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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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EVIDENCES
OF LOVE (1 John 3:11-18) Grace
Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor
Daryl Hilbert A. Evidences
of Familial Relationship (1Jn 3:1-10) B. Evidences of Love (3:11-18) 1. Love
is God’s Message (1Jn 3:11) a) John
is going to give more evidences of true fellowship with God. These evidences
will revolve around the command to “love one another.” b) This was the message, which the apostles
heard from the beginning. The “beginning” would refer to the beginning of Christ’s
ministry. The phrase, “love one another” is taught throughout Christ’s
ministry. (1) It
was part of His teaching (Mt 5:43-36; 22:37-39). (2) It was a new commandment given by Christ
(Jn 13:34; 15:12, 17). (3) It was reiterated throughout the New Testament
(Ro 13:8; 1Th 4:9; 1Pe 1:22). (4) It was emphatically stressed in John’s
epistles (1Jn 2:10; 3:10-18, 23; 4:7-12, 16-21; 5:1-3; 2Jn 1:1-6; 3Jn 1:1,
6). c) Love
comes from the Greek word agapáō,
which is the self-sacrificial love
that seeks to benefit another. d) Showing love toward one another is the
distinguishing mark of a true believer (Jn 13:35). 2. Love
is not the World’s Message (1Jn 3:12-15). a) The
negative example is that of Cain, who was evil (ponerós - bad, wicked, used to describe the
devil) and murdered (sphaźō - slaughter, butcher, violence) his brother (12). (1) John
asks the reason why Cain slew his brother. The answer was that Cain’s deeds
were evil but Abel’s were righteous. (2) The motive for the killing was jealousy,
which stemmed from an evil heart. (3) Note: God did not have regard for Cain and
his offering because of his heart attitude not for the presentation of the
“fruit of the ground.” It was not a sin offering and the Lord later
instituted grain offerings. b) The
response of evil and hatred is becoming of the world. John informs believers
(“brethren”) not to be “surprised” (thaumaźō
- amazed or marvel) at
this response from the world (13). (1) Evil
despises righteousness and expresses it through hatred (miséō - strong hostility and rejection). (2) As the believer demonstrates the
righteousness of Christ, the world will show its hatred and hostility (Mt
10:22; 24:9; Jn 15:18-19; 17:14 cp. 1Jn 2:15) toward him. c) Love
for the brethren is an evidence of new life in Christ and therefore evidence
of salvation (14). (1) In
fact, John says the believer can “know” (oida - perception)
through perception and discernment that he has passed out of (ek)
death and into (eis) life (cp. Jn 5:24) if he loves one another. He
also identifies the one who abides in death by the fact that he is habitually
not loving (ho mę́ agapṓn) one another. (2) The litmus test for genuine salvation is
the believer’s agape love. It demonstrates that the believer abides in
God’s light (1Jn 2:10). d) John
now makes the connection that those who hate their brother are in essence
murderers at heart (15). (1) Jesus
taught that to have anger and hatred in the heart is equivalent to being a
murderer (Mt 5:21-22). The heart attitude is equivalent to the act or at
least the potential for the act. (2) John states that these believers know and
perceive that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him or will inherit
eternal life (Ro 1:29; 1Ti 1:9). 3. Love
is Christ’s Example (1Jn 3:16) a) How
does one understand love? By understanding Christ’s agape love
demonstrated on the cross (Ro 5:8) for redemption. b) John pinpoints Christ’s love by the fact
that “He laid down His life for us.” Jesus laid down His life (aorist
active indicative - títhemi - to set or place) as an example for believers (Jn
15:12-13) and He did it voluntarily (Jn 10:15-18). c) By Jesus’ example, believers are
compelled to emulate His love by laying down (títhemi - same word) their lives for the brethren (cp. Jn
13:37-38). 4. Love
is the Believer’s Duty (1Jn 3:17-18) a) Love
for the brethren is shown by seeing and meeting needs. If someone turns his
back to someone’s needs, God’s love does not abide in him (17). (1) John
uses a very practical example and one perhaps the false teachers miserably
failed. It is the example of one having ample resources to live (“world’s
goods”) yet having an unwillingness to share. (2) It is not as though he did not see (theoréō - watch or gaze, Jn 20:6; Re 11:12) his brother’s needs. Rather he closed
(kleíō - shut and locked,
Mt 25:10; Jn 20:19) his
heart to their needs. (3) Not meeting the needs of another is the
opposite of agape love. b) The
believer is exhorted not to talk about love, but to put it into practice
(18). (1) Loving
with word or tongue means to make many claims or promises of our great love
but never following through with it. (2) The believer is to love in deed (ergon - work of righteousness, works) and in truth (alę́theia - reality) II. APPLICATIONS A. Increase Your
Love by Perceiving Christ’s Love 1. Believers
are purified by focusing on Christ (1Jn 3:3). One of the areas believers need
to focus on is Christ’s love. 2. Believer are able to demonstrate agapę
love because Christ loved them first (1Jn 4:10, 19). B. Increase Your
Love by Praying 1. It
is God’s will that the believer grow and abound in love (Phil 1:9; 1Th 3:12). 2. If we ask anything according to His will,
He hears and answers us (1Jn 5:14-15). 3. We are able to love others when we pray
for them (Mt 5:44). C. Increase Your
Love by Practicing Loving One Another. 1. True
agape love is not real unless it is in action. Love without action
does not benefit anyone (1Co 13:1-3). 2. In Paul’s description of the love in 1Co
13:4-8, he uses all action verbs. 3. Put love into practice and you will have
more of it. |
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