In 2004 we learned of the abuse and humiliation of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of American soldiers because of pictures and videos made public by Australian television. Iraqi terrorists immediately made their own film as they brutally beheaded American civilian John Berg. In the film, they justified their brutal execution Mr. Burg because of the abuse endured by Iraqi prisoners at Abu Gharib, though to my knowledge no Iraqi prisoner was beheaded or killed. They vowed to continue this kind of barbarianism because, and this is their word, “We are a people of vengeance.”
Compare that to Monday, October 2, 2006, when Charles Roberts tied up and shot ten Amish schoolgirls, ranging from seven to thirteen years of age. Five die, and then, Charles Roberts took his own life. What particularly spoke to me was reading about the grandfather of Marian Fisher. Marian was the thirteen-year-old who asked to be shot first thinking it would spare the lives of the younger children. Marian’s grandfather went to the killer’s home that day to express concern for the Roberts family.
As news about this horrendous evil spread around the world; donors began pledging money to help the families of the dead and wounded. Amounts ranged from $1 to $500,000 were received to defray the costly medical bills. Do you know what the Amish leaders did? They set up a fund for the future needs of the killer’s widow and children. In contrast to the Iraqi terrorists, the repeated response of the Amish in word and deed was “We are a people of forgiveness and love.” This is the difference Jesus Christ and His salvation make in people.
There is no more relevant and practical book than the Bible. Jesus Christ and the salvation he gives is the difference between whether we will be people of vengeance or people of love and forgiveness.
In the previous passage John said that Christians are characterized by righteousness and freedom from sin. In verses 11-20 he says that Christians are characterized by love for one another. Though they are characterized by love for one another, it is still necessary to urge Christians to love one another. John explains the nature of Christian love by illustrating it negatively by Cain, who killed his brother, and positively by Jesus Chris,t who laid down His life for us. In this paragraph John appeals to Christians to love one another and explains the nature of that love by contrasting hatred and sacrificial giving.
In verses 21-24 John says when we obey Christ’s commands and love our brother, we receive confidence in approaching God in prayer. The Holy Spirit also assures us we are the children of God.
How do I know I am really saved? Christians demonstrate their salvation through obedience to the command of Christ to love others as He loved.
How does love demonstrate our salvation?
I. LOVE REVEALS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD (I JOHN 3:11-16)
Scholars find evidence that false teachers boasted they had received some secret revelations and teachings; this was typical of false teachers then and it is typical of false teachers now. Joseph Smith claimed an angel showed him hidden golden tablets and interpreted those tablets for him. Mohammed claimed to receive secret and special revelations.
The apostle appeals to a truth these Christians had been taught since the beginning of their Christian faith. He calls it a “message.” John uses that word in I John 1:5 to stress a basic teaching concerning God’s character: “God is Light.” In other words, the word “message” points to a primary fundamental duty of the Christian life: love one another.
There are some things that never change. The sun will always rise in the east and set in the west, and Christians are to always love one another. This is a basic, fundamental truth of our faith: We are to love one another. The church has changed in many ways during my life as a Christian and even more over the centuries, but this has not changed: Christians are to love one another. That is what you would expect if people have the nature of the God of love within them.
The fundamental difference in character between a Christian and a non-Christian is as stark a difference as between Cain and Christ. John uses this contrast to emphasize love being the primary characteristic and duty of a Christian. Hatred is the characteristic of those who belong to the devil (vv. 12-13), but love is the characteristic of those who belong to God (vv. 14-18).
A. Hatred is characteristic of unbelievers (vv. 12-13)
The first question we need to ask is, “What happened?” We find the story in Genesis 4. Cain was the eldest son of Adam and Eve. He was a farmer, and his younger brother, Abel, was a shepherd. Both came to worship God. Cain offered the fruit of the soil as a sacrifice, and Abel offered from his flocks. God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s. We are not told why God rejected Cain’s offering and accepted Abel’s, but we can speculate: perhaps Cain did not offer it in faith or did his own thing and did not offer it in the prescribed way. All we are told is God rejected it, and this made Cain angry. He focused that anger on Able and, after luring him out in the field, he murdered his brother. “Murdered” is violent word that is used. It literally means “to butcher, to kill by cutting the throat.” Cain illustrates the growth of sin within the human race.
Next, we must ask, “Why did it happen? Why did this man kill his brother?” John says it was because he was rebuked by the righteousness of his brother’s life; he was jealous. He saw that Abel’s righteous life won God’s approval. This made him angry and led him to murder his brother.
The source of hatred for the righteous is the devil. The Bible teaches there is a personal being that is pure evil. For some illogical reason people are embarrassed to speak of a personal devil as the source of evil. They prefer a force or power of evil, but that source of evil originates with a personal devil.
Most of the good that has come my way has been personal. Someone did something good to me. You are the source of many good gifts I have received. If love comes from God, where does hate come from? It comes from the devil.
He hates you and he hates God. He will do whatever is necessary to destroy the work of God. This is why Christians need a frequent reminder to love one another. We have someone who is seeking to set us against one another.
What happened to Abel will happen to Christians according to v. 13: (read verse)
We live in a world of hate: there is hatred between the nations; there is hatred in politics; there is hatred between individuals. Years ago a man told me that he and his wife considered joining our church, but we had a woman in this church his wife could not stand. He did not tell me who she was, but said he had had no idea his wife felt that way. So, they rejected all of us because of hatred for one person.
John says Christians are not to be surprised that the world hates us. The world hated Jesus and put him to death. Jesus never did anything wrong. Jesus never sinned against one person, even in the slightest way. Jesus was always did things God’s way and brought glory to the Father. The world hated Him for it.
Cain’s hatred went beyond an emotion; it moved him to get revenge or to injure. When we become so angry we look for an opportunity to injure someone (-physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, relationally, vocationally-) we hate like the world. What if we only imagine saying something that is hurtful or smashing someone’s nose with our fist? According to the Bible, imagining about getting even or even acting upon it with someone you believe has hurt you is sin. All actions began with harboring the thought. The Bible permits a Christian to get angry, but we are strongly warned to resolve our anger because of its potential to become sinful.
On the one hand, unbelievers are characterized by hatred. On the other hand, Christians are characterized by love.
B. Love is characteristic of believers (vv. 14-18)
He gives the evidence of love in verses 14-15.
In v. 14 the word “passed” was used in that day to describe people migrating from one country to another. Once they lived in the country of unbelievers, and they hated. Now they live in the country of believers, and they love other Christians. This love for other Christians does not earn eternal life, butit is the evidence they have been born from above. If they do not show love for Christians it is evidence they still live in the land of the unbelieving and hate.
People want to be with those they love. People care about and want to serve people they love. What are we to conclude when people our role have no interest in being with us to worship God or discuss spiritual matters? What are we to conclude when they do not care if our needs are met and withhold their abilities and resources to serve us? They are probably nice people, but they are very lacking in the evidence of the kind of love John is speaking of in this text. They give more evidence of being in the land of the unbeliever than the believer.
In verse 15 John is not saying a murderer cannot be saved. Both King David and Saul of Tarsus were saved, but a murderer shows a lack of love for his victim. Hatred is like murder in that we wish the person was not there. Hatred wants to deprive the other person of the good things of life. The one who hates reveals he does not belong to the realm of life.
Love is characteristic of believers. We are given the essence of this love in verse 16: (read)
Jesus demonstrated that the essence of love is self-sacrifice. Jesus’ death was unique in its ability to save us, but His self-sacrificial love serves as an example for believers to follow.
The word “should” means we are duty bound to do this. It is an obligation for a Christian to love in this kind of selfless way. At times it will be costly at times to put other’s needs before our own.
Someone clipped this story written by Judy Firman from The Oklahoman (10-21-06).
I knew a new child would be entering my first-grade class, and I dreaded the thought, because students in this particular class seemed so antagonistic and competitive with each other.
This class, more than any other I had taught, seemed to resent each other and the world.
At lunch, I heard again and again: “She got more than I did. You let him go first twice, and it was my turn to be first.”
I kept offering silent prayers to God. “Give me help; teach me how to change these children. Teach me how to teach them to love.”
I arrived early and wrote on the board that we would have a new student coming into our class and that her name is Patty.
I read this to the class and added, “Let’s welcome her warmly.”
Then the questions came. Where did she go to school before? Could she read? Did she like sports? All-important questions that a 7-year-old asks.
Then Patty walked in. She had bright-red-hair, freckles an infectious grin and a beatific aura about her. She stood in front of the class as I introduced the children one by one, and she had something to say to each one. She didn’t seem to be thinking about who would be her friend or whom she would like. She just accepted each of us.
The morning passed with no difficulties whatsoever—the first day of its kind this year.
Recess time came, and Patty was at the head of the line. Well, that was too much for Petey. He shouted that he should be first, and he started to push Patty. Patty just turned and said, “Oh, do you want to be first? I don’t care. Take my place.”
Then same thing happened at lunch over ice cream. Patty just gave the complainer some of her ice cream. The day flew by with bursts of generosity from this 7-year-old girl.
Near the end of school, there was a rap on the door. I opened the door to see a dog with a halter-type leash leading a young woman into our class.
Patty jumped up and said, “Oh, Mother, this is the best school I have ever been in.”
Then she turned to the class and introduced her mother, never mentioning that her mother was blind.
The class was silent, and then the children in the front row stood up and went to shake Patty’s mother’s hand. Silently, the class took turns, without pushing or complaining.
Patty’s mother thanked the class for welcoming her so warmly. Then she hugged her daughter and said to the class: “I hope you will all come to see us. We have so much fun together. Having a daughter is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
My prayers had been answered by the new child that had come into the room.
Love reveals our relationship with God. We demonstrate our salvation as believers when we love one another as Christ loves us.
How does love demonstrate our salvation?
II. LOVE RELEASES OUR RESOURCES TO OTHERS (I JOHN 3:17-18)
John knows love can be expressed in ways other than sacrificing our life. After all, God does not call all believers to lay down their lives. So, the apostle gave a practical test of the validity of a believer’s love.
Here is a believer with material possessions. The word “possessions” is our word “bio” or “life.” In other words, this believer possesses the things necessary to sustain life. He sees a brother in need. The word “sees” means more than glance. He has looked at the situation long enough to know what the need is and that it is legitimate. Notice, too, he uses the singular, “brother.” We are not talking about people in general or people across the sea: we are talking about someone he knows.
He sees and knows the person and the situation. To help the person would not be enabling or supporting irresponsible behavior. He has what the brother needs, but he chooses to withhold compassionate help. John says God’s love is absent in that person’s heart.
Earlier John said the love of God does not live in the heart of a murderer, and here he says the love of God does not live in the heart of a miser.
Love is costly. Remember, the needy person is lacking necessities. Here is a person willing to share what’s necessary for life with the other person.
In verse 18 he says we are not to simply love with our words, but we are to also love by our “action.” Our love is in harmony with God’s love revealed in Jesus. We are to love in “truth.” This love is selfless, sacrificial, and supportive of real need.
Here is a snapshot of need in our world:
I have read that roughly 180,000 children in the developing world die weekly due to starvation, malnutrition or dehydration: that is more than the population of Norman and Moore combined. There are more than 15 million AIDS orphans worldwide, 80% of them living in sub-Saharan Africa. To give a little perspective, the population of Texas is 13 million. In India, up to 400 million people live below the poverty line. The total population for the United States just went pass 300 million. That plus 100 million more in India barely have enough to survive from day-to-day. The most tragic of all is that 1.8 billion have never even heard the saving message of Jesus Christ.
Don’t tune me out. I know these numbers are huge and hard to wrap our minds around, but please do not go deaf to the volume of pain I am describing. We can be so overwhelmed we do nothing, and; this is unacceptable for the Christian. the needs are too great; the suffering is too real, and the possibilities for compassionate outreach in the name of Christ are too significant.
We cannot do everything, but according to John we are not expected to do everything; that’s God’s job, not ours. He does, however, put in front of us our brother who needs necessities.
You belong to this church, and this church is seeking to meet the needs of teachers and students at Eisenhower Elementary. I believe God has assigned our church to bless this school. Knaulege was a first grader, and I met with him each week to work on addition, subtraction, and reading. There were three other children in his class who could have used my help. Would you consider volunteering next year? It cost me less than one hour a week.
Our church participates in the World Hunger Offering. One hundred percent of your donation goes to meet the needs of hungry people across the U.S. and around the world.
Being Southern Baptist we support over 5,000 North American missionaries and 5,000 international missionaries. The international missionaries baptize over 300,000 people a year. Does helping support 5,000 people seem too large? Then adopt one missionary connected to our church to pray for and assist. We have you Roy and Jeanna McIntyre in Malaysia, Michael and Jennifer Garner in England, Laura Heikkila in Thailand, or George and Sherry McDow’s international work with people in the arts who are spreading the Gospel. They have needs.
We can do something for someone. One sign you have experienced salvation is generosity toward people in need. When someone says they do not want to come to church because all the church wants is their money, they are probably telling you more about their spiritual condition than they are the church. A Yiddish proverb says, “Pearls around the neck—stones upon the heart.” Do not let what you have come between the love you are called share. The love of Christ releases resources to others.
How does love demonstrate our salvation?
III. LOVE REASSURES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD (I JOHN 3:18-24)
In essence John says the outcome of believing in Jesus, that is the first part of chapter 3, and loving one another, that is the last part of chapter 3, is confidence to approach God in prayer, and the affirmation of the Holy Spirit that you are a child of God.
Read
According to verse 19 your loving actions toward a fellow believer reveals you are truly a Christian. This knowledge give assurance to your conscience, that you are a follower of Jesus. If you are convinced you are a Christian then you have confidence to approach God in prayer and worship.
The conscience is not inflallible. Like warning lights on the dash-board of your car, the conscience is meant to signal us when we are violating right and wrong, but the conscience has to be taught what is right and wrong. God’s Word teaces that. The Word gives insight and sensitivity to the conscience that it did not have before salvation: there are things you consider wrong that you did not before.
Recently I learned of some bign church pastors who committed adultery and lost their ministry. How is it possible for men who truly love God to fall into such obvious wickedness? They disregarded the first pangs of conscience. If you disregard the warning lights on the dashboard of your car, you are going to ruin a battery or crack a motor block. Many a Christian has wrecked their lfie by ignoring their conscience.
Sometimes your conscience may condemn you when you are not guilty. The devil is an expert in magnifying and causing guilt over things. God knows this. Since God is greater than your conscience and He knows the true condition of your heart, you can be comforted that He loves you in spite of your weakness and failings. Your conscience is not the Supreme Court. There is a higher court: God! When your conscience is condemning you and making you feel uncertain, appeal your case to the highest court in the land.
Because we are aware of God’s love within us as demonstrated by our generosity to meet the need of our brother, and that God is gracious with us despite our failings, we can approach God with confidence (v. 21). Then John illustrates this confidence with prayer (verse 22). People who are fearful and uncertain of their relationship with God are hesitant to approach God in prayer. John gives two reasons for our confidence to talk to God in prayer: we obey God’s commands and we do what pleases Him. That may be stating the same thing two different ways. The two commands in this chapter are embracing all that the Scriptures teach about Christ. That is what John means by the “name” of Jesus. The second command, stated in verse 23, is to love our brother.
In verse 24 John says we know we belong to God because the Holy Spirit indwells our life. But the way we know we are living in fellowship with God is we obey His commandments. In other words, the security of our relationship with God is based on God’s Spirit living within us, but the fellowship we have with God rests upon our obedience to God. It is our fellowship not our sonship that is affected by our obedience.
A powerful story emerged from the bombing raids of World War II where thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. After experiencing the fright of abandonment, many of these children were rescued and sent to refugee camps where they received food and shelter. Yet even in the presence of good care, they had experienced so much loss that many of them could not sleep at night. They were terrified they would awaken to find themselves once again homeless and hungry. Nothing the adults did seemed to reassure them, until someone thought to send a child to bed with a loaf of bread. Holding onto their bread, the children were able to sleep. If they woke up frightened in the night, the bread seemed to remind them, "I ate today and I will eat again tomorrow." (Dennis Linn)
What does it mean to be saved? It means that you are thoroughly stilled and at peace with God because of Jesus Christ. His victory at the cross and the grave gives us a peace that transcends all things. Like children pacified by the assurance of bread, our actions and the Holy Spirit witness that we hold within our soul the Bread of Life. We know His promise is more solid than our fears, and He will out last time. Love reassures our relationship with God.
CONCLUSION
I attended a wedding and I enjoyed it. I did not have to do it, but most importantly I did not have to pay for it. Another thing was different: I was not made a part of the family.
Unlike the wedding I attended, anyone can be part of God’s family. Would you not like to be His love and Spirit living within you? Would you not like to have the confidence that when you pray to God He actually hears you? Are you willing to fully surrender and go His way? He will be your God, and you will gain a group of people who will love you like family; that was one of my biggest surprises when I became a Chrsitian. You, too, will love His people. It is a demonstration of your salvation.
