THE POWER OF LOVE (1 JOHN 3)
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In Chicago a few years ago a little boy attended a Sunday school. When his parents moved to another part of the city the little fellow still attended the same Sunday school, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each way.
A friend asked him why he went so far, and told him that there were plenty of churches just as good nearer his home. “They may be as good for others, but not for me,” was his reply.
“Why not (good for you)?” she asked. “Because they love a fellow over there,” he replied.
Love is not without obstacles, opposition and objections, especially in uncertain political, emotional and relational times (like in Hong Kong). Chapter three reveals the ongoing and open battle between God and the devil, the struggle between the children of God and the children of the devil, and subsequently the two greatest forces in the world - love and hate.
Why are love and hate the two greatest forces in the word? What will win out and with what weapons?
You are A New Man
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
How does a foreigner become a Hong Kong resident? By working in Hong Kong as a professional, investing in business, or studying full-time in a local degree-awarding institution.
For me, I have to apply for a dependant visa as a dependant of a spouse who is Hong Kong permanent resident. The following conditions must be satisfied: reasonable proof of a genuine relationship between the applicant (“dependant”) and the spouse residing in Hong Kong (“sponsor”); clear of criminal records and raise no security or criminal concerns for the HKSAR; the sponsor (spouse) can substantially support the dependant. However, the spouse from overseas is not prohibited from taking up employment in the HKSAR.
I often joke with my wife, “You got to support me,” to which she said, “You wish!”
The processing of the Dependant Visa Application take around six weeks.
The visas will normally follow the 3-3 years pattern. You can apply for a renewal of your Dependant Visa by filing the renewal application at least four weeks before the two year visa expires.
There was a complication after five years because my wife’s cancer had spread and she need a wheelchair to get around. The last thing she wanted me to have a permanent resident card. I got mine nine months before her loss. The best thing was she did not have to go to the immigration office, because she was weak by then, so I did the application online with Bon’s help.
First, true love is from God, in God and to God. We love not because of what you can do in your own strength for others, but what’s been done for you, to you and in you. You are loved. Your new identity is “children of God.” The adjective “what manner” is a combination of “how long” or “when,” plus “where,” as expressed when the disciples marveled, saying, “What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matt 8:27) and when the disciples said of the temple,
“See what manner of stones and what buildings are here!” (Mark 13:1), or when Mary what troubled at what manner of salutation the angel said to her (Luke 1:29), even when the Pharisees questioned how Jesus did not know
“what manner” of woman was touching him (Luke 7:39). Like the song, How Can It Be? This love is inexpressible, inexplicable and inexhaustible.
God’s love for us is the greatest love of all, and the purpose (hina subjunctive) of His great love is for us to share, that we should be “called” the sons of God, not merely His creation but His children, not slaves but sons, not merely human but heir, and He as He our heavenly Father (Matt 6:14), the living Father (John 6:57), the everlasting Father (Isa 9:6). It is the greatest blessing and benefit.
The biggest hindrance and hurdle to living this new life was sin. God’s love is manifested to call us sons (v 1), to take away sin (v 5) and to destroy the devil (v 8) – introduced three “hina.” As sons, we tasted his love. We are part of his family of love and love. The first (hina) purpose is our relationship with Him the second is sin on the inside core, and the last is our break from the devil. The first (hina) purpose is God has delighted/distinguished, the second purpose clause is we are delivered, and the third is the devil is doomed. We are not sons by default, but by what God has done (v 4). Take away (v 5) is translated as bear up (Matt 4:6), take up (Matt 9:6), remove (Matt 21:21) and lift up (Acts 4:24_ - more “up” than “away” because the verb (airo) comes with the ides of raising up, elevating and suspending.
The world does not know this kind of unshakeable, unfathomable and unsurpassed love (v 1) - what is the source, how is it shown (manifested) and the strength spread. With this future hope (v 2) we purify ourselves presently (v 3). Doris has this blessed memory verse Psalm 17:15 in her wallet before she passed away: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Verse 2and 3 is the future (v 2) and the present (v 3). Future –”we shall be” twice and “we shall see” once) in verse 2 - is because the verb. We’re awaiting a day when we will be like him in glory,
You’ve got a New Master
7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 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.
A boy was severely warned by his dad not to go for swimming again he disobeyed and came back home all wet his dad asked him, “Why have you disobeyed me despite my warnings?” He answered, “I was tempted by the devil. I will not do it again. His father said, “Good, next time you are tempted by the devil tell him, ‘NO,” that he should get behind you.”
The next day the boy did the same thing again. Then when he got home, his father was disappointed and asked him why he disobeyed again. The boy answered, “When the devil came to tempt me, I said ‘no,’ - get behind me, you devil. Then he went behind me, and pushed me into the water!’
The cosmic battle is radical, real and relentless. The battle is from morning to night, days to years, from the day you were born to every day when you open your eyes and your mind is active.
V 7 The one who does what is right V 8 The one who does what is sinful
The Son of God the devil
The children of God the children of the devil
Not God’s child brother and sister
Does not love their brother and sister V 11 love one another
12 His brother evil one
Righteous evil
“Lead you astray” is in the imperatival form (v 7, planao), translated as err (Matt 22:29), deceive (Matt 24:4), out of the way (Heb 5:2), wander (Heb 11:38) and seduce (1 John 2:26). The peak use of this verb “lead astray” is from Jesus’ sermon on the “signs of His coming and the end of the world” (Matt 24:4, 5, 11, 24):
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
The most notable deceivers in the Bible who “lead astray” others are false Christs and false prophets (Matt 24:24), evil men and seducers (2 Tim 3:13), and Devil, and Satan (Rev 12:9), from their falsehood, fabrication or fakery. Three things lead people astray: sin, devil and evil. The word “sin” is synonymous with the devil. The verb “sin” occurs four times (v 6 twice, 8, 9) in the chapter, more than any chapter in the Bible. Sin means trespass (Luke 17:3) or offend (Acts 25:8) and met its match in Jesus Christ,.
The three negative words are sin, devil and evil. The word “works” (vv 8, 12) of the devil, which is evil, is plural (1 John 3:8, 12). The devil never stops trying to trick us, trouble and terrorize us.
The verb “manifested/appear” occurs four times in the chapter (vv 2 twice, 8, 9), more than any chapter in the Bible. Satan denounces, “You are deserted, damaged and defeated,” but God declares, “You are distinguished delivered and defended.”
Destroy (V 8)is the third “hina” purpose in the chapter, translated as break (Matt 5:19), loose (Matt 16:19), melt (2 Peter 3:10), dissolve (2 Peter 3:11) and wash. It means to loose the grip,
You’ve got a New Mandate
13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 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. 17 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? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 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.
When property tycoon Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong, the former joint chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties, finished serving a five-year bribery sentence for bribing the city's former No 2 government official, he spoke to reporters: ““My feeling is very special today. I feel very excited. I really couldn't sleep yesterday. I would like to thank God for going through the past 40 months in prison with me. It has been tough. Sometimes I was frustrated; I was anxious; I felt guilty. In different situations, God is always here to support me.”
https://www.asiaone.com/china/tycoon-thomas-kwok-freed-after-three-years-prison-bribery
Kwok continued: “In these four years, I had all sorts of emotions. Sometimes I was worried, other times I was regretful and upset. I miss my family. I asked myself why I ended up like this. There are a lot of emotions that I had to overcome. It wasn't easy. I have no hatred. Don't do wrong things. I regretted it so much after going to jail. Don't make impromptu moves.” (“Kwok - Guilt not Hate in my Heart,” The Standard, March 22, 2019)
Someone once said, The greatest tool of the enemy is discouragement. I beg to differ lately. The greatest tool of the enemy is hatred. Hatred is like acid, poison and cancer that control, configurate and consume a person.
The imperative “surprise” is translated as “marvel” (Matt 8:10) and wonder (Matt 15:31) in the Bible. It means not to be surprised, shocked and stunned. The emphasis is not hatred, but our reaction, resignation and retaliation to hatred. Hate is mightier when we are caught unaware.
Hatred is from the devil (v 8). Experts say hatred is a combination of anger, resentment, and disgust. In Jesus we live a delivered and not a defeated or doomed life. We are ransomed, rescued and regenerated. Hate (vv 13, 15) is the way of the world. It is not the way to solve things. Anger manifests itself in animosity and aggression. Hate results in hostility and harm, violence begets violation and vengeance, and terror results in tragedy.
Tragedy: The Vicious Cycle of Hate
Anger Argument Aggression
Hatred Hostility Harm
Violence Violation Vengeance
The antidote to hate is love and compassion. Martin Luther said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Love one another is the sign of a disciple (John 13:34). There is more talk of “love one another” in 1 John (3:11, 3:23) and John’s gospel (John 13:34 twice, 15:12, 15:17) than any book in the Bible. It is a purpose, not an imperative in 1 John. Out of ten verses, seven are in purpose clause none in direct imperative form, which means love one another to John is a purpose, not a direct command. Unlike an imperative, it is not by force, command or pressure, but by nature, an outflow or growth. It is to be practiced but not pressured, giving and receiving, to give and take, to be sharing and to be served. Love on an equal footing. Love not exhaustible, empty or effortless.
Love one another in all seven instances of the purpose clause (hina subjunctive) are from John (John 13:34 twice, 15:12, 15:17, 1 John 3:11, 3:23, 2 John 1:5). Love one another is two-sided and not one way, bilateral not unilateral, and mutual but not mono (“we”). Love one another is love free from exploitation, excess and enforcement because it is love that will come around, go back and forth return home and make a round trip. It is a new commandment (John 13:34) not found in the Torah. You don’t feel discouraged because you know you are not working alone.
Hate Love
Satan God
Darkness Light
Self Others
Fear Faith
Destructive Constructive
Harming Healing
Grounded Growing
Feeling Virtue
Bitterness Blessedness
Cold Caring
Seven Virtues of Love:
Love is patient
Love is positive
Love is pure
Love is practical
Love is peaceable
Love is persistent
Love is pardoning
Application: Let us...
Defuse anger
Decrease conflicts
Dispel rumors
Deepen relationships
Disapprove violence
Desire peace
Denounce Satan
