The theme of this portion of 1 John is love. But instead of portraying the need for believers to love one another in a positive light, John speaks to us about loving one another by emphasizing the negative. In these verses, he tells us what a lack of love will lead to.
1. Murder - vs. 11-15
John's words here echo the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:21-22a.
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." - Matthew 5:21-22a (NIV)
The point is that lack of love for our brother or sister in Christ is a serious thing. After all, as John reminds us, "This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another."
A. An Observation - vs. 13
John makes a observation with which we should all be able to agree. Since the Christian faith is the opposite of what the world espouses, we should not be surprised when the world hates us.
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me." - John 15:18-21 (NIV)
B. An Illustration - vs. 12
John cites the example of Cain and Abel to illustrate the point that it's a natural thing for an unbelieving world to lash out at children of God.
1) Cain's Inspiration - v. 12a
Cain was inspired by the one to whom he belonged - the devil himself.
"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning." - John 8:44a (NIV)
2) Cain's Motivation - v. 12b
Cain was motivated out of jealousy over the fact that Abel's sacrifices were accepted by God, while his were not. Why was that?
"In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. And Abel also brought an offering - fat
portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast." - Genesis 4:3-5 (NIV)
1) Cain's sacrifice reflected man's reasoning, while Abel's sacrifice was in response to God's revelation (Genesis 3:21) - "fruits of the soil" vs. "fat portions . . . from his flock."
2) Cain's sacrifice represented "just enough to get by" while Abel's sacrifice represented "honoring God with my best" - "some of the fruits" vs. "the firstborn of his flock."
3) Cain's sacrifice represented self-promotion, while Abel's
sacrifice represented submission.
Abel, I believe, had submitted to God's instruction concerning sacrifice, while Cain did not. Rather than doing things God's way, Cain insisted on doing things his way. Rather than coming to God on God's terms, Cain insisted on coming to God on his own terms.
Consequently, Abel and his offering were accepted by God, while Cain and his offering were not accepted by God.
Abel had something Cain did not - acceptance in God's sight. Abel represented something Cain despised - doing things God's way.
Therefore, Cain murdered Abel.
C. A Conclusion - v. 14-15
John's conclusion is simple: One who is truly saved cannot live a life filled with hatred toward his brothers and sisters.
Note how in verse 15, John speaks in the continuous tense as he speaks of hatred and murder.
He is not saying a truly saved person doesn't commit sin occasionally by showing hatred toward a brother. What he is saying is that a truly saved person doesn't commit himself to a life of perpetual hatred toward others in the body of Christ.
As the daughter brought in her date to meet her parents, the mother was terrified by the young man's tattoos, long hair, beard, earring, heavy boots, and over all rough appearance. In concern, she pulled her daughter aside and asked, "Honey, is he nice?"
The girl was taken back by such a question from her mother. She said, "Of course he's nice. If he wasn't nice why would he be doing 5,000 hours of community service?"
The fact is that no matter what someone may say, John tells us that if they perpetually cause trouble among the brethren, they aren't truly saved! What should our response be to those professed brothers in Christ who continually demonstrate hatred toward their brothers and stir up strife within the body?
1) Mark Them!
"I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the
teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." - Romans 16:17 (NIV)
2) Don't Mimic Them!
"All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God,
as dearly loved children." - Ephesians 4:31– 5:1 (HCSB)
Instead, we are to seek to imitate God, who loved us and gave Himself for us, without any guarantee that we would love back or give back! Which brings us to another thing a lack of love leads to.
2. Miserliness - vs. 16-18
The truth John states here is the declared vividly in the old saying:
"Real Christians are forgiven, forgiving and for giving!"
Their sins are forgiven by God. Because this is so, they can forgive wrongs done to them by others (Ephesians 4:32). The example of Christ motivates them to give of themselves to others (v. 16). You see, you can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving!
A London restaurateur named Emil Mettler, was a close friend of Albert Schweitzer, the famed missionary. Mettler would never
allow a Christian worker to pay for a meal in his restaurant. Once, the secretary of the London Missionary Society was in Mettler's restaurant and happened to see in his cash register drawer, among the cash and coins, a six inch nail. He inquired as to why Mettler kept the nail there. Mettler replied, "I keep this nail with my money to remind me of the price that Christ paid for my salvation and of what I owe Him in return"
Paul made it clear in Ephesians 5:1, that the highest demonstration of love for God is a willingness to give ourselves for the sake of others.
Conclusion -
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35 (NIV)
A young lady walked into a fabric shop, went to the counter, and asked the owner for some noisy, rustling, white material. The owner found two such bolts of fabric but was rather puzzled at the young lady's motives. Why would anyone want several yards of noisy material? Finally, the owner's curiosity got the best of him and he asked the young lady why she particularly wanted noisy cloth? She answered, "You see, I am making a wedding gown, and my fiancé is blind. When I walk down the aisle and stand beside him, I want him to know where I am."
We live in a world blinded by sin, which cannot recognize the truth of Christ apart from seeing His love demonstrated by His followers. May others know where we stand as they hear of our love for one another!
