Transcript Slide 1

First John
A Test of True Faith
Howard Buck
3:14-18
February 20, 2011
We are in the middle of our examination of the
applicational methods of the Social, or love test
This test started in 3:11 and ends in 3:18
To preface our verses, let’s review verse 13 first:
1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if
the world hates you.
The contrast is here, the word hate and in
verse 14, the word love
The world hates us because our walking in the
light exposes the sins of the world
Are we actually hated by the world??
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.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer;
and you know that no murderer has eternal life
abiding in him.
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.
17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his
brother in need and closes his heart against him,
how does the love of God abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with
tongue, but in deed and truth
The first 3 verses have some rather hard language in
them to emphasis the seriousness of the subject!
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.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer;
and you know that no murderer has eternal life
abiding in him.
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..
As my colleague Sam 1 stated last week, and as
will be very clear this week:
Good – Bad
Saved – Not saved
Love – Hate
One or the other, no in-between!!!!
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.
Keep in mind as John makes his points that this
is a comparison of an ongoing lifestyle not
separate or random events
i.e..
1:5 Can we walk in the dark and still be a Christian?
Yes if we only step into the darkness for a short time
UNDER CONVICTION WHILE WE ARE THERE
1:8 Can we sin and still be a Christian.
Yes, as long as it is not an on-going lifestyle
1:3 If we break His commandments, are we still a
Christian.
Yes, again it is not an on-going lifestyle
3:8 If we practice sin, are we a Christian
No, not if sin is an on-going lifestyle..
What did Jesus say would identify His
disciples?...
John 13:35 "By this all men will know that
you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another."
This verse, John 13:35 must have been on
John’s mind as he writes 1 John 3:14, since he
draws such a distinct parallel to it..
Jesus says the evidence of your Spiritual birth is
in your love for one another
John says the evidence for our Spiritual birth is in
our love for our brethren
The only difference is their terms for our Spiritual
birth:
Disciples of Jesus in John 13
Brethren in 1 John 3:14..
Why does John say that those without this love
abide in death?...
Because they are still spiritually dead in their sin:
Eph.2:1 And you were dead in your
trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to
the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that
is now working in the sons of disobedience..
1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother
is a murderer; and you know that no murderer
has eternal life abiding in him.
This is a bold statement!!
First, define murder -- To kill someone, or to hate
someone? (Matt 5:21-22)
Is John speaking of a one time or occasional
event?...
No, it is an on-going lifestyle..
So, if someone hates his brother as an on-going
thing, what is this evidence of?...
That he is dead in his sin and therefore will NOT
inherit eternal life
Do you wrestle with on-going hatred of your
brother??????
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.
What is the difference in this example and the
one in verse 12?…
Cain killed His brother, Jesus died for His brother
See the difference between the world and God..
John says that “we know love” by this act
This love (agape) reveals some of it’s
characteristics here, what do you think they
are?…
It is costly, it shows unconditional acceptance of
another and it brings accomplishment…
What is Christ’s dying acting out?…
True Christian love for one another..
So by His example what do we learn about how
our Christian love should be?….
Sacrificial!!!!
Expositors Commentary:
It is denial of self for another’s gain. It is doing
what Jesus Himself would do
So what does John think we should do about this
Agape love thing?...
Exercise it in our dealing with each other!!
1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world’s goods,
and sees his brother in need and closes his heart
against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Notice that this verse opens with a contrast –
We go from the perfect and ultimate example of
Christian love (Christ) to a practical example of
non-Christian love
Again John draws the black and white picture
You, by example are, or you by example are not
There is no in-between
What's the practical application of this verse?...
John again calls us to walk the walk!!
1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word
or with tongue, but in deed and truth
First, who is John speaking to?...
Christians, (little children)
What does it mean that we are not to love by word or
tongue?...
Don’t sit around simply talking about helping a brother in
need and
Don’t give lip service through idle words to your brothers
when they need action:
James 2:15 If a brother or sister is without clothing
and in need of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be
warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them
what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being
by itself.
Rather, love one another, BY YOUR ACTIONS!!
I don’t think there is any verse that will hit the
Christian who is living a hypocritical lifestyle more
then 3:18
These are very powerful words
What about you?
Can you really say that you show your love for
one another in deeds – or in truth
(truth is genuine love not conditional),,
Or, are you part of the lip-service group that talks
about it but never does it?
“Our church ought to______,”
But, we are not willing to get involved and start or
even participate in the project.
Where do you stand?
What exactly is it you do in or around the church
to show your love for your brother and sister in
Christ by your ACTIONS??
Let’s summarize this last group of verses
11 The ‘action’ message of the gospel = love one another.
12 Cain, killed Abel because Abel’s righteous deeds exposed
Cain’s unrighteous deeds, leading to hatred and murder.
13 Expect the world to hate us because our righteousness will
expose the world’s wickedness.
14 Our love for our fellow Christian is evidence of our rebirth in
Christ.
15 Hatred is murder and evidence of not being reborn in Christ.
16 Agape love is sacrificial love and must be practiced by
believers.
17 Helping others is a sign of true salvation.
18 Put your agape, Christian love in action through deeds..
What do we take home, how about…
Summary statement:
Our love for one another is proof of our belief
and is evidenced by our
loving actions toward one another