Untitled Sermon

Children of God Love one Another

Review of Chapter 3:

the Great love of God

Children of God live in holiness and obey

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 3

11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;

12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.

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.

So, we’ve looked at the great love of God that he would adopted us as His children at the cost of His son and the if we are truly His children then we will obey him.

vs 9 of chapter 3 say “no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he is born of God.”

If you are a christian, when you were born again there was a seed imparted in you to be holy. The “seed” that was imparted to you not only grows forth “holiness” but “love” as well.

Love is a defining characteristic of a true Christian. Those who practice love prove that this are Christians.

The command to love (Verse 11)

Again John gives a command to love. He has called these people to “love their brother”, “love God”, and “love each other”.

So like he states in , “a new commandment I give you,… to love one another”, He again, in similar fashion states “the message which you have heard from the beginning,… love one another”

His continual emphasizes on “love” and “from the beginning” was to shown the people the difference between false teachers/converts vs. true genuine Christians.

Love is a central theme of Christianity

The Gospel is about God’s merciful Love

Love others and in particular to 1 John, love for other Christians.

The Bible is about God’s love for people who continually rebel

“That we should love one another”

But Love is only great because God is Holine

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” -Jesus

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” -Peter

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a csincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

Love for each other is not optional, it is natural if you are truly a Christian.

23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

If we hate others we are not Christians (verse 12-15)

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Verse 14 “We know that we have pass out of death into life, (why?) because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”

Verse 12

Don’t be Cain!

How to love? (Verse 16)

Like any action you do, you must know it before you can do it or comprehend how to do it.

basketball: fundamentals, shoot is not pass

Before we know how to love we bust know what love is.

Verse 16, “By this we know love,”

“that he (Jesus) laid down his life for us”

Jesus shows us the fullest and standard of love. That he gave his life for ours.

John is reminding the people and strengthening his case that those whom truly are Christians and have been saved by the gospel should know the fundamental true that love was shown to them “while they were weak, sinners, and enemies of God” ().

Christians can love because they know what true love is. A love they did not deserve.

So how to love one another?

the same way Christ loved us. “we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers”

This is the standard of love that reflects a true Christian. It is the measuring stick for every expression of love.

The Christian love is self-sacrificing and giving

saying “hi”, opening your home, wasting your gas, spending time, confronting sin, encouraging, etc.

Christ gave up His life and we are call to the same standard of love.

Con: Do you love the church? Do you love the people in this room?