seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 John 3:11 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.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read. Please follow the link to the commentary and read the rest of it!
That we should love one another: The basic Christian message has not changed. Perhaps some have thought that because Christians talk about a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” that it is only us and Jesus who matter. But how we treat others — how we love one another — really matters before God.
Not as Cain: As a negative example, John presents Cain, who was not right with God (his works were evil) and who hated his brother. When there are two children of God who are both right with God, there will be love.
Who was of the wicked one: Cain is a good example of the failure to love.
We can presume that Cain had a godly upbringing that should have equipped him to love, but he chose not to.
Do not marvel: We shouldn’t be surprised when the world hates us; but we should be surprised when there is hatred among the body of Christ.
We know that we have passed from death to life: A love for the people of God is a basic sign of being born again. If this love is not evident in our lives, our salvation can be questioned. If it is present, it gives us assurance.
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer: To hate our brother is to murder him in our hearts. Though we may not carry out the action (through cowardice or fear of punishment), we wish that person dead. Or, by ignoring another person, we may treat them as if they were dead. Hatred can be shown passively or actively.
“In the heart there is no difference; to hate is to despise, to cut off from relationship, and murder is simply the fulfillment of that attitude.” (Barker)
“Every man who hates another has the venom of murder in his veins. He may never actually take the deadly weapons into his hand and destroy life; but if he wishes that his brother were out of the way, if he would be glad if no such person existed, that feeling amounts to murder in the judgment of God.” (Spurgeon)
You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him: To live in the practice of murder — or to have a life style of the habitual hatred of our brethren — is a demonstration that we do not have eternal life abiding in us, that we are not born again.
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us: Real love isn’t merely “felt” as an inward feeling; it is also shown by demonstration — and the ultimate demonstration was the giving of Jesus on the cross.
Lay down our lives: John also reminds us that love, and its demonstration, often involves sacrifice — the laying down of our lives for others. Wishing to be more loving won’t do, because it won’t sacrifice where it is necessary.
Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth: John will not allow us to merely talk about love; real love is demonstrated in actions (though it is also often evident in our feelings).
And shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? If you have the capability to meet a brother’s needs, and do nothing to meet those needs, then how can you say you love that brother? How does the love of God abide in you?
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth: We can substitute talk for love — talking about meeting people’s needs instead of actually meeting them.
And shall assure our hearts before Him: Our assurance is two-fold. First, God already knows everything about you and He loves you, He cares for you, He desires you; second, God knows all things, and knows who we truly are in Jesus Christ. If we are born again, then the real self is the one created in the image of Jesus Christ.
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things: But what if we have been walking in love, yet our heart still condemns us before God? John assures us that God is greater than our heart, and so reminds us that we cannot base our relationship with Him purely on how we feel in His presence.
Whatever we ask: The person who walks in the kind of obedience and love John speaks of will also experience answered prayer. This is not because their love and obedience has earned them what they ask, but their love and obedience comes from fellowship — the key to answered prayer.
Because we keep His commandments: Keeping God’s commandments is important to answered prayer. But we should make a distinction between the prayer of the man who is saved, and the cry of the heart seeking mercy from God in Jesus. For the sinner who comes to Jesus in prayer, seeking mercy, the only requirement is sincerity of heart. God does not demand our obedience before He saves us.
And do those things that are pleasing in His sight: The person who is in fellowship with God will want to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. We should have hearts that just want to please the Lord in everything that we do.
And this is His commandment: The idea of keeping His commandments in the previous verse led John to speak specifically about what His commandment is. Simply, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.
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Yesterday I talked about the Pew Warmers. I even said that if you were a Second-Generation Pew Warmer, you wouldn't know. You do what you are taught and you think you are properly worshiping the Lord just by putting in the hours in the pew. People see you there and notice the size of your tithe.
I wonder how many of us questioned our Salvation thinking of the Second-Generation Pew Warmers. How many of us worry we may miss the boat because our parents taught us the wrong lesson. Maybe we aren't Second-Generation Pew Warmers. Maybe our parents' parents were Pew Warmers. Maybe we are the Fourteenth-Generation of Pew Warmers. Maybe we don't know what we're doing because we were raised to be Pew Warmers by Pew Warmers who knew no better.
Jesus gave us 2 Commandments to replace the 10 Commandments that God inscribed on rock for Moses.
- Love God with all your heart, mind, and sole.
- Love One Another as you would have them love you.
But wait, you might say, anyone can sign a check and send it to Catholic Charities. Satan could even do that. Lots of people talk about giving to their local charities. At the end of the fiscal year, a lot of people donate to charities so they won't have to pay taxes, not because they want to do the right thing.
If you are a Christian, you will show everyone love. You will share a smile and assurance with someone when they are feeling down. You will help someone out of the generosity in your heart.
You will even love that hateful old bitty down the street.
If you are a Christian, it will make you happy to make others happy.
If you are a Christian, you will become addicted to being nice to people.
If you love God... tell people... It's called a Confession of Faith.
If you love others... figure out how you can help them. Sometimes all they need is a smile. Sometimes they need half of your sandwich.
When someone asks you, "Why are you doing this?" you can answer "I love Jesus. He told me to do this".
Do you want to sit in that particular pew or do you want to hear more about Jesus?
If you just want to see and be seen, you are a Pew Warmer.... it doesn't matter if you are a First-Generation or Fourteenth-Generation Pew Warmer... you are a Pew Warmer and you will go to hell.
If you are in church to learn more about Jesus.... Welcome to the family.
One of the reasons we are tasked to Love One Another, is that it opens the door to sharing the Gospel.
My Online Bible says these verses should be titled "More on Love and Hatred".
Do you love people or do you hate people?
Are you hateful or loving?
Hey 
