This morning felt led to read from 1 John, chapter 3. I didn’t remember exactly what was in chapter 3, so was surprised to find one of the verses I have been quoting regularly, nestled into verse 8. Here are the surrounding verses for context and additional conversation - 1 John 3:7-19,23-24 NIV
[7] “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. [8] The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. [9] No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. [10] This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
[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:
[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.”
Lately I have been praying for the Lord to destroy the devil’s work. I see his hands at work sowing division, deception, disagreements, accusations, and the like. Lord, we pray that You would break through into our hearts and minds and reveal any works of the enemy in our lives, in our thinking, in our actions, in our talking. Help us to realize that we can’t be attacking a brother or sister at the same time saying we love our brothers and sisters.
I do love John’s writings for he boils it down to the basics, our love for the Lord and our love for one another are directly related. He challenges us to put real actions behind our words. He pushes those of us who are wholly smitten with God, but who don’t think about or care for people, in his mind the two are inseparable, and directly related to one another.
John makes it very clear, if we hate, its as if we are murderers (verse 15 above). While this might seem excessive it does tie back to Jesus’ words during His sermon on the mount - Matthew 5:21-22 NIV:
[21] “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ [22] But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
Clearly, this is some serious stuff. Bringing it back to Jesus' words, again echoed by John in verses 16 and 23 above. We are called to love one another the way Jesus loved us, being willing to lay down our very lives for one another. John makes it very practical, laying down one’s life doesn’t usually involve stepping in front of a person to take a bullet, it is seen in our day to day lives, how we care for one another, how we love in real action! Verses 17 and 18 are the real challenge! Can we share our material possessions with those in need, can we open our home to brothers and sisters, can we provide food or care for the downtrodden? Can we do so when we don’t have extra, but when we are tapping that which we depend on ourselves?
I could continue on this line of thinking for I am reminded of Jesus’ parable about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and how Jesus expands the idea of loving one’s neighbor. This morning I am just encouraged to look at my life, at the way I treat and think about others, and to look at my track record of care for those in need! I see many times where I stopped short of putting my beliefs and spoken words into actions. Lastly, I am reminded that my loving of others is actually destroying the works of the enemy, for he sows division, disagreement, judgment and hatred!
Lord help us, for I think the Church has many opportunities to grow in these areas!
Amen!
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