1 João 3
Kenneth Wuest · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 3:1
Wuest: Behold what exotic love the Father has permanently bestowed upon us, to the end that we may be named children of God. And we are. On this account the world does not have an experiential knowledge of us, because it has not come into an experiential knowledge of Him. Young's Literal: See ye what love the Father hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the world doth not know us, because it did not know Him; See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are: idete (2PAAM) potapen agapen dedoken (3SRAI) hemin o pater hina tekna theou klethomen (1PAPS) kai esmen (1PPAI): 1Jn 4:9,10; 2 Sa 7:19; Ps 31:19; 36:7, 8, 9; 89:1,2; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 8:32; Ephesians 2:4,5; 3:18,19 Children - Jer 3:19; Hos 1:10; Jn 1:12; Ro 8:14, 15, 16, 17,21; 9:25,26; 2Cor 6:18; Galatians 3:26,29; 4:5,6; Rev 21:7 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries 1Jn 3:1: WHAT WE ARE 1Jn 3:2: WHAT WE SHALL BE 1Jn 3:3: WHAT WE SHOULD BE 1 John 3:1-3 would make a pithy and powerful sermon series which could be titled as above (credit to Dr Warren Wiersbe) As David Allen says "Every christian should always live in three arenas: 1) what we are, 2) what we shall be, and 3) what we should be. What we are is God’s children (1Jn 3:1); what we shall be is conformed to the image of Christ when we get to Heaven (1Jn 3:2); what we should be on the basis of these two are people who live pure lives (1Jn 3:3). (See 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family) Click to listen to the timeless, raspy voiced exposition of 1Jn 3:1 by Dr J Vernon McGee Behold what manner of love The Father has given unto us, Behold what manner of love The Father has given unto us, That we should be called the sons of God, That we should be called the sons of God. Keep the context in mind, remembering that John has just written these words… If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices (present tense = their lifestyle, it does not mean "perfection" but "direction" of their life - toward heaven rather than toward hell!) righteousness is born (perfect tense = speaks of permanence, eternal security!) of Him. (1Jn 2:29+) In light of this truth about their new birth, John is prompted to explain that the basis for this new birth is the Father’s great love by which He has made sinners His children. This truth distinguishes believers from unregenerate men and women of this fallen world and this distinction has significant spiritual consequences which he will explain. As
1 João 3:1
Wuest adds that "Behold (KJV) is plural here, literally, “behold ye.” The usual form is singular. John is calling upon all the saints to wonder at the particular (Ed: distinctive, noteworthy, remarkable, singular, uncommon, unique, special, exceptional, "peculiar" [in a good sense of course]) kind of love God has bestowed upon them. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) THOUGHT- By way of application, let me "put in a plug" for the spiritual discipline of Biblical Meditation (see also Meditate - but don't just read about it -- delight to do it that you might be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water (Ps 1:2+, Ps 1:3+) and that you might be careful to do according to all that is written in God's Word (~God's will), for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. (Joshua 1:8+) David Jackman rightly says of the command to See that "The force is that we need to take time to contemplate this love and allow its reality to sink down into the depths of our being. (Amen!) (BORROW The Message of John's Letters page 80) (Related Resources: Meditate; Primer on Biblical Meditation) Spurgeon on see (behold) - ‘There,’ he says, ‘you poor people that love me you sick people, you unknown, obscure people, without any talent, I have published it before heaven and earth, and made the angels know it, that you are my children, and I am not ashamed of you. I glory in the fact that I have taken you for my sons and daughters.’ ” (“And We Are”: A Jewel from the Revised Version)
1 João 3:1
Wuest adds that "From their experience with us, the people of the world, while recognizing us as Christians, children of God, do not come to an understanding and appreciation of the nature of person we are, since unsaved people never have had a saving relationship with and knowledge of God. Intimate understanding and knowledge of another person is based upon fellowship (koinonia) with him. Since the people of the world have nothing in common with the children of God, they have no fellowship with them (cf 2Co 6:14-18+), and therefore have no intelligent appreciation and understanding of them. The foreign kind of love produced in us by the Holy Spirit (cp Ro 5:5+, Gal 5:22+) constitutes us a foreign kind of person to the people of this world, and since they do not understand foreigners, people of a different race from themselves, they simply do not understand Christians. Children of God could just as well have come to earth from a strange planet so far as the people of the world are concerned. They are strangers to them (ED: AND WE ARE ALIENS IN THIS WORLD - Php 3:20,21+, 1Pe 1:1, 1Pe 2:11+). (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Through Isaiah God foretold of Christ's rejection by mankind… For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:2,3+) Stephen shortly before being stoned by his Jewish audience, preached these "politically incorrect", "user unfriendly" words… You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit (ED: Clearly the implication is that the Spirit was "trying" to get their attention, so they are without excuse!); you are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One (the Messiah, Zech 9:9NIV), whose betrayers and murderers you have now become (Acts 7:51, 52+) In John's introductory background on Jesus, he explains that… He (Jesus) was in the world (His First Coming), and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own (Israel, the Jews), and those who were His own did not receive (aorist tense = decisive act) Him. (Jn 1:10, 11) The failure of the world to know God is one of the basic themes of the Gospel of John (Jn 5:37; 7:28; 16:3). Those who belong to the world live in darkness. They cannot come to the light but must inevitably hate it (Jn 3:19, 20). Glenn Barker concludes his comments with a pithy application "The author wants his readers to know that approval by the world is to be feared, not desired. To be hated by the world may be unpleasant, but ultimately it should reassure the members of the community of faith that they are loved by God, which is far more important than the world's hatred." (SEE The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged Edition:) Steven Cole sums up 1Jn 3:1 with the following exposition… Because of this divide, if you know God’s love in Jesus Christ, you are an alien in this evil world that has rejected Christ. You should feel like an alien when you are in the company of the world, or when you encounter the world’s godless entertainment. You should not expect to be popular in the world’s eyes. You should not seek to gain the world’s approval; to the contrary, you should fear it (Luke 6:27). When you go into the world, you should not go to join them in their dissipation (1Pe 4:3, 4). Rather, go as Jesus did, to seek and to save the lost. He attended the gatherings of sinners, but not to join them in their frivolous revelry. He went as the Great Physician, to heal their terminally ill souls (Luke 5:29, 30, 31, 32). Can you honestly say, “The world does not know me”? Can you truly say, “I am a stranger to this world”? If you cannot answer those questions affirmatively, you’d better examine how well you know and experience the Father’s great love. If you know His love and you are His child, you will be distinguished from this evil world that rejects His love. As the hymn writer put it, Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace (Helen Lemmel, Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus). Conclusion - Several years ago, John MacArthur had the opportunity to spend several days traveling with the well-known gospel musicians, Bill and Gloria Gaither. At one point, he asked Bill what, in his estimation, were the greatest Christian lyrics ever written, aside from the inspired Psalms. Without hesitation, Gaither began quoting the words from F. M. Lehman’s “The Love of God”: The Love of God The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin. Refrain O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints’ and angels’ song. When years of time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, When men, who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call, God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song. Refrain Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky. Refrain Gaither said that no lyrics in all hymnody surpass the third stanza of that song (MacArthur, The Love of God, pp. xi, xii). That third stanza, by the way, was part of an ancient lengthy poem composed in Arabic in 1096 by a Jewish songwriter, Rabbi Mayer, in Germany. The lines were found in revised form on the walls of a patient’s room in an insane asylum after his death. The author of the hymn heard these words cited at a camp meeting, where he wrote them down. God later gave him the words for the first two stanzas and the chorus, which his daughter put to music (Osbeck, Amazing Grace, p. 47). If you know God through faith in Jesus Christ, pause often to revel in the Father’s great love that made you His child. If you do not know God, His great love calls you even now to the cross, where Jesus Christ shed His blood to pay the penalty for all that will believe in Him. (The Father's Great Love) Truly Amazing By Anne Cetas Read: Romans 5:6-11 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! —1 John 3:1 I read these words on a young woman’s personal Web site: “I just want to be loved—and he has to be amazing!” Isn’t that what we all want—to be loved, to feel cared for by someone? And so much the better if he or she is amazing! The one who fits that description most fully is Jesus Christ. In a display of unprecedented love, He left His Father in heaven and came to earth as the baby we celebrate at Christmas (Luke 2). Then, after living a perfect life, He gave His life as an offering to God on the cross in our behalf (John 19:17-30). He took our place because we needed to be rescued from our sin and its death penalty. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Then 3 days later, the Father raised Jesus to life again (Matt. 28:1-8). When we repent and receive Jesus’ gift of amazing love, He becomes our Savior (John 1:12; Rom. 5:9), Lord (John 13:14), Teacher (Matt. 23:8), and Friend (John 15:14). “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1). Amazing thought! that God in flesh Would take my place and bear my sin; That I, a guilty, death-doomed soul, Eternal life might win! —Anon. The wonder of it all—just to think that Jesus loves me. THE MATCHLESS LOVE OF GOD 1 John 3:1 God’s Love Is Capable of Looking Beyond Our Faults God’s Love Was Expressed while We Were Yet Sinners God’s Love Bestows a Rich Heritage on Us Vance Havner - Known and Unknown The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. I John 3:1. I never knew you. Matthew 7:23. This world knew not our Lord. "There standeth one among you whom ye know not." So said John the Baptist. "If thou hadst known... If thou knewest... If ye had known"—so runs Jesus' constant refrain while He was among us. Because the world knew Him not it knows us not. "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you" (I Jn. 3:13). It not only does not know us, it hates us. "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them" (Jn. 17:14). We cannot love the Word and be loved by the world. But what matters the hatred of this world if He knows and loves us? Most fearful of all pronouncements ever to fall on human ears is that word to those who profess to know Him but whose works deny Him: "I never knew you." "The Lord knoweth them that are his" (II Tim. 2:19). This world makes much of "knowing the right people." What matters is to know God. Vance Havner - Marvel Not...if the World Hate You The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. (John 7:7). If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore, the world hateth you (John 15:19). 1. The world cannot hate you, said Jesus to His unconverted brethren. They were of the world and the world loves its own. 2. Me it hateth, said our Lord of Himself. Why does it hate Him? "Because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil." Light has come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. This world resents the Light that shows it up. 3. The world hateth you, said our Lord to His disciples. Why? "Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." As we testify of the world that its deeds are evil and as we let our light shine and expose the unfruitful works of darkness, we share the hatred this age feels toward our Lord. The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not (1 John 3:1). Hymns Related to 1 John 3:1 Behold the Amazing Gift of Love Behold, What Love! Behold What Wondrous Grace Behold, What Wondrous Love and Grace Blessed Are the Sons of God Children of the Heavenly Father Come, Let Us a Sing of a Wonderful Love Father, Loving Father I Belong to the King It’s Just Like His Great Love Love of God (Lyon), The O Father, We Would Thank Thee Our Father’s Love Wonderful Message Wonderful Story of Lov The Power of Love "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."—1 John 3:1 In 1876, Annie Sullivan's mother died and her father abandoned her. She was eight years old, slightly blind in one eye, and very introverted. She was placed in the Massachusetts State Infirmary in Tewksbury near Boston. But she was unresponsive to help and isolated in the basement where the truly troubled were confined. Then a new staff member came to the asylum—Maggie Carroll. She was a Christian and took it upon herself to show Annie God's love. Maggie would talk to Annie, read her stories, and talk about God. She spent her lunch hour with Annie and prayed for her. But she saw no change in the girl's behavior. One day Maggie brought a plate of brownies to Annie and to her delight when she returned a brownie was gone. Eventually Maggie broke through. At age fourteen Annie entered Boston's Perkins Institute for the Blind. She could not read or write when she entered Perkins, but Ann Sullivan went on to become one of the greatest teachers of all time. For it was Ann Sullivan who taught Helen Keller—another little blind girl labeled hopeless. Helen Keller became great because of Ann Sullivan. Ann Sullivan accomplished great things because of Maggie Carroll who was not afraid to share God's love. Has God's love changed your life? Today, ask Christ how you can love others that they may be born again as a child of God. "We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching."—Roy L. Smith From Generation to Generation: Devotional Thoughts Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us! (1 John 3:1). On the chapel wall at Eagle Village, a residential treatment center for boys near Hersey, Michigan, hang the portraits of two twelve-year-old boys—Rick and Rosy. The pictures bring to mind a tragedy that happened several years ago. Boys from Eagle Village were on a canoe expedition on Lake Superior when they pulled ashore to make camp. Rosy spotted something floating in the water, so he pushed off in a canoe to retrieve it. Strong winds quickly blew him offshore. The staff recognized his peril and started off in two canoes to rescue him. When Rick saw that his best friend was in danger, he insisted on going along. The wind tossed all three canoes until finally they capsized. The staff members all made it to shore. But Rick and Rosy were both lost in the depths of Lake Superior. A plaque between the pictures is inscribed: Rick, who loved enough to give his life for another. Rosy, who was loved enough to have another pay that price. The true measure of God's love is that He loves without measure. Vance Havner - A New Race THREE times the phrase "What manner of...?" (See potapos) is used in the New Testament, with meanings very precious to us. In Matthew 8:23-27 our Lord, asleep in a boat and awakened by His disciples when a storm arose, rebuked the waves and then His disciples for their lack of faith. They marveled, saying, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" Indeed, a new kind of man came to earth in Jesus Christ! None other has ever lived and spoken and died and risen like Him. A new race began with Jesus Christ. He was Son of Man and Son of God, the Word made flesh, Emmanuel. The old race was a failure, and so God chose Israel as the channel for a new Adam. The first Adam was innocent; the new Adam was perfect, sinless. The world has marveled through the ages concerning Christ, "What manner of man is this?" But the world has not seen that He is the Adam of a new race—not merely a teacher, a prophet, but a new man, a God-man. In this light, it is no wonder that He was virgin-born. How could it have been otherwise? The very facts demand it! But had Christ stood alone, and had there been no way that we could enter into this truth, it would not help us at all to contemplate Him. So the word goes on to say: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (1 John 3:1). Thank God, I may be a member of this new race! That is the meaning of the new birth. Christ is not an isolated phenomenon in the course of history. He was the "firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). I may be a brother with Him in the new race, born from above through faith in Him. I cannot take out naturalization papers and get into it. Nicodemus was a religious man, but even he must be born again. The reason why we have so much trouble with some church members is because they never have become members of God's family. They still belong to their father the devil, and the desires of their father they will do, so they are a problem when they get into a church. You can know what to do with your own family members, but when a neighbor's boy or girl comes over you may find yourself at a loss regarding him or her. When I trust Christ as Savior I enter a new race with God my Father and Jesus my elder brother, and I am saved that I might be conformed to the image of God's Son. So it is logical to consider another occurrence of the phrase with which we started: "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" (2 Pet. 3:11). That reminds us of the last part of 1 John 3:1: "Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." Does the world know you? Too many professing Christians are better known to the world than to the church. Arguing about gambling, dancing, etc., often proceeds on a mistaken basis. There is just one thing that forever settles such things: they simply don't belong to the family of God. Born-again Christians do not practice sin because "His seed remaineth" in us, and we cannot sin because we are born of God (1 John 3:9). I believe in this kind of family pride! But the reason here given is that we are in the last days and should behave accordingly. We do not belong to the world. May we live in keeping with our new family name Robert Neighbour - The Fact of Sonship Stated "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God" (I John 3:1). This is the starting point — children of God. We have a right to look into the face of God and say, "Abba, Father." The story is told of how an Eastern King was riding in state, through crowded throngs of onlookers. Policemen were keeping back the multitudes. Suddenly a little boy ducked his head and tried to dart past one of these guards. "Back, back," cried the officer, "do you not know that yonder is our King?" The boy answered, "He may be your King, but he is my father." Then he cried, "Father, father, make this man let me come through." And God is our Father. When we pray we have a right to say: "Our Father." We have the right of approach as children. Others may find the way to His holy presence blocked, but we have "access unto the Father." Children! Wonderful word. Stop and consider all that it means. Not children, theoretically, but actually "children of God." James Smith - THE RESTORATION Here again, as in chapter 30, God's promise to deliver consists of seven "I wills." I. I will gather them out—Separation (Eph. 2:3-5). II. I will bring them in—Safety (John 10:27). III. I will be their God—Assurance (1 John 3:1). IV. I will give them one heart—Unity (John 17:20, 21). V. I will make a covenant with them—Satisfaction (2 Cor. 6:17, 18). VI. I will put My fear in their hearts—Worship (Acts 9:31). VII. I will rejoice over them—Praise (Phil. 3:1). Kenneth Osbeck - borrow Amazing Grace page 68 IT’S JUST LIKE HIS GREAT LOVE Edna R. Worrell, 19th century How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1) The greatest demonstration of love is God’s gift of Jesus Christ to a lost world. It is impossible to comprehend fully this divine love; it can only be learned experientially. As we grow in our love relationship with the Lord, we begin to realize in part the magnitude of His love. This love is unconditional—He loves us regardless of our failures or successes. This love is impartial—it includes everyone. This love is infinite and eternal—simply because God Himself is love! And this love is personal—He loves each of us as if we were the only one in His world to love. Discouragement is common to each of us, especially in our moments of self-pity or as we are made aware of our shortcomings. In times like these, introspection—continually looking within—only makes us more miserable. Rather, we need to look up. We need to focus on Christ and His great love for us, to remember that we are “children of God,” and to rely on His promise that our eternal destiny is heaven. Such a reflection will assuredly change any gloom to song and restore once more a walk of sweet fellowship with our Lord. Then we will have the joy of knowing that Jesus will keep us from day to day because of His great love. A Friend I have, called Jesus, whose love is strong and true, and never fails how e’er ’tis tried, no matter what I do; I’ve sinned against this love of His, but when I knelt to pray, confessing all my guilt to Him, the sin-clouds rolled away. Sometimes the clouds of trouble bedim the sky above. I cannot see my Savior’s face; I doubt His wondrous love; but He, from heaven’s mercy seat, beholding my despair, in pity bursts the clouds between and shows me He is there. When sorrow’s clouds o’ertake me and break upon my head, when life seems worse than useless and I were better dead, I take my grief to Jesus then, nor do I go in vain, in pity bursts the clouds between and shows me He is there. Oh, I could sing forever of Jesus’ love divine, of all His care and tenderness for this poor life of mine; His love is in and over all, and wind and waves obey when Jesus whispers “Peace, be still!” and rolls the clouds away. Chorus: It’s just like Jesus to roll the clouds away; it’s just like Jesus to keep me day by day. It’s just like Jesus all along the way; it’s just like His great love. For Today: Luke 19:10; Ephesians 3:18, 19; 1 John 3:16; 4:9, 10 Determine to live joyfully as one who knows what it means to be loved and forgiven by God’s great love. Carry this musical truth with you— David Jeremiah - FAMILY OF GOD 1 JOHN 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Perhaps you’ve been exposed to the idea of the “Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.” This idea suggests that God is the Father of us all, and we are all brothers regardless of who or where we are in life. In reality, there are two families in this world. There is the family of God, and there is the family of the devil. Until you are spiritually born again, you are not part of God’s personal family—you cannot call him “Father.” There are many people who have gone all of their lives without knowing God personally. They have prayed the Lord’s Prayer, but to no avail, because you cannot pray “My Father” if He isn’t really your Father. The way He be-comes your Father is by your putting your trust in the gift He provided of His Son, Jesus Christ. When you accept Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, you become a child of God—you are born into His family, and He becomes your Father. (Borrow Sanctuary : finding moments of refuge in the presence of God page 8) Bill Hybels - Children of God How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!… Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 1 JOHN 3:1, 3 Adoration purifies the one who is praying. When we have spent a few minutes praising God for who he is, our spirit is softened and our agenda changes. Those burning issues we were dying to bring to God’s attention may seem less crucial. Our sense of desperation subsides as we focus on God’s greatness, and we can truly say, “I am enjoying you, God; it is well with my soul.” Adoration purges our spirit and prepares us to listen to God. God is worthy of adoration. It should be hard to get past the “Our Father” in our prayer without falling back in awe at that incredible miracle. A God who is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent and yet who loves us, watches over us, gives us good gifts—this is amazing! Our heavenly Father is worthy of our worship, and so at the beginning of our time with him, let’s offer him praise. PRAY: Spend some time adoring God, not to get anything from him, but simply because he is worthy of it. Notice how focusing on God’s greatness puts your own demands into proper perspective. A W Tozer - The World Wants a Religious Touch in Its Schemes Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us… therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3:1 Every once in a while some churchman in an acute attack of conscience does penance in public for Christianity’s “failure” to furnish bold leadership for the world in this time of crisis. Well, I am all for repentance if it is genuine, and I think the Church has failed, not by neglecting to provide leadership but by living too much like the world! That, however, is not what the muddled churchman means when he bares his soul in public. Rather, he erroneously assumes that the Church of God has been left on earth to minister good hope and cheer to the world in such quantities that it can ignore God, reject Christ, glorify fallen human flesh and pursue its selfish ends in peace. The Church has received no such commission from her Lord. Further, the world has never shown much disposition to listen to the Church when she speaks in her true prophetic voice. The attitude of the world toward the true child of God is precisely the same as that of the citizens of Vanity Fair toward Christian and his companion: “Therefore they took them and beat them, and besmeared them with dirt, and put them into the cage, that they might be made a spectacle to all men.” Christian’s duty was not to “provide leadership” for Vanity Fair but to keep clean from its pollution and get out of it as fast as possible. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear! Billy Graham - Children of God Hope for Each Day Morning and Evening Devotions - Page 83 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 JOHN 3:1 When we commit our lives to Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we become His sons and daughters. Because God is responsible for our welfare, we are told to cast all our cares and anxieties upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). Because we are depending on God, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). Children are not shy about asking for things. They would not be normal if they didn’t boldly make their desires known. God is keenly aware that we are dependent on Him for life’s necessities, so we can freely ask Him for those things. God loves us, He knows our needs, and He wants to grant them to us. The Bible says, “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). But as God’s children we are not meant just to sit back and selfishly enjoy our privileges. Instead, God wants us to serve Him and to help others. Are you trusting your Heavenly Father to provide for you? Are you boldly asking Him for what you need? Billy Graham - The Summit of Love Hope for Each Day Signature Edition: Words of Wisdom and Faith How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 JOHN 3:1 NIV Mary and Joseph deeply loved the Child God gave them, even becoming refugees to spare His life when King Herod tried to kill Him (Matthew 2:13–15). But their love was almost nothing compared to God’s infinite love for His Son. The Bible declares, “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:35). Can you even begin to imagine the Father’s emotions that first Christmas as His dearly loved Son left Heaven for Earth, knowing Jesus would one day go to the cross, “despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3)? We rightly focus on God’s love for us. But don’t lose sight of what it cost the Father to send His beloved Son into the world. Why did He do it? Because “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God loves the Son —and He loves you as well. We Are Royalty - Jack Hayford Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 Our culture tells us that there is no one so special that he cannot be replaced. But God created each of us unique, and we are so loved, that the King of kings has chosen to adopt us and to call us His own children. That makes us royalty! Royalty in our world enjoys incredible wealth, mingles with the “jet set,” and has worldwide fame. But they also face their inability to change the world situation and have to deal with scandal, gossip, and lack of privacy. They cannot call their lives their own. And neither can we. Scripture says that we were bought with a price (1 Cor. 7:23) and that now we belong to Father God. We are part of a more worthy royal line: The Father has made us His noble and virtuous children (Ps. 45:13). We follow the law of another kingdom (James 2:8). We are now fulfilling a new call on our lives (1 Pet. 2:9). Let us conduct ourselves today as befits a child of the King. Max Lucado - 1 JOHN 3:1 Let me tell you who you are. In fact, let me proclaim who you are. You are an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17). You are eternal, like an angel (Luke 20:36). You have a crown that will last forever (1 Cor. 9:25). You are a holy priest (1 Pet. 2:5), a treasured possession (Exod. 19:5).… But more than any of the above—more significant than any title or position—is the simple fact that you are God’s child.… “We really are his children.” As a result, if something is important to you, it’s important to God. Ken Hemphill - WE ARE We Are - Page 81 Called God’s Children 1 John 3:1 Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! I am the proud father of three grown daughters, who are the delight of my life. I derive incredible joy from sharing in their accomplishments, and I count it a privilege whenever they call on me to help or just to listen. Their phone calls make my day! I can hardly wait to hear from them. If I take such delight in my children, I can only imagine the joy God’s children bring to him! This is made especially intriguing when we consider the Greek construction in this verse from 1 John, where the words “Father” and “us” are placed in such a manner as to underline the black-and-white contrast between our unworthiness and God’s great love. Truly, he has lavished an incomprehensible love toward us, transforming us from people deserving to be held at a distance into children loved enough to be gathered close and accepted. We could paraphrase verse 1: “To us poor sinners, the Father has lavishly bestowed the priceless right to be his children.” I find it beyond belief that I can call the sovereign God of the universe my Father. There is more good news, though, about being children of God. Some day “we will be like Him” (v. 2). We will never be deified, of course, but we are even now being transformed into his image. When we were saved, God began working in our lives to conform us to the image of his Son. Thus our future manifestation into his likeness is based on our present process of purification (v. 3). We are children of God, and we shall be like our Father. A few years ago I was preaching in my home state of North Carolina. At the end of the message, an elderly pastor sought me out to tell me that he had been a close friend of my father. He then paid me one of the finest compliments I have ever received: “While listening to you tonight,” he said, “I was reminded of your father. Your voice and your message put me in mind of him.” How good to be called the children of God! ILLUSTRATION OF 1 JOHN 2:28-3:1 - TODAY IN THE WORD - For years Sergei wanted to be a part of a family. At age ten, he had never known family life. He had orphanage friends, but it wasn’t the same. With each birthday, his dream faded, but it never completely died. Then at age eleven it finally happened: an American couple adopted him as their son and brought him to the United States. Within a year, his self-confidence grew alongside his laughter and smile. Deep down, all of us share this same desire for belonging, a desire that can only ultimately be fulfilled as a child of God. Perhaps the greatest privilege we have as children of God is the confidence to stand before Him. The shame to which John refers (1Jn 2:28) most likely has to do with the shame of those who have denied Christ. Remember John’s encouragement about forgiveness and purification through the blood of Christ (1Jn 1::9). It’s precisely because of this that these believers can stand confidently before the Father–a confidence that nonbelievers can never have. Yet along with privilege comes responsibility: believers are to do what is right (1Jn 2:29). Recall that 1 John 2:3 says that doing His commands confirms that we know Him. In the same way, doing what’s right doesn’t make someone a child of God; rather, doing what’s right confirms that a person has truly been born again. Both these privileges and responsibilities cause John to marvel at God’s love for His children (1Jn 3:1). It may be easier for us to understand what it means to be a child of God by considering newborn babies. Just as a baby does not bring about its own birth, so too becoming a child of God is not something that we could bring about on our own. TODAY ALONG THE WAY - Consider parallels between physical and spiritual birth. We’ve listed a few in today’s study, but you’ll no doubt come up with several more. For example, just as we are born into a certain physical family, so too we are forever born again into the family of God. Just as physical families have certain family resemblances, so too members of God’s family resemble each other to the extent that they resemble their Father. What are some other ways in which physical birth and childhood illustrate being a child of God? (Today in the Word) True Identity See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1 Today's Scripture & Insight :1 John 2:28–3:10 As my friend reviewed the pictures I took of her, she pointed out the physical characteristics she saw as imperfections. I asked her to look closer. “I see a beautiful and beloved daughter of the Almighty King of Kings,” I said. “I see a compassionate lover of God and others, whose genuine kindness, generosity, and faithfulness have made a difference in so many lives.” When I noticed the tears brimming her eyes, I said, “I think you need a tiara!” Later that afternoon, we picked out the perfect crown for my friend so she would never forget her true identity. When we come to know Jesus personally, He crowns us with love and calls us His children (1 John 3:1). He gives us the power to persevere in faith so that “we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1Jn 2:28). Though He accepts us as we are, His love purifies us and transforms us into His likeness (3:2–3). He helps us recognize our need for Him and repent as we rejoice in the power to turn away from sin (vv. 7–9). We can live in faithful obedience and love (v. 10), with His truth hidden in our hearts and His Spirit present in our lives. What personal faults and past failings have you allowed to determine your identity? How can knowing you’re loved, chosen, and crowned as God’s child help you live in righteousness and love? Loving God, thank You for reminding me that who I am is based on whose I am—Yours, simply Yours. D A Carson - Borrow For the Love of God HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). All of us at one time belonged to the world; to use the language of Paul, we were all “by nature objects of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). The love of the Father that has accomplished the transformation is lavish precisely because it is undeserved. Moreover: (1) “And that is what we are!” This emphatic exclamation was probably called forth in the first instance because those who had left the church (1Jn 2:19) were adept at manipulating the believers. They insisted that they alone had an inside track with God, that they alone really understood the true knowledge (gnosis), that they alone enjoyed the true anointing. This had the effect of undermining the believers. John insists that his readers have received the real anointing (1Jn 2:27), that their right conduct demonstrates that they have been born of God (1Jn 2:29), that they have had the love of God lavished on them and thus become children of God—“And that is what we are!” The same point must be made for the sake of believers in every generation who feel threatened by the extravagant but misguided claims of the “super-spiritual” crowd who exercise their pitiful manipulation by a kind of spiritual one-upmanship. “We are the children of God,” Christians quietly affirm—and that is enough. If others do not recognize the fact, it may only attest that they themselves do not know God (1Jn 3:1b). (2) Although we are now already the children of God, “what we will be has not yet been made known” (1Jn 3:2). On the one hand, we must not denigrate or minimize all that we have received: “now we are children of God.” On the other, we await the consummation and our own ultimate transformation (1Jn 3:2). (3) In fact, every child of God who lives with this prospect ahead, “who has this hope in him [which probably means ‘in Christ’ or ‘in God,’ specifying the object of the hope, rather than ‘in himself,’ merely specifying the one who entertains the hope] purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1Jn 3:3). The Christian looks to what he or she will become in the consummation and is already interested in becoming like that. We receive the Father’s love; we know that one day we shall be pure; so already we strive to become pure now. That is in perfect conformity with the way chapter 2 ends: “If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him” (1Jn 2:29). How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! - 1 John 3:1 TODAY IN THE WORD A popular children’s hymn goes as follows: “Jesus loves the little children/ All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white/ They are precious in His sight!” Contrast this with William Penn’s observation, “Men are generally more careful of their horses and dogs than of their children.” Unfortunately, the disciples tended to resemble Penn’s remark! In Jesus’ day, children weren’t considered citizens, although it’s likely they were well-loved in many families. In religious matters, most people didn’t think children were capable of independent thinking. These attitudes help explain why the disciples rebuked those who brought their children to Jesus (Mt 19:13). Yet this account helps us understand some of Jesus’ attitudes toward prayer and how He modeled it for His disciples. The passage doesn’t give direct teaching on prayer, nor does it record a specific prayer uttered by Jesus. Instead, it shows us that all human beings, especially those who might be overlooked, are invited to pray. Although laying on hands was a known practice for blessing, Mark adds the tender comment that Jesus “took the children in his arms” (Mark 10:16). This action shows us at least two things about how Jesus prayed for people. First, Jesus’ prayer was personal. He didn’t stand far off and offer some blanket blessing for a large group. We get the impression that He took each child in His arms and prayed a special blessing for that child. Second, Jesus touched people as He prayed for them. Earlier in Matthew, we learn that Jesus touched a man with leprosy as He healed him (Matt. 8:3). TODAY ALONG THE WAY Although there are certainly times when touching another person isn’t appropriate, in our culture we’re generally too hesitant to touch others. But touch can be a powerful blessing, especially with prayer. Consider what it would mean to gently place your hand on the shoulder of a grieving brother or sister as you pray for them. Or the comfort your Bible study or Sunday school class could give when you lay hands on an individual who needs prayer. What a simple way that we can follow the example of Jesus. Henry Mahan - 1 John 3:1 - The amazing, eternal, infinite love which God has bestowed on us, making us sons of God, is a privilege that exceeds all others. How can we then serve self and sin in the face of such love and grace? Jerry Bridges - WE REALLY ARE HIS CHILDREN Holiness Day by Day: Transformational Thoughts Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!1 JOHN 3:1, NKJV When used as an imperative verb, behold carries the strong idea of imploring someone’s attention. This is how John used it in 1 John 3:1. He was saying, “Stop! Think of this! Consider this astonishing fact: God loves us so much that we’re called His children!” Think of it: If you’ve trusted in Christ as Savior, you’re God’s child, a son or daughter of the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe—though our circumstances, or even our behavior, can often obscure that fact. After John’s exclamation about this, he added, “And so we are” (3:1). It’s as if he was saying, “It’s really true! We really are His children!” Why does John get so excited about a truth we often take for granted? This truth is amazing, first of all, because of who we once were. Consider the fact that every sin you’ve committed was an act of rebellion against the sovereign authority of God, or, as someone has said, an act of cosmic treason. But instead of the death we deserve as punishment for such treason, we’re made sons and daughters of the very King we’ve rebelled against! Instead of death, we get eternal life. Instead of wrath, we receive favor. Instead of eternal ruin, we’re made heirs of God and coheirs with Christ. And all of this becomes ours without our doing a single thing to earn the King’s favor or any attempt on our part to make restitution! His Son has done it all for us. Do you believe that? Do you each day realize that you’re a child of the heavenly King? Henry Mahan - 1 John 2:29-3:6 This passage has a twofold theme. Believers will live holy lives and they will love one another. Faith is always connected with a righteous life (James 2:20) and a spirit of love for all men, especially all believers (1 John 4:7). Several arguments or reasons are presented for godly living on the part of believers. 1 John 2:29. The first argument for holiness of life is that if you know that Christ our Lord is absolutely righteous (obedient to the Father’s will in his thoughts, actions and words), you know that those who are begotten of him (in like manner) will seek to be like him in righteousness and obedience to the Father’s will. To be born of God is to have the nature of God, the grace of God and the presence of Christ formed in us, causing us to love and desire the will and ways of God. 1 John 3:1. The second argument for holiness of life is the love of God which has been bestowed upon us. ‘Behold’ — take notice with wonder and astonishment, what matchless, amazing and wonderful love the Father has given freely and graciously to us! The more abundantly God’s goodness has been manifested to us, the greater are our obligations to him (Rom. 12:1). ‘That we should be called sons of God.’ This is a privilege and blessing that exceeds all others. Children of wrath are now children of love; rebels and traitors are now sons; enemies are now heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. How can we serve self and sin when we are recipients of such love and grace? Martin Manser - The Father’s generous love How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1) One of the thoughts that keeps Martin going through the later months of the year is Christmas. He likes to look ahead and to imagine the Christmas table laid in all its glory; the goodies spread out; the excitement and anticipation of enjoying family company mounting; minor differences set aside. All we need to do is eat! This is how it is with us as Christians. Our generous God calls us to his table where he lavishes his love on us. He is so incredibly kind that he even calls us his sons and daughters! And that is what we are right at this moment, whether you’re reading this in bed, on a bus, in a plane, or on Mars (for technology advances so quickly these days!). Whether you feel you’re a child of God or not is irrelevant. After all, do you always feel your particular nationality or your marital status? Of course not. But that is what you are. And likewise, being a child of God is what you are if you have put your trust in Christ. The Bible says that ‘God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us’ (Romans 5:5). So stop a while, and enjoy his love and his gift of the Holy Spirit. Trust him afresh. Allow him to touch you generously at your point of need. But, marvellous as all that is, it’s not the whole story. For look at the verse at the end of today’s reading. When Christ returns and is revealed in all his glory, we will see him—completely, directly, and perfectly clearly!—and not only will we see him, we will be changed to become like him—‘in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye’ (1 Corinthians 15:52)—when he takes our mortal bodies and transforms them into glorious bodies like his own. What a thought to encourage us today! Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2) Daily Light on the Daily Path - You were called into the fellowship of his Son. He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”—See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.—If children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.—“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.—“These things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”—As we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Pet. 1:17; 1 John 3:1; Eph. 5:1; Rom. 8:17; Heb. 1:3; Matt. 5:16; Heb. 12:2; John 17:13; 2 Cor. 1:5 D A Carson - “HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1). All of us at one time belonged to the world; to use the language of Paul, we were all “by nature objects of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). The love of the Father that has accomplished the transformation is lavish precisely because it is undeserved. Moreover: (1) “And that is what we are!” This emphatic exclamation was probably called forth in the first instance because those who had left the church (2:19) were adept at manipulating the believers. They insisted that they alone had an inside track with God, that they alone really understood the true knowledge (gnosis), that they alone enjoyed the true anointing. This had the effect of undermining the believers. John insists that his readers have received the real anointing (2:27), that their right conduct demonstrates that they have been born of God (2:29), that they have had the love of God lavished on them and thus become children of God—“And that is what we are!” The same point must be made for the sake of believers in every generation who feel threatened by the extravagant but misguided claims of the “super-spiritual” crowd who exercise their pitiful manipulation by a kind of spiritual one-upmanship. “We are the children of God,” Christians quietly affirm—and that is enough. If others do not recognize the fact, it may only attest that they themselves do not know God (3:1b). (2) Although we are now already the children of God, “what we will be has not yet been made known” (3:2). On the one hand, we must not denigrate or minimize all that we have received: “now we are children of God.” On the other, we await the consummation and our own ultimate transformation (3:2). (3) In fact, every child of God who lives with this prospect ahead, “who has this hope in him [which probably means ‘in Christ’ or ‘in God,’ specifying the object of the hope, rather than ‘in himself,’ merely specifying the one who entertains the hope] purifies himself, just as he is pure” (3:3). The Christian looks to what he or she will become in the consummation and is already interested in becoming like that. We receive the Father’s love; we know that one day we shall be pure; so already we strive to become pure now. That is in perfect conformity with the way chapter 2 ends: “If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him” (2:29). For the Love of God (Vol. 1, Trade Paperback): A Daily ... - Page 4 Martyn Lloyd-Jones - CHILDREN OF GOD 1 JOHN 3:1 How have we become children of God? John answers in this way: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” This is a very interesting way of putting it. John does not merely say that God has shown His love to us, nor that He has revealed it or manifested it or indicated it. He does not merely say that God loves us, though He does love us and He has shown and displayed His love to us. “Yes,” says John, “but He has gone further—He has bestowed His love upon us.” Now that means there is a sense in which God has put His love into us, implanted Himself if you like, infused or injected His love within us, and we must emphasize that because what really matters is the word that, which should be translated “in order that.” “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, in order that we may become, be made, the children of God”; that is what John actually says. In other words, what really makes us children of God is that God has put His own life into us. God’s nature is love, and He has put His nature into us so that we have the love of God. We cannot be children of God if we are not like God; the child is like the parent, the offspring proclaims the parentage, and God in that way makes us His children. He puts His own nature into us, and we become His children, and that nature that is in God is in us, and it is acting and manifesting and expressing itself. Paul says that “the love of God . . . is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost” (Romans 5:5). What really makes us children of God is that God has put His own life into us. Greg Laurie - FATHERLY LOVE Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1) What do you think God’s love is? Do you envision a permissive love that allows you to do whatever you want? That doesn’t describe the love of God. You see, God loves you enough to put restrictions in your life. He loves you enough to say, “Do this. It will help you. And don’t do this. It’s bad for you.” Suppose a child asks his mother, “Mommy, can I play in the street?” Of course she would say, “No, you may not. I love you and don’t want you to be in a place where you would be endangered. One day, you will realize that I did this not from a lack of love, but because I do love you.” It’s the same with us. When God says no to us, it’s not because He doesn’t love us. It’s just the opposite. In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam, “‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17). So the devil tempted Eve: “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). Essentially he was saying, “If God really loved you, then He would let you do whatever you want.” The truth was that because God loved Adam and Eve, He didn’t want them to fall into sin. Yet they disobeyed God and that’s exactly what happened. Those limits that you find in the pages of the Bible are there for your own good. God has put a fence around you, so to speak. But it’s not to keep you confined—it’s to keep you safe from the many dangers in this world—and in the invisible spiritual world that surrounds us. Daily Light on the Daily Path - God chose what is low and despised in the world. “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?” [Jesus] saw two brothers . . . casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me.”—Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. . . . Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”—But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God. 1 Cor. 1:28; Acts 2:7; Matt. 4:18–19; Acts 4:13; 1 Cor. 2:4–5; John 15:16, 5; 2 Cor. 4:7 Billy Graham - LOVE AND PEANUT BUTTER Unto the Hills: A Daily Devotional - Page 49 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. 1 JOHN 3:1 The word love is used to mean many different things. We say that we “love” the house that we have just bought or that we “love” a particular vacation spot or that we “love” a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We also “love” a certain television program, and we “love” our husband or wife. It is to be hoped that we don’t love our spouse the same way we love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! A friend once observed, “Love talked about is easily ignored, but love demonstrated is irresistible.” God demonstrated His love toward us “in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Now, that is real love. If God had only talked about how much He loved us and never proved it by sending Christ to meet our greatest need—the forgiveness of sin and the healing of the breach between God and man when sin entered the world—He would have been a very cruel God. But He did more than talk. He demonstrated His love for us by sending the most precious offering He could make: His sinless Son, who became sin on our behalf that we might be delivered from sin and have a home in heaven. God’s love is eternal. It outlasts everything we have ever loved, including a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! It is in experiencing God’s love for us that we are able to love others, including those who might be unlovable to us. Our Father and our God, I am overwhelmed by the incredible love You have shown to me through Jesus. I am humbled by Your great mercy. Help me, Lord, to show selfless love to others—my family, my friends, the church, and even my enemies. I love You, Father, more than life because of Christ. Amen. J C Philpot - Those poor stupid people! "The world doesn't know us." 1 John 3:1 Both the openly profane world, and the professing world, are grossly ignorant of the children of God. Their real character and condition—state and standing—joys and sorrows—mercies and miseries—trials and deliverances—hopes and fears—afflictions and consolations—are entirely hidden from their eyes. The world knows nothing of the motives and feelings which guide and actuate the children of God. It views them as a set of gloomy, morose, melancholy beings, whose tempers are soured by false and exaggerated views of religion—who have pored over the thoughts of hell and heaven until some have frightened themselves into despair, and others have puffed up their vain minds with an imaginary conceit of their being especial favorites of the Almighty. "They are really," it says, "no better than other folks, if not worse. But they have such contracted minds—are so obstinate and bigoted with their poor, narrow, prejudiced views—that wherever they come they bring disturbance and confusion." But why this harsh judgment? Because the world knows nothing of the spiritual feelings which actuate the child of grace, making him act so differently from the world which thus condemns him. It cannot understand our sight and sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin—and that is the reason why we will not run riot with them in the same course of ungodliness. It does not know with what a solemn weight eternal things rest upon our minds—and that that is the cause why we cannot join with them in pursuing so eagerly the things of the world, and living for time as they do—instead of living for eternity. Being unable to enter into the spiritual motives and gracious feelings which actuate a living soul, and the movements of divine life continually stirring in a Christian bosom, they naturally judge us from their own point of view, and condemn what they cannot understand. You may place a horse and a man upon the same breathtaking hill—while the man would be looking at the woods and fields and streams, the horse would be feeding upon the grass at his feet. The horse, if it could reason, would say—"What a fool my master is! How he is staring and gaping about! Why does he not sit down and open his basket of provisions, and feed as I do? I know he has it with him, for I carried it." So the worldling says—"Those poor stupid people, how they are spending their time in going to chapel, and reading the Bible in their gloomy, melancholy way. Religion is all very well—and we ought all to be religious before we die—but they make so much of it. Why don't they enjoy more of life? Why don't they amuse themselves more with its innocent, harmless pleasures—be more gay, cheerful, and sociable, and take more interest in those things which so interest us?" The reason why the world thus wonders at us is because it knows us not, and therefore cannot understand that we have sublimer feelings—nobler pleasures—and more substantial delights—than ever entered the soul of a worldling! Christian! the more you are conformed to the image of Christ—the more separated you are from the world, the less will it understand you. If we kept closer to the Lord and walked more in holy obedience to the precepts of the gospel, we would be more misunderstood than even we now are! It is our worldly conformity that makes the world understand many of our movements and actions so well. But if our movements were more according to the mind of Christ—if we walked more as the Lord walked when here below—we would leave the world in greater ignorance of us than we leave it now—for the hidden springs of our life would be more out of its sight, our testimony against it more decided, and our separation from it more complete. Moravian Daily Texts - See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1 Spirit of God, burst forth in flame, searing our conscience, staking your claim. Burn up the clutter, brand us apart; warm ev’ry recess of my cold heart. Fill us with Spirit, fill us with joy! Your life to inherit, your gifts to employ; your love to embody, great God within, Spirit of Christ, let that new life begin. Beloved God, we are grateful for your covenant of love and trust with you. May we feel empowered to extend that covenant to others. Amen. James Smith - How great is the love the Father has lavished on us — that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 Those whom Jesus loves, being chosen of God to holiness here on earth, and happiness in eternity — are predestined to the adoption of His children — to the praise of the glory of His grace. They are predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son — they are to . . . partake of His nature, receive of His spirit, wear His image, and be associated with Him in honor and glory forever! Jesus calls them, His brethren — heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Himself! Being related to Him, they . . . have a saving interest in Him, are loved by Him, are in union with Him, and shall never be separated from Him! O wondrous mercy! That God should condescend to make up a family of such vile, polluted, and wretched beings as we are! O wondrous mercy! That He should write our names in His book of life, give us the gift of the Holy Spirit, privilege us to claim relationship at His throne, and associate us with Jesus as fellow-heirs! O wondrous mercy! That all this should have been fixed upon and settled — before the world began, and all for the praise of His glorious grace! GOOD FOR LOVING Craig Massey, in an article in Moody Monthly, told about being in a restaurant when a young boy spilled his milk. The boy's angry father yelled, "What are you good for?" The boy put his head down and softly said, "Nothing." Years later Massey was disgusted with his own son for a minor infraction, and he asked the same question. His son gave the same reply, "Nothing." Immediately Massey regretted the question, calling it "the cruelest question a father can ask." But as he thought about it, he realized that the question was all right but the answer was wrong. A few days later when his son committed another minor offense, he asked, "What are you good for?" But before his son could reply, he hugged him and kissed him and said, "I'll tell you what you're good for. You're good for loving!" Before long, when-ever he asked the question, his son would say, "I'm good for loving. 1 John 3:1 J. C. Philpot (PEARLS) writing on "The world knows us not." Both the openly profane world, and the professing world, are grossly ignorant of the children of God. Their … real character and condition, state and standing, joys and sorrows, mercies and miseries, trials and deliverances, hopes and fears, afflictions and consolations, are entirely hidden from their eyes. The world knows nothing of the motives and feelings which guide and actuate the children of God. It views them as a set of gloomy, morose, melancholy beings, whose tempers are soured by false and exaggerated views of religion—who have pored over the thoughts of hell and heaven until some have frightened themselves into despair, and others have puffed up their vain minds with an imaginary conceit of their being especial favorites of the Almighty. "They are really," it says, "no better than other folks, if so good. But they have such contracted minds—are so obstinate and bigoted with their poor, narrow, prejudiced views—that wherever they come they bring disturbance and confusion." But why this harsh judgment? Because the world knows nothing of the spiritual feelings which actuate the child of grace, making him act so differently from the world which thus condemns him. It cannot understand our sight and sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin—and that is the reason why we will not run riot with them in the same course of ungodliness. It does not know with what a solemn weight eternal things rest upon our minds—and that that is the cause why we cannot join with them in pursuing so eagerly the things of the world (1Jn 2:15, 16, 17- see notes 1Jn 2:15 2:16 2:17, Jas 4:4+), and living for time as they do—instead of living for eternity (Php 3:20, 21+). Being unable to enter into the spiritual motives and gracious feelings which actuate a living soul, and the movements of divine life continually stirring in a Christian breast, they naturally judge us from their own point of view, and condemn what they cannot understand. You may place a horse and a man upon the same hill—while the man would be looking at the woods and fields and streams—the horse would be feeding upon the grass at his feet. The horse, if it could reason, would say, "What a fool my master is! How he is staring and gaping about! Why does he not sit down and open his basket of provisions—for I know he has it with him, for I carried it—and feed as I do?" So the worldling says, "Those poor stupid people, how they are spending their time in going to chapel, and reading the Bible in their gloomy, melancholy way. Religion is all very well—and we ought all to be religious before we die—but they make so much of it. Why don't they enjoy more of life? Why don't they amuse themselves more with its innocent, harmless pleasures—be more gay, cheerful, and sociable, and take more interest in those things which so interest us?" The reason why the world thus wonders at us is because it knows us not, and therefore cannot understand that we have … sublimer feelings, nobler pleasures, and more substantial delights, than ever entered the soul of a worldling! Christian! the more you are conformed to the image of Christ—the more separated you are from the world, the less will it understand you. If we kept closer to the Lord and walked more in holy obedience to the precepts of the gospel, we would be more misunderstood than even we now are! It is our worldly conformity that makes the world understand many of our movements and actions so well. But if our movements were more according to the mind of Christ—if we walked more as the Lord walked when here below—we would leave the world in greater ignorance of us than we leave it now—for the hidden springs of our life would be more out of its sight, our testimony against it more decided, and our separation from it more complete. John MacDuff in his book The Thoughts of God writes about this great, precious, exotic love of God for the unlovely in a chapter entitled "Paternal Pity"… "How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God!" The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust. Psalm 103:13, 14 What feelings on earth are to be compared, in depth and intensity, to those that link a parent to his offspring? Has some member of his family been unjustly wronged? Many a man would willingly himself submit to unmerited injury and ridicule—bear in silence the tongue of calumny and slander—receive in silence the arrows of unkindness, who could not rest thus unmoved under the affront or stigma attempted to be fastened on his child. Or does the parent see his child in suffering? He could himself bear pain with comparative composure; but when he sees slow, torturing disease ploughing its furrows on the young cheek, and dimming the luster of the young eye, the iron enters into his soul; he would gladly even risk his own life were that of his loved one endangered. Many a father has stood by an early grave, and said, through anguished tears, "I wish I could have died rather than you!" Behold, in the loving, pitying thoughts and tender pitying deeds of the earthly parent, a picture and symbol, O believer, of God's thoughts and God's love to you. No, more—He identifies Himself with the sufferings and wrongs of His children. Injure them, and you injure Him. He that touches them touches the apple of His eye. He says, as David said to Abiathar, "Abide with me, for he that seeks your life, seeks my life—but with me you shall be in safeguard." When and where does this pitying love of God begin? "And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him!" God's thoughts of pity were upon us when we had not thought of pity on ourselves. And at this hour, too, is He pitying us—in our weakness, our sorrows, our temptations, our difficulties, our perplexities. Many an earthly father can make only a little allowance for the weakness and feebleness of his offspring. Not so our heavenly Father. "He remembers that we are but dust." When Job was greatly perplexed and downcast by the bitter reflections of his adversaries, this was his comfort—"But He knows the way that I take." See how these same thoughts of pitying love, like the ivy clasping the battered ruin, cling even round His wayward, backsliding children—"Is not Israel still My son, My darling child? I had to punish him, but I still love him. I long for him and surely will have mercy on him." Oh, blessed assurance, this great Being loves me, pities me—pities me and loves me even in the midst of my truant forgetfulness, ungrateful wandering—and continues to call me His "darling child." I have in Him a love in which fatherhood, brotherhood, sisterhood, are all combined! Arise, go to your Father! He is waiting and willing to welcome you to His embrace. He asks elsewhere, in a passage which touchingly describes His thoughts (His loving, paternal thoughts) at work—"How shall I put you among the children?" The gospel plan of salvation has answered that question—solved that Divine problem of parental love. Jesus has opened a way of access to the heavenly household—and made us heirs to all these precious thoughts of a Father's heart. Seated under Calvary's cross, we can exclaim in grateful transport— "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1 (Paternal Pity) THE LOVE THAT CONFERS SONSHIP James Hastings Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God: and such we are.—1 John 3:1. 1. ST. JOHN writes this Epistle on the highest peak of the sunlit summits of God’s new revelation in Jesus Christ. The Epistle is full of brightness. Every sentence tingles, and pulses, and throbs with the joy of the daylight, and flashes back the glory in streaming brightness to heaven. “A new commandment write I unto you,” so the music flows on, “because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth.” How John basks and revels in the sunlight! Light streams everywhere around him. “God is light.” “The light is shining.” “We walk in the light, even as he is in the light.” What has happened? The Dayspring has appeared from on high. The Sun of Righteousness has risen upon the world with healing in His beams. And then John sees the eternal light mirror itself on the clouded sky of this world in an arch of holy beauty, and his music grows soft and sweet as he sings, “God is love. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.”1 ¶ The Missionary Ziegenbalg tells us that in translating this text with the aid of a Hindu youth, the youth rendered it “that we should be allowed to kiss His feet.” When asked why he thus diverged from the text he said, “ ‘Children of God!’ that is too much—too high!” Such shrinking was excusable in heathen converts, to whom these truths came in a burst of light too dazzling for their weak eyes. It is not excusable in us. In us it involves nothing less than a denial of the faith which is the sole source of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.2 2. The Apostle uses the word “children,” not “sons” as in the Authorized Version. He would call attention, not as St. Paul, who uses “sons,” to the adoptive act, but to the antecedent, eternal, natural relation. God has freely given us His love, in order that our title may be children of God—and, in the true reading, he adds, “and such we are.” Children we now are, in recognized name, in real fact; what we shall be hereafter we know not; but that shall be manifested in due time; and when it is manifested, then, beloved, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. When we wake up after His likeness, we shall be satisfied with it. The image which we now bear shall become the perfect semblance. We shall be like clouds, cradled near the sun, dyed, bathed, transfused with its glowing beams; their lurid menace softened, their darkness palpitating with reflected splendour—their very substance transformed from gloom to whiteness, from whiteness to crimson, from crimson to gold, from gold to sunbeams—changed into the same image, from glory to glory. Oh! how shall I, whose native sphere Is dark, whose mind is dim, Before the Ineffable appear, And on my naked spirit bear That uncreated beam? There is a way for man to rise To that sublime abode: An offering and a sacrifice, A Holy Spirit’s energies, An Advocate with God. These, these prepare us for the sight Of Holiness above; The sons of ignorance and night May dwell in the Eternal Light! Through the Eternal Love. I THE WONDER OF THE FATHER’S LOVE 1. God’s love is original and spontaneous. Love is that mysterious power by which we live in the lives of others, and are thus moved to benevolent and even self-sacrificing action on their behalf. Such love is, after all, one of the most universal things in humanity. But always natural human love is a flame that must be kindled and fed by some quality in its object. It finds its stimulus in physical instinct, in gratitude, in admiration, in mutual congeniality and liking. Always it is, in the first place, a passive emotion, determined and drawn forth by an external attraction. But the love of God is an ever-springing fountain. Its fires are self-kindled. It is love that shines forth in its purest splendour upon the unattractive, the unworthy, the repellent. Herein is love, in its purest essence and highest potency, not in our love to God, but in this, that God loved us. Hence follows the apparently paradoxical consequence, upon which the Epistle lays a unique emphasis, that our love to God is not even the most godlike manifestation of love in us. It is gratitude for His benefits, adoration of His perfections, our response to God’s love to us, but not its closest reproduction in kind. In this respect, indeed, God’s love to man and man’s love to God form the opposite poles, as it were, of the universe of love, the one self-created and owing nothing to its object, the other entirely dependent upon and owing everything to the infinite perfection of its object; the one the overarching sky, the other merely its reflection on the still surface of the lake. And it is, as the Epistle insists, not in our love to God, but in our Christian love to our fellow-men, that the Divine love is reproduced, with a relative perfection, in us. ¶ In my old parish there was a little loch in the midst of the forest, and I was fond of visiting it. Its chief attraction for me was the multitude of wild birds which peopled its banks and islets; and once I observed a novelty. I had been accustomed to see there all manner of familiar water-fowl—coot, ducks, swans; but that evening I noticed others such as I had never seen before—birds of brilliant plumage, crimson, blue, and glossy green. And I recognized them as strangers from another clime than ours, from some far-off land where the air is warmer and the sun shines brighter and paints everything in gaudier hues. I said: “These are no natives: they are foreign birds”; and I learned by and by that they had been imported from Africa. And this is precisely the thought in the Apostle’s mind. “That love,” he says, “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, is a love which never sprang from earth’s cold soil. It is from some far-off region; it is from Heaven itself. Behold what unearthly love the Father hath bestowed upon us!”1 2. In the Apostle’s eulogy of love we find his memories of Jesus crystallized. To St. John the love of God was something more than wonderful. He was now a hoary-headed saint. He had laid his head in his youth on Jesus’ bosom, and was beginning to realize the love of God in Christ even then. Even then, as he looked up into those human eyes, the reality of God’s love had flowed into his consciousness. But there was more to be known than he knew at the supper table. As he stood by the cross, it may be that in those moments, when faith triumphed, the love of God became still more a reality. As he gathered with that little chosen band round the Person of the risen Lord, and saw that Face radiant with resurrection glory, the love of God was already a stronger power within his being. As the mighty Spirit at Pentecost came down and shook the house, and filled their hearts, and as he himself, as one of the first missionaries, went forth to tell the glad tidings of great joy, the love of God had already begun to be a stronger power within him still. Now, his head is hoary, the winter of age has gathered round him, life is fast receding, the world is disappearing, and eternity is drawing near. But it would seem that in each fresh step of his human career he had attained a fresh revelation of this Divine object, and now, in his last days, he calls upon all the world to gaze upon it, as if it were the most attractive of all spectacles. “Behold,” he says, as though he would fain draw aside the curtain of unbelief, and reveal to man that which man most requires to know,—“Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” ¶ The phrase which the Apostle employs is remarkable—“love the Father hath given to us.” Not the love the Father hath felt, or manifested toward us, but the love He hath given to us. It reminds us of another remarkable passage in the Gospel of this same Apostle. “God so loved the world that he gave—He gave—his only begotten Son.” As John began writing this sentence, “Behold what manner of love,” it would seem that the love gathered shape and form before his mind, embodied itself in the form of the incarnate Son. It refused to remain an abstract conception, a mere principle. It took shape, it became the incarnate love,—God’s unspeakable gift to man. And so John finished his sentence thus, “the Father hath given to us.” And then there was another thought that would suggest the word “give.” There was another way in which the Divine love was embodied before the eye of John. John saw that love embodied in the distinction, the honour, the glory conferred on those that believe in Jesus Christ. He saw the Divine love in the love-gift, the glorious bounty of God towards those who believe in Jesus Christ. And so John declares that the believer’s title to power and honour is God’s love-gift, the gift of His free love. You cannot go behind that love for an explanation. It is the gift of God’s free elective love.1 3. The love of God finds its type and shadow in the love of parents for their children. There is no love that we understand so well as a parent’s love. It is the first love we know, and every day of our early years gave us fresh and sweet illustrations of it. There is no love so pure, so disinterested, so unselfish. The affections of friendship and wedded life are strong, tender, passionate, and fervent, but in them there is always a more or less selfish joy. We get as much as we give. The parent’s love for a little child looks for no return. It is unlimited, uncalculating grace. It is given freely before there can be the least thought or ability to reciprocate it. It is given to helplessness, feebleness, ignorance, incapacity. It is an immense delight in that which has nothing to commend itself. It is an unbounded joy in that which by ordinary reason should evoke only pity. It is a holy sentiment which sets at nought literal fact and common sense. There is no logic in it. It has no apparent cause. It is inexplicable. It is one of the great mysteries of life. We should not believe it possible if we had never seen it; yet it is everywhere, and it is everywhere a symbol of the Divine, a proof of the Divine. The love of the Almighty for us is wonderful. It is well-nigh incredible. But there it is! “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.” ¶ I have a formidable book in my library which contains an elaborate treatise on Divine love. It is wonderfully clever. It soars through all the heights of metaphysics, and dives through all the deeps of mysticism; but though you are pursuing Divine love all the way you seem to lose it more and more in thick clouds of words, and at last give it up in despair. It is a wonderful relief then to come upon such words as these (you have not to wear the brain to tatters in comprehending them): “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.” God’s greatness we cannot grasp, God’s wisdom is unsearchable, but God’s love is something that any heart can hold and any mind picture. It is higher than the heavens and deeper than all seas, yet it is so homely and so human and so near that to realize it you have but to take some dear child of your own upon your knees, and express in tender kisses what you are to that child and what the child is to you.1 II THE DESIGN OF THE FATHER’S LOVE 1. God bestows His love in order that He may call us children. The Scriptures seem to run on two lines in their teaching about the Divine Fatherhood. In the Epistles it is always the followers of Christ who are called sons of God—sons and daughters of the Almighty—they only. But in the wider language of the Master the Fatherhood of God is as universal as humanity; every man, woman, and child received from those sacred lips his title-deed to a Divine sonship; every human mouth was commissioned to say “Our Father.” The larger thought and the narrower thought are equally beautiful and equally true. We are all His children by right; there is something of His image in all. There are possibilities of large Divine growth in all, and there is a place for all in His almighty heart of love. But only they who know it and rejoice in it are children in actuality and possession. Only those to whom it is an inspiration, an incentive to obedience, a source of immeasurable hope, a furnace kindling love, are sons indeed. The rest are children in possibility, but outcasts in fact. They have a great inheritance, but they are ignorant of it or despise it. They walk through life as orphans, though a Father’s love is ever stooping at their feet. It is only as we believe it that the wealth and dignity of it become ours. “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God.” 2. The purpose of the Father’s love is not only to call us children but to make us morally and spiritually true children, to bring us into right relations with Himself. We might have been told that He is our Father by creation, and that He hates nothing that He has made; that He is “the Father of our spirits” especially, and would place a merciful limit to His contendings with us, lest the spirit should fail before Him. But we require something more than this. We desire a Father to look to, and love, and trust; a Father to run to in danger, and take counsel with in doubt, to listen to us when no other friend will, and to help us when no other friend can. We cannot bear to think that God should be indifferent to us, as if we were “the seed of the stranger”; but would fain feel that He loves us, as being His own children by adoption and grace. And, in Christ Jesus, we may feel this. We were made children by Him who taught us to call God Father. “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Our spiritual pedigree is traced easily. Faith makes us Christ’s; being Christ’s, we are made sons; being sons, we become heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. ¶ The words of the Apostle mean much more than that God is the Father of all men. Creation does not amount to parentage. All force and meaning would disappear from our text if we were to suppose that the power, the right, to become children of God, which is men’s as the result of believing in Christ’s name, was simply a re-statement of the doctrine of creation. We may use the fact that God has created us as the basis of our hope that men may become His children, but that does not identify creation with fatherhood. St. Paul said to the men of Athens, “In him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” But these statements are immeasurably below the truth. Paul held, in common with John and Peter, that believers in Christ are the children of the heavenly Father.1 ¶ There is a Fatherhood of God, what the theologians call His creative Fatherhood, which includes all the race. There is still a higher, His redemptive Fatherhood, which includes all who come back home to the Father through Jesus. Man became a prodigal. He left his Father. He still remains a son creatively, but has cut himself off from the Father by sin. When he returns he becomes a son in a new higher sense also, a redeemed son. The Holy Spirit puts the child spirit into his heart, and he instinctively calls God Father again.1 ¶ I know of no satisfactory account of the Divine Fatherhood. Dr. Candlish wrote a book on the subject which I read thirty years ago or more; it did not satisfy me at the time, but I think there were some good things in it. I have often preached about it and have a theory; but I do not remember that there is anything to indicate my position in what I have published. The main points seem to me to be these:— (1) Our ideal relation to God is that of sons; this comes from our creation in Christ. (2) Sonship involves community of life—life derived from life. But the life of God has essentially an ethical quality; it is a holy life. (3) Ethical quality cannot be simply given; it must be freely appropriated. We were created to be sons; but to be sons really and in fact we must freely receive and realize in character the holiness of God. (4) There is a potency of sonship in every man, and ideally every man is a son; but it is only as a man becomes like God that he actually becomes a son. This, in the case of all who know Christ, is effected initially by receiving Christ; when He is freely accepted as the Root and Lord of life the principle of sonship is in us. This approaches the Divine Fatherhood from the human side; but I think that it is in this way that we can best approach it.2 ¶ Some time ago a woman died in an institution on Blackwell’s Island, who was found, afterwards, to have been a descendant of an English earl. Her birthright entitled her to a high position, but she had led a dissipated life and died a pauper’s death. With a name and a nature which unite us to God, shall we live like homeless waifs and die like paupers?3 3. In calling us children, God confers a new status, a high privilege, upon us. His desire is not merely to bring us into a true spiritual relation and condition, but to give us new rank, dignity and honour. It is the rank given by God to the children of the new kingdom, and this kingdom was inaugurated by the coming of Jesus Christ. From that there follow two or three important facts. The first is that the saints of the old dispensation did not obtain this honour, this rank did not belong to them under the old era. This is a new title, a new dignity. They were servants, not children. Our Saviour marked the transition when He said to His disciples: “Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends.” A closer relationship had begun. A new honour had been achieved. This is one of those things that the Old Testament saints did not receive, so that “they without us should not be made perfect.” The Scriptures also intimate that this rank, this status, is different from, and in some sense higher than, the status of the angels themselves. The relation of Jesus Christ to man is unique. “He laid hold not of angels, but of the seed of Abraham.” When He became manifested, He became manifested as the Son of man. And so man has entered into a unique relationship to Jesus Christ, and through Him to God, a relation closer, more intimate, higher, than the relations sustained to God and His Son even by the angelic hosts themselves. Now it necessarily follows from this that the unbeliever has neither part nor lot in such a title, such a distinction, such an honour as is here involved. ¶ Corregio stood before a grand painting, enraptured; and as he gazed, grasping the sublime conception, amazed at the wondrous execution and colouring of the picture, he exclaimed, “Thank God! I, too, am a painter.” So, when a Christian looks steadily at what it is to be children of our Father, with sublime thrills of joy he can say, “Thank God! I, too, am a child of the Lord God Almighty.”1 4. Christ’s Sonship is the true type of ours. No doubt the only-begotten Son occupies a unique place. He is by nature what we become by grace. But on that account we can look up to Him, and see in Him our true ideal. Not once does He call any one father but God, while He hardly ever calls God by any other name. Nothing is more impressive than the filial consciousness of Christ. It sounds so natural on His lips. Even as a boy, the very first words of His that have come vibrating down to us through the ages have this filial ring in them: “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?” Men noticed that He was eaten up with zeal for His Father’s house. It was His meat and drink to do His Father’s will. Every now and again we overhear an interchange of confidences and mutual understandings with His Father. Now it is a remark in a prayer, an aside: “I know that thou hearest me always”; or an “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Thus we might go on quoting word after word till the very cross is reached and He breathes His latest breath, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” What does it all say but this? The true filial spirit is one in which there is perfect understanding with God, from which all misgiving as to God’s will and purpose is banished. For Him misgiving never existed. For us it was there begotten of our own misjudgment of God through listening to the lies of the tempter. But it has disappeared when we become sons with the assurance of His forgiveness and good will guaranteed by the Cross of Christ. Now the attitude of the soul to God should be that of unfaltering trust, and constant anxiety to perceive and anticipate God’s will, gladly to accept it, and delightedly to fulfil it. It should be the reproduction of the example set in Jesus Christ, for, as Sabatier truly says, “Men are Christian exactly in proportion as the filial piety of Jesus is reproduced in them.” ¶ All that we see in the Divine manhood of Jesus—such evident facts as the sense of the Father’s affection, the constancy of fellowship with Him, the knowledge of Him which comes in spontaneous movements of the heart, and shows itself in simple loyalty and unerring reading of His will—is the revelation of what is meant when we too are called children of God. We are very far from the realization of this; we are only little children, very imperfectly acquainted as yet either with Him or with the possibilities of our own sonship; children learning very slowly, and with much waywardness and indifference, what are our privileges and His claims. But we are children of God, as the cry, Abba, Father! bears witness. We make the child’s appeal to His tenderness; we feel the child’s shame when we wrong His confidence. In our penitence we say, “I will arise and go to my Father”; our submission is the utterance, “Father, thy will be done.” And our final hope is no other than conformity to the image of Christ: “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” Christ will be the first-born among many brethren.1 ¶ For what good doth it to the Soul to know the Way to God, if it will not walk therein, but go on in a contrary Path? What good will it do the Soul to comfort itself with the Filiation of Christ, with His Passion and Death, and so flatter itself with the Hopes of getting the Patrimony thereby, if it will not enter into the Filial Birth, that it may be a true child, born out of the Spirit of Christ, out of His Suffering, Death, and Resurrection? Surely the Tickling and Flattering itself with Christ’s Merits without the true innate Childship, is Falsehood and a Lie, whosoever he be that teacheth it.1 ¶ Knowing as I do what the revelation of God means to me, knowing what God’s Fatherhood and the presence of God’s Spirit is to my own life, my whole heart goes out with infinite pity towards those whose lives are unblessed by what is to me the very pole-star of my existence. I cannot bear to think of some stumbling blindfold through the pitfalls of life while my hand is clasped by a never-failing Guide; or of others who look forward to the end of their earthly life with dread and trembling while I see only the outspread arms of the everlasting Father and the welcome of a life-long Friend.2 III THE RECOGNITION OF THE FATHER’S LOVE 1. “Such we are.” The Apostle was not afraid to say “I know that I am a child of God.” There are many very good people, whose tremulous, timorous lips have never ventured to say “I know.” They will say, “Well, I hope,” or sometimes, as if that were not uncertain enough, they will put in an adverb or two, and say “I humbly hope that I am.” It is a far robuster kind of Christianity, a far truer one, and a humbler one, too, that throws all considerations of our own character and merits, and all the rest of that rubbish, clean behind us, and when God says “My son!” says “My Father”; and when God calls us His children, leaps up and gladly answers, “And we are!” ¶ Luther started from the necessity of a “comfortable assurance.” Unconscious justification was not enough; a man must know whether he was being saved. And this assurance grace brought him, when it awakened his heart to faith; for anyone could tell whether he had faith or not.3 O heart! be thou patient! Though here I am stationed A season in durance, The chain of the world I will cheerfully wear; For, spanning my soul like a rainbow, I bear With the yoke of my lowly Condition, a holy Assurance.1 2. How are we to awaken to our sense of sonship? “As many as received him, to them gave he power (the right) to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name.” None of us know Christ until He reveals Himself to us in our association with Him; and as we commune with Him, and learn of Him, He becomes more and more to us. Accept Christ for what you feel He can be to you. Admit Him to your friendship; He will admit you to His. ¶ That day, if I had dared, I should not have set foot inside the chapel. I was out of humour, and certainly not the least inclined to endure the tedium of a sermon. To my great surprise M. Jaquet did not preach one, but began to read us a little tract. It was a sermon, but of a new kind: Wheat or Chaff, by Ryle [afterwards the well-known Bishop of Liverpool]. The title in itself struck me. “Wheat or chaff”—what does that mean? And at every fresh heading this question re-echoed more and more solemnly. I wanted to stop my ears, to go to sleep, to think about something else. In vain! When the reading was over and the question had sounded out for the last time, “Wheat or chaff, which art thou?” it seemed to me that a vast silence fell and the whole world waited for my answer. It was an awful moment. And this moment, a veritable hell, seemed to last for ever. At last a hymn came to the rescue of my misery. “Good,” I said to myself, “that’s over at last.” But the arrow of the Lord had entered into my soul. Oh, how miserable I was! I ate nothing, could not sleep, and had no more mind to my studies. I was in despair. The more I struggled the more the darkness thickened. I sought light and comfort in the pages of God’s Word. I found none. I saw and heard nothing but the thunders of Sinai. “Your sins: how can God ever forgive them? Your repentance and tears! You do not feel the burden of your sins: you are not struck down like St. Paul or like the Philippian jailer. Hypocrisy, hypocrisy!” insinuated the voice which pursued me. I had come to the end of all strength and courage. I saw myself, I felt myself lost—yes, lost, without the slightest ray of hope. My difficulty was, I wished I knew what it could be to believe. At last I understood that it was to accept salvation on God’s conditions; that is to say, without any conditions whatever. I can truly say the scales fell from my eyes. And what scales! I could say, “Once I was blind, and now I see.” Never shall I forget the day, nay, the moment, when this ray of light flashed into the night of my anguish. “Believe,” then, means to accept, and accept unreservedly. “As many as received him, to them gave he power—the right—to become the sons of God, even to as many as believed on his name.” It is plain, it is plain, it is positive. “O my God,” I cried, in the depth of my heart, “I believe.” … A peace, a joy unknown before, flooded my heart. I could have sung aloud with joy.1
1 João 3:2
Wuest: Divinely loved ones, now born-ones of God we are. And not yet has it been made visible what we shall be. We know absolutely that whenever it is made visible, like ones to Him we shall be, because we shall see Him just as He is. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Young's Literal:beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is; Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be: Agapetoi, nun tekna theou esmen, (1PPAI) kai oupo ephanerothe (3SAPI) ti esometha. (1PFMI): 1Jn 1:1; 5:1; Isaiah 56:5; Romans 8:14,15,18; Galatians 3:26; 4:6+ Ps 31:19; Ro 8:18; 1Co 2:9; 13:12+; 2Co 4:17 Click to listen to the timeless, raspy voiced exposition of 1Jn 3:2 by Dr J Vernon McGee 1 John 3 Resources - Multiples Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 1 Corinthians 2:9+ (Note: Context favors this as referring to truth revealed to the apostles - see 1Co 2:10) but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 1 Corinthians 13:12+ For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. 1Jn 3:1: WHAT WE ARE 1Jn 3:2: WHAT WE SHALL BE 1Jn 3:3: WHAT WE SHOULD BE Warren
1 João 3:3
Wuest: And everyone who has this hope continually set on Him is constantly purifying himself just as that One is pure. Young's Literal: and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he is pure And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure: kai pas o echon (PAPMSN) ten elpida tauten ep' auto hagnizei (3SPAI) heauton kathos ekeinos hagnos estin. (3SPAI): everyone who has this hope Romans 5:4,5; Colossians 1:5; 2Thessalonians 2:16; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 6:18 purifies - Acts 15:9; 2Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; 2Peter 1:4; 3:14 just as He is pure 1Jn 2:6; 4:17; Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36; Hebrews 7:26 Click to listen to the timeless, raspy voiced exposition of 1Jn 3:3 by Dr J Vernon McGee 1 John 3 Resources - Multiples Sermons and Commentaries 1Jn 3:1: WHAT WE ARE 1Jn 3:2: WHAT WE SHALL BE 1Jn 3:3: WHAT WE SHOULD BE Doctrine always demands duty. What you believe should motivate and energize how you behave. Proper creed should always breed proper conduct. Supernatural truth calls first for a surrender of self and then for a supernatural response! John has just explained the doctrines regarding the believer's privileged position as children of God and then elaborated on their prophetic hope of being like Christ. Based on and motivated by these great doctrinal truths, John now insists that all believers pursue purity in their life using as their example the perfect purity of their Lord. The Costa Ricans have a saying known as "pura vida" which means "pure life", and this is exactly what John is calling for in the life of all God's children -- "Pura Vida"! Restated, the apostle John's "template" for Pura Vida is... Those who have become children of God in the past now have the sure hope of glory in the future which motivates holy living in the present ! Note that believers don't live holy lives to prove they are children of God, but they live holy lives because they are children of God. To invert the divine pattern is to open one's self to the subtle trap of legalism and self-righteousness. Paul's words ring true 2000 years later... Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Gal 3:3+) (Take a moment and speak this question to your own soul dear holy one [saint] of the Holy One of Israel.) An unbeliever who sins is a creature sinning against his Creator. A Christian who sins is a child sinning against his Father. The unbeliever sins against law; the believer sins against love. Warren
1 João 3:3
Wuest: This hope is laid up in heaven, all of which means that the saints will enjoy it in the future life. There are treasures in heaven earned by the saints while on earth (Mt 6:20+), our citizenship is in heaven (Php 3:20+), and we have an inheritance reserved for us in heaven (1Pe 1:4+). Believers have an eternal hope in eternal life for they have been... justified by His grace (and)...made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7+) We can pray for one another based on the certainty of the good hope our Father graciously bestows on each of His children... Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17) This hope - It is interesting and somewhat surprising that this is the only use of the word hope in all of John's writings (not even found in the Revelation!). The saint's hope is not a "hope so" but a "hope sure!" Hope (1680) (elpis) (See also left column labeled "Definition of Hope") in Scripture is not the world's definition "I hope so" with rare exception (see Acts 27:20+). Instead Biblical hope is a desire for some future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Hope is confident expectancy. It's the absolute certainty of future good or that God will do good to us in the future. It is a solid rock we can stand on, for our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness! (Play this great hymn My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less). It is full assurance (Heb 6:11+). Hope is the opposite of despair (a state in which all hope is lost or absent). In fact the believer's cry (to other believers) could be "Don't despair--help {the "Helper"} is on the way!" Morally pure living is the response f those who hope to become like Jesus at His return -- Gary Derickson As believers, our hope is not in circumstances or optimistic desires for a better tomorrow. Our hope is not centered in a concept but focused on a living person, Paul explaining that "Christ Jesus [is] our hope" (1Ti 1:1YLT+) Our blessed hope is a catalyst prompting pursuit of personal holiness The NLT translates hope in 1Jn 3:3NLT as "eager expectation" which gives a good picture of the action that hope in the heart should produce. Jesus said that He was returning to heaven to prepare a place for us (John 14:2+). Then He added these wonderful words of hope (Jn 14:3+), If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. He didn’t leave us forever! He’s coming back for us, and when that happens, we will go to be with Him in the place that He has prepared for us! All of our hope should be fixed on Him. Christians who fix their hope (their confident expectation) upon Christ’s return, will purify themselves, not ceremonially but morally -- John Stott The UBS Handbook Series has an interesting analysis of the nuances of Biblical hope noting that "There are to be distinguished four main semantic components which combine in various ways to represent the concept of “hope.” These are, (1) time, for hope always looks to the future; (2) anticipation, for there is always some goal to the time span; (3) confidence, namely, that the goal hoped for will occur; and (4) desire, since the goal of hoping is represented as a valued object or experience." (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series) David
1 João 3:4
Wuest - Everyone who habitually commits sin, also habitually commits lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. Practices - 1Jn 3:8,9 1Ki 8:47 1Chr 10:13 2Co 12:21 Jas 5:15 Practices lawlessness - Nu 15:31 1Sa 15:24 2Ch 24:20 Isa 53:8 Da 9:11 Ro 3:20 4:15 Jas 2:9-11 And sin is lawlessness 1Jn 5:17 Ro 7:7-13 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries 1 John 3:4-10 The Believer and Sin - Steven Cole 1 John 3:4-10 Why Christian's & Sin are Incompatible - Study Guide - see link in dropdown - John MacArthur 1 John 3:4-10 The Christian's Incompatibility with Sin, Pt 1 - John MacArthur 1 John 3:4-8 The Christian's Incompatibility with Sin, Pt 2 - John MacArthur 1 John 3:4-9 The Christian's Incompatibility with Sin, Pt 3 - John MacArthur What does it mean that believers do not continue to sin (1 John 3:6; 5:18)? - John MacArthur What does it mean that believers do not continue to sin (1 John 3:6; 5:18)? - Gotquestions F B Meyer Devotional on 1John 3:4 GOD'S DEFINITION OF SIN AND SINNERS Dear reader, this is a very important verse to interpret correctly which is why I go into such depth to emphasize the correct interpretation, the one which is accepted by the vast majority of conservative Christian writers. There is a minority interpretation in evangelicalism which is potentially dangerous and misleading and it will be discussed. I like the ESV translation - "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness." (Bolding mine) In the same way, the both the ESV and the NIV translations of 1Jn 3:6 says "No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning," while the NAS says "No one who abides in Him sins." Clearly the ESV and NIV more accurately bring out the sense of the Greek tense in both of these passages (the significance of which will be discussed below.) Here is Kenneth Wuest's paraphrase of 1Jn 3:4-10 - "Everyone who habitually commits sin, also habitually commits lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. And you know absolutely that that One was manifested in order that He might take away our sins; and sin in Him does not exist. Everyone who in Him is constantly abiding is not habitually sinning. Everyone who is constantly sinning has not with discernment seen Him, nor has he known Him, with the result that that condition is true of him at present. Little born-ones, stop allowing anyone to be leading you astray. The one who habitually does righteousness is righteous, just as that One is righteous. The one who is habitually committing sin is out of the devil as a source, because from the beginning the devil has been sinning. For this purpose there was manifested the Son of God, in order that He might bring to naught the works of the devil. Everyone who has been born out of God with the present result that he is a born-one of God does not habitually commit sin because His seed remains in him. And he is not able habitually to sin, because out of God he has been born with the present result that he is a born-one of God. In this is apparent who are the born-ones of God and the born-ones of the devil. Everyone who is not habitually doing righteousness is not of God, also the one who is not habitually loving his brother with a divine and self-sacrificial love. (1Jn 3:4-10) (Bolding added to emphasis translation of John's uses of the present tense). Daniel Akin (Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 64) sums up 1 John 3:4-10 by asking "Why Did the Son of God Invade Planet Earth?" Main Idea: Jesus Christ came to redeem and renew sinners by paying the penalty of sin and defeating the Devil. (I) He Came to Deliver Us from Sin (1Jn 3:4-6). (A) Christ appeared and dealt with sin (1Jn 3:4-5+). (B) Christians abide in Christ and do not live in sin (1Jn 3:6+). (II) He Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil (1Jn 3:7-8). (A) The Devil is a deceiver, so pursue righteousness (1Jn 3:7+). (B) The Devil is a sinner who has been defeated (1Jn 3:8+). (III) He Came to Demarcate the Children of God (1Jn 3:9-10). (A) God's children have experienced a new birth (1Jn 3:9+). (B) God's children do not practice sin (1Jn 3:9+). (C) God's children love one another (1Jn 3:10+). John was very concerned that Christians know how to tell the true from the false; the genuine from the artificial; true believers from false ones. He presents tests here and throughout this letter to help determine the validity of anybody’s claims to be a Christian. Although genuine Christians have a sin nature (1Jn 1:8+), and do commit and need to confess sin (1Jn 1:9+; 1Jn 2:1+), that is not the unbroken pattern of their lives. A genuinely born again believer has a built-in check or guard against habitual sinning due to a new nature (“born of God” = 1Jn 3:9+; cp Ro 6:12+). Children of Whom? Fruit Reveals Roots Everyone who practices (poieo - present tense - habitually) sin (hamartia) also practices (poieo - present tense - habitually) lawlessness; and sin (hamartia) is lawlessness (anomia) - Note the pronoun "everyone" leaving no exceptions regarding this description of those who sin habitually as their lifestyle. They are guilty of flagrant lawlessness against God. John will later explain that these sin practitioners are dead in their trespasses and sins, are not born again and do not know God or His Son. Do not let anyone try to tell you that a person can profess Christ at one moment and spend the remainder of their life living like the devil, thinking they will go to heaven when they die, for that is a lie (from the pit of hell!) In the next verse (1Jn 3:5) John will explain what a lifestyle of sin is not even logical because of the fact that Jesus came to take away sins. To practice sin and lawlessness goes counter to the very reason God sent His Son to earth! Warren
1 João 3:5
Wuest - And you know absolutely that that One was manifested in order that He might take away our sins; and sin in Him does not exist. He - 1Jn 1:2, 4:9-14 John 1:31 1Ti 3:16 1Pe 1:20 To take away - 1Jn 1:7 Isa 53:4-12 Hos 14:2 Mt 1:21 John 1:29 Ro 3:24-26 Eph 5:25-27 1Ti 1:15 Tit 2:14 Heb 1:3 9:26,28 1Pe 2:24 Rev 1:5 No sin - 1Jn 2:1 Lu 23:41,47 John 8:46 14:30 2Co 5:21 Heb 4:15 7:26 9:28 1Pe 2:22 3:18 1 John 3:5 Sermon by Charles Simeon - Christ Manifested to Take Away Sin 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 2 Timothy 1:9-10+ (INCARNATION) has been revealed by the appearing (phaneroo) of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who abolished (make of no effect) death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Hebrews 9:26+ (INCARNATION) The writer of Hebrews says that "now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested (phaneroo) to put away sin (athetesis) by the sacrifice of Himself." 1 John 3:5 (INCARNATION) And you know that He appeared (phaneroo) in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 1 John 3:8 (INCARNATION) the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared (phaneroo) for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Hebrews 10:12+ but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time (forever), SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, John 1:29+ (JOHN BAPTIST DECLARED PURPOSE OF JESUS' INCARNATION) The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away airo) the sin of the world! Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 1 John 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him WHY BELIEVERS DO NOT HAVE TO PRACTICE SIN John has just stated that the practice of sin is lawlessness (1Jn 3:4) and now he explains why believers do not have to live under the reign and rule of sin and continually practice lawlessness. Then in the following verse John emphasizes that one who continually abides in Jesus does not practice sins, and conversely the one who continually sins does not know (intimately, personally) Jesus. John's point in 1Jn 3:5 is that followers of Christ cannot practice sin as their lifestyle, the bent of their life, because to do so would be utterly incompatible with the work of Christ Who died to take away the power sin had previously exerted over us in our unregenerate state, spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins. To live a lifestyle continually committing sins is contrary to Christ's work of taking away sins on the Cross. You know (eido/oida) that He appeared (phaneroo - aorist tense) in order to (hina) take away (airo - aorist tense) sins (hamartia); and in Him there is (present tense - continually) (ou = absolutely) no sin (hamartia) - John begins with an appeal to knowledge the readers already possessed. They knew the facts of the truth he was about to expound, specifically Jesus' incarnation and crucifixion. You know (eido/oida) speaks of beyond a shadow of a doubt knowledge and the perfect tense speaks of it as their permanent possession. He appeared (phaneroo) of course refers to Jesus' incarnation. In order (hina) identifies the purpose for Jesus' incarnational mission which was to be be the sacrifice for sins. The implication as alluded to above is that one who practices lawlessness scorns Christ's work on the Cross or alternatively supposes that he can sin with impunity and turn the grace of God into licentiousness (cf Jude 1:4+). Take away (airo) has 3 meanings - to lift up from the ground; to lift up in order to bear and to carry or take away, the third meaning being the sense in this passage, as it was in John 1:29 where John identified Jesus as the "the Lamb of God Who takes away airo) the sin of the world!" Take away in aorist tense depicts a past historical event that took place at a point in time, specifically referring to the crucifixion of Christ where "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." (1Pe 2:24+) Alford adds on the aorist tense also signifies He took sins "away by one act and entirely.” Sins (lit = "the sins") in plural means not just certain sins were taken away but all sins with no exceptions. Sins plural also calls attention to the individual acts of sin. When Jesus declared "It is finished" (or "Paid in Full") He meant that the price was fully paid for every sin committed since the Garden of Eden! Christ's mission was to take away sins and in the active voice reflects a decision of His will. "I lay down (active voice) My life for (huper = speaks of substitutionary sacrifice) the sheep." (Jn 10:15+) "He gave (aorist tense, active voice) Himself for (huper = speaks of substitutionary sacrifice) our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." (Gal 1:4+). Christ loved us "and gave (aorist tense active voice) Himself up for (huper = speaks of substitutionary sacrifice) us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." (Eph 5:2+). In order to (hina introduces a purpose clause) - Whenever you see this term of purpose or result, take a moment to ponder "What is the purpose or result?" Jesus became a Man that He might die a Redeemer, paying the price to set us free from the power of sin, Satan, and death (Ro 6:7,11+, 1Cor 15:55, Heb 2:14-15+). Under the power of sin, we could do nothing but sin, but now we have a choice and a power to not sin (Ro 6:12-14+). Therefore if one says they know Jesus and yet continue to practice sin (not occasional sins all believers commit, but a lifestyle dominated by sin), they don't really know Him. Their very lifestyle contradicts the reason for which He appeared! How many today call themselves Christians and yet (hypocritically) they live like the devil, because they are of his family. John
1 João 3:6
Wuest - He asserts that “Everyone who keeps on continually sinning, has not seen Him neither known Him.” This is an unsaved person. The verbs “seen” and “known” are in the perfect tense, implying that he has neither seen nor known God in times past, with the present result that He is still invisible and unknown to him. The particular word for “see” here means “to see with discernment.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Seen (horao) means to literally to perceive by sight or to see and in this context speaks figuratively of spiritual sight. The Greek negative particle signifies absolute negation, categorically denying that had seen Him (spiritually speaking, with eyes of faith, "for faith is the the assurance of [things] hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Heb 11:1+). Seen and knows are both in the perfect tense (see discussion under "knows") David Jackman - Earlier John referred to a literal seeing of Jesus in the flesh (1Jn 1:2–3), but here the emphasis rests on seeing the true nature and purpose of the incarnate Christ. The one who sees Christ for who he is and embraces his redemptive work is the one who abides in him. (See The Message of John's Letters) A T Robertson on has not seen Him - The habit of sin is proof that one has not the vision or the knowledge (egnōken perfect active also) of Christ. He means, of course, spiritual vision and spiritual knowledge. Johann Bengel on those who have seen Him and know Him - Light and knowledge produce likeness to God. Cambridge Greek Testament - the habitual sinner does none of these things: sin is his ruling principle. And this could not be the case if he had ever really known Christ. Just as apostates by leaving the Church prove that they have never really belonged to it (1 John 2:19), so the sinner by continuing in sin proves that he has never really known Christ.—Seeing and knowing are not two names for the same fact: to see Christ is to be spiritually conscious of His presence; to know Him is to recognize His character and His relation to ourselves.
1 João 3:6
Wuest - Everyone who in Him is constantly abiding is not habitually sinning. Everyone who is constantly sinning has not with discernment seen Him, nor has he known Him, with the result that that condition is true of him at present. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) 1Jn 2:28 Joh 15:4-7 1Jn 3:2,9 2:4 4:8 5:18 2Co 3:18 4:6 3Jn 1:11 Thomas Manton - 1 John 3:6 - No one who abides in him keeps on sinning 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ABIDERS DON'T SIN HABITUALLY SINNERS DON'T ABIDE AT ALL! No one who abides (meno - present tense) in Him sins (hamartano - present tense); (ou - absolutely) no one who sins (hamartano - present tense) has seen (perfect tense) Him or (absolutely does not) knows (ginosko - perfect tense) Him - YLT - "every one who is remaining in him doth not (ou) sin; everyone who is sinning, hath not (ou) seen him, nor (oude) known him." From Young's Literal it is easy to see John's three negatives and it is notable that all three in Greek signify absolute negation or categorical denial of what follows! John is saying that the one who abides in Christ is one who absolutely does not manifest a lifestyle of continual, habitual, unabated sin. To the contrary, if one continually lives a life of sin, in simple terms, they don't really know Jesus. Regardless of what they profess, they are not truly born again! They may cry "Lord, Lord" (Mt 7:22+) but they do not continually do the will of the Father in heaven (Mt 7:21+). Beloved, do not be deceived! Genuine salvation results in a new creation, a new lifestyle, a new direction. No it is not perfection, but it is a new direction! Do not be deceived dear reader remembering that... Sin and Christ are irreconcilably at enmity with each other. Christ in His sinless Person and saving work is fundamentally opposed to it” -- John Stott 1 John 5:18 makes a similar statement in the first clause… We know that no one who is born (perfect tense - past belief in Christ resulting in a permanent/eternal effect) of God (CONTINUALLY, HABITUALLY, UNREMITTING, UNREPENTANTLY) sins (present tense); but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. (1 John 5:18+) No one who abides (meno - present tense) in Him sins (hamartano - present tense) - If we abide in Christ, we cannot live in sin! Sin is no longer our master. Genuine believers cannot live a lifestyle of sin. Who is the one who abides in Him? Some say this speaks of the practice of a believer abiding (thus speaking of fellowship with Christ) but others say it describes the position of the believer (thus speaking of identity as a follower of Christ). Remember that context is king in interpretation, so what is the immediate context? While there is not a "but" separating the first clause from the second, when one compares these two clauses, they clearly depict a striking contrast - the first person abides in God in contrast to the second who does not abide in God because he has neither seen nor known Him. Clearly the latter clause depicts an unbeliever, not having seen or known God. And so he sins habitually because he does not have God's Spirit within to give him power not to sin. On the other hand, the first clause depicts a believer (defined as one who abides in God) and because he abides in God (i.e., that is his position), God's Spirit abides in him and gives him power to not sin continually (i.e., that is his practice). Here is an example from Thomas Constable (whose expository notes are often quoted on this website as they are generally well done) of what I consider to be an erroneous interpretation of what John is saying.
1 João 3:7
Wuest - Smith comments: “An affectionate warning against Nicolaitan Antinomianism. The apostle cuts away vain pretences by a sharp principle: a righteous character expresses itself in righteous conduct. Christ (ekeinos = “that One”) is the type. He was ‘the Son of God,’ and if we are ‘children of God,’ we must be like Him.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Deceives (4105)(planao from plane which describes "a wandering" > English "planet"; same verb is used in 1Jn 1:8+and 1Jn 2:26-+) means literally made to wander and so to go (active sense) or be led (passive sense as of sheep in Mt 18:12-13) astray. In spiritual terms, planao means to be made to err from the right way, the highway of truth and holiness. Straying in the spiritual sense occurs when one does not adhere to the truth (James 5:19) and/or forsakes the right way (see 2Peter 2:15+) Planao is in the present imperative which calls for continual vigilance, continual practice (to not be led astray), something that ultimately can only be accomplished as we rely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and the clarifying Word of Truth. John is aware of the penchant for false teachers to lead the sheep astray and so counters their erroneous teaching with truth - the need for obedience, the need for love, and the need for a proper view of Christ. Truth always trumps a lie. John Stott - The heretics appear to have indulged in the subtly perverse reasoning that somehow you could ‘be’ righteous without necessarily bothering to ‘practise’ righteousness. John roundly denies the possibility. (BORROW The Letters of John page 128) The false teachers with their sophistry were capable not merely of condoning sin, but of making it seem virtuous. --F F Bruce John
1 João 3:7
Wuest - Little born-ones, stop allowing anyone to be leading you astray. The one who habitually does righteousness is righteous, just as that One is righteous. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Make sure - 1Jn 2:26,29 Ro 2:13 1Co 6:9 Ga 6:7,8 Eph 5:6 Jas 1:22 2:19 5:1-3 The one who practices - Ps 106:3 Eze 18:5-9 Mt 5:20 Lu 1:75 Ac 10:35 Ro 2:6-8,13 Ro 6:16-18 Eph 5:9 Php 1:11 1Pe 2:24 Just as - 1Jn 3:3, 2:1 Ps 45:7 72:1-7 Heb 1:8 7:2 1Pe 1:15,16 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DO NOT BE DECEIVED! YOU DO WHAT YOU ARE! Little children (teknion "my dear children"), make sure no one deceives (planao - present imperative with a negative) you - Little children is literally My "born ones", and designates a little child so is used by John with "fatherly firmness" to warn those who are true followers of Jesus. From John's repetitive use of teknion in this epistle, one might say it is an epistle for little children! But the subjects with which John deals are not "child's play," but have serious implications regarding one's spiritual life, now and in the life to come! Make sure no one deceives a command with a negative can imply that they were already being deceived. What is the deception? The false teaching that you can profess faith in Jesus and spend the remainder of your life living like the devil! This is a lie from the pit of hell and it will take those who fall for it to that dread destination! John is abundantly clear that "the one who practices righteousness is righteous." This is a mark of a true believer.
1 João 3:8
Wuest - “Commits” (KJV) is poieō, in a present tense participle, “He who is continually doing sin.” Smith suggests, “He that makes sin his business or practice.”(Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Steven
1 João 3:8
Wuest - Sinned is a present of duration which speaks of that which has begun in the past and continues into the present. The translation could read, “The devil has been sinning from the beginning.”… Smith identifies the words “the beginning” as “the beginning of his diabolic career.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Vine says the stress is "upon the phrase “from the beginning.” Sin began when Satan first sinned. The use of the present tense in the statement, instead of the past “has sinned,” marks the fact that he himself is sinful and his course is unceasingly one of sin. By his misrepresentation of God, which is implied in the title “devil,” he has ever sought to attack the soul of man, endeavoring to instill reasons for doubt and distrust of God. That is the evidence of Scripture from the first to the last, cp. John 8:44." (Collected Writings) Beginning (746)(arche) refers to the commencement of something as an action, process, or state of being. Arché refers to what is first or has primacy (the state of being first). Beginning most likely refers to Satan's initial fall from God's favor (Isaiah 14:12-14 - note the "I will's", Ezekiel 28:12-17) How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ (Isa 14:12-14) Ezek 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared. 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you [there.] You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you. 16 “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. Steven
1 João 3:8
Wuest adds that Jesus "has done more than that. By the blood of His Cross He has paid for sin, made a way of escape from the arch enemy of men’s souls, defeated the purposes of the devil, and will finally bring about his complete downfall." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) In a parallel passage the writer of Hebrews says that Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless (katargeo) him who had the power of death, that is, the devil and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. (Heb 2:14-15+) But you might be saying "That sounds good, but it seems to me that Satan in alive and well on planet earth!" While that is true, John's point is that because of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, Satan is a defeated adversary and now all who are safe "in Christ" are released from his authority. The devil's defeat is describe by John in Revelation 20 after being released from his 1000 year confinement - And when the thousand years are completed (cp Rev 20:1-3+), Satan will be released (somewhat ironically also uses luo) from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10+) (As an aside notice that very frequently when the devil is mentioned, the word deceived or deception is often mentioned in the same context -- clearly this is his great "modus operandi" to deceive! What's the point? The best defense against deception is to hold fast God's Word of Truth, so that in the day of trial or temptation or tribulation, that living and active word might hold your spirit, soul and body fast! THOUGHT - This begs the critical question - Are you memorizing the Word? There is simply no better way to hold fast God's Truth than to treasure it in your heart! (Ps 119:9,11) Begin today -- write down a verse on an index card and carry it with you, meditating on it when you have free time and you will soon have it memorized. Then add another verse and index card, but keep the old card with you, because frequent review is the key to successful Bible memorization. See related resources - (1) Meditate, (2) Primer on Biblical Meditation; (3) Memorizing His Word (4) Memory Verses by Topic The works of the devil - There are many "works" but as discussed above, one of his main "works" is to deceive. See Summary of the Methodeia of Satan See Satan in Nave's Topical Bible and Schemes of the Devil John Piper on the works of the Devil - The work of the devil is to tempt people to sin. When they sin, his work is accomplished. So what the Son of God came to destroy is not just the guilt of sin (which might enable us to stay like we are and go right on sinning into heaven) but actually sinning. The Son of God came to destroy sinning. The enemy on the rebel planet is sin. The deadly virus in the Appalachian village is sin. The force to be conquered on the Western Front is sin. Christmas is God's invasion of enemy territory to rescue a people from the devil and destroy the sin in their lives. (The Son of God Appeared to Destroy the Works of the Devil) Daniel Akin - Seeing 1Jn 3:8 in parallel with 1Jn 3:5, we see that the works of the Devil, which our Savior came to destroy, are sins. By means of His atonement, sin's penalty has been nullified for the child of God. By means of the new birth, sin's power has been neutralized and dealt a death-blow. And, by virtue of His two appearings, sin's presence will soon pass away forever. Jesus delivered a knockout punch to the Devil on the cross. An empty tomb is an eternal monument to His victory and to ours! (SEE Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 69) Steven
1 João 3:8
Wuest - The one who is habitually doing sin is out of the devil as a source, because from the beginning the devil has been sinning. For this purpose there was manifested the Son of God, in order that He might bring to naught the works of the devil. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) The one who practices sin is of the devil - 1Jn 3:10, 5:19 Mt 13:38 John 8:44 Eph 2:2 for the devil has sinned from the beginning: 2Pe 2:4 Jude 1:6 purpose to destroy the works of the devil - 1Jn 3:5 Ge 3:15 Isa 27:1 Mk 1:24 Lu 10:18 Jn 12:31 16:11 Ro 16:20 Col 2:15 Heb 2:14 Rev 20:2,3,10,15 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A LIFE THAT BEARS THE MARK OF THE DEVIL Having given them a clear marker that one is truly a child of God (practices [present tense] righteousness in 1Jn 3:7) John now continues the other side of the warning "Little children, let no one deceive you" specifically be on the alert for the one who "practices (present tense - as their lifestyle) sin" for they are "of the devil" regardless of what they say with their lips (their life speaks louder than their lips!). They may say "I raised my hand in church 20 years ago and ask Jesus into my heart. John is saying if they practice right living toward God and man, that is proof that their profession is indeed possession (so to speak). But if they continually practice (present tense) sin as the bent of their life, with reckless abandon and no grieving over sin or desire for repentance, then the evidence is clear that their profession of faith is false and they are deceived! From Jesus' warning in Matthew 7 sadly it is clear that many (not just a few) will in fact be deceived, thinking they can live like the devil and still have heaven! This reminds me of the Devil's old lie "You surely shall not die." (Ge 3:4+) And yet we find men perpetrating this old lie today, saying you can make a profession of faith and live like the devil the rest of your life and still have Jesus when you die! (e.g., see note or here) Some have rightly referred to this false teaching as "cheap grace!" Jesus' words could not be much clearer… “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does (present tense) the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (present tense - as their lifestyle) LAWLESSNESS.’ (Mt 7:21-23+) The one who practices (poieo - present tense as the general direction of his life) sin (hamartia) is (present tense) of the devil (diabolos) - This is the "reverse" of 1 Jn 3:7+ statement that "The one who practices righteousness is righteous." Ligon Duncan explains that "A life which is bent towards sin, a life which is characterized by the rejection of God’s word, by refusing to seek after the holiness of God in Christ (Ed: cp sanctification = holiness in Heb 12:14+)—this life is a life which bears the mark of the devil. So John here says, ‘You do what you are.’ But he also says that ‘you do whose you are.’ Not only do you do what you are, you do whose you are. (The Test of Righteousness) Sin (266)(hamartia) originally conveyed the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow and missing the mark or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. See literal use of similar Hebrew word (Jdg 20:16). In Homer some hundred times hamartia is used of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe. Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." The law is like a ruler and sin is like a crooked line - Anyone can detect a crooked line (cp sin) when a perfectly straight line (cp law) is drawn next to it! David Smith on practices (poieo - present tense as the general direction of his life) sin - “he that makes sin his business or practice." (Expositor's Greek Testament) George Findlay - Being, negatively, an un-Christian, anti-Christian thing, verse 8 affirms that sin is positively diabolical. The righteous Son of God stands forth as the leader of the sons of God, cleansed by His blood and abiding in His righteousness. For the doers of sin there is another leader; they choose another patron and pattern: “He that commits sin is of the Devil.” The reason St John gives for ascribing this shameful complicity to sinners is that “from the beginning the Devil sins.” There sin, so far as revelation indicates and according to the Apostle’s theory of evil, took its rise,—from that most wretched and wicked being whom Scripture names “the Devil” (“the slanderer”), and “Satan” (“the enemy” of God and man). Satan was the first to lapse from God; and he has continued to sin all along—he “sinneth from the beginning.” From this personal source the law of sin and death first proceeded and “the darkness” spread over the world, even as Christ’s law of love and all the light of the Gospel were “from the beginning” in God the Father (1Jn 1:1, 2:7, 13). Sin is Satan’s domain, his sphere, his work; and every sinner is his ally and instrument. The committer of sin makes himself of the Devil’s party, of the Devil’s spirit, and finally—according to the fearful words of Jesus (Matt. 25:41)—of the Devil’s doom. He is engaged in building up those “works of the Devil,” which “the Son of God came that He might destroy.” Every such man is abetting the enemies of God and goodness; he aids the captain of rebellion to maintain that fortress of evil, that huge rampart erected in the universe against the holy and almighty will of God, which we call “sin.”(1 John 3:4-9 Commentary - scroll down to page 252 ) C H
1 João 3:9
Wuest - Everyone who has been born out of God, with the present result that he is a born-one (of God), does not habitually do sin, because His seed remains in him. And he is not able to habitually sin, because out of God he has been born with the present result that he is a born-one (of God). (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Born - 1 Jn 2:29 4:7 5:1,4,18 John 1:13 Because - Job 19:28 1Pe 1:23 He cannot sin - Mt 7:18 Ac 4:20 Ro 6:2 Ga 5:17 Titus 1:2 See comments on Born Again in John 3 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 1 Peter 1:23-25+ Peter explains "you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, [that is,] through the living and abiding word of God. For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER.” And this (THE SEED) is the word which was preached to you. 2 Peter 1:4-5+ For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in [your] moral excellence, knowledge. BORN OF GOD: BECAUSE HIS SEED ABIDES No (ou = absolutely) one who is born (gennao - perfect tense speaks of permanence) of God practices (poieo - present tense - continually commits) sin (hamartia) - Born speaks of not only to a new relationship but also to a new life. Practitioners of sin are not of God! They are not regenerated and indwelt by the Holy Spirit as indicated by their unholy lives! They are not born from above as shown by their pattern of living like those from below! Daniel Akin reminds us that "the false teachers of John's day, as well as those of our own, will teach that it is possible—someway, somehow—to be righteous without doing what is right. God's Word says, "No way!" Those abiding in Christ will not, indeed they cannot, go on living in sin as the consistent and prevailing pattern of their lives. "Impossible," says the Bible. It simply is not in the realm of reality. Conversion changes everything. Regeneration does not produce invisible or rotten fruit. (Exalting Jesus in 1, 2, 3 John Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) Ligon Duncan continuing the thought of "You do what you are." calls us to notice "again how he says this: “No one who is born of God practices sin.” The child of God bears the marks of whose child he is in his life… The one who practices sin shows that he is not of the heavenly Father; he is not born of God. And so you do whose you are as well. What you do reveals whose you are. Our lives show whose we are, whether we are of Christ or of Satan. Now we need to pause right there and say that it would be very easy to read this passage and think that John is teaching something like sinless perfection or that you must be perfect in order to be a Christian, and John is teaching neither. He’s already addressed in 1 John 1 people who taught that Christians could be sinlessly perfect, and he has contradicted that (false teaching). He said, ‘No, Christians cannot be sinlessly perfect.’ He has also addressed the issue of sin in the Christian life: Does a sin in the Christian life mean that one is not really a Christian? No. 1 John 1:9-+: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us.” No, sin in the Christian life is not the issue that he is addressing; he is addressing fundamentally the issue of a person who claims to be a Christian but the bent or habit or characteristic of his or her life is one which is not in accordance with God’s word. That person is not living in accordance with the grace of God, the truth of God, is not following in the way of righteousness. That’s what John is dealing with here. Do Christians sin? Yes. Do Christians sin more than once? Yes. Does that make them not Christians? No. But John is asking about the bent, the habit, the characteristic of a life, and he’s saying that our lives reveal who we are." (Bolding added) (1 John 2:29-3:10 The Test of Righteousness) Vine on "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin" (KJV),—this is set in contrast to the beginning of v. 8. The phrase rendered “is begotten” is in the perfect tense, “has been begotten”; in other words, “has become and therefore remains a child of God.” The phrase “to be begotten of God” is, in the New Testament, confined to the writings of the apostle John. The statement here again conveys the thought of sinning as a practice, a habit. The better and accurate rendering would be “doeth not sin.” “Doeth no sin” states what is not a fact, for it suggests that no sin is committed by such. What is here taught is not that the divine nature in man does not sin, and that it is only the old nature, the flesh, that sins; the fact is that the apostle is still distinguishing between the child of God and the unregenerate. Life Application Study Bible - "Does not sin" and "cannot sin" mean that true believers do not carelessly or purposely continue to sin, nor do they become indifferent to God's moral law. All believers still sin, but they are working consciously (ED: SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS!) to gain victory over sin. John Stott - In this whole section John is arguing rather the incongruity than the impossibility of sin in the Christian. If even isolated sins are incongruous, what is utterly impossible is persistence in sin, ‘a character, a prevailing habit, and not primarily an act’ (Westcott). (BORROW The Letters of John) Born of God - Regenerated. Believers. New creations in Christ, possessing a new inner nature. Ultimately believers have a new indwelling Source of power, to motivate and enable one to NOT practice sin. Paul was clear when he wrote Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new (kainos) creature (ktisis); the old things passed away (parerchomai and in aorist tense = at a point in time = day of our salvation!); behold, new things (kainos) have come.(2Cor 5:17-+) Born of God… born of God - Both uses of the verb born (gennao) are in the perfect tense which signifies past completed action at a point in time (the moment of our new birth) with continuing effects of that new birth. The perfect tense speaks of the complete and final and forever nature (eternal security) of our new birth! Seed means growth and expression, and God’s expression is always holy. - W Glyn Evans Born (begotten, father of, conceived) (1080)(gennao from genos = offspring, in turn from ginomai = to become) ) means to beget, to bring forth, to give birth, to procreate a descendant, to produce offspring, to generate. Gennao describes the commencement of life where previously none had existed. Figuratively gennao refers to the spiritual new birth. To be regenerated. Note the passive voice (action from outside the subject - i.e., the Holy Spirit - Jn 3:6) which in this context would be a so-called "divine passive." Gennao i used 10x in 1John and all but one use are in the perfect tense, which is significant because this tense speaks of past completed action (the day we confessed Christ as Lord - Ro 10:9,10+) with the effect/result of the new birth continuing, enduring or abiding. In short, even the perfect tense serves to support the doctrine of eternal security! GENNAO IN JOHN'S WRITINGS - Jn. 1:13; Jn. 3:3; Jn. 3:4; Jn. 3:5; Jn. 3:6; Jn. 3:7; Jn. 3:8; Jn. 8:41; Jn. 9:2; Jn. 9:19; Jn. 9:20; Jn. 9:32; Jn. 9:34; Jn. 16:21; Jn. 18:37;1Jn. 2:29; 1Jn. 3:9; 1Jn. 4:7; 1Jn. 5:1; 1Jn. 5:4; 1Jn. 5:18 What does it mean to be born of God? Most authorities see the new birth and regeneration as essentially synonymous terms. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 says… Regeneration (Ed: Greek word study - paliggenesia = literally a birth again), or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life. (Baptist Faith and Message 2000 ) New Bible Dictionary on regeneration - We may define regeneration as a drastic act on fallen human nature by the Holy Spirit, leading to a change in the person’s whole outlook. He can now be described as a new man who seeks, finds and follows God in Christ. (Borrow New Bible Dictionary- I. Howard Marshall, A.R. Millard, J. I. Packer, D. J. Wiseman page 1016) Manser defines regeneration as "The radical renewal of a person’s inner being by the work of God’s Spirit." Related Resources: See comments on Born Again in John 3 Regeneration - multiple articles and quotes What does it mean to be a born again Christian? What is regeneration according to the Bible? What is the meaning of spiritual rebirth? Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people Daniel Akin comments on the new birth - Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people. Sin will dominate us. Satan will have his way with us. Hate and not love will fill our hearts. However, as a result of the new birth, the Bible says we cannot make "a practice of sinning" and we "cannot keep on sinning because [we have] been born of God" (1Jn 3:9ESV). These are words that should impart both comfort and humility to us. We are comforted to know sin cannot and will not win, ultimately, in our lives. We may stumble, even fall on occasion, but we know "the One who is in [us] is greater than the one who is in the world" (1Jn 4:4). Our Lord will pick us up and get us moving again in the right direction. We are destined to be like Jesus (1Jn 3:2; cf. Ro 8:29-30)! Neither sin nor Satan will have the last word. These words also humble us because if it were not for Christ, His atonement, His advocacy, and His victory, we would forever be enslaved to Satan and sin. Any righteousness we do flows from the righteousness of Christ poured into our lives by means of the new birth. (See Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 70) Practice of sin is the evidence and confirmation that one is not born of God John
1 João 3:9
Wuest - Is born is a perfect participle in the Greek text, speaking of the past completed act of regeneration, namely, the impartation of the divine nature (2Pet 1:4+) or divine life, and the present result, the fact that the person who has been made the recipient of divine life is by nature, and that permanently, a spiritually alive individual. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Jerry Bridges - Just as parents pass on certain physical and personality traits to their natural-born children, so traits of divine life are passed on to those born of God. Thus John could say that those born of God do what is right, love others, believe in Jesus, and cease to practice sin. These are all family traits that show up to some degree in everyone born of God. (Now in the Family - see Holiness Day by Day: Transformational Thoughts) ESV Study Bible (page 2432 - borrow) - the hearts of genuine Christians (those who are truly children of God) have been so transformed that they cannot live in a pattern of continual sin—though this does not mean that Christians are ever completely free from sin in this life (see 1 John 1:8–10). Wuest says practices - is poieo in the present tense which always speaks of continuous action unless the context limits it to punctiliar action, namely, the mere mention of the fact of the action, without the mentioning of details. The translation reads, “Everyone who has been born out of God, with the present result that he is a born-one (of God), does not habitually do sin.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Immortal principles forbid the child of God to sin. The new-born life within us keeps us holy. Spurgeon on No one who is born of God practices sin - That is to say, he does not live in it, it is not the tenor of his life. He is not outwardly so that others could convict him of it, or inwardly so that his own conscience could chide him with it, a man who loves sin… Immortal principles forbid the child of God to sin (ED: I would add "as a lifestyle"); the new-born life within us keeps us holy. We have our imperfections and infirmities over which we mourn; but no child of God can live in sin, and love it. He hates it; (ED: ILLUSTRATION) he is like a sheep that may fall into the mire, but he will not wallow in it, as the swine do. As soon as possible, he is up again out of the mud and the filth. He goes sorrowing, with broken bones, when he perceives that he has grieved his God. His life as a whole is a holy life." (1 John 3 Exposition) He keeps purifying himself (1Jn 3:3), is constantly busy sweeping out sin. --R C H Lenski Practices (poieo) sin - present tense = as the general direction of their life. Jon Courson "Because Jesus came to take away sin and to destroy the works of the devil, he who is truly born again doesn't practice sin." Kenneth Wuest on practices - Poieo (is) in the present tense which always speaks of continuous action unless the context limits it to punctiliar action, namely, the mere mention of the fact of the action, without the mentioning of details. The translation reads, “Every one who has been born out of God, with the present result that he is a born-one (of God), does not habitually do sin.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission)
1 João 3:9
Wuest - “Cannot sin” is dunamai, “I am not able,” and the present infinitive of hamartano, “to sin.” The infinitive in the present tense in Greek always speaks of continuous, habitual action, never the mere fact of the action, since the aorist infinitive which refers to the fact of the action, may be used at will if the writer wishes to speak of the mere fact without reference to details. The translation therefore is, “He is not able to habitually sin.” The Greek text here holds no warrant for the erroneous teaching of sinless perfection. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Habitual actions indicate one's character. Charles Ryrie on cannot sin - I.e., cannot sin habitually. See note on verse 8 ("practices = continually practices. I.e., sins as a regular way of life."). Habitual actions indicate one's character. (Borrow The Ryrie Study Bible) A great deal of false theology has grown out of a misunderstanding of the tense of hamartanein here. A T Robertson considers "cannot sin" a wrong translation because it means the believer cannot commit sin -- The present active infinitive hamartanein can only mean "and he cannot go on sinning," as is true of hamartanei in 1Jn 3:8 and hamartanon in 1Jn 3:6. For the aorist subjunctive to commit a sin see hamartate and hamartei in 1Jn 2:1+. A great deal of false theology has grown out of a misunderstanding of the tense of hamartanein here. Paul has precisely John's idea in Ro. 6:1 hamartiai… in contrast with hamartesomen in Ro. 6:15. Those who do habitually sin have neither seen Him nor known Him. They are not genuine Christians. ESV Study Bible (borrow) - True followers of Christ do not recklessly and habitually violate what their anointing (1Jn 2:20, 27) has planted within them (see note on 1Jn 3:9-10). Those who do habitually sin have neither seen him nor known him. They are not genuine Christians. F F Bruce - The new birth involves a radical change in human nature; for those who have not experienced it, sin is natural, whereas for those who have experienced it, sin is unnatural—so unnatural, indeed, that its practice constitutes a powerful refutation of any claim to possess the divine life. John’s antitheses are clearcut. While they are to be understood in the context of his letter and of the situation which it presupposes, any attempt to weaken them out of regard for human infirmity, or to make them less sharp and uncompromising than they are, is to misinterpret them (The Gospel and epistles of John page 92) F B
1 João 3:9
Wuest - “His seed” refers to the principle of divine life in the believer. It is this principle of divine life that makes it impossible for a Christian to live habitually in sin, for the divine nature causes the child of God to hate sin and love righteousness, and gives him both the desire and the power to do God’s will, as Paul says, “God is the One who is constantly putting forth energy in you, giving you both the desire and power to do His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13NLT+). Smith comments: “The reason of the impossibility of a child of God continuing in sin. The germ of the divine life has been implanted in our souls (ED: Read what God does for us in Ezek 36:27+), and it grows (ED: i.e., progressive sanctification or growth in holiness)—a gradual process and subject to occasional retardations, yet sure, attaining at length to full fruition (ED: cp Php 1:6+, 1Th 5:24+). The believer’s lapses into sin are like the mischances of the weather which hinder the seed’s growth. The growth of a living seed may be checked temporarily; if there be no growth, there is no life.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) What is the seed which abides within believers? One cannot be dogmatic but here are several possibilities - (1) Christ, (2) the Gospel message (1Jn 2:24+), (3) the anointing, i.e., the Holy Spirit (1Jn 2:27+), (4) God Himself (1Jn 3:24; 1Jn 4:12,15,16), (5) the new nature imparted through regeneration (Titus 3:5-6+, 2Pe 1:4+), etc. Jon Courson offers a more limited list writing that "The seed spoken of here in 1Jn 3:9 could either refer to the life of Christ within the life of the believer (John 1:13) or to the Word of God (1Pe 1:23+). Which is it? I believe it's both. When the Spirit of Christ comes into a man and when the Word of God stirs within him, he cannot continue sinning indefinitely. Oh, he might struggle with sin. He might even be ensnared at times by sin. But he's not comfortable in sin. That's why a Christian involved in sin is the most miserable person in the world. He has too much of the Lord to enjoy sin, and too much sin to enjoy the Lord. The seed—be it the Person of Christ, the Word of God, or both—does not allow a person to habitually, continually practice sin." (SEE Jon Courson's Application Commentary) While believers can sin and even become ensnared at times in sin Thomas Manton warns that "One sin let alone and allowed, is Satan's nest-egg in our hearts, that he may come thither again and lay more." Manton added that "Faith makes us hate sin." The upshot is that if you find yourself loving sin more than loving God, then you need to read and ponder 2Cor 13:5+ "Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test?" Peter says we need to "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble." ( 2Pe 1:10+) Chris Benfield on he cannot sin - This ought to bring great comfort to the heart of every believer. Again we must emphasize that John does not speak of sinless perfection. He does reveal an eternal truth that we must grasp. Those who are born of God through Christ the Son will never revert back to the old man. We are saved and secure in Christ. I will certainly miss the mark on occasion, and hinder my fellowship with the Lord, but I will never be separated from Him because of sin! 1 John 3:4-10 Seeing Sin for What it Is Colin Kruse - Putting these things together and allowing them to inform our understanding of the present verse, we may say that to be born of God here means being brought to new spiritual life by the will of God and through the agency of his Spirit. Of such people, the author says, it is impossible for them to continue to sin. The author uses a present tense form of the verb ‘to sin’ (hamartanō), indicating that it is sinning as an ongoing action that he has in mind here as impossible for those born of God. (See The Letters of John - Page 124) Simon Kistemaker - In Greek, the verbs express continued action, not a single occurrence. Therefore, by using the present tenses of the Greek verbs, John is saying that the believer cannot practice habitual sin. “The thought being conveyed in 1 John 3:9 is not that one born of God will never commit a sinful act but that he will not persist in sin.” (Distinctive Johannine Vocabulary and the Interpretation of 1 John 3:9,” WJT 40 1977: 142.) He keeps purifying himself (1Jn 3:3), is constantly busy sweeping out sin. R C H
1 João 3:10
Wuest - In this is apparent the born-ones of God and the born-ones of the devil. Every one who is not habitually doing righteousness is not of God, also the one who is not habitually loving his brother. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) children of God: 1 Jn 5:2 Lu 6:35 Ro 8:16,17 Eph 5:1 children of the devil - Mt 13:38 John 8:44+ Ac 13:10 Anyone who does not - 1 Jn 3:7,8 2:29 Is not of God - 1Jn 4:3,4,6 5:19 John 8:47 3Jn 1:11 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Luke 6:35+ “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him. Ephesians 5:1+ Therefore be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) imitators of God, as beloved children; Matthew 13:38+ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; John 8:44+ “You (NOTE WHO "YOU" IS IN CONTEXT - SEE Jn 8:31+) are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. Acts 13:10+ and said, “You (Bar-Jesus) who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? "WHO'S YOUR DADDY?" IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS! Have you ever heard the slang American phrase "Who's your daddy?" which is often asked as a rhetorical question? It is commonly used as a boastful claim of dominance over the intended listener. Or stated another way it is an expression which asserts one's authority over the person to whom the question is posed. In the context of 1 John 3:10, who is your "daddy?" the question is "Is God your Father or is the Devil your father?" It is either one or the other. There is no middle ground on this question. So how can you discern who your "Daddy" is? John says it is BY THIS. This should provoke a question "by what" or "what is this?" This is simply by your practice or by your lifestyle, one can determine in which family they belong. Note carefully the answer to what is "by this" is not whether you profess to believe in Jesus, not whether you go to church regularly (and have done this all your life), not whether you belong to one particular denomination, not to whether other people think you are a "good person," not to whether you think you are a "good person," and the list goes on. The spiritual "pedigree" for being in God's family and having Him as your legitimate Father is are you righteous in His sight. Are you justified (declared righteous)? That is, is your POSITION before God, that of being in right standing with Him, and the only way to be in right standing is by being in His Son by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And how do you know you are in Christ, that you are righteous in your POSITION? The simple answer is that you practice righteousness as a habit of your life. Not that you are sinless but that over time you sin less and less. While your POSITION in Christ is PERFECT and eternally secure, your practice will not be perfect in this life because you still possess the old sin nature within your mortal body. And so you will still commit sins. The difference is not in your "PERFECTION," but in your "DIRECTION." If your lifestyle is generally "heavenward" (progressive sanctification) than that is good evidence that God is your Father. And this will show itself in how your treat your "brother." If you are not loving your brother (present tense), that is evidence that your father is the Devil. This concept of "who is your daddy" is so critical, that it is discussed in more detail in the notes that follow. The "inheritance" from one Father is eternal life with Jesus in Heaven, while the "inheritance" from the other father is eternal death separated forever from God in Hell. Ligon Duncan - ‘The children of God and the children of the devil are distinguishable by the contrast of their subtle habit and character.’ He says this: “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” John’s concern is for Christians to have a concern for pursuing holiness. John is telling us that those who know what Christ is like want to be like Him. Some of you are married. Can you remember early in your relationship when you began to see qualities in your spouse that you admired? You thought to yourself, ‘She is a woman of such upstanding integrity,’ and it made you want to be like she was. Or perhaps you said, ‘He is a man of such kindness and justice, and I want to be like that.’ Well, everyone who is born of God sees the qualities of the heavenly Father displayed in Jesus Christ, and in the depths of our being begins to say, “Lord, that’s what I want to be like. I want to be like Him. Make me like Your Son. Make me want to be like Your Son. Against all the temptations of the world and the flesh and the devil, cause this desire to grow.’ That’s what John is urging us to. John is telling us that we should not only relish the forgiveness of sins that we have in Jesus Christ, but recognize that He came to make us like Himself. “Conformed to the image of His Father, He who was the very image of the invisible God.” May God help us to pursue that righteousness by grace. (1 John 2:29 - 3:10 The Test of Righteousness) By this - This should prompt you to ask "By what?" Read on where John proceeds to explain the only two kinds of children in the world, children of God and children of the devil. There is no intermediate state. You can not belong partially to one and partially to the other. You are "all in" (as they say). You are alive in the Spirit or dead in your trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). You are either in Christ or in Adam (dead in your sins) (1 Cor 15:22) When the "flood" (figuratively speaking) of God's righteous wrath comes (1 Th 1:10) you are either safe in the "Ark," Christ Jesus, or you will die in your sins (Jn 8:24) and be washed away eternally from the presence of God (2 Th 1:7-9). Wuest - The words “by this” point particularly to what follows, although a secondary reference might be to what precedes. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) W E Vine - In this (by this)—while this phrase recalls what has just been said, it also serves to introduce the contrast about to be stated. For in v. 9 the apostle has mentioned what characterizes the children of God. In v. 10 he is about to restate what characterizes the children of the devil. “In this” governs what is said of both families.(Collected Writings) By this the children (teknon) of God (theos) and the children (teknon) of the devil (diabolos) are obvious (phaneros) - Obvious means plain, evident, easily discovered, seen or understood, readily perceived with the eye or intellect. John is preparing to state an obvious truth (if one lets the text say what it says!) THE TEST OF PATERNITY! As a physician I used to perform paternity testing in the Blood Bank and so I found Daniel Akin's following comment interesting - "The foolproof test in this paternity dispute is to take swabs of lifestyle, and the one that shows no evidence of someone doing the right thing can’t be God’s child." (Italics mine) That works in medicine and it works in theology... No fruit, no root. No changed conduct, no changed heart. No changed spiritual life, no changed spiritual family! Jesus Himself summed up Paul's great work of the Gospel declaring that he was sending him to Gentiles "to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to (the dominion of) God, in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me." (Acts 26:18+) If an individual's "eyes" have never been spiritually opened, they are still in the kingdom of Satan and under his dominion as "children of the devil." The Greek word for dominion is exousia which in this context means that the devil has the might and the right when it comes to your life. This does not meal you will join a Satanic cult, but that your general decisions are to some degree under the dominion of the devil. Children (teknon) of God (theos) and the children (teknon) of the devil (diabolos) (cp Acts 13:10) - All the world is in one of two families. Children of God can never become children of the Devil, but praise God for His great mercy and grace that children of the Devil can become children of God by grace through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9). John proceeds to give two markers of one's "family line." One is not in God's family if he or she (1) does not practice righteousness or (2) love his brother. Vine - the distinction is now clearly marked by the contrasting relationships. The tree is known by its fruit. Whether a person is born of God or is unregenerate is to be tested by his manner of life. While the phrase “the children of the Devil” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, yet the Lord interpreted the tares in the parable, as “the sons of the Evil One,” the word “sons” conveying the thought of likeness to parentage. In John 8:44+ the Lord says to the Jews who were intent upon murdering Him, “ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do.” Again, Elymas the sorcerer was called a “son of the Devil” (Acts 13:10). While the word “children” here expresses relationship, yet the apostle is stressing the evidence of it rather than the mere relationship. (Collected Writings) Here is a comment by Zane Hodges (The Epistles of John) on the children of the devil - "There is no good reason to take this phrase as a reference to unsaved people generally." Ed comment: Why not? This comment directly counters the simple reading of the text! You do not have to be a Greek scholar (Hodges was a Greek scholar) to discern that even the context explains that those people who habitually do not "practice righteousness are not of God." Hodges even goes to the extreme to say that a "truly regenerate person could...be called a child of the devil." Woe! This statement is frightening! It is so contra to what John says, one can hardly believe Hodges made this statement! Beloved be wary of ANYTHING written by Zane Hodges and also be very wary when reading commentaries by ANYONE WHO QUOTES him in a positive light! Read the paper The Unusual Teachings of Zane Hodges.and see the first entry under 1 John 3 Resources. Middleton Bible comments on Hodges' unusual interpretation regarding this verse - According to Hodges, righteous living proves that a person is saved but wicked living does not prove that a person is lost. Apparently a person can gain assurance if he is living righteously, but if he is living wickedly he need not worry too much. (ED: WOE!) Hodges teaches that saved persons can live just as wickedly as unsaved persons. Dillow says this: "When a Christian is ‘of the devil,’ John means that, when he commits even one sinful act, in the doing of that act, the source of it was Satan" (p.172). John is not speaking of one sinful act or a single occurrence of unrighteousness. He speaking of a person who does not practice righteousness. His life is characterized by practicing unrighteousness. He does not love his brother. He is likened to Cain, who was "of that wicked one" (1 Jn 3:12+). Because he hates his brother he is likened to a murderer (1 Jn 3:15), "and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1Jn 3:15+). It is hard to imagine what stronger words could have been used to describe an unsaved person! (Bold added)(Children of God and Children of the Devil. For >100 pages of discussion of the unusual teachings of Zane Hodges, et al click here for index of topics.) Notice also that these two contrasting families put to rest the false belief in the so-called "universal fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man." God is not EVERYONE'S Father! Warren
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Wuest - Children is tekna, born-ones of the devil in the sense that from Adam they inherit a totally-depraved nature, the same as the devil has. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Devil (1228)(diabolos from diá = through, between + ballo = to cast, throw) means a false accuser, slanderer (one who utters false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation), backbiting (malicious comment about one not present), one given to malicious gossip or a calumniator (one who utters maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about, this term imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions). Wuest says the literal meaning of diabolos is "to throw through" means “to riddle one with accusations.” Diabolos is applied some 34 times to Satan, the god of this world, and in each case has the definite article in the Greek ("the" = defining a specific entity) and is never in the plural (the three uses in the pastoral epistles are all plural) as when applied to men who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him. DIABOLOS 35V - Matt. 4:1; Matt. 4:5; Matt. 4:8; Matt. 4:11; Matt. 13:39; Matt. 25:41; Lk. 4:2; Lk. 4:3; Lk. 4:6; Lk. 4:13; Lk. 8:12; Jn. 6:70; Jn. 8:44+; Jn. 13:2; Acts 10:38; Acts 13:10; Eph. 4:27; Eph. 6:11; 1 Tim. 3:6; 1 Tim. 3:7; 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 2:26; 2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 2:3; Heb. 2:14; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Jn. 3:10; Jude 1:9; Rev. 2:10; Rev. 12:9; Rev. 12:12; Rev. 20:2; Rev. 20:10 Anyone who does not practice (poieo - present tense) righteousness (dikaiosune) is not (ou - absolutely not) of (ex or ek) nor the one who does not love (agapao - present tense) his brother - John is saying that it is obvious whether one belongs to the family of God or the family of the devil. How is it made obvious? John gives two tests or markers of family identity - (1) practice of righteousness and (2) love for one's brethren. Notice that not of God parallels John's previous description of the devil (1Jn 3:8+). Beloved, could John have been any clearer? Practice (4160) (poieo) means to do or accomplish and is in the present tense in this passage which speaks of continuous action. Not of God - Not here is the Greek marker signifying absolute negation. Thus this person is absolutely not of God! Obvious (evident) (5318)(phanerós from phaino = give light; to make to shine, to cause to become visible from phos = light; Study verb phaneroo) means made visible as an external manifestation to senses. Phaneros stresses what is visible to the sight. Phaneros means conspicuous, apparent, (openly) manifest, obvious, visible, evident, plain, clear, easily seen, open to sight. What is open and public (Mk 4:22). Webster says that evident means "Clear to the vision or understanding, readily perceived or apprehended. Evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion. Plain. Open to be seen; clear to the mental eye; apparent; manifest." There is no in-between ground. There are none who are half-and-half. God's children are known by their righteous lives. --William MacDonald Sam Storms - 1 John 3:10a summarizes the substance of the moral test by indicating that the failure to practice righteousness is the criterion by which to distinguish the children of the devil from the children of God. (1 John 3:4-10a) THE DEVIL'S CHILDREN Unsaved People Habitually Living Sinful Lives GOD'S CHILDREN Saved People Habitually Living Spiritual Lives Listen to Paul's warning about who will not inherit (or enter) the Kingdom of God (another way of saying they have never been born again - cf Jn 3:3-8). Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice (prasso in the present tense = as one's habitual practice, the "general direction" of one's life) such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21+) Paul writing to the sin-filled church at Corinth warned them that practitioners of sin will not inherit the Kingdom of God but some who come in and try to deceive them saying "Don't worry. If you have made a profession of faith, you have a guaranteed "fire insurance" policy, no matter how you live the remainder of your life! This is mocking God beloved and the sowing of this evil seed will be reaped! - see Gal 6:7-8+... Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived (present imperative with negative - stop an action that has begun); neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor 6:9-10+) Comment - Paul is warning in both Galatians and First Corinthians that if one continues to practice evil deeds (lawlessness), then their deeds demonstrate that they are not born again, are not new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17+), and do not have the indwelling Holy Spirit (Ro 8:9+), Who is continually energizing one to have the desire and the power to live in a manner which is pleasing to the Father (Php 2:13NLT+). In short, they will not receive an inheritance from the Father, the Kingdom of God! Do not be deceived. Examine yourselves (2 Cor 13:5+). Anyone who does not practice (poieo - (present tense) righteousness (dikaiosune) is not (ou - absolutely not) of (ex or ek) God - Anyone includes everyone! Beloved, could this simple statement be any clearer? Habitually living in sin (present tense) identifies a person as not of God and thus clearly this person is an unbeliever, regardless of what he or she professes. Sadly as discussed above there are some who twist this passage and try to distort it as a description of a believer! Beware! Do not be deceived (see above 1 Cor 6:9-10+)! As mentioned, Jesus was very clear that a person can Him "Lord" but continually practice (present tense) lawlessness and thus clearly not be a believer! (Mt 7:23+) It is not talking religion, but walking religion which proves a man to be sincere Daniel Akin - John puts the issue in negative terms, not practicing righteousness and not loving others. Plummer is right, “Love is righteousness in relation to others.” Those who hate sin, who have been set free from the devil and are born of God will practice righteousness and love others. This is what our God does. This is what His children will do. You see, “the child has the distinguishing marks of his parents. What he sees his Father do, that is what he will do. What he sees His Savior do, that is what he will do too.”
1 João 3:10
Wuest - “Love is agapao, which refers to divine love which is self-sacrificial in its essence, the love produced in the heart of the yielded saint by the Holy Spirit, the love defined by Paul in 1Corinthians 13:1-7+, the love shown by God at Calvary. The brother here is ostensibly a Christian brother. The expression is equivalent to “a fellow-Christian.” (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Ray Stedman a pastor with a true, gentle "pastor's heart" lovingly gave the following sobering warning to his congregation... Now, in all faithfulness, I must tell some of you that you are deceiving yourselves. There are some here, I am convinced, who think they are Christians but who are not Christians, who have never been born again. There are some who have been Christians, you thought, for years, but there has been no change in your attitude toward others. You have held resentments, and have been bitter about certain situations for years, and you have done nothing about them. There has been no upwelling of love within your heart to change your attitude and make you go to another and settle the problem that has been between you. There are some of you who have professed to be Christians, and yet you have been going on consistently, week after week, month after month, year after year, doing things that the Word of God clearly says are wrong. You have covered them up. You have not let anyone know about them, and you think you have hidden them. If this is so, you are fooling yourself. You never have been born again. We are dealing now with One who knows our hearts. You may fool us, you may fool your friends, and even your wife or husband, but you do not fool God. He knows the heart, and he precisely puts his finger on the situation as it is. He says if these changes are not occurring then you have never been born again. (One or the Other - 1 John 3:10 - Read this entire sermon!)
1 João 3:11
Wuest - Because this is the message which you heard from the beginning, to the effect that we should habitually be loving one another with a divine love. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) This - 1Jn 1:5, 2:7,8 Message - 1Ti 1:5 We should - 1Jn 4:7,21 John 13:34-35 15:12 Ga 6:2 Eph 5:2 1Th 4:9 1Pe 1:22 3:8 1Pe 4:8 2Jn 1:5 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: John 13:34-35+ “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. John 15:17 “This I command you, that you love one another. Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:12 No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. BROTHERLY LOVE: A MARK OF THE CHILD OF GOD Verse 11 flows naturally out of verse 10. The child of God, having been born of God, does what is right, which includes loving his brother. (Akin) B F Westcott sums up 1John 3:10-18 - "Life reveals the children of God!" And I would add specifically "Life in the family (love of the brethren)!" David Allen - John speaks of four different levels of relationships in which we can choose to live: murder (1Jn 3:11, 12), hatred (1Jn 3:13-15), indifference (1Jn 3:16, 17), and Christian love in action (1Jn 3:18). Being precedes doing, but all Christian doing must be based on being, that is, on who we are in Christ. Our practice proclaims who and what we are. (SEE 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family) William
1 João 3:11
Wuest - Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) David
1 João 3:12
Wuest - not even as Cain was out of the Pernicious One, and killed his brother by severing his jugular vein. And on what account did he kill him? Because his works were pernicious and those of his brother, righteous. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) not as Cain, who was of the evil one: Ge 4:4-15,25 Heb 11:4 Jude 1:11)(of: 1Jn 3:8, 1Jn 2:13,14 Mt 13:19,38 And slew - 1Sa 18:14,15 19:4,5 22:14-16 Ps 37:12 Pr 29:27 Mt 27:23 John 10:32 15:19-25 18:38-40 Acts 7:52 1Th 2:14 1Pe 4:4 Rev 17:6 and - Mt 23:35 Lu 11:51 Heb 11:4, 12:24 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CAIN'S NEGATIVE EXAMPLE OF LOVE John now explains what it means to love one another, first from a negative example the prototype of which was Cain (1Jn 3:12-15) and then from a positive perspective, the prototype of course being Christ (1Jn 3:16-18). Note also the context - 1 John 3:8 "the one who practices sin is of the devil" and here John gives Cain as an illustration of one who is of the devil. This is similar to John 8:44, which says “You (JESUS ADDRESSES JEWS WHO HAD "PROFESSED" BELIEF IN HIM BUT NOT SAVING BELIEF) are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer (LIKE HE DID TO ADAM AND EVE AND LIKE CAIN) from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Not as Cain, who was of the evil (poneros) one and slew (sphazo) his brother. And for what reason did he slay (sphazo) him? Because his deeds were evil (poneros), and his brother's were righteous (dikaios) - Note that 1Jn 3:11 ends with we should love one another and in 1Jn 3:12 John gives us the negative example of love - "We should love one another, not as Cain… " Not as Cain (only OT reference in John's 3 epistles) - As introduces a term of comparison (specifically a simile), which should prompt a question like "What is the similarity the author is seeking to show us?" He is giving us the first Biblical example of NOT loving one's brother, explaining that the reason Cain did not love Abel is because he was of the evil one and his deeds were evil. Believers are of the Holy One and our deeds should be good (godly, God honoring). John
1 João 3:13
Wuest - Stop marveling, brethren, if, as is the case, the world hates you. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Do not be surprised - Ec 5:8 John 3:7 Ac 3:12 Rev 17:7 if: Mt 10:22 Mt 24:9 Mk 13:13 Lu 6:22, Lk 21:17 John 7:7 Jn 15:18,19 Jn 16:2,33 John 17:14 Ro 8:7 2 Ti 3:12 Jas 4:4 1 John Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 2 Timothy 3:12+ And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Philippians 1:29+ For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, Matthew 5:10-11+ Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Matthew 10:22+ “And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. John 15:18-19+ “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 16:2+ “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. John 16:33+ “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 17:14+ “I have given them Thy word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 1 Peter 4:3-4+ For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. 4 And in all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excess of dissipation, and they malign you; 1 Peter 4:12-13+ Beloved, do not be surprised (xenizo present imperative with a negative) at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. EVIDENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE: HATRED BY THE WORLD Do not be surprised (thaumazo present imperative with a negative) brethren (adelphos) , if the world (kosmos) hates (miseo - present tense - continually hates) you - The KJV says "marvel not" to which Jamieson quips "The marvel would be if the world loved you!" John gives a command to either stop this reaction which was already ongoing or not to begin this action. This is John's only use of the term brethren to directly address his readers. More often he uses the term little children (1 Jn 2:1, 12, 28, 3:7, 3:18, 4:4, 5:21). The world (kosmos - God hating world) continually hates believers because it hates the God of believers. Hates in the present tense indicates that the godless world's attitude toward followers of Jesus is continual, so don't expect a reprieve! This truth is difficult to accept for most of us, as we are continually in a struggle with our old flesh which urges us to please men so we will be accepted by them (cf James 4:4+)! Is this not another reason believers should be strongly cautioned against entering the marriage covenant with unbelievers? (cf 2 Cor 6:15+) The world is Cain's posterity, so we are not to be surprised if the world hates us. --John Stott Why does John warn believers not to be surprised at the world's hatred? What event from Genesis has he just described? Abel was probably surprised! Is not Cain a representative of the fallen, God hating world system and Abel the perfect representative of a child of God? So just as Cain murdered Abel, the world hates (~murders) Christ followers. Thus we should not be surprised at their intractable hatred! THOUGHT - Have you ever shared the Gospel with someone who was smiling until they heard what you were saying, only to have the smile turn to a sneer or a scornful look? If you have shared the Gospel, then you know the answer! If you haven't had this experience, then beloved, I beg you to share the Gospel! Not to invoke their hatred but to throw them a "life preserver" lest they enter into a tormented, Christ-less eternity! Lehman Strauss - The verb marvel means to wonder at, to be astonished at. This is exactly how some Christians react when told that the world hates them. They are astonished at the fact that men of the world should hate the children of God. The Holy Spirit says, “Stop marveling.” (Borrow The Epistles of John page 86) Daniel Akin gives us an exhortation based on John's command - Do not be surprised or caught off guard when people of this world, people like Cain, hate you. It is their nature. However, don’t you be like Cain. Don’t descend to their level. Resist that primal urge to return hate with hate, murder with murder. The gospel has changed you, and love is at the heart of the gospel message. Where the gospel has taken root, love will be the natural fruit. (Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 76) John
1 João 3:14
Wuest adds that "We have here an ablative of separation, “separated from the death.”" That is very good news! An assurance of salvation is the inner drive that leads one to care for fellow believers -- ESV Study Bible Henry Mahan - Genuine love for the brethren is an evidence of redemption. It is not the cause but the sign, for no one sincerely loves his brethren unless he is regenerated by the Spirit of God. It is God’s spirit who sheds abroad God’s love in our hearts (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22). The love of the natural man is self-love (Luke 6:31-35). ‘He that loveth not’ continues in a state of spiritual death. (1 John 3 Commentary) Love is the sure test of whether someone has experienced the new birth or is still in the darkness of spiritual death -- John MacArthur John
1 João 3:14
Wuest adds that "Evidence of a saved condition is that the person is habitually loving Christians with a love that impels him to deny himself for the benefit of the fellow-Christian." Sam Storms - John is again setting forth a test of life: a present, on-going practice points to a past reality. Love for the brethren now, in the present, is an indication or sign of regeneration then, in the past. Note: it should be stressed that active love is the sign of life, not its procuring cause. Our love for the brethren is evidence that we have been regenerated, that we have passed out of death and into life. It is by no means the condition for life. The person who does not love the brethren is exposed as yet abiding in death. Note: John does not say that if he does not love he will die, but that he does not love because he is already dead; death is his natural state. (First John 3:10b-24)
1 João 3:14
Wuest adds that zoe "is used of the absolute fulness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God. It is used to designate the life which God gives to the believing sinner, a vital, animating, spiritual, ethical dynamic which transforms his inner being and as a result, his behavior." ZOE IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 1:1; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:11; 1 Jn. 5:12; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:16; 1 Jn. 5:20 Love (verb) (25) agapao see related study of noun agape) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. This quality of love is not an emotion but is an action initiated by a volitional choice. Wuest writes that "Agapao speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in an object which causes one to prize it. It springs from an apprehension of the preciousness of an object. It is a love of esteem and approbation. The quality of this love is determined by the character of the one who loves, and that of the object loved. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) AGAPAO IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 2:10; 1 Jn. 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:10; 1 Jn. 3:11; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 4:7; 1 Jn. 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:10; 1 Jn. 4:11; 1 Jn. 4:12; 1 Jn. 4:19; 1 Jn. 4:20; 1 Jn. 4:21; 1 Jn. 5:1; 1 Jn. 5:2; 2 Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 1:5; 3 Jn. 1:1 SEE 9 page article on AGAPAO in the NIDNTT, PAGE 538 Abides (3306)(meno) in simple terms means to remain in the same place or position over a period of time. It means to reside, stay, live, lodge, tarry or dwell. Menō describes something that remains where it is, continues in a fixed state, or endures. MENO IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 2:6; 1 Jn. 2:10; 1 Jn. 2:14; 1 Jn. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:19; 1 Jn. 2:24; 1 Jn. 2:27; 1 Jn. 2:28; 1 Jn. 3:6; 1 Jn. 3:9; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 3:17; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 4:12; 1 Jn. 4:13; 1 Jn. 4:15; 1 Jn. 4:16; Meno can mean "to take up permanent residence" or "to make yourself at home." Meno is the root of the Greek noun mone which means mansion or habitation (Jn 14:2, 23). More than one half of the uses of meno are by John in his Gospel and letters. Here is a summary of some of the nuances of meno related specifically to dwelling or abiding in Christ - (1) to dwell in God (or Christ) means that we walk as Christ walked (1Jn 2:6, Php 2:5, Jn 13:15); (2) to dwell in Christ means that we don’t habitually live in sin (1Jn 3:6); (3) to dwell in Christ means that we continue in His Word (Jn 8:31, 1Jn 2:17); (4) to dwell in Christ means that we bear fruit (Jn 15:5, Heb 13:5, Col 1:10, Ro 6:22, Php 4:7, 1Co 16:5, Jn 4:36) THOUGHT - This short list describing abiding in Christ begs the simple question - How is your daily abiding in Christ going beloved? Are you walking like He walked, in the power of the Spirit? Are you daily fighting off temptations to sin against God? Are you daily in His living Word and even more important is it truly in (being assimilated into your inner man - cf 2Co 3:18+), or is it in one ear in the morning and out the other by noon (cf Jas 1:22+)? Is the Spirit bearing fruit in your life, fruit that will endure throughout eternity (Jn 15:16)? Let me encourage you, by God's Spirit and Word, to redeem the short time you have left, doing all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:16KJV+). Amen. Passed (3327)(metabaino from meta = denotes change of place/condition + baino = to go or come) means to pass or go from one place or one state to another. To transfer from one place to another. Metabaino describes Jesus departing or leaving one place to go to another (Mt 11:1, 12:9, 15:29) In Jn 5:24 and 1Jn 3:14 metabaino is used figuratively to describe passage from death to life, a passage that occurs when one is born from above. John 13:1 speaks of Jesus departing from earth to heaven to the right had of the Father. Most of the NT uses of metabaino mean to leave or depart. David Smith - Metabaino "is used of transition from one place to another (John 7:3, 13:1), of passing from one form of government to another (Plat. Rep. 550 D), of the transmigration of souls (Luc. Gall. 4)." (Expositor's Greek Testament) Thoralf Gilbrant - In classical Greek metabaino primarily means “to go away,” “to remove,” or “to depart.” It describes the change when someone moves from one dwelling to another or makes a change in course or direction. In speaking and in writing, the word means “to pass on to another subject.” In logic it is the process of making a transition or an inference based on an analogy or resemblance. In drama it is the changing fortunes of the actors as the plot unfolds. (The Complete Biblical Library Old and New Testament ) TDNT - The usual meaning is “to change place,” but the term also denotes change of topic or state. It is mostly topographical in the NT but figurative in John, e.g., for the change from death to life Liddell-Scott-Jones (summarized) - to pass over from one place to another, the stars had passed over the meridian: to go over to the other side 2. to pass from one point to another, change thy theme, changing their course, turning round, having passed to another life. In writing or speaking, pass from one subject to another, pass from one state to another, change - of changes of fortune in a drama. In the Epicurean logic, make a transition: hence, infer, esp. from analogy or resemblance. Metabaino - NAS Usage: depart(1), departed(1), departing(2), leave(2), left(1), move(2), moving(1), passed(2). Metabaino - 12x in 11v - There are no uses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint. Matthew 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region. Matthew 11:1 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities. Matthew 12:9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. Matthew 15:29 Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. Luke 10:7 "Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house. John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 7:3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, "Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. Acts 18:7 Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. 1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Death (2288)(thanatos) is a permanent cessation of all vital functions and thus is the end of life on earth (as we know it). The separation of the soul from the body and the end of earthly life. Spiritual death is separation from the life of God forever by dying without being born again. The first use in the Septuagint is in a well known promise from God "you shall surely die (Lxx = thanatos apothnesko).” (Ge 2:17) followed by the second use in the deceptive lie by Satan “You surely shall not die (thanatos apothnesko)!" (Ge 3:4) Death is natural to humanity as part of the created world. Death is a result of Adam’s sin (Ro 5:12). Death is universal - no one can escape it. Death is a complex topic so the reader is encouraged to reader the following phrases (and the entire passage) to see various descriptions or associations with death to help get a sense for the meaning of this important Biblical word. Put to death (punished referring to the OT practice) (Mt 10:21, 15:4, 7:10). Shall not taste death (Mt 16:28, Mk 9:1, Lk 9:27 referring to the 3 who would witness the transfiguration) condemn Him to death (Mt 20:18, Mk 10:33), My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death (Mt 26:38, Mk 14:34), deserving of death (Mt 26:66, Mk 14:64); brother will deliver brother to death (Mk 13:12); shadow of death (Lk 1:79 - Thayer says "figuratively, a region enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and sin"); not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ (Lk 2:26) ready to go both to prison and to death! (Lk 22:33); nothing deserving death has been done by Him (Lk 23:15) no grounds for the death penalty (Lk 23:22) sentence of death (Lk 24:20), passed out of (spiritual) death into (spiritual) life (Jn 5:24), if anyone keeps My word he shall never see (eternal, spiritual) death. (Jn 8:51, 52), "This sickness is not unto death (Jn 11:4), Jesus had spoken of his death (Jn 11:13), the kind of death by which He was to die (Jn 12:33, 18:32, 21:19), the agony of death (Acts 2:24), no proper ground for a death sentence (Acts 13:28), I persecuted this Way to the death (Acts 22:4), have committed anything worthy of death, (Acts 25:11, 25:25, 26:31, 28:18), those who practice such things are worthy of death (God's death penalty) (Ro 1:32), the death of His Son, (Ro 5:10), just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death (the result or penalty for the "Sin" virus that infected every man) through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Ro 5:12), death reigned from Adam until Moses, (Ro 5:14), death (physical) reigned through the one (Adam), (Ro 5:17), sin reigned in death, (Ro 5:21), have been baptized into His death (mystical union with Christ) (Ro 6:3-5), death (personified) no longer is master over Him (Ro 6:9), either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness (Ro 6:16), the outcome of those things is death (Ro 6:21), the wages of sin is death, (Ro 6:23), bear fruit for death. (Ro 7:5), proved to result in death for me (Ro 7:10), Did that which is good, then, become death to me? (Ro 7:13), Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Ro 7:24), set you free from the law of sin and of death (Ro 8:2), the mind set on the flesh is death (Ro 8:6), I am convinced that neither death, nor life (Ro 8:38), or life or death (1Cor 3:22), you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes (1Cor 11:26), since by a man (Adam) came death, (1Cor 15:21), The last enemy that will be abolished is death (1Cor 15:26), "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory (1Cor 15:54), "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? (1Cor 15:55), The sting of death is sin, (1Cor 15:56), we had the sentence of death within ourselves (2Cor 1:9), delivered us from so great a peril of death, (2Cor 1:10), to the one an aroma from death to death, (2Cor 2:16), the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones (2Cor 3:7), being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, (2Cor 4:11), death works in us, (2Cor 4:12), the sorrow of the world produces death (2Cor 7:10), danger of death (2Cor 11:23), whether by life or by death (Php 1:20), sick to the point of death, (Php 2:27), he came close to death for the work of Christ, (Php 2:30), being conformed to His death; (Php 3:10), now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, (Col 1:22), Jesus, who abolished death (2Ti 1:10), because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, (Heb 2:9), that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, (Heb 2:14), might deliver those who through fear of death, (Heb 2:15), to the One able to save Him from death, (Heb 5:7), they were prevented by death from continuing, (Heb 7:23), a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions (Heb 9:15), there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it, (Heb 9:16), so that he should not see death (Heb 11:5), it brings forth death (James 1:15), his way will save his soul from death, (James 5:20), we have passed out of death into life, (1Jn 3:14), If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death (1Jn 5:16), there is a sin not leading to death (1Jn 5:16), I have the keys of death and of Hades (Rev 1:18), Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev 2:10), the second death (Rev 2:11), I will kill her children with pestilence (Rev 2:23, 6:8), in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them (Rev 9:6), they did not love their life even to death (Rev 12:11), and his deadly wound (Rev 13:3), whose deadly wound was healed (Rev 13:12), pestilence and mourning and famine (Rev 18:8), second death (Rev 20:6, 14, 21:8), death and Hades (Rev 20:13), shall no longer be any death (Rev 21:4). Friberg has a simple summary - (1) physically, as the separation of soul from body (physical) death (Jn 11.13); (2) as a legal technical term, of capital punishment (physical) death (Mt 26.66); (3) spiritually, as the separation of soul from God (spiritual) death (Jn 5.24; Jas 1.15), opposite zoe (life); (4) spiritually, as the separation of soul from spirit or from the possibility of knowing God, as the result of judgment (eternal) death (Ro 1.32); called second death in Rev 2.11; 20.6; (5) by metonymy deadly disease, pestilence (Rev 6.8) Hawker - There is a threefold sense of death; natural, spiritual, and eternal. That which is natural, respects the separation of soul and body. (James 2:16.) Spiritual death means, the soul unquickened by the Holy Spirit.(Eph. 2:1) And eternal death implies the everlasting separation both of soul and body from God to all eternity. (Luke 12:5.) BDAG summarized - (1) the termination of physical life = death (a) natural death Jn 11:4, 13; Heb 7:23 (b) of death as a penalty -- (i) as inflicted by secular courts = Mt 26:66; Mk 14:64 (ii). of the death of Christ generally: Ro 5:10; 6:3–5; 1Cor 11:26. (iii). of natural death as divine punishment Ro 5:12ab; 21; 1Cor 15:21 (c) of the danger of death (2 Ch 32:11) Heb 5:7. (d) of the manner of death Jn 12:33; 18:32; 21:19. (e) death as personified Ro 5:14, 17; 6:9; 1Cor 15:26, Rev 1:18 (2) death viewed transcendently in contrast to a living relationship with God (a) of spiritual death, to which one is subject unless one lives out of the power of God’s grace. Jn 5:24; 1Jn 3:14; Ro 7:10; 8:6. (b) eternal death. Ro 1:32; 6:16, 21, 23; 7:5; 2Cor 7:10; 2 Ti 1:10; Heb 2:14; the second death Rev 2:11; 20:6, 14b; 21:8 (3) a particular manner of death, fatal illness, pestilence and the like, as established by context (Job 27:15; Jer 15:2: Rev 2:23 Vine - death, is used in Scripture of (a) the separation of the soul (the spiritual part of man) from the body (the material part), the latter ceasing to function and turning to dust, e.g., Jn 11:13; Heb. 2:15; 5:7; 7:23. (b) the separation of man from God; Adam died on the day he disobeyed God, Ge 2:17, and hence all mankind are born in the same spiritual condition, Ro 5:12, 14, 17, 21, from which, however, those who believe in Christ are delivered, John 5:24; 1John 3:14. Death is the opposite of life; it never denotes non–existence. As spiritual life is “conscious existence in communion with God,” so spiritual death is “conscious existence in separation from God.” “Death, in whichever of the above–mentioned senses it is used, is always, in Scripture, viewed as the penal consequence of sin, and since sinners alone are subject to death, Ro 5:12, it was as the Bearer of sin that the Lord Jesus submitted thereto on the Cross, 1Pet 2:24. And while the physical death of the Lord Jesus was of the essence of His sacrifice, it was not the whole. The darkness symbolized, and His cry expressed, the fact that He was left alone in the Universe, He was ‘forsaken;’ cp. Mt. 27:45, 46.” (Collected Writings) TDNT - Classical meaning of thanatos - Death destroys life; the shadowy existence of the dead in Hades is no true life. The most that may be expected is the survival or transmigration of the soul. All must die, so that death casts a shadow on life and its meaning. Yet death brings release from the dubious boon of life. Thus suicide may be liberation. Yet no one wants to die, and there is no knowledge of what comes after it. Heroes live on immortally in their renown, for it is good to die for the pólis. Death is seen as a natural phenomenon. The psuche lives on as the vital force in the cosmos, but only as the birth of one is the death of another. This does not solve the riddle or remove the terror of individual death. Plato lifts the issue to another plane by giving precedence to the question of right and wrong. The point, then, is to die a good death. Indeed, death can be the fulfilment of life by rising above the mortal body. On this basis the hope arises that the soul will live on. Aristotle follows the same reasoning, except that for him it is the noús (mind) that survives in some obscure way. Dictionary of Bible Themes- death, natural How is physical death related to spiritual death? What does the Bible say about death? What is the second death? Is there an angel of death? American Tract Society Death Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Death Baker Evangelical Dictionary Sin Unto Death Second Death Charles Buck Dictionary Fear of Death Death CARM Theological Dictionary Death Easton's Bible Dictionary Death Eternal Death Spurgeon's Illustration Collection Death Death (2) Holman Bible Dictionary Death Death of Christ Second Death Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Death Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Death Wilson's Bible Types Death 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Death International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Death Body of Death Second Death Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Death Strong's summary - that separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended, with the implied idea of future misery in hell (the power of death). Since the nether world, the abode of the dead, was conceived as being very dark, it is equivalent to the region of thickest darkness i.e. figuratively, a region enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and sin. (2) Metaphorically, the loss of that life which alone is worthy of the name - the misery of the soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body in hell (3) the miserable state of the wicked dead in hell (4) in the widest sense, death comprising all the miseries arising from sin, as well physical death as the loss of a life consecrated to God and blessed in him on earth, to be followed by wretchedness in hell Thanatos - 120x in 106v - NAS Usage: danger of death(1), death(112), fatal(2), pestilence(3). Mt 4:16; 10:21; 15:4; 16:28; 20:18; 26:38, 66; Mark 7:10; 9:1; 10:33; 13:12; 14:34, 64; Lk 1:79; 2:26; 9:27; 22:33; 23:15, 22; 24:20; John 5:24; 8:51-52; 11:4, 13; 12:33; 18:32; 21:19; Acts 2:24; 13:28; 22:4; 23:29; 25:11, 25; 26:31; 28:18; Ro 1:32; 5:10, 12, 14, 17, 21; 6:3-5, 9, 16, 21, 23; 7:5, 10, 13, 24; 8:2, 6, 38; 1Cor 3:22; 11:26; 15:21, 26, 54-56; 2Cor 1:9-10; 2:16; 3:7; 4:11f; 7:10; 11:23; Phil 1:20; 2:8, 27, 30; 3:10; Col 1:22; 2Ti 1:10; Heb 2:9, 14-15; 5:7; 7:23; 9:15-16; 11:5; Jas 1:15; 5:20; 1 John 3:14; 5:16-17; Rev 1:18; 2:10f, 23; 6:8; 9:6; 12:11; 13:3, 12; 18:8; 20:6, 13-14; 21:4, 8 Septuagint - Ge 2:17; 3:4; 21:16; 26:11; Ex 5:3; 9:3, 15; 10:17; 19:12; 21:12, 15ff; 22:19f; 31:14f; Lev 20:2, 9-11, 15f, 27; 24:16f, 21; 26:25; 27:29; Num 12:12; 14:12; 15:35; 16:29; 26:10, 65; 35:16ff, 21, 31; Deut 19:6; 21:22; 22:26; 28:21; 30:15, 19; 31:14, 27; Josh 2:13f; Jdg 5:18; 13:7, 22; 15:13; 16:30; 21:5; Ruth 1:17; 1Sa 1:11; 5:6, 11; 14:39, 44; 15:32, 35; 20:3, 14, 31; 22:16; 2 Sam 1:23; 3:33; 12:5, 14; 14:14; 15:21; 18:33; 19:28; 20:3; 21:1; 22:5f; 24:13ff; 1 Kgs 2:26, 37, 42; 3:26f; 8:37; 2 Kgs 1:4, 6, 16; 2:21; 4:40; 8:10; 11:15; 15:5; 20:1; 1 Chr 21:12, 14; 2 Chr 6:28; 7:13; 20:9; 32:11, 24, 33; Ezra 7:26; Esther 4:8, 17; Job 3:5, 21, 23; 5:20; 7:15; 9:23; 12:22; 15:34; 17:14; 18:13; 24:17; 27:15; 28:3, 22; 30:23; 33:18, 22, 24, 30; 38:17; Ps 6:5; 7:13; 9:13; 13:3; 18:4f; 22:15; 23:4; 33:19; 34:21; 44:19; 49:14; 55:4, 15; 56:13; 68:20; 73:4; 78:50; 88:6; 89:48; 107:10, 14, 18; 116:3, 8, 15; 118:18; Prov 2:18; 5:5; 7:27; 8:36; 10:2; 11:19; 12:28; 14:27; 16:14; 18:6, 21; 21:6; 23:14; 24:8, 11; 25:10; Eccl 3:19; 7:1, 26; 8:8; Song 8:6; Isa 9:2, 8; 25:8; 28:15, 18; 38:1; 39:1; 53:8f, 12; Jer 8:3; 9:21; 13:16; 14:12, 15; 15:2; 16:4; 18:21, 23; 21:6ff; 24:10; 26:8, 11, 16; 34:17; 38:15; 43:11; 44:13; Lam 1:20; Ezek 3:18; 5:12, 17; 6:11f; 7:15; 12:16; 14:19, 21; 18:13, 23, 32; 28:8, 23; 31:14; 33:8, 11, 14, 27; 38:22; Da 2:9; 4:1; Hos 13:14; Amos 4:10; 5:8; Jonah 4:9; Hab 2:5; 3:13; Zech 5:3; 1 John 3:13 Commentary <> 1 John 3:15 Commentary
1 João 3:15
Wuest - Everyone who habitually is hating his brother [Christian] is a manslayer. And you know absolutely that no manslayer has life eternal abiding in him.(Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) NLT 1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them. ESV 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. NIV 1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. KJV 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. YLT 1 John 3:15 Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining, ASV 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. CSB 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. MIT 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is an assassin; and you know that no assassin has eternal life remaining within him. NKJ 1 John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. NRS 1 John 3:15 All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. NAB 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. NJB 1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you are well aware that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. GWN 1 John 3:15 Everyone who hates another believer is a murderer, and you know that a murderer doesn't have eternal life. BBE 1 John 3:15 Anyone who has hate for his brother is a taker of life, and you may be certain that no taker of life has eternal life in him. Hates: Ge 27:41 Lev 19:16-18 2Sa 13:22-28 Pr 26:24-26 Mt 5:21,22,28 Mk 6:19 Ac 23:12,14 Jas 1:15 Jas 4:1,2 has: John 4:14 Ga 5:19-21 1Pe 1:23 Rev 21:8 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Leviticus 19:16-18+ ‘You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the LORD. 17 ‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18‘ You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD. Mark 6:19+ Herodias had a grudge against him (JOHN THE BAPTIST) and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; Galatians 5:19-21+ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who (present tense - continually, habitually) practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (aka "eternal life") John 8:44+ You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. Revelation 21:8+ “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Matthew 5:21-22+ “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 1 John 3:11-14+ For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 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. 13 Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. NOT LOVING IS HATING AND HATING IS MURDER In 1Jn 3:12 John has given us Cain's murder of Abel as a picture of what the world wants to do to genuine believers today (1Jn 3:13+). Why? Because the fallen, devil-inspired world hates righteousness for it exposes their unrighteousness (John 3:18-19+). In 1Jn 3:14+ he explains that our love of the brethren is evidence that we have been born again. Now John continues the thought of He who does not love abides in death. Akin explains that John now "parallels the hatred of the previous verse (1Jn 3:14) with the murderous action of Cain in 1Jn 3:12." One thing that must be understood is what John is NOT saying -- specifically he is NOT saying that a murderer cannot be regenerated or born again. However he is saying that when a murderer is saved, he will no longer live continually in hatred (which equates with murder). A person whose life is characterized by persistent hatred gives evidence that they have never "passed out of death into life." A person who has passed out of death into life loves the brethren, but one who does not habitually love the brethren "abides in death." Here in 1Jn 3:15 John is saying that God sees them as actual murderers (even if they have not committed the act) because He sees the continual hatred in their heart. Before you read the notes below, take a moment and simply observe the text asking the Spirit to illuminate the words and the plain meaning. You could ask questions like what does "everyone" usually mean in plain English? How does John "define" everyone who is a murderer? In other words what is such a person's mindset or attitude toward others? How is the fate of a murderer described? Now what do you think the apostle John is saying in this passage? Is it clear and easy to understand or is it abstruse? Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him - Notice the progression in the passage. First a murderer is defined and then the consequences are explained. Everyone (cp 1Jn 3:3, 4, 6, 9, 10NET) - Everyone (pas ho) means EVERY person without exception. No one gets a pass on the statement which follows. There is no middle ground for those who express continual hatred. Bob
1 João 3:15
Wuest - All of which means that the one who habitually hates his fellow-man to the exclusion, of course, of any good attitude towards him, is a potential murderer. Should occasion arise, his hate would issue in action like that of Cain. A person like that, John says, does not have eternal life abiding in him. In short, he is unsaved. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) David Smith - Eternal life, which abides in God’s children, which is the living growth of the seed of God in them, is evidenced by love: if the very crown and issue of hate, homicide, be present, it is utterly impossible that this germ of life can be coexistent with it; can be firmly implanted and abiding (cf. John 5:38) in the man. David
1 João 3:16
Wuest - In this we have come to know by experience the aforementioned love, because that One on behalf of us laid down His soul. And, as for us, we have a moral obligation on behalf of our brethren to lay down our souls. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Know - 1Jn 4:9,10 Mt 20:28 John 3:16 10:15 15:13 Ac 20:28 Ro 5:8 Eph 5:2,25 Titus 2:13 1Pe 1:18 2:24 3:18 Rev 1:5 5:9 and we: 1Jn 2:6 1Jn 4:11 John 13:34 15:12,13 Ro 16:4 Php 2:17,30 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 1 John 2:6+ the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (See Walking Like Jesus Walked!) 1 John 4:11+ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. OUR EXAMPLE OF LOVE: THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST By this (hereby) (en touto) - This phrase is first in the Greek and literally means "in this" and is used a number of times by John (Jn 13:35, 15:8, 16:30, 1Jn 2:5, 3:24, 4:13, 5:2, 3:16, 3:19, 4:2) When you encounter "by this" pause and ask "By what?" In this passage John is pointing to what follows, although some feel he is also pointing back to the negative example of Cain to highlight the positive example of Christ. If Cain is the prototype of hate, Christ is the perfect example of love. Cain was the supreme example of hate; Christ is the perfect picture of love. One took a life, the other laid down His life "Christ is the archetype of self-sacrificing love, as Cain is of brother-sacrificing hate! Love and hate are known by their works. --Plummer William
1 João 3:16
Wuest says regarding the statement we ought to lay down our lives - "Lives again is psuche soul. The ego must be crucified. Self must be denied for the benefit of one’s brother. It must be kept in mind that our Lord’s death had atoning value, whereas our laying down our lives in glad service to our fellow man does not." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Jesus used opheilo in Luke (in a parable on the master-servant relationship) declaring "too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves (doulos); we have done only that which we ought (opheilo; KJV = "our duty" ~ we had a debt) to have done.'" (Lk 17:10+) Henry
1 João 3:17
Wuest - But whoever has as a constant possession the necessities of life, and deliberately keeps on contemplating his brother constantly having need, and snaps shut his heart from him, how is it possible that the love of God is abiding in him? (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Whoever - Dt 15:7-11 Pr 19:17 Isa 58:7-10 Lu 3:11 2Co 8:9,14,15 9:5-9 1Ti 6:17,18 Heb 13:16 Closes his heart: Pr 12:10 Pr 28:9 how: 1Jn 4:20, 5:1 Sermon by Charles Simeon - NO LOVE TO GOD WITHOUT LOVE TO MAN 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 2 Corinthians 8:9+ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 9:8+ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed Hebrews 13:16+ And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased. James 2:15-16+ If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? HOW TO LAY DOWN OUR LIFE IN DOWN TO EARTH TERMS! John "has a penchant for applying practical tests of the validity of one's faith. How can we know whether we would sacrifice our life for a brother? We can know by being compassionate toward him in his present need. If we are unable or unwilling to sacrifice material advantage for the sake of our brother, we know the love of God is not in us." (Glen Barker) But whoever has (present tense - possesses) the world's (kosmos) goods (bios), and sees (theoreo - present tense - continues to see) his brother (adelphos - singular) in need (chreia) and closes (kleio - aorist tense) his heart (splagchnon - compassion, pity) against him, how does the love (agape) of God abide (meno - present tense continually abide) in him? -- But is a term of contrast which should cause you to pause and ask at least "What is the contrast?" In this case John describes the opposite of laying down one's life for the brethren. Has…and sees are the two conditions both in the present tense) precede a practical demonstration of love for the brethren. Sees (theoreo) is not just a glance but a look long enough to appreciate the brother's circumstances and his need. See below for John Piper's amplification of this point. World's (kosmos - neutral not anti-God sense) goods (bios) refers to the basics needed in order to stay alive - food, shelter, clothing. Note both parties have something. One brother has the means to meet a need and the other brother has a need to be met. His brother (singular) is not just the generalization to love the brethren but is very specific to a brother in need. John Stott explains "The transition from the plural (‘our brothers’, 6) to the singular (his brother, 17) is deliberate and significant. ‘It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital “H” than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular!" (Quoting G. P. Lewis, The Johannine Epistles) (Borrow The Letters of John page 146) John asks a rhetorical question which expects a negative answer -- i.e., the love of God does not abide in such a person, which is the antithesis of the sacrificial love of Christ (1Jn 3:16), which is children are called to imitate. The upshot is that a person who fails utterly to demonstrate this quality of love does not have God's love residing in them. In a word, they are not a genuine child of God. A closed heart will always result in closed hands and is evidence that your heart has never been opened by the “key of the gospel” of God’s grace poured out in Jesus Daniel Akin points out that "1Jn 3:17 introduces a negative example using a “greater to lesser” argument based on 1Jn 3:16. Jesus had a life to give and you have stuff (“this world’s goods”) to give. Jesus saw your need and gave His life. You, however, see your brother’s need and “close your eyes” (lit. “entrails,” i.e., feelings). How then, “can God’s love reside in” you? The obvious and undeniable answer is, “It doesn’t.” It is not there. John knows that our hearts control our hands. A closed heart will always result in closed hands and is evidence that your heart has never been opened by the “key of the gospel” of God’s grace poured out in Jesus. (See Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 79) C H
1 João 3:18
Wuest - Little born-ones, let us not be loving in the sphere of word, nor even in the sphere of the tongue, but in the sphere of deed and truth (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) let: Ex 33:21 Mt 25:41-45 Ro 12:9 1Co 13:4-7 Ga 5:13 6:1,2 Eph 4:1-3,15 1Th 1:3 Jas 2:15,16 1Pe 1:22 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries. Related Passages: Ephesians 4:15+ but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, 1 John 3:16-17+ We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1 Corinthians 13:1+ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. EXHORTATION TO LOVE WITH ACTIONS NOT JUST WORDS Little children (teknion), let us not love (agapao present tense as your habitual, reflex practice) with word (logos) or with tongue (glossa), but in deed (ergon) and truth (aletheia) - Little children (teknion) need instruction to grow into mature disciples. This exhortation is based on the previous discussion of the need for believers to love their brother. John's exhortation first gives the negative and then the positive. He says don't just talk about love, but practice it. Do something about meeting the other's need! Notice the opposite pairings - with word/in deed and with tongue/in truth. What is the (descriptive) "definition" of God-like love in this passage? By using the phrase Let us John humbly includes himself in this exhortation, a great example for all Christian leaders, pastors and teachers! In love and truth (Greek - en) defines the sphere (or atmosphere if you will - see locative of sphere) in which the love is to operate. We shall always be anxious to tell our love in deeds as well as by our lips C H
1 João 3:19
Wuest adds that "David was a man after God's own heart because the general tenor of his life was habitually Godward. The Psalms give the real David." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Spurgeon on we will know - You notice how the apostle constantly writes about knowing. Take your pencil, and underline the word “know” in John’s Epistles, and you will be surprised to find how frequently he uses it. He is not one of those who suppose, or fancy, or imagine, or have formed a certain hypothesis; but he knows, and he tells us what he knows, in order that we also may know. Love hath a knowledge which is peculiarly her own, — a full assurance which none can take from her. Steven Cole introduces this section - Every child has a basic need to feel assured of his parents’ love. It should be obvious that if parents verbally or physically abuse a child, that child will not feel loved by his parents. Eventually, he will distance himself from them through withdrawal or rebellion. So even when a child disobeys and must be disciplined, it is important for parents to affirm their love for him. Assurance of love is essential for close relationships. The same is true spiritually. Even though the heavenly Father disciplines us for our good, that we might share His holiness, He does it out of love (Heb. 12:6, 10). He wants us, as His children, to be assured of His great love for us. John begins chapter 3 by exclaiming (1Jn 3:1), “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.” God wants His children to feel His arms of love around them, even when they go through difficult trials. The enemy of our souls knows that we will not feel close to God if we doubt our standing before Him as beloved children. So he accuses us in an attempt to drive a wedge between us and God (Rev. 12:10; Zech. 3:1-4). In addition, at times our conscience condemns us as we compare ourselves with the holy standards of God’s Word. We know that we should love others, but in our hearts, we struggle with anger or bitterness or hatred toward those who have wronged us. We know that we should pray for God to bless this difficult person with His salvation, but inwardly, we’d rather see him punished. When we have those thoughts, either our guilty conscience or the enemy comes in and says, “A true Christian can’t have thoughts like that! You’re not even saved!” John is in the second cycle of applying the three tests of authentic Christianity: (1) the moral test of obedience; (2) the relational test of love; and, (3) the doctrinal test of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. During the first application of the tests, John paused after the second test to give a word of assurance about his confidence in his readers’ spiritual condition (1Jn 2:12-14), as well as a warning about the danger of worldliness (1Jn 2:15-17). Here, in the second application of the tests, John follows the same pattern. He has repeated the first test of obedience (1Jn 2:28-3:10) and the second test of love (ving the truth (1Jn 4:1-6), he interjects this word about assurance. (1 John 3:19-24 Blessed Assurance) Cole goes on to add that "there are two very different approaches to these verses. Some commentators whom I highly respect—John Calvin, Charles Simeon, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Ed: Henry Alford)—interpret these verses as a warning to those who do not conscientiously apply John’s admonition about love. They understand these verses to be aimed at those who love only with word or tongue, not in deed and truth (1Jn 3:18). So they say that if anyone is condemned by his conscience, how much more will he be condemned by God, who knows all things. They do not see these as verses of comfort to disturbed hearts, but rather as verses to disturb comfortable hearts. While I agree that we should never shrug off our shortcomings or ignore a guilty conscience, I think that to view these verses primarily as a warning is to misinterpret them. John begins this chapter with those wonderful words of assurance of the Father’s great love for us as His children. In the section about love, he addresses his readers as “brethren” (3:13) and “little children” (3:18). In our text, he calls them “beloved” (3:21) to remind them that they are loved both by God and by the apostle. Also, in parallel with the first cycle of the tests, the interruption was for the purpose of encouraging those who may feel like they’re falling short. So here, I believe that John’s main purpose is to assure his little children of their standing before God, as well as to urge them to go on in faith, obedience, and love. On the subject of assurance of salvation, R. C. Sproul (Essential Truths of the Christian Faith [Tyndale], pp. 201-202) points out four possibilities. First, there are those who are unsaved and they know that they are unsaved. They don’t make any claim of salvation. Second, there are people who are saved but do not know they are saved. They doubt their salvation, perhaps due to a troubled conscience. Third, there are people who are saved and know that they are saved. Fourth, there are those who are not saved but confidently believe that they are saved. They have false assurance. As I understand our text, John is mainly addressing the second group—those who are saved, but they’re having doubts because of their awareness of falling short of God’s commandments. John wants them to know the basis and the blessings of true assurance. (Blessed Assurance 1John 3:19-24) Criswell favors the interpretation that John is giving a message of comfort - Having exhorted the readers to genuine love (1Jn 3:18), the author states that love provides assurance before God. To those who feel inadequate about their Christian commitment, the author says that God is greater than the condemning heart. The believer's ultimate foundation of assurance is the character of God. John
1 João 3:21
Wuest - Divinely loved ones, if our hearts are not condemning us, a fearless confidence we constantly have facing God the Father (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) 1Jn 2:28 1Jn 4:17 Job 22:26 27:6 Ps 7:3-5 101:2 1Co 4:4 2Co 1:12 1Ti 2:8 Heb 4:16 Heb 10:22 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries. Related Passages: 1 John 2:28+ And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. 1 John 4:17+ By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. Hebrews 4:16+ Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 10:22+ let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. AMAZING GRACE: WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD! Beloved (agapetos), if (3rd class condition) our heart (kardia) does not condemn (kataginosko - present tense) us, we have (present tense - continually have) confidence (parrhesia) before (pros) God - As discussed in 1Jn 3:20, the heart (kardia) refers to our conscience. John includes himself (our). John is describing in essence a clear conscience which gives us complete confidence before God's throne of grace and know our prayers will be answered (1Jn 3:22). Few things keep people from genuine prayer to their heavenly Father more than unconfessed sin and a resulting guilty conscience. -- Charles Swindoll John presents an a fortiori argument: "If before God we can persuade conscience to acquit us, when it upbraids us, much more may we have assurance before Him, when it does not do so" (Plummer, The Epistles of S. John, p. 89). Bob
1 João 3:22
Wuest - and whatever we are habitually asking we keep on receiving from Him, because His commandments we are habitually keeping with solicitous care, and the things which are pleasing in His penetrating gaze we are habitually doing. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Whatever - 1Jn 5:14 Ps 10:17 Ps 34:4,15-17 Ps 50:15 Ps 66:18-19 Ps 145:18,19 Pr 15:29 Pr 28:9 Isa 1:15 Isa 55:6,7 Jer 29:12,13 Jer 33:3 Mt 7:7-8 21:22 Mk 11:24 Lu 11:9-13 John 9:31 Jn 14:13 Jn 15:7 Jn 16:23-24 Jas 1:5 Jas 5:16 because: 1Jn 3:23,24 Mt 7:24,25 17:5 John 15:10 Ac 17:30 20:21 do: John 6:29 8:29 9:31 Php 4:18 Col 1:10 Heb 13:21 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Ps 17:1 (David) Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Ps 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and His ears are [open] to their cry. Psalm 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear; 19 But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Psalm 145:18-19 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 21:13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Isa 1:15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. John 14:13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. John 9:31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him. James 1:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 4:2-3+ You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 1 Peter 3:7 You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE UPON THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.” Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. AMAZING GRACE: WE CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE TO RECEIVE ANSWERS FROM GOD! And - John continues to elaborate on the advantages when our heart does not condemn us (1Jn 3:21) and here unites communion with God with answered prayers from God. It logically follows, that if we are conscious of our acceptance before Him (1Jn 3:21), we will be comfortable in our asking of Him. Whatever we ask (aiteo - present tense) we receive (lambano - present tense) from Him - We ask in the present tense signifies keep on asking (persistence in prayer, cp 1Th 5:17+). Receive is in the present tense which balances the continual asking with continual receiving, not always exactly what we want or think best but what God knows to be the best. Our habitual practice should be to ask! Are you asking? The pronoun whatever leaves the "door wide open" (so to speak) for requests of God - anything, anytime, but with qualifications. Indeed, this is a "dangerous" passage if taken out of context! Some have done so and presumptively sought to ask God for things that are clearly not in His will for us. This verse is not a "genie in a bottle" to be rubbed and receive what one wishes! The one who can claim this verse, is the one who is obeying His word (keep…do). In the next chapter John adds "And this is the confidence (boldness) which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (1Jn 5:14-15+) Spurgeon on ask… receive - Notice the link between confidence as to our rightness and power in prayer. When a child has done wrong, and knows it, he cannot run to his father, and ask for favors as he used to do; he feels timid in his father’s presence because of the sense of his guilt. But if you and I know that we have endeavored with all our heart to love the Lord and our fellow-men and to act righteously in all things, we have a saved confidence which enables us to speak with God as a man speaketh with his friend; and this kind of confidence God greatly loves and he listens to those who possess it. Such people may ask what they will of God; they have learned to bring their minds into conformity with the will of God’s, so the desire of their heart shall be granted to them. Reuben Archer Torrey calls 1 John 3:22 "One of the most significant verses in the Bible on prayer." (See his chapter below on OBEYING AND PRAYING) Hiebert on we receive from Him - The present tense, “receive,” indicates the repeated answers received, while “of Him” makes clear that these answers are not merely fortuitous circumstances but come from Him as His specific response. John at once adds that this blessed experience of answered prayer is conditioned by our obedient and willing service. John
1 João 3:23
Wuest - And this is His commandment, namely, We should believe the Name of His Son Jesus Christ, and be habitually loving one another even as He gave a commandment to us commandment: Dt 18:15-19 Ps 2:12 Mk 9:7 John 6:29 Jn 14:1 Jn 17:3 Acts 16:31 1Ti 1:15 love: 1Jn 3:11 2:8-10 4:21 Mt 22:39 John 13:34 15:12 Eph 5:2 1Th 4:9 1Pe 1:22 4:8 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 6:28-29+ Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works (PLURAL) of God?” (They wanted to know what works God required of them that they might qualify for the gift of the food that lasts forever.) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work (SINGULAR) of God, that you BELIEVE in Him Whom He has sent.” (COMMENT - And this is a "work" [SINGULAR] they were not ready to perform as suggested by John 6:41-42+. As a result of Jesus' "hard sayings" they walked away and if they never repented the walked away into eternal punishment! - John 6:66+) John 20:31+ but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His Name. (COMMENT - Notice there are five words that occur in 1Jn 3:23: believe, name, Son, Jesus, and Christ) GOD'S TWOFOLD COMMAND: BELIEVE AND LOVE This is His commandment (entole - singular not plural-note), that we believe (pisteuo aorist tense) in the name (onoma) of His Son Jesus (Iesous) Christ (Christos), and love (agapao present tense) one another (allelon), just as He commanded (literally - gave command) us - God the Father's commandment is to believe in Jesus and love like Jesus. Believe in the aorist tense generally calls for one to begin to believe, but since the readers were believers the idea is that they should continue in their faith (And some manuscripts have present tense). Creed is shown by conduct. What we believe will affect how we behave. How we behave shows what we believe. If we believe, we will love. If you believe in Jesus, you will love fellow believers, because every command God gives comes pre-packaged with God's enabling power vis-a-vis His indwelling Spirit. Are you loving the "one another's" God has sovereignly placed in your life? Belief in the Name is obviously tantamount to belief in Jesus and stands for all that He is. The Name Jesus (Iesous) emphasizes His humanity, His earthly ministry, and Christ (Christos) His divinity. The double designation represents the earliest Christian confession of faith, “Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 2:36; 3:20; 5:42; cf. John 20:30–31). In 1Jn 5:13 John writes "These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." To believe in Jesus' Name is to receive Him as Savior. John wrote "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His Name." (Jn 1:12) Those who do not believe in His Name are judged, John writing "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (Jn 3:18) The Name is a metonymy, which means using the part (Name) as a reference for the whole. Here Jesus’ “Name” is a reference to His whole person.
1 João 3:24
Wuest - And the one who as a habit of life exercises a solicitous care in keeping His commandments, in Him is abiding, and He himself is abiding in him. And in this we know experientially that He is abiding in us, from the Spirit as a source whom He gave to us. (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) One who keeps - 1Jn 3:22 John 14:21-23 15:7-10 Abides: 1Jn 4:7,12,15,16 John 6:54-56 Jn 17:21 1Co 3:16 6:19 2Co 6:16 2Ti 1:14 we: 1Jn 4:13 Ro 8:9-17 Ga 4:5,6) 1 John 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE BLESSING THAT FLOWS FROM OBEDIENCE The NAS, ESV, NIV, and RSV all omit translation of the kai (and) which serves to connect this verse with 1Jn 3:23. The one who keeps (tereo - present tense) His commandments (entole) abides (meno present tense) in Him, and He in him - Obedience facilitates abiding in Him (in context referring to the Father), but the truth is that we are able to keep (present tense = as our general practice) His commandments because He abides in us. Specifically God permanently indwells our mortal bodies and continually energizes us giving us the supernatural desire and power to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and be pleasing to our Father in Heaven (cf Php 2:13NLT+, Col 1:10+, 1Jn 3:22+). Love is evidence that we are in God and God is in us (cf. 1Jn 4:12, 15–16; Jn 14:23; 15:10). It is important to emphasize in exhorting believers to keep His commandments, John is not advocating keeping a list of things we are to do and not to do! He is not placing us under the law (legalism) and that's exactly what a list of do's and don't's will do (whether the list is written on paper or in your mind). To repeat, the only way for saved sinners to keep His commandments is by learning to daily lean on the everlasting arms of God's supernatural enablement provided by His indwelling Spirit. We need to learn to daily yield our will to His will (we pray it but don't always do it - cf Mt 6:10+), confess (1Jn 1:9+, Pr 28:13+) any known sins that might quench Him (cf 1 Th 5:19+, Eph 4:30+, Ps 139:23,24) and then rely wholly on the Holy Spirit, Who will continually energize us giving us the desire and the power to keep God's commandments (see Php 2:13NLT+). Even then we will not be able to keep them perfectly. John is calling not for perfection, but direction in our walk. We need to examine ourselves and determine honestly whether our life is characterized by progress toward Christ-likeness (progressive sanctification) or is our life characterized by habitual unconfessed, unrepentant lawlessness (1Jn 3:7,8+). A consistently unholy walk (cf walk in present tense in 1Jn 1:6+) strongly suggests absence of a supernatural power to walk holy and thus absence of the indwelling Holy Spirit! Do not think you are regenerate (born again, saved) simply because you made a profession or prayed a prayer! There needs to be some evidence of progress toward a holiness (cf 2Co 5:17+). If there has been absolutely no change in your life or lifestyle, then you may need to be born again. (See Romans Road of Salvation). Obedience is the expression or evidence of the fact that we are abiding in Him and He in us. Sam Storms - Having mentioned the issue of obedience to Christ's commandments in 1Jn 3:22-23, John feels it necessary before closing the paragraph to say something concerning abiding. His words are often taken as saying that obedience is the condition of God abiding in us and, in a certain sense, this is true. But here I believe the meaning is that obedience is the expression or evidence of the fact that we are abiding in Him and He in us. (First John 3:10b-24) The only reason we’re willing and able to abide in Him is because He abides in us! -- Charles Swindoll As Harris says "the person who keeps his commandments clearly refers to the genuine believer, the faithful member of the community to whom the author is writing (the previous verse defines what the commandment is)." (Exegetical Commentary) Alfred Plummer on keeps His commandments - John once more insists on what may be regarded as the main theme of this exposition of Christian Ethics; that conduct is not only not a matter of indifference, but is all-important. We may possess many kinds of enlightenment, intellectual and spiritual; but there is no union with God, and indeed no true knowledge of Him, without obedience: comp. 1Jn 1:6, 2:4, 6, 29, 3:6, 7, 9. ‘He that wills to do His will shall know’ (John 7:17+). Abides (meno present tense) in Him, and He in him - Abides means to remain or be at home in and in the present tense speaks of permanence of our remaining in Him and He is us. Who is Him? Observe 1Jn 3:23 where John says "His Son Jesus Christ" and then says "He commanded us" both of which would be references to God the Father. And thus in the immediate context, when he says "abides in Him" this is almost certainly a reference to the Father. To abide (live) in Christ requires keeping His commandments --Ryrie Study Bible) Hiebert on abides (meno present tense) in Him, and He in him - The one thus characteristically keeping God’s commandments experiences a reciprocal spiritual fellowship: “he dwelleth in Him, and He in him”. Such a mutual abiding marks the heart of a vital Christianity (John 15:1–5+; Col. 1:27–28+). The present-tense verb “dwelleth” (meno) marks the closest and most permanent union between the human and the divine.