Daily Scripture Reading 1John 3:1-24
When many Christians see the word “love” in the Bible, they think of romantic love. They think of an emotional attraction. They believe they can demonstrate love for God with words. If they get an emotional high in church or nature, they think that is proof that they love God.
The third chapter of 1John gives us a very different perspective on love. Love is not something we express with words, it is something we do via deeds.
1John 3:1 ¶ See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we would be called children of God; and we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Ponder the significance of the second sentence in this verse. Since the world did not know the Father, it doesn’t know Christians either. This means our relationship with the Father has a deep impact on our relationship with the world.
Many Christians think they can be a Christian without their Christianity having a negative impact on their standing in the world. That is not correct. Being a Christian is not compatible with the world.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not been manifested as yet what we will be. We know that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
Look at the phrase “it has not been manifested as yet”. Someday when we see Jesus, we will be like Him, but that has not happened yet.
1John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
1John 3:4 ¶ Everyone who does sin also does lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
1John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
Jesus came to earth in the 1st century AD to take away sins.
1John 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or has come to know Him.
Anyone who completely abides in Jesus will not sin. As of now, no one living on earth is completely abiding in Jesus; therefore, we still sin. The more we abide in Jesus, the less we sin.
Look at the last sentence. Even though we are Christians, we still sin because we have not seen Jesus yet. While we know Jesus somewhat, we do not yet know Him as well as we will after His second coming.
1John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
1John 3:8 The one who does sin is of the devil, because the devil sins from the beginning. The Son of God was manifested for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.
1John 3:9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
1John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifested: everyone who does not do righteousness is not of God, as well as the one who does not love his brother.
The actions of each human reveal whether we belong to God or the devil.
1John 3:11 ¶ For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
1John 3:12 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.
1John 3:13 ¶ Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you.
As Christians we should not be surprised if the world hates us. In fact, we should be more concerned if the world does not hate us.
1John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. The one who does not love abides in death.
1John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
1John 3:16 By this we have known love, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
When many Christians see the word “love” in the Bible, they think of romantic love. They think of an emotional attraction. However, biblical love is action which does what is good for others, sometimes placing others ahead of ourselves.
Jesus demonstrated love when He laid down His life for us. Loving others means sacrificing ourselves for others.
1John 3:17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
If we do not have any compassion for our fellow humans, then we do not love others. If we see a destitute person, loving that person does not mean having positive, emotional vibes or feelings toward that person. If means having a desire and willingness to help that person, being willing to give up our own possessions in order to help that person.
1John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
Do not miss the significance of this verse. Loving others does not mean we merely say the right thing. Loving others requires action and deeds. This verse essentially teaches us that actions speak louder than words.
As I wrote earlier, when many Christians see the word love in the Bible, they think of romantic love. They think of feelings. They believe love can be expressed with words alone.
However, 1John tells us to love with deeds and truth. Biblical love is not a feeling of attraction. It is doing things that benefit other people.
1John 3:19 And by this we will know that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him
1John 3:20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
1John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
1John 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Notice the phrases “we keep His commandments” and “do the things that are pleasing in His sight”. Obeying God means our prayers will be answered. This ties in with when Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Many Christians think the way to love God is to express love with words or feelings. However, the Bible tells us the way to love God is to obey Him.
1John 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 gave a commandment to us.
1John 3:24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He gave us.
Notice once again the phrase “keeps His commandments”. Christians must put emphasis upon obeying Jesus.
When many Christians see the word love in the Bible, they think of romantic love. They think of feelings. They believe love can be expressed with words alone. However, 1John tells us to love with deeds and truth. Biblical love is not a feeling of attraction. Love is action. Love is doing things that benefit other people.
To what extent does your church erroneously further the mentality that love for God can be expressed with words or emotion alone?
To what extent does your church understand and teach that we love God by obeying God?
How have you demonstrated love for God via your actions?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”