John is not speaking about the people standing in the median who will not work. We are talking about sacrificing for each other. It is a very close parallel (almost word for word) with 1 John 1:5. Robertson on (the message) from the beginning - They had the message of love for the brotherhood from the beginning of the Gospel and it goes back to the time of Cain and Abel (1Jn 3:12). They would argue that instead the phrase means what it later means in 1 John 2:7, 2:24, and 3:11, namely, the beginning of the gospel. Verses 23-24 summarizes these truths so that we can know we have eternal life and confidence before God. Supremely these moral responses are to be ones of love. I. Divine certainties. And it still is. ", Vine - The readers heard it from the beginning, since it was among the first things inculcated in their hearts as believers, and not only so but it had been constantly repeated. Message (31)(aggelia related to aggelos = messenger; our English "Angel") means tidings, news, message, report. We are staying in the place of being spiritually dead, separated from God and not in a relationship with God. We are not listening to ourselves, to the world, or to Satan. Children of the devil are self-consumed. (2)We love one another, just as our Lord commanded us and showed us. (1John 2:7-note). John 3:11. Bultmann cites Pauline usage as well (Rom 12:19; 2 Cor 7:1) to support his assertion that this was a common form of homiletical address in early Christianity. What does it mean to walk in the light? (Harris) Earlier John had said, Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. Home >> Bible Studies >> 1, 2, and 3 John Studies >> 1 John 3:11-24 These small group studies of 1 John contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications. (Wuest), Guzik - The basic Christian message has not changed. The Incarnation of the Word of Life. When we get angry with one another and refuse to show proper love, we are showing that we are not born of God and do not have eternal life. Loving others means we deny ourselves from the good and gain of others. We know what love looks like because we see in Jesus the perfect example of love. 11 Most assuredly, Jesus used “most assuredly” three times during this important dialogue with Nicodemus, showing with unequivocal force the importance of being born again. When Paul instructed who could be helped by the church, there were strict requirements that the widow have proven herself to abide in Christ. We speak that we do know. Jesus now discloses to the henceforth silent Nicodemus, in growing excitement of feeling, the source of his ignorance, namely, his unbelief in what He testifies, and which yet is derived from His own knowledge and intuition. There are many who are refusing to participate in these groups and I want to impress upon your heart why these are important gatherings. People will come and claim to love God but do not show that love by what they do. [⇑ See verse text ⇑] John begins a new section with a positive reminder about love. So 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins” — he doesn’t specify any particular kind — “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Cain murdered his brother Abel, as recorded in Genesis 4. I do not want to take the teeth out of this passage, but I think we need to make some observations about what John is saying. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” 1 John 3:16 We know that we have not loved like we ought to have loved. 1 Jn 3:12–13 show us the negative example, Cain, who in his hatred and ultimate murder of his brother Abel is the prototype of the world. (Exegetical Commentary on 1 John 3:11-24), John Stott refers to 1Jn 3:11-18 as "an elaboration of the social test… namely that to love is the new command (which is yet old) and belongs to the new age in which the true Light is already shining (1Jn 2:8-note). The reason I put it like that is because of what 1 John 1:9 says and what Hebrews 12:16 says. … Love acts. In the context the message is a reference to the original, apostolic Gospel, the good "message" of Him Who loved us (Jn 3:16) and which births children who exhibit a Spirit-enabled, supernatural love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. And I would add specifically "Life in the family (love of the brethren)! In reminding them of this message to love one another, John himself was remembering the command of Jesus in John 13:34 - "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (Love: A Matter of Life and Death). We have confidence before God and we are supposed to have confidence before him. But listen to the words of Jesus. There the message which John's readers had heard was a doctrinal one, the theological foundation for their faith that rests in the character of God. The gospel is incomplete unless it includes both doctrine and ethics. If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our hearts and he knows everything. Our hope is in Jesus and we follow him alone. From Talk Thru the Bible. John in this context is speaking about helping our Christian brethren, so we need to bear this in mind. The Bible is the history of the Jewish people, and their existence to-day is a guarantee that the basis of the book is firm and undeniable. This is a frightening application to the body of believers. He knows that you are loving him and striving to serve him. "The beginning" likely refers to when his readers first heard the gospel message. We are not talking about having warm fuzzy feelings for each other. He knows your repentance. What is the lust of the eyes? God is greater than our hearts. Used in the Septuagint 11x - 1Sa 4:19; 2Sa 4:4; 2Ki 19:7; Pr 12:25; 25:25; 26:16; Isa 28:9; 37:7; Ezek 7:26; 21:7; Nah 3:19. We need to see what John has set up so that we can feel the gravity of his conclusions. This is why Cain killed Abel, and why hatred is considered the spiritual equivalent to murder. Compassion will lead to action. They were the ones with the latest ideas. Now in our verse today (1Jn 3:11) the message they had heard from the beginning was equally foundational, but now not in the realm of doctrine, but of ethics. The world is going to hate us because we are walking in the light and exposing darkness. As he now fills in his preliminary sketch, he uses no colours but black and white. “It is the Lord’s command, and if this is done, it is enough.”. Neither is John talking about someone who has continually chosen to be in need because of his refusal to work and lacks the ambition to work to provide for his family. After all of this discussion about helping others, why does John say "His command" is "to believe in the name of His Son?" Commentary on 1 John 3:11-15 (Read 1 John 3:11-15) We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. Notice that John does not pass this off to the church to first deal with the situation. The readers heard it from the beginning, since it was among the first things inculcated in their hearts as believers, and not only so but it had been constantly repeated. … Post Series on 1 John 3:11-24: Why Righteousness Attracts Persecution (1 John 3:11-15) In the previous passage (1 John 2:28-3:10), John addressed the way in which Christians face setbacks in life with hope in the appearance of Jesus. Book of 1 John - Bible Survey Who was John the Apostle in the Bible? The practical example John gives is of a Christian who has material possessions, sees a brother in Christ in true need, and does not do anything about it. Our practice proclaims who and what we are. John is not talking about the guy looking for a handout so he can buy beer. Did he mean that he is discussing with Nicodemus the things that can be done on earth? Aggelia is closely equivalent to euaggelion: (1) it refers to the proclamation of the eyewitness testimony about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as proclaimed by the author and the rest of the apostolic witnesses (prologue, esp. The doctrinal foundation that God is light and the moral, ethical foundation of love for one another are both at the heart of the apostolic gospel. John concludes this paragraph by encouraging our hearts and giving us further hope. God knows us and forgives us even we seem to be unable to forgive ourselves. The Lord saw Nicodemus as representative of many who could not bring themselves to believe in the grace concept whereby God makes all the provision for salvation (Jn 1:14). (1 John 3:10) This week John delves more deeply into the question of what it means to love one another. Never forget Paul’s words when we talk about helping others: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8 ESV) John is not speaking about those claiming to be Christians but refuse to work at all or work enough to take care of their own needs. Commentators have debated who “We” is in this passage. (Love: A Matter of Life and Death), Choose Book of Bible to StudyGenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SolomonIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Search Wikipedia using spiritual discretion, Exalting Jesus in 1, 2, 3 John (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. What are some of the signs of genuine saving faith? It was not something they had never heard before. John returns to the important topic of loving one another as a sign that we are living our lives in Christ. If our hearts are closed against our brother in need and we do not act to help, how can we think that God’s love is remaining with us? 1. What is the lust of the flesh? There is a lot that could be said on the meaning of these words. Previous: 1 John 2:28-3:10, A Purifying Hope You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:12–15 ESV). The character of God, who as light is wholly righteous, true and loving demands and empowers moral responses on the part of his children. We know that we have fallen short. Those who abide in Christ have confidence and will not shrink back when Christ returns. 2. ", Daniel Akin - 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). (1 John 3 Commentary), John Piper: "The wording of 1Jn 3:11 is striking. We know that we have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life when we love our brethren. John provides us a simple explanation concerning Cain’s sacrifice and subsequent actions that are so widely speculated. They were the ones with the new revelations. John 3:11. Even after we have done these things, we will sometimes have days where our hearts still condemn us. Since we are God’s children now, and since we hope in the day when we shall be […] Aggelia os related to a number of important NT words including aggello - to announce, paraggello = command; kataggello - to proclaim, euaggelion = gospel, etc. Jesus denied himself so that we all could gain. 1. What does it mean that God is light? The reason he can make that shift is that the command to love one another was what his readers had heard from the beginning. 1 John 3:1) and is not even worthy of the people of faith who live among them (Hebrews 11:38). We are not talking about saying that we love each other. In 1 John 1:8, the grammar indicates John is speaking about occasional acts of sin. We beat ourselves up for not doing better. Our love for one another is demanded by the character of God but it is also empowered by the brightness of the God who is light and love, with whom there is no small print. The content, style, and vocabulary seem to warrant the conclusion that these three epistles were addressed to the same readers as the Gospel of John. But how we treat others - how we love one another - really matters before God. Every contemporaneous and collateral witness adds to this assurance. This is a precious truth. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known; 1 John 3:13 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 16. As the writer of Hebrews declared, we stir each other up to love and good works when we are gathering together (Hebrews 10:24-25). So let's delve with him! – This is the second time that John addresses the issue of Christian love here in his Epistle which should alert us to its importance (cf. The Gospel message of Him who loved us, announced by His servants, is, that we love the brethren; not here all mankind, but those who are our brethren in Christ, children of the same family of God, of whom we have been born anew. Love one another - This is the first of six uses by John of this phrase in his epistles - 1Jn 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11-12; 2 John 1:5. Both doctrine and ethics are at the heart of the gospel because they are so inextricably linked. The religious leaders taught that if you murdered you would be liable to judgment. John wants us to know this precious truth. We are a nondenominational congregation of Christians located in West Palm Beach aiming to be faithful in every way to Jesus Christ. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. First John 3:11 stands as the thesis for this paragraph: “This is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”. Verse 11 tells us — for (because) this has been the message that the readers have heard taught since the beginning of hearing the gospel. Supremely these moral responses are to be ones of love. Because of this the adjective “gospel” is included in the English translation (The NET Bible = "the gospel message"). One of the purposes of our community groups is to know each other better so we can love each other like John is commanding. Picking up in the middle of Paul’s description, “having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.” (1 Timothy 5:10 ESV) The point I want to make is that we are not talking about people who claim to be Christians but have shown themselves to be Christians. You and I as individuals are responsible to share our goods with our brothers and sisters who experience true need. (Collected Writings), John Piper explains that " The for at the beginning of this verse shows that in John's mind 1Jn 3:11 is the ground or the reason for 1Jn 3:10, or more specifically the reason for why he can shift from righteousness in general as a test of divine sonship to the specific test of love for the brethren. “While the previous passage was primarily concerned with identification,” explains Campbell, “this passage offers direct application: believers are to love one another.” God knows everything. Those who hate are of the world. Being precedes doing, but all Christian doing must be based on being, that is, on who we are in Christ. 10b-11) • Why can John say what he does at the end of verse 10? Our love for one another is demanded by the character of God, but it is also empowered by the brightness of the God who is light and love, with whom there is no small print. We are to lay down our lives for one another. Perhaps we think John is exaggerating or going a little overboard. We are striving to be pleasing to God and therefore we confidently pray to God. Therefore, do not be surprised that the world hates you. "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1:5). To love the brothers and sisters in the believing community demonstrates that we belong to God; to reject the brothers and sisters demonstrates that we don’t really belong to God. "For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." 1Jn 3:11 and 1Jn 1:5 are the only NT uses of aggelia. ; John 4:35; John 19:26, John 19:27. Cain murdered his brother Abel, as recorded in Genesis 4. If we do not love, then we abide in death. Jesus made the very same connection. God is greater than our guilty feelings. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. When we are walking in the light, confessing our sins, and turning to the Lord, God has promised to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The gospel is incomplete unless it includes both doctrine and ethics. In the gospel of John, the apostle quotes the Lord Jesus declaring love as … If we are not loving each other, then quite simply we are not cutting it. These sinful decisions can weigh our hearts down. 1 John 3:11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: Greek - Hoti aute estin (3PAI) e aggelia en ekousate (2PAAI) ap arche hina agapomen (1PPAS) allelous, NET - For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another. page 3 / 8 AN ESSENTIAL EVIDENCE OF OUR LIFE IN CHRIST IS OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. Only when we see and believe and cherish the brightness of God will we be free to entrust ourselves and our futures into his hands. Love is the denial of self for another’s gain. (4) We have the Spirit of God to let us know that God abides in us and we in him. What does 1 John 3:11 mean? (The Letters of John by John R. W. Stott), From the beginning - Same phrase - 1Jn 1:1, 2:7, 2:13, 2:14, 2:24, 3:8, 3:11. 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