Behold, What Manner Of Love! - Part 4

Last time we learned that the book of 1 John was written with a single purpose in mind. John tells us that he wrote this book so that you might have assurance of your salvation. He writes in chapter five verse 13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (NIV)

As you read through the five chapters of the book of 1 John, if you “say” you are a believer, there are several “tests” that you could ask yourself, and if you are honest with yourself and do not try to justify yourself, you will know if you are saved or not.

1 John 1:6-7 - Do you walk in the light or in the darkness?

1 John 1:8-10 - Do you claim to be without sin, or do you confess your sins?

1 John 2:3-5 - Do you just say you know God or do you obey Him?

1 John 2:9-11 - Do you hate your brother or sister or do you love them?

1 John 2:15-17 - Do you love the world or do you do the will of God?

1 John 2:18-19 - Do you isolate yourself or do you rejoice in assembling with the body of Christ?

1 John 2:22-23 - Do you deny that Jesus is the Christ or do you acknowledge Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 3:4-7 - Do you practice sin or do you strive toward righteousness?

1 John 3:14-18 - Do you love your brother just in words or do you love your brother in deeds?

1 John 4:5-6 - Do you listen to the world or do you listen to the Word of God?

These are just ten of the tests for true conversion found in this short letter. John helps us to know whether we are saved. But we also learned that he has provided us with evidence concerning the nature of the child of God and the children of the devil.

* Children of God do not practice sin.

* They do not habitually make a lifestyle out of sinning.

* When confronted with sin, God’s children, confess it, repent of it, and stop doing it.

* Children of God not only do not practice sin, they practice righteousness.

* They do the right thing when it comes to God and others, especially those they would consider their brothers and sisters in the faith.

We pick up our study of 1 John in chapter three, verse 10:

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the Devil: everyone not practicing righteousness is not of God, also he who does not love his brother.

We’ve dealt extensively with the first part of verse ten over the past few weeks: “In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the Devil: everyone not practicing righteousness is not of God”.

But notices what John writes at the end of verse ten: “also he who does not love his brother. John is telling us that not only is the person who does not practice righteousness not of God, but also is the person who does not love his brother.

He goes on in verse 11 to write, “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…”

John says that the command to “love one another” is the message that his readers had “heard from the beginning.” What was He referring to? John was referring to the words of Jesus found in the Gospel of John:

* John 13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another.

* John 13:35 By this all shall know that you are My disciples, if you have love toward one another.

* John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

* John 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

From the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the command to His followers was to “love one another.”

Notice in John 13:34 Jesus says that Jesus was giving His disciples “a new commandment.” What was new about it?

In my study I found that “loving one another” is:

* Brothers and sisters in the same family of God

* Children begotten of the same Father

* Children who are fellow disciples with each other

* Children of God who stay together and agree together

* Children who are praying one for another

* People who are bearing one another's burdens

* People who suffer long with and are forgiving one another

* Followers of Christ who are admonishing or warning each other