1 John 3:11-15 SS Lesson 3/10

Conversations about hate.

How does hate express itself in the life of an individual?

Passage

1 John 3:11–15 ESV

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever 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.

In order to understand John’s point, we need to read about Cain and Able and have a proper understanding of this story!

Genesis 4:1–10 ESV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

This story outlines the very difference between a worshipper and a murderer.

Both brought sacrifices to God, one was worshipping, one was pretending.

This is a lot of what we see today. The attending of religious rituals, giving of offerings, but neither of these are valid proof for true repentance righteousness.

The real test is a love for people… Cain failed.

Worship: the activity of glorifying God in His presence with our voices and hearts.

What was the difference in Cain and Ables offering?

Faith.

Hebrews 11:4 ESV

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

How is faith received?

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Believe it or not, God gives clear instructions concerning how He is to be worshipped- Apparently Able received these instructions and put them in play...

Cain rejected God’s word and worshipped Him in the way He wanted to…

How do people today worship God in ways that are contrary to what God has communicated?

Given every opportunity to repent, Cain eventually turned his back to God’s word and became opposed to anything that stood for it- even his brother.

Cain’s attitude represents the world-

The world hates Christ.

John 15:18–25 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

For the same reason Cain hated Able,

Christ shows the world’s sin and reveals it’s true nature.

When the world comes to grips with this reality, it has two options: repent and change or destroy the one who is exposing it.

So let’s unpack this hatred.

This is all about the inward intent.

*Story of the lions...

The only reason we haven’t murdered someone is the bars that stand between us and them.

Fear of arrest, shame, and the penalties of the law.

We will not be just judged on what we do though… James calls this, “the law of liberty.”

James 2:12 ESV

12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

The question is not “What did you do?” but “What did you want to do?”

This passage is concerning a new lifestyle once one has become a child of God… This lifestyle is loving your neighbor, your brother and sister in Christ.

Questions/Thoughts?

Testimony