Week 3: 1 John 3:11 - 4:21

1 John 3:12–13 (NRSV)

12 We must not be like Cain who was from 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 astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you.

Jealousy lay behind his hatred, not the jealousy which covets another’s greater gifts but that which resents another’s greater righteousness, the ‘envy’ which made the Jewish priests demand the death of Jesus. Jealousy-hatred-murder is a natural and terrible sequence. REF: Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 142). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

1 John 3:14 (NRSV)

14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death.

“The authentic followers of Jesus Christ, who have ‘passed from death to life’, hunger for Christian fellowship. They do not ‘give up meeting together’ (Heb. 10:25), but delight to worship and pray together, and to talk together on spiritual topics, while their personal relationships with each other are marked by unselfish and caring love.” REF: Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, pp. 143–144). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

1 John 3:16–17 (NRSV)

16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

But the self-sacrifice of Christ is not just a revelation of love to be admired; it is an example to copy. We ought (i.e. we should be willing) to lay down our lives for our brothers; otherwise our profession to love them is an empty boast. We ‘ought’ to do this, as a definite Christian obligation, because we belong to Christ, just as we ‘ought’ to follow his example in all things and walk even as he walked (2:6), and just as, if God’s love for us is so great, we ‘ought’ also to love one another (4:11). For the cross as an example of humility and forbearance see Philippians 2:5–8 and 1 Peter 2:19–23 respectively. REF: Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 145). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

1 John 4:2–3 (NRSV)

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming; and now it is already in the world.

Still today there are many voices clamoring for our attention, and many cults gaining widespread popular support. Some of them claim a special revelation or inspiration to authenticate their particular doctrine. There is need for Christian discernment. For many are too gullible, and exhibit a naïve readiness to credit messages and teachings which purport to come from the spirit world. There is such a thing, however, as a misguided tolerance of false doctrine. Unbelief (do not believe every spirit) can be as much a mark of spiritual maturity as belief. We should avoid both extremes, the superstition which believes everything and suspicion which believes nothing. REF: Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 154). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

NOTES: I recently purchased and watched this documentary titled, American Gospel: Christ Alone, and strongly encourage you to take time to watch it with your family. You will recognize many of the topics we have discussed in our studies together. http://www.americangospelfilm.com/

1 John 4:17–18 (NRSV)

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.

In verse 12 John declared that if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. In verses 13–16 he has enlarged on the divine indwelling; in verses 17–21 he reverts to the theme of complete love, although now he is concerned with the completion not of God’s love in us but of our love for God. John is not suggesting that any Christian’s love could in this life be flawlessly perfect, but rather developed and mature, set fixedly upon God. He describes two marks of such ‘perfect love’, namely confidence before God and love of our brothers and sisters. REF: Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, pp. 168–169). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.