Abiding in Christ Part 3 1 John 3:11-18 Introduction: This week, we are continuing our look at what the Apostle John believes it means to Abide in Christ. It isn t an easy read, but it is an essential one for the church. To the Believer it provides both Blessed Assurance that they have been reborn through the blood of Christ and also continued renewing of their minds and hearts when it reveals remnants of their old self that need to be repented for to deepen their joy and walk with the Lord. For the False Convert (remember that this letter was written to the church), it gives pause to consider whether their hearts and lives have truly been transformed by the Holy Spirit, and if it be God s will, to repent and trust in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ. That is why this is truly a letter about Christian love. This is not the plastic, Hollywood, good time rock & roll kind of love that the fallen world continually counterfeits in books, movies, and TV, but the true love of God poured into and out of all those who truly love Him and are regenerated, by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This is God s Agape love that loves the unlovable that loves those who persecute it that loves the least of these. John is beseeching us to ask ourselves, Do we truly love God and His children as He does? o Because By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35). There are many things that we do (both consciously and subconsciously) to display the fact that we are Christians. On our cars, we put fish symbols personalized license plates with Bible verses bumper and window stickers. On our bodies, we put t-shirts with Christian logos and sayings and necklaces, bracelets, and earrings depicting the cross. In our homes, we put Bible verses, pictures of Jesus and crosses on the walls, along with Bibles on our shelves and tables. But Scripture is clear that there is one thing which universally marks us as disciples of Christ and that is when we put on and display His love. In these verses, John helps his flocks to better understand the characteristics of the true Christian Agape love that Jesus and the Holy Spirit had taught him about, by comparing the difference between one who Abides in Christ and one who Abides in Satan (truly the only two kinds of people in the world). I. He Who Abides in Christ Practices Righteousness & He Who Abides in Satan Practices Evil: For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you (v. 11-13) a. God s Children Practice Righteousness: For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another i. John is revisiting his teaching from chapter 2:7-11, where he first dealt with the message that Christian love had been heard from the beginning. The same love that God had spoken of, through Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament, was revealed in the person and work of the only Son of God, Christ Jesus. ii. Jesus taught A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34) Just as we saw at the end of our last outline, Real love is the greatest righteousness, and real righteousness is the greatest love. (David Guzik). iii. Everything we do should be motivated by love love for God and love for one another.
iv. It is worth remembering that I believe John is writing in the same context as our last passage, where the operative word was practicing (even though it isn t used here). For no one is truly good or righteous except God but those who have reborn and abide in Christ are now practicing or habitual doers of righteousness. b. Satan s Children Practice Evil: not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous. i. Cain killing Abel is the first account in history of hate rising to its ultimate and evil conclusion, murder. John makes it clear that Cain slew his brother, because he was of the evil one. ii. The Greek term used here for evil one (Poneros / pon-ay-ros') denotes determined, aggressive, and fervent evil that actively opposes whatever is good. This is the evil that has always characterized Satan s children. iii. There has been much theological debate about Cain s motivation for killing his brother. Some say that it was simply jealousy because God liked Abel s sacrifice over Cain s. But, my prayerful research leads me to believe that this is not about jealousy, but instead, about one s relationship with God: (Gen. 4:2-8) 1. The biblical narrative implies that God had most likely commanded an animal sacrifice, which Abel obeyed by bringing of the firstlings of his flock. God was pleased not only with Abel s offering, but with the right relationship with Him, revealed by Abel s heart of obedience and faith: a. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. (Heb. 11:4). 2. Cain, on the other hand, revealed the condition of his heart by disobeying the divine requirement, and instead, bringing a self-styled offering of the fruit of the ground. As final evidence that he did not truly know God (like the man who was given one talent in Matthew 25:24-25) and of his allegiance to the evil one, he allowed his hate to come to fruition, when he rose up against Abel his brother and killed him (Gen. 4:2-8). iv. As fallen humans, we will all experience, to various degrees feelings of anger, jealousy, and hate the key here is that Cain was of the evil one and therefore he was practicing or habitually hating. v. John s example of Cain hating and ultimately killing Abel because, Abel s righteous deeds revealed that Cain s deeds were evil, is a stark reminder that the ungodly have always hated and resented God s children, because their righteous actions expose the false beliefs and wicked practices of those who are of the evil one. c. An Evil World System: Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you i. Which is why, John warns us to not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you just as His Friend and Master had warned him that If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. (John 15:18) ii. Satan s evil world system and those who worship it have always hated the brethren and their righteousness:
1. Jesus own town tried to kill Him. (Luke 4:28-29) 2. His nation s leaders plotted to kill Him and finally did. (Matt. 12:14; Mark 3:6; 14:1-2, 6:11; John 10:39; 11:45-47; Acts 7:52) 3. The world persecuted and martyred every apostle but John. (Luke 21:12-13; John 16:2-3; Acts 4:1-31; 5:17-41; John 17:15-16; Rev. 1:9) iii. I know that because we live in a country that was founded on the freedom and respect for God s image, inherit in Christian beliefs, it is hard to believe when some experts report that two thirds of all Christian martyrs have died in the last 100 years. Just because you and I can currently worship as we please we cannot be led into a false belief that Satan s children are not still carrying out their father s evil desires: (John 8:44) II. He Who Abides in Christ Practices Love & He Who Abides in the Devil Practices Hate: We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (vv. 14-15) a. God s Children Practice Love: We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. i. The first thing I want to focus on here is a foundational element that we discussed back in our second lesson of 1 John, and that is that we know. It is true that God s thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, (Isa. 55:8) but it doesn t mean that everything is a mystery. In this epistle of Christian Certainties, John uses the term know 36 times, because he wants us to realize that we can know our God and we can know that we are His children. 1. "I have heard it said, by those who would be thought philosophers, that in religion we must believe, but cannot know. I am not very clear about the distinction they draw between knowledge and faith, nor do I care to enquire; because I assert that, in matters relating to religion, we know; in the things of God, we both believe and know." (Charles Spurgeon) ii. In this verse John tells us that as God s children we know three important facts: 1. We know that we were dead in our sin. 2. We know that we have passed out of death to life. 3. We know the first two things to be true, because we love the brethren. a. The new birth (John 3:8; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23), which grants life to the spiritually dead (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 4:24), turns hateful and even murderous attitudes into loving ones (cf. Col. 2:11). (MacArthur) b. "Do you love them for Christ s sake? Do you say to yourself, 'That is one of Christ s people; that is one who bears Christ s cross; that is one of the children of God; therefore I love him, and take delight in his company'? Then, that is an evidence that you are not of the world." (Charles Spurgeon) b. Satan s Children Practice Hate: He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer i. John makes it clear that when someone is not characterized by God s love, he most likely abides in death, because if God had imputed His righteousness into the person s heart it would naturally and eventually be evidenced by His love.
ii. John remembers Jesus clarifying the 6 th Commandment (Ex. 20:13) in the Sermon of the Mount, when he says that Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer: (Matt. 5:21-22) iii. The absence of God s love leaves all the room in the world for Satan s hate. The lost have become experts at hiding their hate for godly righteousness behind kind words and platitudes, self-righteous deeds and philanthropic charities, and excuses and justifications. But regardless of what they show the rest of the world, their hearts and their hate are naked before God and usually over time it will be revealed to the rest of the world. c. A Harsh Reality: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. i. John summarizes by warning, just as his apostolic brother Paul did, that you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him: (Rom. 1:28-32; cf. 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21) 1. That does not mean that a believer could never commit an act of murder, or that someone who has committed murder can never be saved. But it does mean that those who are characterized by hateful attitudes and who regularly harbor murderous thoughts evidence an unregenerate heart and will perish eternally (cf. Rev. 21:7-8; 22:14-15) unless they repent. (MacArthur) ii. As Paul s vice list shows, it isn t about any one particular sin or type of sin it is the idea of it being a habitual or practiced sin. III. He Who Abides in Christ Practices Sacrifice & He Who Abides in the Devil Practices Selfishness: We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. (v. 16-18) a. God s Children Practice Sacrifice: We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. i. John was there in the upper room that final night when Jesus taught that Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Here he reminds us that the love, which God has imputed to us at our salvation, can be demonstrated no better way than through personal sacrifice. ii. Although, there may be a situation where we will be called on to lay down our actual lives for the brethren, it is obvious from the next verse that John is referring to not only dying for the faith, but also living for the faith. 1. We often consider ourselves ready to lay down our lives in one great, dramatic, heroic gesture; but for most of us, God calls us to lay down our lives piece by piece, little by little in small, but important ways every day. (David Guzik)
b. Satan s Children Practice Selfishness: But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? i. Satan s rebellion has always been rooted in pride and selfishness. Jesus use of Isaiah 14:12 to describe Satan s fall in Luke 10:18, tells us that not only was Isaiah speaking of the king of Babylon, but also of the devil himself: (Isa. 14:13-14; cf. Ezek. 28:12-17) ii. It is only natural that Satan s child also walks in the pride and selfishness, which allows him, although he has the world's goods, to [see] his brother in need and [close] his heart against him. iii. Today, we hear the term love tossed around a lot in our music, our movies, our relationships, and yes, in our churches. But, what kind of love is usually being talked about? Let s look at four of the foundational Greek words for love that C. S. Lewis focused on in his book entitled The Four Loves. 1. Is Christian love Eros (Er os)? It was the name of the Greek god of love, the Romans called him Cupid. It refers to desire, lust, the sum of all instincts for selfpreservation, and sexual yearning. It is often used to describe erotic love. 2. Is Christian love Storge (Stor ge)? It refers to family love or affection. The Greeks saw it as the instinctive parental affection; such as animals have for their young. 3. Is Christian love Philia (fil-ee'-ah)? It refers to a brotherly friendship. It refers to a strong bond existing between people who share a common interest or activity. 4. Is Christian love Agape (ag-ah'-pay)? It describes an unchanging love that is self-giving. A love that gives without demanding or expecting re-payment. It is a love so great that it can be given to the unlovable or unappealing and it loves even when it is rejected. iv. In a world system based on the counterfeiting lies of Satan, it is important for us to understand and recognize the differences between these four basic types of love. c. An Apostles Plea: Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. i. John summarizes this passage with a plea for us to not love as the world does, with word or with tongue, but as Jesus our Savior did, in deed and truth. ii. We can see the same truth from the Apostle James: (James 2:14-17) iii. As Americans, most of us live at the level of a king compared to our first century cousins and the majority of the world today. It is the sinful nature of man that allows us to focus our attention only on our families, our friends, our small groups, our Sunday school classes, and our churches, instead of seeing all of our world as our neighbors (cf. Luke 10:30-37). 1. As redeemed sinners, we know that we can never do enough to be saved and that is a good thing! We know it is what was done for us in the person and atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross that saves wretches like us.
2. But, a heart surrendered to the Lord can t help but weep and break with His. Our lesson today challenges us to prayerfully consider what our Lord did, and is doing for His children around the world, the next time we are contemplating the investment of His talents (Matt. 25:14-30) on the latest and greatest thing that this world is telling us we just have to have, if we are ever going to be happy. IV. The Last Word: a. For John, therefore, the differences between Satan s children and God s children could not be more distinct. Those who murder, habitually hate, or are chronically self-centered and indifferent to the needs of others do not have [assurance of] eternal life. But those who, as part of their repentance from sin and trust in Christ, have renounced murderous, hateful attitudes and all cold, selfish indifference to the needs of others give evidence that they have been born again. (MacArthur) b. Being a Christian is more than saying, I am a Christian. There are in fact some who claim to be Christians who are not. How can we know if we are one of these? John s reply has been constant and simple. There are three tests to measure the proof of a genuine Christian: the truth test, the love test, and the moral test. If we believe in what the Bible teaches as true, if we show the love of Jesus to others, and if our conduct has been changed and is becoming more like Jesus, then our claim to be a Christian can be proven true. (David Guzik)