They Love the Brethren (Ch. 3:11 – 3:18)
1 John 3:11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
From the beginning of the ministry of Jesus, He gave this command to His followers. He said, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
The “love of the brethren” is one of the greatest witnesses the church can have, because love is the greatest among all the virtues (1 Corinthians 13) Just think of all the people who have been turned away from the church and consequently turned away from God because of disunity, disharmony and a general lack of love among the brethren.
Followers of Christ are commanded to maintain the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” If peace is the “glue” love is what squeezes it out of the tube.
The love that John refers to is a sacrificial giving of oneself to another even to the point of death if necessary.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 - But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:8 - This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
The love that John refers to is obviously a divine love. It is not a friendly, warm fuzzy demonstration of affection.
The love that John refers to is loving others as has Christ loved us. This kind of love cannot be done through mere human strength. You and I need the Holy Spirit to empower us to demonstrate this kind of love.
In Ephesians 5:25 Paul says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it…” If you are a husband you know that you need a supernatural power to love your wife in this way. ?
Love is the epitome of Jesus Christ in the life of the Christian. “Christ in you” manifests itself in a love for the brethren. John wants us to know that love is one of the tests that you are a genuine Christian.
In verse 11 John says that Christians should “love one another.” Here he is reminding his readers of the command of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
1 John 3:11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
If love for the brethren is the epitome of Jesus, hate is the epitome or the personification of Satan, the evil one. John goes on to say that Christians are not to be like Cain who did not exercise love but hate.
1 John 3:12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.
1 John 3:13 Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.
Most of us should know the story of Cain and Abel found in Genesis chapter four. The Bible tells us that these brothers, sons of our first parents Adam and Eve, brought their sacrificial offerings to God.
Gen 4:3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering;
Gen 4:5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
Did Cain do something wrong? The Bible also says in Genesis chapter four that Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. In other words, Abel was a farmer and according to Leviticus chapter two, bringing an offering from the fruit of the ground was something that people did.
But God did not accept Cain’s offering. Other passages of Scripture let us know that God was looking for a blood sacrifice from both these men and all Cain had to do is swap with his brother or father some grain for a lamb and make the sacrifice.
But Cain had an attitude problem which led to the death of his brother. Why did he kill his brother?
Back in 1st John we find the answer:
1 John 3:12 …Cain, who was of the evil one, …slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous.
Many Bible commentators say that Cain was jealous of his brother Abel which may be true. But the Bible is more specific. Cain was trying to get away with worshipping God his own way.
According to Genesis 4:3, both brothers had come with an offering unto the Lord. They had come to God in order to worship Him.
From the context we can reason that God had already taught them the necessity of the blood sacrifice.
After Adam and Eve had sinned and had come to the realization that they were naked. Before their sin they were innocent. Their child-like innocence prevented them from noticing their difference.
But once they broke God’s command not to eat of the forbidden fruit they realized they were naked so God had to sacrifice an animal to make coverings of skin for them (Gen. 3:21).
Hebrews 9:22 says, "Without shedding of blood there is no remission [of sins]." God instituted blood sacrifices as the only proper form of worship, and Abel obeyed but Cain did not obey.
Back in 1st John we learn that Cain "was of that evil one" (v. 12). The Greek word translated "wicked one" is poneros. It is stronger than kakos, the usual Greek word for evil. Poneros speaks of evil in active opposition to good. It is speaking of organized evil. A man who is kakos is willing to be evil and perish in his own corruption, but the person who is poneros seeks to drag everyone else down with him.
The Greek word translated "killed" in 1 John 3:12 is sphazo, sfad'-zo, which means, "to butcher by cutting the throat." It is used in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) to refer to the slaying of animals for Levitical sacrifices.
The use of this word is further proof that Cain was aware of the blood sacrifice that God required. Up to this time as far as we know from Scripture, no one had yet died. But Cain “killed” his brother Abel. The use of this Greek word in 1 John 3:12 lets us know that it is quite probable that Cain cut Abel’s throat in much the same way that one would slay an animal for sacrifice.
Cain knew that God required a sacrifice to bring men to himself, but Cain became the first to pervert it and turn it into murder; because he was, according to John, of that evil one.
There is a principle taught in Scripture about the human existence---wickedness hates righteousness—the darkness hates the light.
John 3:19 "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
When Abel offered up the righteous, obedient sacrifice and Abel the self-centered sacrifice, his evil deed was exposed. Cain needed to snuff out the light and thus killed his brother.
No one likes having their wickedness exposed and will seek to destroy that which causes it to be so clearly seen. The government has a Witness Protection Program to protect those who have information that can expose those in organized crime.
Cain was not a God-follower. He was of the evil one. We know that he was under the influence of the devil because of his hatred for his brother that led to murder.
How does one tell the difference between someone in the church who is not a Christian and another who is a follower of Christ? John answers this question in verses 14-16.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
The difference according to John is love. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.
When John uses the word “hate” in verse 15, he is referring to a habitual hatred. Just like when John says in 1 John 3:6 that “Christian’s don’t sin”, he is referring to the habitual practice of sin in one’s life—a Christian doesn’t habitually practice sin.
John is saying that the one who habitually hates is a potential murderer and should occasion arise; his hatred would spring forth in action like it did with Cain.
You cannot be a Christian and harbor hatred toward your brother—the Holy Spirit will not allow it.
John writes in 1 John 3:16, “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
Now when John speaks of love he is referring to more than a love that one talks about. It is so easy to talk about love. Love always proves itself by what it is willing to sacrifice.
A boy sent a note to his girl friend.
"I love you so much. I would climb the highest mountain, swim the widest sea, cross the burning desert, die at the stake for you.
P. S. I'll see you Saturday, if it doesn't rain."
In light of the times in which we live and the struggling economy, we need to ask ourselves at GraceWay Church, “Do we really love one another?”
John says if we are exercising Christ-like love for one another we ought to be willing to lay down our lives for each other.
This means that our loves should be a constant giving-out on behalf of other believers, and that we should be willing to die for them also if the need is required.
Most of us will never be required to die on behalf of others, but every one of us can manifest a brotherly love by sharing our material things with those in need. This is what John emphasizes in verses 17-18:
1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
Zero in on what John is saying in verse 17. He suggests the hypothetical situation of someone in the church who has the world’s goods and another brother (or sister) who is in need. But the person, who has the goods, closes his heart against the person who has not. John asks, “How does the love of God abide in Him?”
John’s hypothetical presupposes that the brothers are hanging out or fellowshipping with one another to the point that one beholds or notices his brother has a need. I can tell you that in today’s church it’s hard for one to notice this kind of thing because people do not fellowship on the level that the early church fellowshipped. This, by the way, is what we are trying to alleviate with our transformation strategy—moving people from acquaintances to associates and from associates to intimate friends.
John’s point is that genuine Christian love is not merely talked about, it is demonstrated.
So the question to the members and regular attenders of GraceWay is, “Do you know a brother or sister in Christ that has a need?” Don’t just talk about it…don’t just pray about it…DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
This is what the early church did. They “Spread the wealth.”
(Acts 4:32 NASB) And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them.
Luke, the historian, and the author of the book of Acts, writes that “all things were common property” with the early Christians. Was Dr. Luke teaching that the right to have personal property was abolished among the earlier believers?
Was he teaching that the rich Christian had given over some of his or her money to the poor Christian so that things might be equalized?
The early Christians were to “spread the wealth.” But this display of Christian charity did not abolish the right of personal property. The sharing of their stuff was not compulsory—it was not forced upon them by God. It was to be a voluntary act—motivated by genuine Christian love, as a way of eliminating need among them.
Christians are to lay down their lives for one another. I believe that our struggling economy will give us more than ample opportunities to show the love of Christ for one another.
But our struggling economy will compete for our time and treasures. Many churches and Christian ministries have been suffering financially because offerings have decreased over the last several months.
If you are one of the many who have felt the need to pull back in your giving, let me encourage you with the words of the Apostle Paul found in Galatians 6-9-10:
Gal 6:9-10 - And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
Paul has just written on the principles of sowing and reaping.
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Gal 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Up until recently, many of us have been living “high on the hog.” Some went out and got that house that the real estate agent and the mortgage company said they could afford. They got that adjustable interest rate and soon discovered that it was adjusting in the wrong direction.
They got a credit card and hit their limit; so they got another and another and another.
Paul says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption…”
The truth of the matter is that we get into debt while sowing to the flesh—to please the flesh. We see something on TV or online or through a store window and we’ve got to have it. We see something that one of our friends, relatives or neighbors has and we’ve just got to get one.
Those of us who attended the Treasure Principle workshop in September found that God doesn’t bless you with your time, talents and treasures to sow into your own flesh; God blesses you with time, talent and treasure to sow into His kingdom.
So the depressed economy has forced many of us to cut back. Now you have to prioritize your spending. Now you are forced to live on a budget.
Many people cut back on their driving when the gas was over $4 a gallon. Now that it may go under $2 a gallon—don’t drift back to over indulgence.
Undoubtedly, we have people in our congregation that are not suffering as much as others due to the economy. We have people among us that are still able to pay their bills on time.
We also have people in our congregation that are behind on their bills. They still have “more month to go after their money runs out.” Granted, some of these people need to take a money management course and learn to budget and do without. In other words, why have cable TV and a cell phone when you can barely get food on the table?
But there are some among us, perhaps those who are single moms, who sure could use some assistance.
There are those among us that have been looking for employment for months but to this day haven’t found a job.
In verses 17 and 18 John explains what laying down our lives for one another means:
1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
One of the reasons why the church hasn’t been as effective in reaching her communities is because we have gone the way of the world and morphed into a group of takers and have forgotten the words of our Lord Jesus when He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
Most unbelievers equate the church with the televangelists on TV who are always begging for your money.
The Apostle John, the writer of our text in 1 John, wants us to know that true love, genuine Christian love, manifests itself in giving. The world has concluded that the church is all about a love that is talked about but not demonstrated. John says in verse 18, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
In another passage of Scripture Paul comments on how we should give.
2 Cor 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.
2 Cor 9:7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
In the church, the principle of “spreading the wealth” is not legislated—it is not taxing the money out of your paycheck as some have proposed. It is a voluntary act—it is koinonia—a sharing of our possessions with one another being motivated by God’s love.
You say, “I don’t have anything to give.” Even the widow of Luke 21:4 had something to give. Jesus said that “she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on."
There is a promise that God makes to those who sows bountifully—they will reap bountifully (2 Cor. 9:6)
But there’s more. God goes on to say in 2 Corinthians chapter 9 that if you give, He will give you more so that you can give more.
2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
2 Cor 9:9 as it is written, "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."
2 Cor 9:10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
2 Cor 9:11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
The picture here is that you become a channel or conduit of God’s blessing! While God is passing on His blessings through you to someone else, He allows you to partake of the blessing.
Every now and then I have the joy of cooking a meal for my family. I remember one Friday night I cut up some chicken breasts into little nuggets and fried them. I also got some catfish nuggets and fried them too. While I was frying them, of course, I had to “taste and see that they were good!”
By the time everything was ready, we had a couple of large platters of homemade chicken and catfish nuggets and some ice tea. When it was time to sit down to eat, I wasn’t hungry.
Paul says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
This reminds me of the words of our Lord Jesus who said:
Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."
The picture here is of a container of grain filled to the brim and running over the edge.
According to 1 John 3:18, God’s Word says we are not merely to “love” “with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” Why?
When Christians demonstrate the love of God to each other, it does something in their heart. John tells us in verse 19 that it assures our heart before God—it gives us confidence before God.
Why would you and I want to have confidence before God? Because of prayer.
* Sometimes we have feelings of insecurity when it comes to our relationship with God
* Sometimes we have feelings of unworthiness when we come before God—we think, “How can God even listen to someone like me? I am so sinful; I am so unworthy.”
* Sometimes our heart condemns us and we have trouble accepting God’s love and forgiveness
* There are times when your conscience becomes over sensitive and keeps reminding you of the fact that you are a sinner.
So John says in verses 19 and 20: “We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him, in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”
Verse 20 tells us that when our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
*He knows our frame; He knows our weaknesses; He is mindful that we are but dust (Psalm 103:14)
*He also knows that we are born of Him and our sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ death on Calvary’s Cross.
*He knows that we have been bought with a price and as Paul says in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
According to 1 John 3:21-22, God comforts our heart and gives us assurance and confidence as we come before Him in prayer and whatever we ask we receive because we are loving the brethren. By loving the brethren we are keeping His commands and doing what is pleasing in His sight.
An Illustration..
Juan Carlos Ortiz sat comfortable in his chair while the congregation finished the final stanza of a song. He looked out over the congregation he had been pasturing for many years. He reviewed once again the points of the sermon he was about to preach. He wanted to make sure he did not forget anything. He had labored in prayer for many hours on what to say to the congregation. He had spent many hours in his study crafting each point and tailoring each illustration to support the theme of the sermon. The title of his message was rather simple, Love One Another, but he thought that the message was very important given the spiritual life of the congregation.
When the band played the final note of the song, Pastor Ortiz stood up to walk to the pulpit but as he stood, God spoke to his heart.
"Juan" "How many sermons have you preached on the theme of loving one another?"
"I don't know Lord, maybe a dozen or more."
"And how many times have you exhorted the congregation in other sermons to love one another."
"I don't know Lord, maybe a dozen or more also."
“Have they done any good?”
The conversation with God ended the moment Pastor Ortiz positioned himself behind the pulpit. The Lord's words were ringing in his ears. He thought to himself, "I have preached dozens of sermons on love and what good have they done. This congregation still spends more time looking after their own interests more than others. They barely know one another. They are not friends with each other. They barely talk to one another after the church service."
Juan Carlos stood silent in the pulpit. His congregation waited for him to begin his sermon. Pastor Ortiz began his sermon with the words, "Love one another." He then went and sat down.
People looked at each other thinking that they had missed something. They were accustomed to sermons of nearly an hour not 3 seconds. The congregation did not know what to do.
After what seemed like an eternity, Juan Carlos walked back to the pulpit. The people repositioned themselves in their pews assuming that he would now deliver his message. Juan Carlos again said, "Love one another," and then he again sat down.
Heads really began to turn. Some began to murmur. No one knew what to do. Pastor Ortiz again waited and then he again walked to the pulpit. He waited for the congregation to become settled and then as before the only words he delivered were three, "Love one another" before he returned to his chair behind the pulpit.
Now a general stirring moved through the congregation. People began talking to one another, everyone asking the other if they knew what their pastor meant. Finally, an elder stood up and spoke. He said, "I think that I understand what Pastor Ortiz means. He wants me to love you." (Pointing to someone in the pew behind him) "But how can I love you, when I do not know you." With that, he introduced himself and began to meet the people behind him.
Others got up from their pews and introduced themselves to people they had seen but not met. Phone numbers were exchanged. Dinner invitations extended. Arrangements were made for financial assistance.
Before the service ended, someone raised enough money for bus tickets so a family could return to their village. Another man arranged employment for a man out of work and someone offered an apartment to a homeless family. With just three simple words he delivered his most powerful sermon.
