1John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
John was overwhelmed with the love of the Father. He loves us so much that He has not only provided for our salvation, He has also given us a place in His family as His child. We, as believers, are God’s children. The world in general doesn’t recognize us as such because they don’t recognize Jesus as the Son of God; therefore, they don’t recognize the truth He taught. I don’t think we will fully understand this wonderful truth until He comes to take us home. When Jesus returns again to set up His kingdom, we shall be like Him; it will be obvious to all that we are His children. Paul supports this truth in the books of Galatians and Romans. To “see Him as He is” is to see Him in His likeness—to be like Him.
Galatians 4:4-7 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Romans 8:14-17 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
1John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
This verse tells me that because we have this hope (this confident expectation) of His return, we purify ourselves. I think this refers to the fact that those who truly believe He is coming – at any time – will live accordingly. It will make them want to choose the better things, to obey His word. We will make choices that are more Christ-like.
1John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
Whoever sins transgresses or acts outside the boundaries of the law. The Greek for sin states, “to miss the mark, to err, especially (morally)….” Sin has existed ever since Eve fell for the deceit of the serpent, and the law was given to reveal our sin. A transgression is willful disobedience to the known law.
Jesus came as God in flesh to provide a way to totally forgive our sin, to remove it from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He came knowing that He would have to leave His Father in heaven, live a human life, be rejected by the very ones for which He came to die, suffer the humiliation and pain of death on the cross, and worst of all—become our/my sin! Christ Jesus is sinless. Because of our position in Him, the Father sees us as pure and sinless as well.
2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
1John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
“sinneth” = “The Greek verb in the present tense, as used here, implies ongoing action.” ( JNT Commentary)
No one who believes in Jesus as his Savior will continue living in sin. (How many times has John repeated this truth?) Anyone who purposely continues in sin evidences that he does not really know the Savior.
Yes, we will all sin, but the believer’s conscience will convict and lead to confession and the desire for forgiveness. The life of a believer testifies to a desire to please God, to his love and gratitude to God.
When we abide in Jesus, we live within the protective boundaries of His will as revealed in His word. This will effectively keep us from sinning.
1John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
In these verses John is addressing little children; he is talking to those who are new in the faith or are just spiritually immature. Because of the threat of false teachers, John continues to emphasize how you can recognize a true believer. The true believer does (as a general rule, but not with perfection) what is right; he is striving to imitate Christ. He who does (as a general way of life) what is sinful is of the devil. The devil introduced man to sin in the beginning and has never let up in his quest to get mankind to follow him in sin. Another reason the Son of God came to live in the flesh was to “destroy the works of the devil”—to provide a way for man to be victorious over sin.
I liked this comment by Guzik: “Many people are unnecessarily afraid of the devil, fearing what he could do against them. If they only knew that as we walk in Jesus, the devil is afraid of us!”
1John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
When we are born of God, we have His seed (I believe this refers to the Holy Spirit) in us. You can’t continue in sin with the Spirit at work in you.
When we are born of God, we become a new creation in Christ Jesus and are declared righteous before God.
Yes, as long as we are in this flesh, we will continue to “miss the mark,” to sin. We will not, however, continually purpose to sin if we love the Lord Jesus and have accepted Him in faith as our LORD.
John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
Acts 16:30–31 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
1John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
In “this” – the way people live their lives—a life of righteousness or of sin—is how we identify the children of God and the children of the devil. The child of God will strive to walk in righteousness and will love his brother. The child of the devil will walk selfishly in darkness and wickedness.
Another good comment from Guzik: “Both of these are essential. Righteousness without love makes one a religious Pharisee, and love without righteousness makes one a partner in evil.”
1John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
This refers back to 2:7. John reminds these believers that from the beginning God/Jesus taught that “we should love one another.”
Leviticus 19:18 “…thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”
Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
1John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
John warns his readers not to be like Cain who murdered his brother because he chose to follow Satan’s lead and refused to humble himself before God in obedience. His works were evil; he was morally corrupt. Cain’s whole motive for murder was his pride and jealousy, the recognition that he didn’t measure up in comparison to Abel. Cain’s actions were disobedient and evil, while Abel’s were obedient and righteous. Cain was determined to come to God on his own terms; Abel was committed to serving God in humble obedience.
1John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
John again warns his readers not to be surprised if the world hates you—in the same way that Cain hated Abel. When you are obedient and live righteously, it makes “the world” more aware of how they don’t measure up. They don’t like anyone to put a damper on their “good times,” the pleasures of sin for a season. They don’t want anyone to cause their conscience to prick them.
1John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
One way you can know that you are a believer and destined for eternal life is because you love your brothers, your fellow believers. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. When you hate someone, you’d rather they didn’t exist. No murderer has eternal life in him. Jesus taught this truth in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:21-22 “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
All murderers will spend eternity in the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
This doesn’t mean that a murderer – or one who hates his brother – can’t repent and be saved.
1John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Jesus gave us the best example of love—He laid down His life for us, that we might live. Jesus made it clear that He laid down His life willingly.
John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
We should be willing to do the same for those around us. I think laying down your life can be denying yourself for the benefit of your brother. Learning to live for others and put their needs before our wants is not easy. We are so naturally self-centered. It is an area I really want to conquer to the point that the Spirit pricks/kicks me immediately when I have the opportunity to give/serve rather than satisfy myself.
1John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
“bowels” – pity, sympathy, mercy
Now John starts to meddle. If God has blessed us with material possessions and we have no pity or concern for those in need, especially those of the household of faith, how can the love of God be in us?
Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
I think the culture of our day makes that principle even tougher. I know how quick I am to think with judgment first rather than pity when I see someone who is begging. My first thought is condemning—why aren’t you working? There are many jobs available. Why should I share my hard earned money with you? I would rather my heart be willing to give to someone who may be undeserving rather than withhold from one who may just be caught in a sad set of circumstances—whether because of poor choices or circumstances beyond his control. Lord, please help me love and see others through your eyes!
1John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1John 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
John goes on to tell the believers that they are to love with actions and truth rather than with words. When we love with our actions, we affirm to ourselves and others that we belong to the Father. It is also how we can experience a heart at peace and rest before the Father.
James 2:15-17 “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
1John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
“God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things” – Sometimes we get to the point that we beat ourselves up. We’re so aware of our shortcomings, “our hearts condemn us.” Selfless actions can help us recognize that God is working in and through us. God doesn’t have to read our hearts to tell Him about us; HE KNOWS EVERYTHING!
What we think in our hearts, what occupies the place of dominance in our thinking, defines who we are. A “right heart” (a heart that doesn’t condemn us) before the Lord gives us confidence when we approach Him in prayer. When we ask from a right heart, we are assured of receiving what we ask for because we are asking for God’s will to be accomplished.
1John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
The way we live—either in obedience or disobedience, or by doing what we know is pleasing to God rather than what is displeasing—is a reflection of what is happening in our heart. How do we know what is pleasing to God? Through the revelation of His Word and the teaching of the Spirit.
“whatsoever we ask…commandments” – For some reason I have ignored this phrase previously. If we are keeping His commandments, we are reflecting a heart that is in submission to and wants to please Him. With that heart attitude, we will not ask for things that would go against His will. When we ask according to His will, it is His desire to answer us accordingly. (cf 5:14)
1John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
To obey His command is to “believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.” When we are obedient to this command, it is evident in our life. It is an affirmation of our standing in Him to us as well as to others. The Spirit gives us that affirmation through peace and confidence and through the fruit produced in our lives.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…..
“dwelleth” = stay, abide, continue, endure, remain
1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
John tells the believers to test the spirits to see if they are from God. The essence of our being is our spirit. I think John is just referring to men who represent themselves as teachers or prophets of God or the truth. He warns that many false prophets have gone out into the world. The way this is worded makes me think that there are many evil spirits who have continued to inhabit willing earthly vessels throughout history to inhibit the work of the Holy Spirit.
Every spirit (teacher/prophet) that acknowledges Jesus Christ as the Son of God in the flesh is from God. Faith in Him is THE ONLY WAY to be saved—no additions, modifications, deletions…..i.e., the cults.
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
I liked this comment from Constable: “John did not say that every spirit that denies Jesus, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus. Often heretical teaching masks its deviations from the truth by simply failing to affirm important biblical truth. Rather than proclaiming, 'Jesus is not the Christ,’ they fail to affirm that He is the Christ.”
The spirit of the antichrist already prevails in the world, a result of the deceit of the prince of this world, Satan, and his forces of evil.
Guzik: “The devil doesn’t care at all if you know Jesus or love Jesus or pray to Jesus – as long as it is a false Jesus, a make-believe Jesus, a Jesus who is not there, and who therefore cannot save.”
Paul encourages the same discernment on the part of the believer.
1Thessalonians 5:21 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
“prove” = test, discern, examine
1John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
We as believers have already won the victory. That is where our focus must stay as we fight our battles. The power of the Holy Spirit in us is far greater than the power of Satan. Through His empowerment we have the victory over all those who are antichrists.
1John 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
Satan and his spirits speak to people from the viewpoint of what they want to hear (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - 2:16), so they are eager to hear his lies.
1John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
One who is a true believer and knows God is eager to listen to one sent from God and fellowship with other believers. This is one of the reasons it is so hard to fit in when you work with lost people. You are eager and even excited to be a witness, but you don’t fit in. It’s hard sometimes to continue to function in patience and humility.
When you see to whom people listen (accept as an authority), often evidenced by with whom they fellowship (maintain close relationship), you can identify which spirit they are following—the spirit of truth from God or the spirit of error from the enemy.
1John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
John repeats how we should love one another because love comes from God. You can’t truly love without being “born of God” because He is the source of love. The inverse is also true—one who does not show love is not of God, does not know God, because God is love.
Again, the context is addressing loving fellow believers.
1John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
This verse is basically the same as John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God showed His love to us by sending His only Son into the world to become the perfect sacrifice for the sin of each and every person who has and will ever live. Those who choose to accept that gift in faith are given life—new life that will be enjoyed for eternity.
God’s love for us is unconditional; it is in spite of not because of who we are.
1John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
God’s whole purpose in sending His Son Jesus as a sacrifice to atone for our sins was to provide a way for us to live and fellowship with Him for eternity. He loved us THAT MUCH. If God can show that kind of selfless, “no strings attached,” just take it as a gift kind of love, we should certainly be able to love one another with the empowerment of the Spirit.
1John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”
Guzik: “Propitiation has the idea of a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. God rightly regarded us, apart from Him, as worthy targets of His judgment. We were rebels and enemies of Him, even if we didn’t know it. But on the cross, Jesus took the punishment our sin deserved – His sacrifice turned away the judgment we would have received. We easily think how this shows the love of Jesus, but John wants us to understand it also shows the love of God the Father: He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
1John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
No person has ever “seen” God. Moses was only allowed to see God’s glory from His back.
Exodus 33:20–23 “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”
If we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us. The implication being that others can see God reflected in us as we show love one to another. I like the term “made complete” (which is the meaning in Greek for perfected). Even though God’s gift is a complete finished act in itself, He gets glory when His creation in turn chooses to give to others as He has given to them. (I think I have a small inkling of that kind of sense of completeness when I see my kids acting in ways that reflect the truths and principles that we as parents have tried to teach and example before them.)
1John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
Believers are sealed with the indwelling Spirit of God. John reminds us that the evidence of the Spirit in our lives is also evidence of our position in Christ.
Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
What constitutes evidence of the Spirit in one’s life?
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Ephesians 5:9 “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)”
1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
1John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
John, the apostles, and others who had followed Jesus during His ministry had been privileged to see the Savior, the Son sent by God the Father. Anyone who acknowledges that JESUS is THE SON of God is indwelt by His Holy Spirit, making Him part of God. This is hard to understand; but I think about how every Father and child are part of each other through the DNA that they share.
Verse 15 implies that to “confess” Jesus to be the Son of God includes acceptance of His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection to provide one’s salvation.
1John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We as believers know and rely on God’s love for us. It’s a fact we depend on. GOD IS LOVE. John evidently feels the truth can never be repeated too many times. Whoever lives a life of love lives in God and God in him. One cannot truly love except through the empowerment of God in us.
Paul defines love from God’s perspective in his letter to the Corinthians. (Charity = love; The same Greek word is used for the word charity as is used for love in this verse.)
1Corinthians 13:4-8 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth….”
1John 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Living our lives in Christ-like love will make us confident in the day of judgment, not fearful. There is no fear in love. Fear is connected to an expectation of punishment, and one who loves has no fear of punishment. One who fears is not made perfect in love. Being fearless and perfect in love does not mean we are without sin. It just means we are confident of our position in the Savior. We can suffer the consequences of sin without fear, because we know we are loved and that only what is for our good will be allowed to touch us.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
“as he is, so are we in this world” – This phrase really jumped out at me this time through. This is a profound and amazing statement that is easy to miss. Everything that Christ is and possesses in character and power are ours “in this world.’ In Christ we have no excuse for failure. He has imputed to us His righteousness, His love, His authority to rebuke evil and overcome the enemy. I know I have a tendency to function from the mentality that “I am human, therefore, I can’t.” That is true in essence. In Christ, however, I am a new creation. Christ became my sin on the cross to make me righteous “in Him,” and He’s empowered me to overcome sin through the Holy Spirit.
2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
This points us back to the truth of verse 4—“Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”
We, as believers, need to learn to operate from the mentality that though human, we are “in Christ” and “as He is, so are we.” We need to live as overcomers, not as those doomed to failure until we get to heaven. This is a very convicting truth.
1John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
1John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
I liked Ironside’s comment on verse 19: “Now we come to the practical side in verse 19 (1 John 4:19), and I am going to remove a word from the text in the King James version, for if you will consult the Greek you will find that one word does not appear. It is omitted in all the older manuscripts. The correct rendering is, “We love, because he first loved us.” Maybe some of you feel that you have lost something. You like to read, “We love him, because he first loved us.” But think it over, and you will see how much more precious the correct translation is after all. It is easy to talk about loving Christ and loving God, and yet be cold and unkind and discourteous toward those for whom Jesus died. The test of whether we really love Him is found in the way we behave toward His people, and what a test that is!”
Man’s natural tendency is to sin and self. Only through the love of God in us are we able to love and die to self. Again John repeats that you can’t love God and hate your brother. Anyone who says he can is a liar (statement of fact). If you can’t love the brother that you can see and touch, you can’t love God whom you have never seen. This is a command (not a request) of God: If you love Me, you must love your brother. This implies that love is a choice.
Good comment from Coffman: “Inherent in this epic declaration is the fact that Christ was not crucified in order to persuade God to love people, but because God already loved mankind, the divine love preceding the entire program of redemption, and even more, existing in the heart of God even before the world was.”