Loving In Deed and Truth
1st John 3:13 – 3:24
Jeff Hughes
I. Introduction
a. Turn with me in your Bibles to 1st John, Chapter 3, and verse 13.
b. Tonight we are going to look at the Book of First John, chapter three, verses 13 through 24, eleven verses that give us some guidance on how we live our lives. It has been said that the epistle of 1st John is like a spiral staircase and that John, throughout the letter keeps returning to these three themes: Love, Obedience, and Truth. Over the past several fellowships, we have looked at these subjects in depth. It may seem like John is just going back again to cover Love and truth in these eleven verses. But, John does not just re-hash the same subjects, as we will see tonight. He gives us yet more insight and has a different angle than we saw in chapter two.
c. Follow along with me starting in verse 13.
d. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him--how can God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth; 19 that is how we will know we are of the truth, and will convince our hearts in His presence, 20 because if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us we have confidence before God, 22 and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23 Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commands remains in Him, and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us.
e. The main idea of this passage is that we, as human beings can live our lives on three different levels. The first is hatred, which is of the world and contrary to God’s Word. The second is indifference, which is of the flesh and as we will see, as Christians, is less than God wants for us. Lastly, there is Christian Love, which is how we should live as Christians.
f. Tonight, we will look at all three of these in depth as we explore these three levels. As I thought about these three, while preparing for this message I thought about what really drives us to hate, or be indifferent, or to love, and really it all boils down to our attitude. I ran across a small quote from Chuck Swindoll. He says:
II. Illustration
a. "The Longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church ... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."
b. How true this is. As I said earlier, we are going to look at three levels on which we can live our lives. Three attitudes, if you will – How we approach life. The first attitude is hatred. John looks at this in depth in verses 13 through 15. This ties in with verses 11 and 12 that we looked at last time, which covered Cain and his hatred of his brother Abel. Verse 13 tells us :
III. Study
a. Hatred – 3:13-15
i. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. John tells us to not be surprised if the world hates you. What we should be surprised about, is that as believers, if the world does love us. John was probably thinking back to something Jesus said, which he recorded in the gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33 : 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
ii. As Christians, we need to be wary of times that are “too smooth”. I have found that in my walk, if I am where God wants me to be, we are under attack from the enemy. When I am walking in the flesh, things go smoother with the day to day, but I am far away from God, lacking His comfort.
iii. As a Christian, I want peace with Him, and not peace with the world. I am called to serve the Lord. Along with that calling, I am called to love others, as we see in verse 14
iv. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
v. Here in verse 14, we again see a test for true believers in Christ. We saw this earlier in chapter two. Our trademark so to speak as Christians is a sincere love for one another.
vi. So, does this mean that if we get angry with someone in the body that we lose or forfeit our salvation for an eternity of separation from God? No.
vii. Just like in chapter three verse 6, where we learned that it was a lifestyle of sin that will separate us from Christ, here it is a lifestyle of hate that will separate us. What it means is that if we are believers, we cannot have a lifestyle of hate and resentment. Cain is an example of a lifestyle of hatred, we looked at him in verse 12. Cain’s hatred consumed him, and he murdered his brother.
viii. Maybe you’re sitting there thinking, “Well, I haven’t murdered anybody!” Yes, but verse 15, as well as Matthew 5:22 tells us that hatred is the same as murder in God’s eyes for the believer, just as lust is the same in God’s eyes as adultery. The only difference is the outward act of murder. The inward intent is the same.
ix. An older lady was viewing the lion exhibit at her local zoo. She saw the animals sleeping in the sun, and cleaning themselves, just as cats do. She remarked to the zookeeper, “I have cats at home. It is a shame that you have these beautiful creatures behind bars.” To this the zookeeper explained, “They may look like your cats at home, Ma’am, but their disposition is totally different. There is murder in these cats’ hearts. You ought to be glad that we have the bars there.”
x. The only reason some people have not committed murder is the “bars” they have put up. They fear arrest and shame, the penalties of the law, and the possibility of their own death at the hands of the state keeps them from carrying out their hate.
xi. We are told in James 2:12 that we are going to be judged by the law of liberty. It is not so much “What did you do?”, but, “What did you want to do?” What would you have done if you were at liberty to do whatever you wanted? This is why Jesus equated hatred with murder and lust with adultery.
xii. Notice here though that John doesn’t tell us that a person living a life of hate or a murder can’t be saved. The Apostle Paul, who wrote two thirds of the New Testament, had a hand in the stoning of Stephen. He also went from city to city putting Christians in prison. This was a man who lived a lifestyle of hatred, a murderer. But, God’s grace saved Paul on the road to Damascus. It is available for everyone. The issue is not – can a murderer become a Christian, but, can a Christian continue to be a murderer, or live in a lifestyle of hatred? The answer is a resounding No. The person who continues in murder, or hatred did not have eternal life and then lose it, he never had it.
xiii. Hatred does more damage to the hater than anyone else. Titus 3:3 tells us that hate and hatred is normal experience for an unsaved person. But, love is the antidote for hate. When Christ comes in, our hearts change to become loving.
xiv. A highwayman robbed John Wesley, an evangelist and the founder of the Methodist Church one night of all his money. Wesley told the man, “If the day should come that you want to leave this evil way of life, remember that the blood of Jesus cleanses of all sin. Several years later, Wesley was stopped by a man after a service. “Do you remember me?”, exclaimed the man. “I robbed you one night, and you told me that the blood of Jesus would cleanse me from sin. I trusted the Lord, and He has changed my life.”
xv. We can indeed be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. But, it comes down to a choice. I hope that all of us here have made that choice. If not, just talk with me after we are done.
b. Indifference– 3:16-17
i. So, we have looked at hatred as a lifestyle, but another level or attitude people in the world tend to live their lives along is indifference. This is so common today.
ii. The dictionary defines indifference as apathy demonstrated by an absence of emotional reactions or the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally. Indifference is the path of least resistance, “Go with the flow”, you know… Indifference when another believer is hurting is sin, and totally of the flesh, as we see in verses 16 and 17.
iii. First though. speaking about indifference, Martin Niemoller, German pastor, victim of Nazi concentration camp said this. In Germany, they first came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me - and by that time no one was left to speak up."
iv. Some of us live our lives for our own interests and that of our family. “Lord bless me and my four, shut the door” kind of a thing. You might want to rethink that after reading these next two verses.
v. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him--how can God’s love reside in him?
vi. Our love for one another is put to the test most not by whether we do evil to others, but whether or not we will do good when presented the opportunity. Love is a verb. It involves action.
vii. Every Christian knows John 3:16, but what about 1 John 3:16? The blessings poured out on us by Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary are beyond measure. But, it is clear in verse 16 that we are not to just bottle it up and wait for His return.
viii. The Christian life is one of sacrifice and service. It is living out that sacrifice Jesus made for us in the lives of others. Most of us will not be asked by God to lay down our lives, as He did. Some will, read Foxe’s book of martyrs sometime. God just asks most of us to help a brother in need, as we see in verse 17.
ix. More often though, we are just called upon to sacrifice for others with our service. If you think about it, it’s not asking much. I had to repent concerning my service as I was writing this. I make such a big deal out of things sometimes, I get put out, I whine and complain just like anyone else, but we are called to a higher standard.
x. It is one thing to talk about “loving the bretheren”. Where the rubber meets the road though, is – Will you neglect to meet the needs of other believers? Will you ignore a person asking for help because you are too busy, and just couldn’t be bothered??!
xi. Again, though John is talking about a lifestyle of indifference, not just falling into it once or twice. Also, if you are ignorant of a brother’s need, or are too poor to help him out, you are not condemned. But, if you are walking in indifference, you need to check your heart.
xii. If you are reaching out and helping others, though, you are closing in on the target. We are going to look at Christian Love – our goal in the remaining verses.
c. Christian Love – 3:18-24
i. 18 Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth;
ii. John tells us in verse 18 that we should not merely talk about loving others, but to actually do it, to model His love that He first showed us. John is transitioning here between two themes, indifference, and Christian love. He is also giving us a definition of Christian love though. He does this by drawing parallels from opposites. The opposite of “in word” is “in deed”, and the opposite of “in speech” is “in truth”.
iii. James chapter two, verses 15 and 16 gives us a good example of talking about a need and not meeting it. 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
iv. The reason people we so attracted to Jesus was because he showed real love for them through His sacrifice and service, unlike the religious leaders of the day in Judea. People are repelled by the artificial or “in word” kind of love.
v. Now that John has defined Christian love for us though, he gives us three blessings that we will receive if we walk in it. First, we will look at assurance in verses 19 and 20.
vi. 19 that is how we will know we are of the truth, and will convince our hearts in His presence, 20 because if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things
vii. Our relationship with God is affected by our relationship with others.
viii. Matthew chapter 5 verses 23 and 24 tells us that 23 if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
ix. It is important settle up our earthly relationships before we approach God.
x. But, if we are practicing Christian love in our hearts, those earthly relationships will be taken care of for the most part, giving us assurance to approach God.
xi. Some people struggle with assurance. Verse 20 is comfort for those people. Many of these people are suffering from a condemning heart that robs a believer of the peace that God intends us to have as believers. Sometimes our heart accuses us wrongly, Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? We see also here in verse 20 that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. Don’t let your heart condemn you. Remember 1St John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We will sometimes judge ourselves harsher than we should, but God never will.
xii. The next blessing of walking in Christian love is answered prayer, we will look at this in verses 21 and 22.
xiii. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us we have confidence before God, 22 and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.
xiv. Here again John makes a transition in verse 21, he says that if our hearts don’t condemn us, which we looked at in the previous two verses we can have confidence before God. Confidence for what? He tells us in verse 22.
xv. Well, confidence to ask for whatever we need from God. The love in our hearts gives us assurance of our relationship, and here we see that we can be confident to come before Him in prayer. This is telling us though, that our prayers can be hindered by not having love in our hearts toward the bretheren. Psalm 66:18 tells us that If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
xvi. This is not the only key to answered prayer, but it gives us an idea. The idea is obedience. Obedience is crucial to our prayer life, and love is crucial to obedience. In John 14:15 Jesus said “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.”
xvii. If we love Him, as we have seen earlier in First John, we will be abiding with Him. This is the third blessing of Christian love, abiding. We will look at abiding in verses 23 and 24.
xviii. 23 Now this is His command: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as He commanded us.
xix. Here in verse 23, John summarizes Jesus two greatest commandments. To “love the Lord with all your heart” and “to love your neighbor as yourself” this was witnessed by John and recorded by Matthew chapter 22.
xx. Faith towards God and love towards men are two crucial elements in the Christian life. They are two sides to the same coin. Many people faith, and neglect love, doctrine rules supreme to them. Others emphasize love and not faith, and get out of balance into emotionalism. Both are important as we see in verse 23.
xxi. Verse 24 is our instruction on how to abide in Him. As we have seen if we walk in love toward one another, we can walk in obedience to Christ. If we are walking in that obedience, we maintain a close communion with God. This is abiding – close communion with God. In John 14:23, Jesus tells us, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” The our that comes to live in us is the Holy Spirit.
xxii. Conveniently, John continues to tell us about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in verse 24. 24 The one who keeps His commands remains in Him, and He in him. And the way we know that He remains in us is from the Spirit He has given us.
xxiii. Here we find another assurance of our salvation – the Spirit living in us. The first six verses of chapter 4 cover the attesting of the believer by the Spirit. We will look at these verses in depth next time.
IV. Conclusion
a. I wanted to close tonight with a quote from Warren Wiersbe. The only holy, happy way to live is with love toward the brethren. This is a life of joy and liberty, the life of answered prayer. It assures you confidence and courage despite the difficulties of life.
