1 John 3:11-24
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Devotion
In this passage of Scripture, John will elaborate on the importance of love as an indicator of our relationship to God. He continues the stark contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil, and writes of hatred and love, life and death, murder and self-sacrifice. He reminds his readers that the duty of reciprocal love is the original message they had heard, while the second describes the love of Christ, which should also be seen in the church.
The Gnostics were bragging about their new teaching. John reminds his readers of the Apostles’ teachings, which were public knowledge, in contrast to the “private and secret enlightenment,” which the false teachers claimed. John is basically saying that the Gospel does not change. The truth about the person and work of Christ does not change, so beware of those who come with a different message.
Jesus warned us that the “world system of evil” would hate us for following Him (see John 15:18-19). It is by hatred that the world is simply giving evidence of its true spiritual condition, which is death. Jesus’ message and mission were not popular with the world. If we remain true to His purpose, we will never be popular with the world. We must recognize that the world hates Jesus and will hate us also.
John then reminds his readers that one of the evidences of true sonship is our love for each other. Our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ is proof of our salvation. Unlike the Gnostics, who elevated their secret knowledge above their love for all the saints. Hatred is an indicator of one who is living life apart from God. According to John, real love was demonstrated by Jesus when He sacrificed Himself for humanity. So, if we are truly His disciples, we must be willing to do the same. John is communicating that love is not just a sentiment. Love expresses itself through action. Love is acting on behalf of others with their best interest in mind. This is the kind of love that is evident in the lives of true children of God.
John will close out this section by describing the Christian life in a nutshell: “that we believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love each other, just as He commanded.” The Spirit of God verifies these things to our hearts and makes them real to us. We may be able to fool others, but we cannot fool God’s Spirit when it comes to our spiritual lineage. We are either born from above or we are not!
Questions to Ponder
Are you able to discern false teachings when you hear them? Is the love of God evident in your life? Are you more concerned with being popular with the world than with God? In what ways does your love for Jesus show? How has loving Jesus been costly to you? Have you truly been born from above?
Prayer Points
- Worship the Lord as He is Love. He is Holy and Righteous.
- Repent from any ways that are unloving. Receive His forgiveness and mercy. Rest in His amazing grace.
- Thank Him for His unfailing love.
- Ask and pray for God’s love to overflow. Ask the Lord to enable you and our church to express Christ’s love in and through our actions.
Suggested Prayer
Father in heaven, thank You for your patience, kindness, and love that is demonstrated toward me. I pray for myself and Your church. I ask that You would root and establish us in Your love, oh God. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, enable us to display Your love toward others with their best interest in mind. Cause Your love to be evident in our lives. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask. Amen.