For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Comment: Always, with everything Biblical, there are skeptics concerning this letter both who is the author and when it was written. Nobody knows exactly but most authorities estimate that when Jesus called John to follow Him, John was in his early twenties. Most believe that he was the author and that he lived possibly even until he was nearly 100, and that John wrote his epistles in his old age! I’m old and I tend to ramble! This to me is a rambling passage. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t very meaningful but in this short passage (8 verses only) he jumps over nearly a dozen loosely connected topics, which are all very relevant to our daily living!
The inter-related topics are; 1. The importance of love for one another. 2. The first Biblical record of interpersonal sinning is mentioned – Cain v Abel. 3. The war between Evil v Righteousness.4. The world ‘hates’ believers, and if you are one then it hates you! 5. The proof of spiritual life is love between Christians. 6. Absence of love is proof of spiritual deadness! 7. Hating a brother equals murder – and murderers aren’t spiritually alive. (This doesn’t say that they cannot truly repent and become alive by faith in Jesus). 8. We understand what love means because of what Jesus did on the Cross! This should be our example! 9. Love should be shown by generosity and sharing! 10. A non-rhetorical question is asked! If these characteristics are absent what does it prove? 11. An exhortation from an old man to his children, grand and great-grand children in the faith! ‘Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.’ An eleven point sermon in under 150 words!
Matt 22: 37-39 -“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
Prayer: There are so many characters of the fruit of the Holy Spirit which are not fully developved in me, Lord. Help me to develop them as I submit and obey, I pray.
As I read it! 