The Marks of a Christian
Notes
Transcript
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. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
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.
Introduction
John, having spoken of the truth that in Christ we are made righteous we must give evidence of that in our lives. That evidence is that we love one another. This should be the natural outworking of the work of God's grace in our lives.
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1. Abiding Principle v11-12
1. Abiding Principle v11-12
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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.
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a. Love v11
a. Love v11
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11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
This command, then, is fundamental to the Christian religion (compare John 13:34; 15:12; 1 John 3:23). It can never be regarded as an afterthought in the teaching of God’s revelation.
In the Upper room about to partake of the Passover. Judas had left, Jesus washes the disciples feet.
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34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
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b. Hate v12
b. Hate v12
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.
In contrast with love, hate destroys and kills. John mentions Cain without any details or qualifications, except that he belonged to the devil and that he murdered his brother. Kistemaker, S. J.,
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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.
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2. Hated by the World v13-14
2. Hated by the World v13-14
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.
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a. No Surprise v13
a. No Surprise v13
“Stop being surprised.” The world is filled with Cain’s descendants who will express their hatred toward the children of God. Kistemaker
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18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
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b. From Death to Life v14
b. From Death to Life v14
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
He uses the verb know because the readers know the gospel. They have been taught that, like all other people, they were at one time dead in transgressions and sins (consult Eph. 2:1, 5) until they “passed from death to life”
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1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
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24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.
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3. Murder v15
3. Murder v15
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
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21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgement.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Conclusion
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The world likes good people because it feels that they are a compliment to itself. So the world applauds them. But the world, we are told, hates Christians, not because they are hateful, not because they are good, not because they do good, but specifically because they are Christians, because they are of God, because they have Christ within them. Lloyd-Jones, M. (2002).
