Love One Another
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Take a fish. God created fish to live and thrive in water, whether salt or fresh. Gills are adapted to absorb oxygen from water, so water is the element in which a fish finds its identity, its "fishness," its freedom. It finds itself in the element for which it was created: water. It's limited to water, but in that limitation is liberty.
Suppose you had a little tropical fish in one of those old-fashioned, spherical goldfish bowls. Suppose the little fish swam round and round his blessed bowl until its frustration became unbearable. The fish decided to make a bid for freedom and leap out of the bowl. If it landed in a pond in your backyard, it would increase its freedom because there would be more water to swim in. But if it landed on the concrete or on the carpet, then its bid for freedom would spell death.
If fish were meant for water, what are human beings made for? It would be interesting if we had time to sit down alongside one another and share our answers to that question. If fish were made for water, what are human beings made for? What is the element in which human beings find themselves, as water is the element in which a fish finds itself?
I don't hesitate to say that according to Scripture the answer is love. Human beings are made for love because God is love. When he created us in his own image, he gave us the capacity to love and to be loved. So human beings find their destiny in loving God and in loving their neighbors.
Loving one another is not a new thing. When we were new to Christianity its was probably something you heard right away. Loving neighbor as ourself. Loving each other as Christ loved us. Vital to a gospel shaped life. Vital to a gospel shaped community. But showing love for others lately has been a bit disconcerting. Even from professing Christians. So much hate on social media. Such unbecoming speech toward those even within the walls of the church. One pastor friend of mine said something kinda weird once… he said it actually shocked him when his church members actually showed brotherly kindness. Of course we see unloving behavior from the world. We know that it will be directed towards Christians because of Christ. But how can this be in the church? You cannot belong to Christ if you do not love our brothers. John continues...
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
Nothing New
The Way of Cain
Death to Life
Life More Abundant
The first thing we will look at today is the gravity of the command to love our neighbor. It was given since the beginning… its nothing new. The second point to cover is the illustration of Cain that John uses to describe those who do not love their brothers. Finally, we will look at a beautiful characteristic of Christians. We have passed from death to life.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to become weak in the flesh and struggle with indifference toward our brothers and sisters in Christ, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Gospel that will motivate us with new life to show love in any and every situation.
I. Nothing New
- Its been the message from the very beginning.
A. What becomes very apparent here is that the question of loving each other is not just a duty for us, but it is also a test. Clear in verse 10
So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.
B. And now the presentation continues as the principle of loving others is expounded.
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
C. There may have been those at that time and we will see that it is true today that some are so concerned with the development of their own spiritual life that they become lacking in love for others. They forget about the the most basic of Christian duty. Loving each other.
D. You know if you think a bit, you cannot even with a quick scan of the NT miss this important and necessary message. It is repeated everywhere. It is a most fundamental and pervasive message. Important? You bet.
E. Here we have our Lord in the shadow of the cross saying these words.
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
F. We see it in the course of history as to how the brotherly love of Christians had an impact. Nothing more vivid than the Jew and Gentile relations in the church of Ephesus.
For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
Ephesians
G. And that wall of hostility came down and these two natural born enemies, began living and dying for each other. According to scholars this was something that impacted the ancient world, perhaps even the very thing that turned people to Christ more than others. Loving each other has to be the one characteristic that differentiates us from the world. It is the thing that will make clear to everyone that we belong to Christ.
H. We witnessed the powerful blooming of the love of the people for the Lord and for each other, growing out of the seeds sown by the supernatural spread and transformation of the Gospel. What a display it was. All different kinds of people were exhibiting a self-sacrificial love for each other in such a way that it would puzzle others outside of the Christian community. This love presented to the world something wonderful about the people of Christ and the wonders of the Gospel and its implications.
I. But it remains, how could people that were so different, with such different upbringing and values, so set in their ways, with deep seeded bitterness, who were zealous, awkward, and even offensive, have such a love for each other?
J. For instance, think about the disciples of Christ at this time. They had different personalities, conviction, temperaments, and upbringing. Peter was strong, committed, and valiant. Thomas was a cynic and skeptic. Simon the Zealot was a Jewish Nationalist. James and John were referred to as the sons of thunder because they were bold, intense and outspoken. They were also right hand of Christ ambitious. Matthew was a hated tax-collecting traitor. Andrew was a people caring person. Phillip was probably too much of a realist. All of these different kinds of men were commanded to love one another in the same way that Christ loved them. Obviously, they were not a bunch of guys with much in common who just found each other and started a church.
K. They were able because they were disciples of Christ. We are able because we are disciples of Christ. We have these incredible commands because we are new creations with the Holy Spirit dwelling with us. We can accomplish these commands because we are God’s children.
[1] Check out some church history. Cairns, Earle E. Christianity Through the Centuries. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996. Chapters 3-6
L. Christ dropped the gauntlet. He set the standard. He is telling the world that my people are gonna be different. The world will be caught and affected by the disciples of Christ when we display love for each other the way Christ loved us. Amazingly, when we look at our world, the constant accusation and slander against the church is our hypocrisy. Think about all the other religions, they are not getting whacked for their hypocrisy. What does this mean? It means that the world in its darkness and blindness still expects something different from a Christian. It expects something in a Christian community that no one else in the world can show. That is why, when we carry judgmental, condemning, unkind and unloving behavior, just like the world, our witness for Christ is weak and humiliating.
II. The Way of Cain
M.
- Not loving our neighbor is the way of Cain not Christ.
A. John has in mind , in which the account of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, is found. Cain was angry because his offering was not accepted by the Lord, whereas the offering of his brother Abel was accepted.
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
fellow believers by using a negative example: Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. The author has in mind , in which the account of Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, is found. Cain was angry because his offering was not accepted by the Lord, whereas the offering of his brother Abel was accepted. In his anger Cain planned and carried out the murder of his brother Abel. It may be inferred from that Cain’s offering was not accepted because he was an evildoer. In this text, the Lord, following his rejection of Cain’s offering, and before Cain murdered his brother, says to Cain: ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.’
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous.
Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John (p. 133). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
B. Cain murdered Abel because “his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” John uses a word for “murder” in the Greek New Testament that means “to butcher or slaughter.” Rendered literally, it would be translated “to cut the throat.” Abel died a violent death at the hands of his own brother. A Christian is not like Cain. This is not a characteristic of those who are born of God.
C. John answers three questions about Cain in these verses. First, where did Cain come from? Answer: “the evil one.” What did Cain do? Answer: he “murdered his brother.” Third, why did Cain do it? Answer: “his own deeds were evil.” Cain failed the test of love for his brother. This illustrates the fact that it is often the nature of the wicked to hate the righteous.
Preaching the Word: 1–3 John—Fellowship in God’s Family Love and Hate Are Mutually Exclusive in the Christian Life (vv. 11–15)
John answers three questions about Cain in these verses. First, where did Cain come from? Answer: “the evil one.” What did Cain do? Answer: he “murdered his brother.” Third, why did Cain do it? Answer: “his own deeds were evil.” Cain failed the test of love for his brother.
John answers three questions about Cain in these verses. First, where did Cain come from? Answer: “the evil one.” What did Cain do? Answer: he “murdered his brother.” Third, why did Cain do it? Answer: “his own deeds were evil.” Cain failed the test of love for his brother.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 152). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
This illustrates the fact that it is often the nature of the wicked to hate the righteous.
Cain murdered Abel because “his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” John uses a word for “murder” in the Greek New Testament that means “to butcher or slaughter.” Rendered literally, it would be translated “to cut the throat.” Abel died a violent death at the hands of his own brother. This illustrates the fact that it is often the nature of the wicked to hate the righteous.
C. Bringing us to the next point. And he starts it with do not be surprised. Don’t be surprised that the world hates you. When you became a chirstian you have been born again and empowered to do what is righteous. You have become like Abel. So don’t be surprised. The world is filled with Cain’s descendants who will express their hatred toward the children of God.
Allen, D. L. (2013). 1–3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 152). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
D.
The world is filled with Cain’s descendants who will express their hatred toward the children of God.
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, p. 307). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
III. Death to Life
- Don’t forget who we are.
A. The next part of the passage shows us something wonderful about who we are in Christ.
If we love our brothers and sisters who are believers, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.
B. I want to emphasize the importance of knowing this by quoting Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones.
-”It does seem to me more and more that what accounts for most of our failures in Christian living is our failure to realize what we are. It is our failure to realize what God has done to us, what has happened to us. Our whole tendency always is to rush to practical applications before we have truly grasped what we are. I have already reminded you that the whole emphasis of the New Testament is put in that way. We must think less and less of doing and more and more of being. If we only are what we ought to be, then the doing will more or less look after itself, and John here reminds us in those wonderful verses of what we are as Christians and what has happened to us.”
C. We have passed from death to life. Why is this wonderful? Man what a stark contrast. Death and Life. It is not small thing. When we become a Christian we have been resurrected and born again out of spiritual death.
“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
D. Love is seen in the Scriptures to be the preeminent of christian virtues.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ga;atians 5:22
For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
1
E. Love is the surest test of having life, as it has already been shown to be the test of being in the light.
Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.
Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 143). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
F. And make no mistake about it, we were dead.
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
G. Yes when sin entered the world death came to all of us.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Romans 6
H. That is the reality of what we are before Christ. Death. Dead in our trespasses. Dead in our rebellion towards God. We were dead because of our breaking of the commands of God. Death. Unable to do anything to better ourselves spiritually. We are unable because we are dead.
I. Have we fallen short? Have we broken any of the ten commandments? Have we broken all of them? Does not matter. Even if we break the smallest of commands we are as guilty as one who has broken all of them. Our state is death. Dead in our sins.
J. But today if you are a Christian you have passed from death to life. How?
that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
K. We passed from death to life because of Christ. We are able to love our neighbors because of Christ. We have life and life more abundant because of Christ. We display the fruits of the Spirit because of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit because of Christ. We can love each other as Christ loved us because of Christ. All that we have is because of Christ. We have it all because of Christ.
L. Yes we were dead because of sin, but we passed from death to life because Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… He came to seek and save that which was lost. The saying is trust worthy and deserving of full acceptance...
M. The promises continue… All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart...
N.