11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:11-24
John in this section lays out for us four possible ‘levels’ of relationship. They are murder, hatred, indifference, and Christian compassion. Only the fourth of these levels is the correct Christian approach and has been since the beginning. Let’s look at each in turn.
Murder v11-14
Murder is by far the lowest level of relationship since it ultimately ends any chance of a relationship. John tells us to not be like Cain since his murder of his brother demonstrated that he belonged to Satan not God. Cain is an example of a life of hatred and where hatred can lead. Cain’s actions and attitudes were governed and directed by Satan not by Christ. Cain not only committed murder, but he also lied about it. Both murder and lying are in direct contrast to the behaviour God demands of His children.
Hatred v13-15
We need to be careful that we do not hate anyone. The danger is that hatred festers and, in the end, controls us. Hate is a word in our society that has lost its weight but here John tells us that to hate is equivalent to murder. Hatred is dangerous because it is a heart attitude that can so easily overspill into unintended actions. Whilst murder is an outward action, hatred is internal feeling that we can – at least sometimes - conceal in our hearts. But the intent of both murder and hatred is the same. And the antidote is also the same – to love our enemies!
Indifference v 16-17
This is a great test of whether we truly understand Christian love. Christian love is not simply a failure to do harm to someone, but it involves doing good to them. It is easy to say we love our brothers and sisters in Christ but when we see need, do we actually respond or just assume that someone else will? If we truly understand the love of God towards us and what Jesus did for us upon the cross, then we will not be able to ignore those in need or to simply talk the talk. It will move us to walk the walk…which brings us to the fourth level.
Christian compassion v18-24
Jesus talks in the Sermon on the Mount about giving to those in need and here John is telling us the same thing. True Christian love that is a response to the love God has shown us moves us to action, to give sacrificially to those in need. True Christian love is loving in deed as well as word. As we display true Christian love it gives us assurance of our salvation since it is work that is the result of salvation. As we are then assured of our salvation we then grow in our confidence before God and as a result we pray bigger and bolder prayers and delight in seeing them answered. The life of true Christian love is one of joy and happiness as we get to serve and love others, mirroring how God has loved and served us.
In our current situation there are many needs around today; financial, social, spiritual. As you hear of those needs, how do you respond? We cannot meet up currently, but we can be using the phone, email, and other ways of communicating to hear of need and respond. And as always, we can be lifting each other in prayer before our Father.
Prayer for today
Our loving heavenly Father,
We thank you for the love you express to us each day and for the greatest display of love in the cross of Jesus. We ask today that you will guard our hearts from hatred and indifference. When we hear or see those in need may you move us past thoughts and words to actions and deeds.
Help us to love as we have been loved and serve as we have been served.
We pray all this in Jesus’ name,
Amen
Song for today
You can listen and sing along here.
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Stuart Townend Copyright © 1995 Thankyou Music (Adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com excl. UK & Europe, adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family, songs@integritymusic.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment