1 John 3:11-24 Series

1 John 3:11-24

Love One Another

We need to always be remind that as we study scripture we are looking at the context in which the section of scripture is written. This helps us to ensure that we are not causing any issues with what God is saying to us.

The context here in these verses is that John is writing this letter to this church in Ephesus, and I would say based upon what we have been reading thus far, is to the believers within this church and not the ones who left the faith who John said were never believers to begin with.

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.

The first thing we need to do is look at the Greek word for love here being that there are several variations. We need to make sure what type of love or what level of love John is talking about.

The Greek word is agapao and it is a noun, agape (???p?), which is often used to describe the selfless, sacrificial love that God has for humanity. Another words, God's love for us was so great that He gave His only Son as a Sacrifice to all who would believe in Him.

So again the context, John is saying to the believers in this church to love each other as God loved you and sacrificed His Son for you. You can't get any deeper love than this. A deep sacrificial love in which you would do anything for a brother or sister in the faith.

Is this us as a church? Is this us as a individual believer?

13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Once again John says Do not be surprised that the world will hate you. We talked last week about Christians being persecuted for their faith and that a sign that you are being the Christian God has called you to be is that you feel that persecution in some deep way.

John goes on to say that as a believer that we have passed out of death into life. This is a spiritual death that every human is born with, everyone is born with the sin of Adam, dead in their transgressions scripture says, which means we are born with a dead spirit that needs to be made alive again so we can accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

There is a great description of the unbeliever in the book of Romans.

Romans 3:10-19 ~ as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.”

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

This is how scripture sees the unbeliever, really it is how God sees the unbeliever being all scripture comes from God. This is the unbeliever who is not righteous, does not understand God, does not seek God, doesn't do any good, they deceive people, they are bitter, they love to murder, the are facing ruin and misery, they do not know peace “Jesus”, and lastly they do not fear God.

The unbeliever's dead spirit does not give them the ability to do the things of God or the things in which leads them to God. Understand an unbelievers spirit is not partially dead or just sick, it is 100% dead as a door nail.

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

When we have plenty we give so others have some some in which before they had none or very, very little. It means we give of our time and efforts. It means we keep watch over and check on each other to make sure we are alright.