and covers sin, echoing the message found in 1 John 4:10 about love being defined by God's actions toward humanity.
Adorar Sin Cesar (Live) — Bethel Music (2019) 1 John 4:18
The song directly presents perfected love as the force that causes fear to depart, closely restating John’s teaching about love casting out fear.
Abide — Housefires (2016) 1 John 4:18
The prayer for divine love to subdue fear closely paraphrases the teaching that perfected love expels fear. The pairing of love and fear is specific enough to indicate this passage rather than a merely general appeal for comfort.
Honesty — Bethel Music & Sydney Allen (2022) 1 John 4:18
The song connects freedom from fear with abiding in God's love, closely paraphrasing John's teaching that perfected love drives out fear associated with punishment.
Ministers — Tenth Avenue North (2024) 1 John 4:18
The opening directly links freedom from fear with perfected love, closely paraphrasing John's teaching that perfect love drives out fear.
No Longer Slaves - 2023 Short Edit / Live — Tasha Cobbs Leonard (2023) 1 John 4:18
The bridge depicts fear being overcome through perfect love, closely adapting John's teaching that perfected love expels fear.
Flowers (with Jamie MacDonald) — Phil Wickham (2026) 1 John 4:19
The singer identifies God’s prior love as the source of his own worship and surrender, closely paraphrasing John’s teaching that human love responds to God’s initiating love.
Mercy — Cade Thompson (2023) 1 John 4:19
The chorus directly reflects John's teaching that human love is a response to God's prior love, making divine initiative the basis for loving others.
Driven — Chaotic Resemblance (2022) 1 John 4:19
The singer grounds personal identity and response in God's prior love, closely echoing John's teaching that believers love because God loved them first.
I Just Love You - Live — Gateway Worship (2022) 1 John 4:19
The bridge directly adopts John's teaching that human love is a response to God's prior love.
I Just Love You - Spontaneous / Live — Gateway Worship (2023) 1 John 4:19
The bridge explicitly grounds the worshiper's responsive love in God's prior love, closely reproducing this verse's distinctive formulation.
Away in a Manger / Worthy is Your Name (feat. Kim Walker-Smith, Chandler Moore & Mav City Gospel Choir) — Maverick City Music & Kim Walker-Smith & Chandler Moore & Mav City Gospel Choir (2021) 1 John 4:19
The closing explanation for loving Jesus closely adapts John's statement that human love is a response to God's prior love.
Dono da Minha Afeição - Ao Vivo — fhop music (2025) 1 John 4:19
The singer grounds personal devotion in Christ's prior love, closely reflecting John's teaching that human love is a response to God loving first.
i love You — Dante Bowe & Aaron Moses & JUDAH. (2021) 1 John 4:19
The chorus presents human love for God as a response to God's prior love, closely paraphrasing John's teaching that believers love because God loved them first.
Talk to Me Nice (feat. S.O.) — KB & S.O. (2023) 1 John 4:20-21
The song challenges the consistency of claiming love for God while failing to love another person, closely matching John's test of genuine love for God.

1 John 4 (King James Version)

¹ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

² Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

³ And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

⁴ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

⁵ They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

⁶ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

¹² No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

¹³ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

¹⁵ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ We love him, because he first loved us.

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?

²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.