I John 3:11-24

The Nature of God's children - His love

Would you open your Bibles to…

Joh 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Pray

Intro

√ The nature of the children of God

In our study last week we found that we can discern the child of God by observing their life, do they have a nature like Jesus…

A heart like His (attitude toward sin)

A lifestyle like His (regarding the practice sin)

…in short, the child of God will have a righteous life like Jesus, because the Lord’s righteous nature has been imparted into them by the Holy Spirit.

√ The second essential element that we find in the nature of God’s children is that they also love like Jesus loves.

That is, we can discern the true child of God in that he/she exhibits the love of God in their lives toward other people.

Ap. Very important to our witness for Christ!

Because God’s true and perfect love is the final test by which we can discern the child of God from the child of the devil.

Ex. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians

“but have not love, I am nothing.” – I Cor. 13:2

The way in which you and I manifest the love of God, or do not, is the measure by which Jesus will judge our works for Him!

In short, no matter what your gifting is – make sure that you excel in the manifestation of His love in your relationships with people.

So, in our study this morning John calls us to look at how God’s love is observed in the life of the child of God.

The essential of love

The example of love

The evidence of love

Let’s look together.

The essential of love (vs. 11-15)

1Jo. 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

1Jo. 3:12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

1Jo. 3:13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

1Jo. 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

1Jo. 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

√ The essential of love

John begins by telling us that God’s agape love is the foundation of our faith.

John reminds us that we are not only the recipients of God’s perfect love, but that as His children we must also be the dispensers of that love to the world.

The agape love of Jesus then is the mark by which the world will know that we have been born again and are truly the children of God.

It is also that mark which we look for in others’ lives to discern whether or not they are truly a child of God.

By the way, this isn’t some new commandment that John came up with, rather, as he says in vs. 11 it is the same thing they had heard from the beginning of their faith.

For Jesus had told John and the other disciples…

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35

That one statement of Jesus ought to stop us in our tracks and force us to re-evaulate what we think of as important in our faith.

Jesus tells His disciples – including you and me this morning - that the mark of His kingdom, the defining character of the subjects of His kingdom would be love!

Specifically, our love for other Christians!

Ex. A person is recognized by many things; their accent, their manner of dress, the color of their skin, their religious beliefs etc.

For example, you can tell a person born and raised in Boston by their accent.

It’s a mark of who they are as an individual.

Ap. Jesus is telling His disciples, and us, that the defining character of those from His kingdom would be their love for one another!

Regardless of skin color, accent, language spoken, denomination - they would love one another!

This was the mark of the believers in the first century church.

Ex. The early church historian Jerome recorded John's instruction to the Christians in Ephesus;

"This is the Lord's commandment. If ye love one another it is enough."

The pagans in the Roman Empire were recorded by Tertullian as observing in the life of the Christians in their day…

"They love before they know each other!"

And Lucian observed;

"Their Master makes them believe they are brothers"!

It is a great truth that when the church loves one another it's progress cannot be stopped!

Agape love is the weapon Satan fears the most. The devil realizes that God has created people with a void in their life that can only be filled with God’s love.

When Christians practice God’s love in their lives toward one another, the people of the world are drawn to it and Satan is powerless to stop the progress of the Gospel.

Is it any wonder then that the devil works so hard to discredit the true love of God in the life of the believer?

Unforgiveness toward one another

False believers taking advantage of other Christians

Turning molehills of liberty into mountains of dispute

So, John calls us back to the foundation of our faith by reminding us that the child of God will be known first and foremost by…

…God’s love in their life.

Ap. Do you desire to be greatly used of God to reach the world?

Then make it a conscious choice to love one another. Yes, love the people that you sitting with this morning. Make it a point to speak evil of no brother or sister. Make it a point to stand up for your fellow Christian when others would abuse them.

Think of each other more HIGHLY than yourself

Speak good concerning every person here

Pray for one another

Serve one another

Show one another hospitality

You see we make the mistake of believing that if we were only gifted by God then we could win many to Christ.

Signs and wonders to wow people to Christ.

Or, if we had the sharp mind so as to be able to dismantle all of Man's philosophy's and prove that Jesus is the Christ, then we would persuade even the skeptic into the kingdom.

But Jesus has chosen none of these things. He has not selected the esteemed things of the world, or the strong things of the world to define His kingdom. He has chosen the simple beauty of agape love to mark His subjects.

Do you want to be used mightily of God? Chose to love your brother and sister in Christ no matter what the cost and your reward will be great in the Kingdom of God.

The example of love (vs. 16-20)

1Jo. 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

√ The example of love

John turns his attention now to define for us what true love is. He points us of course to the Cross, the perfect example of agape love.

Paul echo’s John’s definition of love in his letter to the believers in Rome.

Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Both Paul and John’s point is that God’s love is higher and different than the “love” of people in that it is totally selfless.

That is, when people say that they “love” someone, or something…

…what they mean is that they have an affection for that other person or thing because of what they receive from that other person or thing.

Human love is basically self-centered. God’s love is other’s centered.

Ex. Human love – the Greeks described it

Eros = love on the physical plain

Philadelphia = love on the emotional plain

I Eros chocolate because I enjoy the taste of it.

I do not Eros liver & onions because I do not enjoy the taste of it.

I Philadelphia you all here this morning because we share so much in common – our love for Jesus, culture, language, etc.

I do not Philadelphia head hunters in Papua New Guinea because they think of me as lunch!

Human love is conditional. For example, if you become a headhunter I won’t Philadelphia you anymore!

Ah, but God’s love – agape – is totally self-less and unconditional!

God doesn’t love us because of anything we have to offer Him, or because we as human beings have given Him any cause to love us.

Not at all! Instead God has every reason not to love us as every human ever born since the Fall carries within them the rebellion (hate) of sin.

Yet, the Bible tells us that God’s love is so great – so unconditional – that He became a Man and allowed the very people He loved to nail Him to a Cross!

√ The demonstration of love

Having defined true love for us, John now calls us to demonstrate the reality of our sonship in Christ by practicing God’s love toward one another!

1Jo. 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

1Jo. 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

1Jo. 3:19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

1Jo. 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

Note how practical John’s instructions are. Basically, he says…

“Walk the talk!”

That is, don’t just talk about the love of God – do it!

For example, John tells us that if we are aware of a brother or sister in need of material goods (food, clothing, transportation, etc.) and we can meet the need…

…do so!

Ex. GFA students portioning their rice so that more students could come to school.

So, Christian – John calls us to show the world that we are truly the children of God by the practical demonstration of His love in our lives through helping one another.

The evidence of love (vs. 21-24)

1Jo. 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

1Jo. 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

1Jo. 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

1Jo. 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

√ The evidence of love

There is a fringe benefit to us that is often overlooked regarding the manifestation of agape love in our lives…

…that is, the assurance of salvation.

“How’s that?!”

Note vs. 21, which gives us the context of this section of scripture…

“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.”

John tells us that if our heart, that is, the testimony of our spirit within us…

…does not condemn us, then we can be sure of our relationship with God!

You see, if a person has truly been born again, then they will find that their attitude in life, toward God, and toward their fellow man will be changed.

Where they once had only hate for God and for their fellow man, now they find an overwhelming love!

That love in their lives is the evidence that they have truly been born again. That they are truly a child of God!

Ap. People often wonder, “am I really saved?”

The most powerful evidence that you are really saved is found in the change in your heart – a love that can only be explained by the presence of God’s Spirit within you!

Thus, John’s focus on love…

John’s gospel = 26 times

1^st epistle = 36 times – in 1/4 the pages!

Remember, one of the main purposes for which John wrote his epistle was to encourage believers – specifically that they might know for sure that they are saved.

1Jo. 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

So, make it your aim in life to experience and share the love of God.

Close

√ The child of God

Is known through the observation of God’s love working in and through their life. Remember Christian, love is not optional – it is…

The essential of our faith

The example of our faith

The evidence of our faith

Let’s win the world by our love for Jesus and for one another.

Joh 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”