Introduction:

1 John 3:13-18

I.              The Hatred Of The World (v.13-18)

A.           The World’s Hatred Toward God’s Children.

1.            Do Not Marvel that the World Hates You (v.13).

a)            If We Love Christ, then the World Will Persecute Us.

(1)           Have You Suffered Rejection Because of Your Faith?  Cain hated Abel and murdered him. Why did Cain do that?  “Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous” (v. 12).

(2)           Have you experienced animosity, hostility, rejection, bitterness, prejudice, or outright persecution from representing and advocating what is right? If so, that’s a sign that you belong to One who suffered the same way for the same reason.

(3)           What the Worldly thinks about you:

Paul the Apostle Said: "Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so wise!  We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are well thought of, but we are laughed at. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our own. We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living.  We bless those who curse us.  We are patient with those who abuse us.  We respond gently when evil things are said about us.  Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment." (1 Corinthians 4:10-13, NLT)

(4)           You’re a threat to their belief that “this world is all that’s worth living for”.

Peter Wrote: "Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you." (1 Peter 4:4, NLT)

Jesus Said: "The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you." (John 15:19, NLT)

(5)           However, Scripture Says:

Paul while in Prison Writes: "But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News.  Don’t be intimidated by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this fight together. You have seen me suffer for him in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of this great struggle." (Philippians 1:27-30, NLT)

"God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man. “When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors." (Luke 6:22-23, NLT)

(6)           Now, If You’re Hated Because You’re Obnoxious, There’s No Virtue In That!

“But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God” (1 Peter 2:20).

2.            The World Does Not Know nor Understand Believers.  Why? 

a)            Because the world did not know Jesus Christ (1 John 3:1cf. John 1:9-11) 

"See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him." (1 John 3:1, NASB95)

"That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." (John 1:9-11, NKJV)

(1)           Think about it: God’s Son came into the world, but the world did not know Him. They wanted nothing to do with Him; they rejected Him. Now if the world rejected Jesus Christ, God’s very own Son, they are bound to reject God’s adopted children.

(2)           But we should be surprised when there is hatred among the body of Christ!

B.           Passing From Death To Life.

1.            Passed From Death To Life (v.14).

a)            We Know that we have passed from death to life (v.14a)

(1)           There is something John says that we can know, & that is that we can know we have passed from spiritual death unto eternal life.  Jesus said a similar phrase.  In John 5:24 He said:

He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (John 5:24 NKJV)

b)            The Proof That One Has Passed From Death to Life is “Love”.

(1)           A Love For The People Of God Is A Basic Sign Of Being Born Again. 

"And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." (1 John 3:23, NKJV)

"He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him." (1 John 2:10)

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7).

"And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." (1 John 4:21, NKJV)

"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments." (1 John 5:2, NKJV)

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”" (John 13:35, NKJV)

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12, 17)

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." (Galatians 5:6, NKJV)

(2)           If this love is not evident in our lives, our salvation can be questioned. 

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4: 8), If it is present, it gives us assurance! 

(3)           The Bible describes lost persons in (Titus 3:3) by saying that they are hateful & hating one another. The place of hatred, of jealousy, of bitterness you find yourself in is a place of death. You need to pass from death to life!

2.            Other Tests John Gives As An Assurance of Our Salvation. 

a)            He Says That True believers Will—

(1)           walk in the light (1:5-7)

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7, NKJV)

(2)           keep God’s commandments (2:3-5)

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." (1 John 2:3-5, NKJV)

(3)           walk as Christ walked (2:6)

"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." (1 John 2:6, NKJV)

(4)           show that they are abiding in the light by loving one another (2:10-11)

"He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:10-11, NKJV)

(5)           no longer love the world and the things in the world (2:15)

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15, NKJV)

(6)           abide in the will of God (2:17)

"And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17, NKJV)

(7)           practice righteousness (2:29)

"If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:29, NKJV)

(8)           not go on living in sin (3:9)

"Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:9, NKJV)

(9)           exercise love (3:14)

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." (1 John 3:14, NKJV)

(10)           If your life is characterized by hatred, then you have never really experienced the new birth:

"If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21, NKJV)

C.                 Love Does Not Hate (v.15)

1.            Hatred Is Murder.

a)            Whoever Hates His Brother is a Murderer (v.15a).

(1)           To Hate Our Brother Is To Murder Him In Our Hearts.

(2)           Though we may not carry out the action (for fear of punishment), we wish that person dead. Or, by ignoring another person, we may treat them as if they were dead! Hatred can be shown passively or actively.

John seems to have in mind the teaching of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount regarding the true fulfillment of the law:

"“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, NASB95)

(3)           To live in the practice of murder - or to have a life style of the habitual hatred of our brethren - is a demonstration that we do not have eternal life abiding in us, that we are not born again.

b)            Being a Christian is More Than Saying, “I am a Christian.”

(1)           There Are Some Who Claim To Be Christians Who Are Not. How can we know if we are one of these? John’s reply has been constant and simple. There are three tests to measure the proof of a genuine Christian:

(a)           the truth test: If we believe in what the Bible teaches as true

(b)           the love test: if we show the love of Jesus to others

(c)           the moral test: and if our conduct has been changed and is becoming more like Jesus,  then our claim to be a Christian can be proven true.

c)                  No Murderer Has Eternal Life Abiding In Him (v.15b)

(1)                 The Implication Is That Either Does Any Person Who Hates His Brother!

(2)           A person who does not love his brother, who has negative feelings swirling within his heart, who has allowed his heart to become hardened against his brother—that person does not have eternal life dwelling within him

Paul, writing to the Galatians says: "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21, NKJV)

D.           How To Love Others.

1.                  The Love of Jesus Christ (v.16)

a)            By This We Know Love (v.16a). 

What Is The Love That He Is Talking About?

(1)           It Gives Because It Wants To.

(2)           It Does Not Demand Or Expect Repayment, It Does Not Love In Order To Receive.

Jesus said: "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”" (Luke 14:12-14, NKJV)

(3)           It Loves Even When It Is Rejected:

"I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." (2 Corinthians 12:15, NLT)

(4)           Real love isn’t merely “felt” as an inward feeling; it is also shown by demonstration - and the ultimate demonstration was the giving of Jesus on the cross - by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

b)            Jesus Laid Down His Life For Us (v.16b).

(1)           Hatred found its expression in Cain’s act of the murder of his brother; love found its expression in the act of Christ on our behalf in laying down His life for us.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (John 10:11 NKJV)          

Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.   "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. (John 10:17-18 NKJV)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NKJV)

c)            And We also Ought To lay down our lives for the brethren (v.16c).

(1)                 In Order To Give Yourself To Others, You Must First Give Yourself to God.

(2)                 As you give your life to the Lord it will be no problem in giving unto others, because you love the Lord and want to do anything He says to please Him (2Cor.5:8). 

Paul writes: "Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.  Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing." (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT)

2.            Putting This Love In Practice (v.17-18)

a)            Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth (v.18).

(1)           Real Love is Demonstrated In Action, not Just Words (v.17)!

(2)           If you have the capability to meet a brother’s needs, and do-nothing to meet that need, then how can you say you love that brother?  How does the love of God abide in you?.

(3)           The true test of love is not one’s verbal profession of it (loving with words or tongue) but his willingness to help… to love with actions and in truth.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10:29-37