John wrote 1 John 4 in the later years of his life to encourage early Christians who were bombarded by false teachers who were dividing the church. Some people claimed to love God , but were mistreating fellow believers. John emphasizes that true faith always results in sincere love for others. 

Verse 19 emphasizes that God didn’t wait for humans to be perfect to love us, but loved us unconditionally from the beginning. His unwavering love teaches us how to love others. Our ability to love comes from the Lord’s divine example. If we claim to love God whom we cannot see, then it follows that we must love others whom we can see. 

In a world filled with conflict, 1 John 4:19 reminds us to be mindful of the love God showed us through Jesus Christ and our responsibility as believers to show the same love to others.