When we live out our relationship with God, it will impact the lives around us. And as we finish , we will get a glimpse of how that plays out but loving those around us.
So we come to a very powerful statement where John describes what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. This doesn’t mean that we have to sacrifice our lives for the salvation of other, but we are to see this as a demonstration of true love. How many of us would say “yes” to the question if there is someone in our lives we love so much that we would lay down our lives for them? That is a reflection of the love of God.
But we cannot just say “yes” to statements of love. We have to live out our love for others with actions. Our love for others is a strong indicator of our relationship with God. And if our hearts condemn us, we might start to doubt
God’s love for us. If we are so driven to dismiss our disobedience, could it also mean that we trample on those around us in our disobedience?
This can be a strong indicator of our heart for life. This when struggles happen, we will continue to yield to God and love others. But if our hearts do not condemn us, we might struggle with life, but we continue to love others in the struggle. And when our hearts do not condemn us, we will find that God will provide what we ask because our heart.
And so we have a simple command: believe in the name of Jesus Christ and to love one another. No hoops to jump through, nothing to recite, and no organization to join. We don’t even need to know the 10 commandments to find salvation in Jesus. When we ask Jesus to be our savior, we are a new being. Loving one another, moving forward and keeping God’s commandments.
3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 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. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 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? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (ESV)
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (ESV)
18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (ESV)
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. (ESV)
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (ESV)