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1 John Chapter
Three
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Children of God
A. The love God has bestowed to us (v.1-2);
1. We are true children of God (v.1);
2. We shall be like Him (v.2);
B. Whoever has been born of God does not sin,
for the “seed” of God remains in him;
1. Whoever abides in Him does not sin (v.3-6);
2. Whoever has been born of God does not sin
(v.7-10);
C. He who loves brothers has passed from death
to life (v.11-18);
1. He who does not have love abides in death
(v.11-14);
2. He who hates brothers has no eternal life
(v.15);
3. He who love brothers has “the love of God”
(v.16-18);
D. Keep a sound relationship with God
(v.19-24);
1. We shall assure our hearts before Him
(v.19-21);
2. Whatever we ask we receive from Him (v.22);
3. He abides in God, and God in him (v.23-24);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1John. 3:1
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be
called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did
not know Him.”
YLT: “See ye what love the Father
hath given to us, that children of God we may be called; because of this the
world doth not know us, because it did not know Him;”
Meaning of Words:
“behold”: see,
perceive; “bestow”: give,
commit; “love”: the divine
love (agape); “children”: descendant; “world”: system; “know”: understand, feel;
Literal Meaning:
“behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us”, “behold”, it shows
that there will be important messages to deliver and reminds the readers to pay
attention to. “Father”, it indicates that the following words are spoken to the
children of God; “what manner”, it shows that the love we have received is
unspeakable and unsearchable (see Eph. 3:18-19).
“That
we should be called children of God”! “Be called the
children of God”: we have got the identity and the true life;
“Therefore
the world does not know us, because it did not know Him”, “the world”:
unbelievers; “know”: know in experience, not knowledge only; “does not know
us”, here it means that it is inconceivable to the world that we believers have
got the new identity and new life when we are reborn and our outlook on life
and walking are changed thereby. “It did not know Him”, the world does not know
God and His love to the world and His plan of redemption and His power of life
and the work of the Spirit at all. Since the world does not know God and God’s
works, it will not know the transformation of believers because of the divine
life nor everything that is manifested on us.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) God sent His only begotten Son to die for us
so that we are remitted. What great love it is (see
2) Christians are not children adopted by God,
but children born by God (see v.9).
3) We are truly the children of God. Therefore,
it is so natural and intimate that we call Him “Abba, Father” (see Rom. 8:15).
4) It is important for believers to bear
witness toward unbelievers by words, but it is more important to let them see
God in our daily life and know God through us.
1John. 3:2 “Beloved, now we are
children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know
that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
YLT:
“beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we
shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be,
because we shall see him as he is;”
Meaning
of Words: “beloved”: agapetos; “now”: at present; “reveal”: manifest, show;
“know”: be aware of,
see; “like”:
as; “see”: behold, gaze
at;
Literal
Meaning: “beloved, now we are children of God”, we
are sure of our present identity ---- the children of God, so we are partakers
of the divine life and divine nature.
“And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be”, “what we shall be”,
it does not mean we will not be children of God in future but we do not know
our physical and spiritual life conditions in future. “Has not yet been
revealed”, the coming condition of believers is not seen by sight or by man’s
imagination.
“But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him”, “but we
know”, God has at least revealed some mysteries to His servants ---- the
apostles. “When He is revealed”, it refers to the second coming of the Lord;
“we shall be like Him”, when we are raised to see the Lord, we will be
transformed into the image of the heavenly (see 1Cor. 15:49), and finally the
image of Christ (see Rom. 8:29).
“For we shall see Him as He is”, “for”, it tells us the reason why “we
shall be like Him”; “we shall see Him as He is”, we Christians, looking on the
glory of the Lord with unveiled face, are transformed according to the same
image (see 2Cor. 3:18 the original). However, it is still not so vivid and
clear as the future.
Note: according to this verse, it seems that all believers will be like
the Lord when they see Him. However, according to other verses, Christians who
have failed will not lie down at table with the Lord but shall be the weeping
and the gnashing of teeth in darkness (see Matt. 25:11-12, 30). Therefore, the
proper explanation for this verse may be that our fleshly body will be
transformed into the spiritual body. The image of the earthly shall become the
image of the heavenly (see 1Cor. 15:44, 49). And we shall be perfectly like Him
when we are prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (see Rev. 21:2). After
the kingdom of one thousand years, Christians who have failed will pay the
price to prepare them so that they will be perfectly like Him.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) We Christians are now being transformed ----
the outer man perishes, the inward is renewed day by day (2Cor. 4:16). And we
will be like Him (see Phil. 3:21) when we see the Lord face to face.
2) Beholding the glory of the Lord absolutely
relates to our transformation of our image (see 2Cor. 3:18). Today, the more we
draw near to the Lord and have fellowship with Him, the more will we be
transformed.
1John. 3:3 “And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
YLT:
“and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he
is pure.”
Meaning
of Words: “has”: obtain, gain; “hope”: expectation; “purify”:
cleanse;
Literal
Meaning: “and everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies”, “this hope” has two aspects of meaning: a) the hope for the
manifestation of the Lord’s coming; b) hope that we shall be like Him (see
v.2). “Purifies”, the present tense shows it is purifying ceaselessly.
“Everyone purifies…”, it indicates that one walks without evil and lead a
righteous life, just as the Lord is righteous (see v.7; 2:29).
“Just as He is pure”, we seek to be as perfect and holy as the Lord (see
Eph. 5:27).
Note: this verse proves that “we will be like Him” relates closely to
our purification now. Before we see the Lord, if we do not purify ourselves
with a price, we have to pay the price to prepare us. It is not like many Bible
expositors have said that all Christians will be like the Lord as long as He
reveals and this verse seems to be excessive, for the present condition has
nothing to do with future.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Christ in us is believers’ hope of glory
(see Col. 1:27), because if we let the life of Christ grow in us, the life will
be fulfilled in us that we will be like Him when He comes again.
2) Whether we have purified us as “He is pure”
has a close relation with the hope that we will be “like Him” (see v.2).
Therefore, all believers who have the hope for glory have to let them be more
like the Lord in their conversations now.
3) It is evil and heretical of the little
emphasis on believers’ present moral conduct with the thought that it is
irrelevant to the divine will. (Note: some religious sects exalt man’s teaching
but ignore the corruption of leaders’ conversation).
1John. 3:4 “Whoever commits sin also
commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
YLT:
“Every one who is doing the sin, the lawlessness also he doth do, and the sin
is the lawlessness,”
Meaning
of Words: “commit”: do, act; “sin”: miss the mark;
Literal
Meaning: “whoever commits sin also commits
lawlessness”, “commits sin”: commit sin habitually (see 2:1) and live in sin
(see
“And sin is lawlessness”, it is the definition of sin: sin is lawlessness
and lawlessness is sin.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is possible for a true believer to be
overtaken in sin (see 2:1). However, a true believer should not deal with sin
seriously.
2) Though we believers in the New Testament are
not under the bondage of the law (see Gal. 5:1, 18), we have to still keep
moral and be submit to “the law of Christ” (see Gal. 6:2).
3) Sin is unwillingness of neither obeying God
nor receiving the discipline of God. In other words, he who intentionally
disobeys the will of God has committed sin.
1John. 3:5 “And you know that He was
manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”
YLT:
“and ye have known that he was manifested that our sins he may take away, and
sin is not in him;”
Meaning
of Words: “know”: be aware of,
see; “manifest”:
reveal; “take
away”: remove, get rid of;
Literal
Meaning: “and you know that He was manifested to take away our sins”, “He was manifested”:
the Lord Jesus was incarnated in the flesh; “take away”: He took away our sins
by His crucifixion;
“And in Him there is no sin”, “there is no sin”: it shows that He is holy,
harmless, undefiled (Heb. 7:26). He does not know sin (2Cor. 5:21), and did no
sin (1Pet. 2:22). He is totally without sin (Heb. 4:15).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The Lord Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
2) Jesus who has no sin in likeness of flesh of
sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh (
1John. 3:6 “Whoever abides in Him
does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.”
YLT:
“every one who is remaining in him doth not sin; every one who is sinning, hath
not seen him, nor known him.”
Meaning
of Words: “abide”: dwell, live,
inhabit; “see”:
gaze, behold; “know”:
understand;
Literal
Meaning: “whoever abides in Him does not sin”, “abides in Him”:
keep the fellowship of life with the Lord (see John 15:4-5); does not sin”: be not accustomed to commit sins (see
v.4); note that it does not say “believers do not sin”, but that “he who abides
in Him does not sin”. As long as we believers abide in the Lord, we will be not
accustomed to sins.
“Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him”, “sin”: be accustomed to lead a sinful
life; “has
neither seen Him”: has not seen the
vision of the Lord nor received the revelation of the Lord, especially
revelations concerning the Lord Himself; “nor
known Him”: lack the personal
experience of the Lord;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is the normal life to believers of
abiding in the Lord. Sins are the habitual conduct of sinners. The normal
believers live by the Spirit, but sinners live by soul.
2) Christians are characterized by enjoying the
fellowship with those who have the same divine life, i.e. enjoying the
fellowship with God and brethren. Therefore, let us know the Lord more and
escape from sins.
3) Abiding in the Lord enables us to be strong
in spiritual life and see and know more the Lord. Life in sins makes man
spiritual blind to the Lord and finally leads man to sin.
1John. 3:7 “Little children, let no
one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is
righteous.”
YLT:
“Little children, let no one lead you astray; he who is doing the righteousness
is righteous, even as he is righteous,”
Meaning
of Words: “deceive”: entice,
lead…astray; “practice”:
do; “righteousness”:
justice, equity; “as”:
like;
Literal
Meaning: “little children, let no one deceive you”, “deceive”: be led astray by man’s doctrine (see
2:26-27);
“He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He
is righteous”, “practices righteousness”: practice righteousness habitually (see 2:29); “righteous”: those whose walking is approved and justified by
God; “just as He is righteous”, the Lord’s being is perfectly righteous (see
2:29);
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Things that are right in man’s eyes may not
be right. Only God’s judgment is right. What is important is not man’s
judgment, but God’s judgment.
2) The righteous in the eyes of God must
practice righteousness ---- no matter to God, or to men, or to things, he is
always just and fair and clean and holy and lawful.
3) The nature of a man decides the nature of
his daily conversation. Hypocrisy deceives temporarily but cannot endure.
1John. 3:8 “He who sins is of the
devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
YLT:
“he who is doing the sin, of the devil he is, because from the beginning the
devil doth sin; for this was the Son of God manifested, that he may break up the
works of the devil;”
Meaning
of Words: “devil”: opponent,
accuser, slanderer; “destroy”:
undo, dissolve, loosen; “works”:
deeds, labor, acts;
Literal
Meaning: “he who sins is of the devil, for the devil
has sinned from the beginning”, “he who sins”: he who commits sins habitually
and lives in sins; “is of the devil”: be the children of the devil (see v.10);
“for the devil has sinned from the beginning”: the devil is the root of sin
---- he was the first one that sinned and rebelled against God and he enticed
man to sin after man was firstly created (see Gen. 3:1-5, 13-14);
“For this purpose of the Son of God was manifested, that He might
destroy the works of the devil”, “the Son of God” refers to the Lord Jesus;
“was manifested”: the Lord Jesus was incarnated and came to the world and was
manifested after His resurrection; “destroy the works of the devil”: dissolve
and undo the devil’s works of enticing men to sin;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The devil was a murderer from the beginning
(John 8:44), who entices believers to deviate from the Lord and His truth by
lies and deception (see 2Cor. 11:3).
2) It is the beginning of the Lord’s destroying
the works of the devil that He overcame the temptations of the devil in the
wilderness (see Matt. 4:1-11). He died on the cross and annulled him who has
the might of death, that is, the devil (see Heb. 2:14). He was risen to give
His life to those who believe Him so that they would turn from the power of
Satan to God (see Acts 26:18).
3) Where the Lord Jesus is exalted, there will
be no power of Satan. The best way for us to deal with the devil is calling the
name of the Lord by mouth and magnifying the Lord in heart.
1John. 3:9 “Whoever has been born of
God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he
has been born of God.”
YLT:
“every one who hath been begotten of God, sin he doth not, because his seed in
him doth remain, and he is not able to sin, because of God he hath been
begotten.”
Meaning
of Words: “born”: produce; “seed”: something sown; “remain”: dwell,
abide;
Literal
Meaning: “whoever has been born of God does not sin”, “born of God”: the children of God, who are born again
by the Spirit because of faith (see John 3:5-7) and have the divine life (see
5:12-13); “does not sin”: does not sin habitually;
“For His seed remains in him”, “His seed” has three kinds of meaning: a) which
refers to “the life of God” that is planted into man when he was just saved; b)
which refers to “the Holy Spirit” ---- all the activities of believers’ new life
is started from the Spirit; c) which refers to “the word of God” ---- the life
of God is sown into the land of man’s heart by the word of God and then springs
up and grows and bears fruit (see Matt. 13:18-23).
“And he cannot sin, because he has been born of God”, “cannot sin”: can not always sin or live
in sins; “because he has been born of God”, since believers are born by God,
they have the life of God. And this life does not allow any believer to live in
sins or commit sin presumptuously.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If believers live by the life of “the old
man”, he cannot help from sinning. However, if they live in the divine life, he
will not and cannot sin.
2) The devil always entices men to sin (see
v.8). But the seed of God guides and strengthens men to enable them not to sin.
The inclination of believers decides their condition.
3) The life of God can in no wise “sin”. The
problem to us is whether we have let the life of God reign in us.
1John. 3:10 “In this the children of
God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice
righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”
YLT:
“In this manifest are the children of God, and the children of the devil; every
one who is not doing righteousness, is not of God, and he who is not loving his
brother,”
Meaning
of Words: “manifest”: reveal; “children”: offspring, descendent; “love”: agapao;
Literal
Meaning: “in this the children of God and the
children of the devil are manifest”, “are manifest”, whether a man often sins
shows his identity; “the children of God”: those who are born of God and have
the life of God and become partakers of the nature of God; “the children of the
devil”: those who are of the devil and are enticed by the devil and controlled
by the “works of the devil”;
“Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who
does not love his brother”, “does not practice righteousness”: do not walk
according to the righteousness; “does not love his brother”: do not deal with
brothers according to the loving nature of God; the works of righteousness
emphasize the external conversations, and the love of brothers emphasizes the
inner heart. And definitely, a loving heart will yield loving works (see v.18).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The righteous works and the love of brothers
are the nature of the children of God. Unrighteousness and hatred toward
brothers are the nature of the devil’s children.
2) When a man has truly been born by God and
has obtained the divine life and nature, he will naturally have the inclination
of doing righteousness and loving brothers without any teaching or exhortation
of others. If we lack this inclination, we may have not clearly been saved ----
we have knowledge only, but no practical experience.
1John. 3:11 “For this is the message
that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,”
YLT:
“because this is the message that ye did hear from the beginning, that we may
love one another,”
Meaning
of Words: “love one another”:
love each other; “beginning”:
starting point; “message”:
commandment;
Literal
Meaning: “for this is the message that you heard from the beginning”, the message that we
heard when we were saved (see v.2:7); it is a relative expression, which
indicates that they heard the teachings of “loving one another” earlier than
the heretical teachings.
“That we should love one another”, it shows that he who does not love brothers is
not of God (see v.10). Let us who are of God love one another.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Just as “hatred” is the mark of the world
(see v.13). “Loving one another” is the mark of believers (see v.14; John
13:35).
2) Once Christians are saved, they have to
preach the message of “loving one another” and work out the witness of “loving
one another”.
1John. 3:12 “not as Cain who was of
the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his
works were evil and his brother's righteous.”
YLT:
“not as Cain -- of the evil one he was, and he did slay his brother, and
wherefore did he slay him? because his works were evil, and those of his
brother righteous.”
Meaning
of Words: “the wicked one”: the
evil one; “works”:
acts, conduct; “evil”:
wicked; “righteous”:
just;
Literal
Meaning: “not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his
brother”, “Cain”, the
eldest son of Adam and Eve, murdered his brother Abel because of jealousy (see
Gen. 4:1-8). “Was of the wicked one”: was the “child of the devil” (see v.10);
“And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil
and his brother's righteous”, here it points
that Cain murdered his brother because of jealousy, for Abel’s good exposed his
own wickedness. His wickedness was because he did not receive the revelation of
God who made the coats of skins to cover man’s shame after the Fall (see Gen.
3:7, 21), but desired to please God by the fruits of his own labor (see Gen.
4:3). Abel’s works were righteous because he obeyed the revelation of God and
offered the firstling of his flock, and of their fat (see Gen. 4:4), that is,
the offering of Christ’s sacrifice.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The devil was a murderer from the beginning
(John 8:44). Not only he who murders but also he who hates is of the devil (see
v.15).
2) In the world of darkness, good works are not
allowed. Small wonder that in many organizations he who prefers to chastity is
unwelcome and sometimes is framed.
1John. 3:13 “Do not marvel, my
brethren, if the world hates you.”
YLT:
“Do not wonder, my brethren, if the world doth hate you;”
Meaning
of Words: “hate”: detest; “marvel”: admire,
wonder;
Literal
Meaning: “do not marvel”, it is a normal situation that the world hates
Christians.
“My brethren, if the world hates you”, the world hates us because of the
following reasons: a) because their works are evil (see v.12); b) because we
are unwilling to be associated with their evil tide (see Eph. 5:11); c) because
their shameful works are exposed by our light (see Eph. 5:12-13).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is an appointed law to Christians that
all who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2Tim. 3:12).
2) It is a wonder that Christians are not hated
but were welcomed by the world.
1John. 3:14 “We know that we have
passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love
his brother abides in death.”
YLT:
“we -- we have known that we have passed out of the death to the life, because
we love the brethren; he who is not loving the brother doth remain in the
death.”
Meaning
of Words: “know”: see, perceive; “pass”: leave; “love”: agapao; “abide”: dwell, remain;
Literal
Meaning: “we know that we have passed from death to life, because we
love the brethren”, “we know … we
love brothers”, it shows that the love of brothers is a proof. “Have passed
from death to life”: be quickened from spiritual death (see Eph. 2:1, 5) and
enter into life.
“He who does not love his brother abides in death”, “abides in death”, though he has been
born again and has got the divine life, he still live by the “old life”, that
is, live in the dead condition (see Rev. 3:1).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) “Love” is a nature of the divine life. Small
wonder that believers who have just been saved may feel that brothers and
sisters are much lovely.
2) “Hate” is the main performance of dead works
(see Heb. 6:1). But “love” is the greatest one among the mains characteristics
of the new life (see 1Cor. 13:13).
3) Whether a Christian loves his brothers will
show his real condition ---- whether he lives by the life of God.
4) Just as Lazarus was quickened because of the
Lord’s voice, if he did not come out of the tomb and was still wrapped by the
grave-clothes, he remained in death (see John 11:43-44). Likewise, if
Christians have no love (are wrapped in hatred), they still abide in death.
5) The mind of the flesh is death. And the mind
of the Spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:6).
1John. 3:15 “Whoever hates his brother
is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
YLT:
“Every one who is hating his brother -- a man-killer he is, and ye have known
that no man-killer hath life age-during in him remaining,”
Meaning
of Words: “hates”: detest; “murderer”: killer; “know”: see, perceive; “eternal”: everlasting;
Literal
Meaning: “whoever hates his brother is a murderer”, “hates his brother”, “hates his brother”: complain about and detest brothers; “is a
murderer”, hatred is an internal knife. Though one has not physically murdered
brother, hatred equals to murder in the Lord’s sight (see Matt. 5:21-22).
“And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in
him”, “murderer”: he who hates; “no … has eternal life abiding in him”, it means that he has not let the eternal
life in him abide and guide freely.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Hatred is a starting-point of murder. Murder
is the extremity of hatred. If one’s inner hatred is not removed, he will
finally commit murder.
2) If one hates those who have been against
him, the hatred will become a cancer in him and finally destroy him.
3) If one often hates others, it shows that he
has no life of God and his end will be much terrible (see 2:9, 11).
4) Though Christians have received the eternal
life, they may still disregard the feeling of the eternal life in them in their
conversations. They are just as the Gentiles who are estranged from the life of
God (see Eph. 4:17-18).
1John. 3:16 “By this we know love,
because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren.”
YLT:
“in this we have known the love, because he for us his life did lay down, and
we ought for the brethren the lives to lay down;”
Meaning
of Words: “lay
down”: settle, give; “know”: understand, be
aware of;
Literal
Meaning: “by this we know love, because He laid down His life for us”, “laid down His life”: sacrifice Himself;
“know love”, it refers to the definition of love ---- love does not seek one’s
own gain (1Cor. 13:5), and gives to those whom one loves liberally without any
expectation of reward.
“And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren”, “lay down our lives”, it is not giving
one’s physical life for the sake of brothers, but being willing to share what
one has owned with brothers (see v.17), that is, be willing to live for
brothers; he who dies for others finishes his life transiently. But it is
rather difficult for him who lives for others, for he has to always consider the
feelings of others and even put aside his own will and give priority to others.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The Lord’s love of laying aside his life for
us is an example for Christians to love one another. The manifestation of
loving one another is the willingness of sacrificing oneself without seeking
any reward.
2) He who is willing to give without any
expectation of reward knows the true meaning of love.
1John. 3:17 “But whoever has this
world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him?”
YLT:
“and whoever may have the goods of the world, and may view his brother having
need, and may shut up his bowels from him -- how doth the love of God remain in
him?”
Meaning
of Words: “goods”: means of life; “in need”: demand; “shut up”: close; “heart”: bowel; “abide”: dwell, live;
Literal
Meaning: “but whoever has this world's goods”,
“has…”, it is opposite to “in need”, so it
does not mean he who has this world’s goods is rich, but he is not in need.
“This world’s goods”, the living substance that one needs in the world;
“And sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from
him”, “in need”, it shows that it is difficult for the
brother to survive. “Shuts up his heart fro his”: ignore him;
“How does the love of God abide in him”, “the love of God”, it is a kind of
unconditional love which is given unilaterally without seeking any reward (see
2:5); “abide in him”, such man must have not the love of God, for his walking
is unworthy of a child of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If one remains impervious to the material
needs of brothers and sisters, his faith without works is dead (see James
2:14-17).
2) God puts the needs of brothers before our
eyes to stir up our response. “Indifference” is not the right attitude for a
true believer.
3) No one can stand before God without God’s
mercy (see Heb. 4:15). If such a merciful bowel just lives in us, how can we
disregard it?
4) The characteristic of the love of God is to
love actively. We can in no wise shut up the love of God from others.
5) The way of loving God is loving brothers. He
who shows mercy to brothers who are in need has stirred up the love toward
God.
1John. 3:18 “My little children, let
us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
YLT:
“My little children, may we not love in word nor in tongue, but in word and in
truth!”
Meaning
of Words: “children”:
descendants; “love”:
agapao; “deed”:
works, walking; “truth”:
reality;
Literal
Meaning: “my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue”, “in word or in
tongue”, express love with words, that is, show mercy by mouth. Love by words
is not unnecessary, for sometimes it gives great encouragement. However, it is
not enough.
“But in deed and in truth”, “deed”: practical works of love, including
physical care, material aid, etc. “truth”: sincere care;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Love is not only in word but also in deed,
not only in tongue but also in truth. Word without deed appears to be empty.
And tongue without truth seems to be vain.
2) Sometime, one’s word and deed are out of
hypocrisy. Therefore, the word and deed of love should be out of inner
sincerity and truth so that the love of God shall be perfected in men (see
2:5).
3) Believers shall love in truth (see 2Johh
v.1-2). Do not love the teachers of heresies against the truth (see 2John
v.10).
1John. 3:19 “And by this we know that
we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”
YLT:
“and in this we know that of the truth we are, and before Him we shall assure our
hearts,”
Meaning
of Words: “of
the truth”: our of the truth;
“heart”: bowel; “assure”: persuade,
have confidence;
Literal
Meaning: “and by this we know that we are of the truth”, “of the truth”,
truth is opposite to falsehood (see 2:4, 21), and falsehood is of the devil
(see John 8:44). Therefore, he who is of the truth is of God.
“And shall assure our hearts before Him”, “our hearts” refer to our conscience;
“assure our hearts”: be bold toward God (see v.21);
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) True love proves truth, and truth leads to
true love. Both are auxiliary to each other. He who is of the truth will have
true works of love.
2) A good conscience keeps the truth perfect
(see 1Tim. 1:19) and enables us to be calm before God.
1John. 3:20 “For if our heart condemns
us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.”
YLT:
“because if our heart may condemn -- because greater is God than our heart, and
He doth know all things.”
Meaning
of Words: “condemn”: blame,
accuse; “greater”:
larger; “know”:
understand, be aware of;
Literal
Meaning: “for if our heart condemns us”,
“our heart” refers to our conscience.
“Condemn”, the unrest and condemnation of the conscience; sometimes, if one’s
conscience is too sensitive to be free from the accusation of Satan that he is
overwhelmed by falsehood.
“God is greater than our heart”,
conscience is a function in man given by God
to fulfill self-discipline.
“And knows all things”, “all things”: things beyond the judgment of
conscience; “know all things”: God is omniscient.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Conscience is a function of ruling things of
man. Man in the world walks according to conscience, but their conscience is
not reliable.
2) Man may fail, but God never fails. God knows
the real situation of everyone, so His judgment is perfectly right.
1John. 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart
does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.”
YLT:
“Beloved, if our heart may not condemn us, we have boldness toward God,”
Meaning
of Words: “confidence”: boldness;
Literal
Meaning: “beloved, if our heart does not condemn us”, “our heart”: our
pure conscience; “does not condemn us”, our conscience does not condemn us.
“We have confidence toward God”, if believers’ conscience condemns us because of
weakness, we can still be confident for the knowledge that God knows all
things, much rather shall we be more confident to come to God with boldness
when the conscience does not condemn us (see Heb. 4:16).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) He who knows God walks by conscience before
God (see Acts 23:1) and trusts in God’s wisdom and grace.
2) All those who approach God by the Lord’s
blood have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience (see Heb. 10:22).
Therefore, let us approach with boldness to throne of grace that we may receive
mercy and find grace for seasonable help (Heb. 4:16).
1John. 3:22 “And whatever we ask we
receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are
pleasing in His sight.”
YLT:
“and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because His commands we keep,
and the things pleasing before Him we do,”
Meaning
of Words: “ask”: entreat; “receive”: get,
obtain; “keep”:
guard; “commandment”:
precept; “please”:
agreeable;
Literal
Meaning: “and whatever we ask we receive from Him”, “whatever we ask”:
all proper desires; “receive from Him”: our prayers are granted by Him;
“Because we keep His commandments and do those things that
are pleasing in His sight”, “because”, the
precondition for the granting of prayers; “His commandments”: the commandment
of believing the Lord’s name and loving one another (see v.23); “do those
things that are pleasing in His sight”: always keep the will of God;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and
you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Matt. 7:8).
2) God is ready to hear the prayers of those
who are of Him (see John 14:13-15; 15:7). However, those who are of God shall
also keep His will heart and soul.
3) Things that are pleasing in God’s sight are: abide in the
Lord, practice righteousness and love one another (see v.6-7, 10-11).
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.”
YLT:
“and this is His command, that we may believe in the name of His Son Jesus
Christ, and may love one another, even as He did give command to us,”
Meaning
of Words: “commandment”:
injunction, precept; “believe
on”: trust in, rely on;
“as”: according to; “love”: agapao;
Literal
Meaning: “and this is His commandment: that we should believe on the
name of His Son Jesus Christ”, “His
commandment:”, here it gives the explanation of what is “keeping His
commandments” (see v.22); “believe on the name of His Son”, believe that the
Son of God is the only Savior ---- salvation is in none other than Jesus (see
Acts 4:12). “The name of Jesus Christ”, there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved (see Acts 4:12).
“And love one another, as He gave us commandment”, “and” shows that the commandments of God
include two parts ---- faith and love. “Love”, the present tense shows that it
is a kind of ceaseless love.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Faith establishes the relationship of
believers with God, and love keeps it. Faith enables us to receive the life of
God, and love enables us to manifest the life of God.
2) Faith provides us the power of loving one
another, and loving one another strengthens our faith. Both are auxiliary to
each other.
1John. 3:24 “Now he who keeps His
commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides
in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
YLT:
“and he who is keeping His commands, in Him he doth remain, and He in him; and
in this we know that He doth remain in us, from the Spirit that He gave us.”
Meaning
of Words: “keep”: guide; “give”: bestow; “spirit”:
breath;
Literal
Meaning: “now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him”, “commandments” refer to the above-mentioned two kinds of
commandments (see v.23); “abides in Him”, if we abide in God, we will obtain
the provision of life from Him.
“And He in him”,
“He”, “and He…”, that we abide in Him proves God abides in us (see John 15:4).
“Abide in Him”, this is our subjective feeling. Actually, since we have
believed the Lord, He has dwelt in us (see Eph. 3:17). However, we may often be
unable to feel that He abides in us (see Song 3:1-2; 5:6).
“And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit
whom He has given us”, “by the Spirit
whom He has given us”, the Comforter that the Lord has promised (see John
14:16), namely, the anointing we have received from the Lord. The anointing
teaches us concerning all things (see 2:27) and teaches us all things (John
14:26) and guides us into all the truth (John 16:13) and enables us to know God
abides in us.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Our abiding in Him is not the precondition
of His abiding in us, but a proof that makes us more assured that He abides in
us.
2) Believers keep close fellowship with God and
behold Him and know Him more through abiding in Him so that the “seed” of God’s
life will become grown up and believers will be enabled to practice
righteousness and love one another.
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
What Manner of Love
the Father Has Bestowed on us
A. We should be called children of God (v.1)!
B. When the Lord is revealed, we shall be
like Him (v.2).
C. Whoever has been born of
God does not sin, for His seed remains in him (v.9).
D. We know love, because He laid down His life for us (v.16).
E. We are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him (v.19-21).
F. Whatever we ask we receive from Him (v.22).
G. He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him (v
H. The Spirit whom God has given us (v.24b);
The Children of God
VS. The Children of the Devil
A. Who are the children of God (v.1, 2, 10)
----who are the children of the devil (v.10);
B. Who will be like Him (v.2) ---- who have no
hope (v.3);
C. Who will see Him as He is (v.2) ---- who
have neither seen Him nor known Him (v.6);
D. Who purify ourselves and do not sin and
cannot sin (v.3, 6, 9) ---- who commit sin and are lawless (v.4, 6, 8);
E. He who is born of God has passed from death
to life (v.6, 14) ---- who still remain in death (v.15);
F. Who are born of God are of the truth (v.6,
9, 19) ---- who are of the devil, not of God (v.8, 10, 12);
G. Who practice righteousness (v.7, 12) ----
who does not practice righteousness and whose works are evil (v.10, 12);
H. The seed of God abides in them (v.9) ----
who has no eternal life (v.15);
I. Who love one another and lay down our lives
for the brethren (v.11, 14, 16) ---- who do not love brothers and hate and
murder (v.10, 13-15);
J. Whose heart does not condemn so that one has
confidence toward God (v.19-21) ---- whose heart condemns (v.20);
The Relation of
God’s Children with the Lord
A. The relation of God’s children with the
Lord’s manifestation (v.1-8):
1. When He is revealed, we shall be like Him (v.1-2);
2. He was manifested to take
away our sins (v.3-6);
3. The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the
works of the devil (v.7-8);
B. The relation of God’s children with God’s
life (v.9-18):
1. Whoever has been born of
God does not sin (v.9);
2. He who loves brothers has
passed from death to life (v.10-14);
3. He who has the eternal life is willing to lay down his life for the brethren (v.15-18);
C. The relation of God’s children with abiding
in the Lord (v.19-24):
1. Our heart will have confidence toward God
(v.19-21);
2. We keep His commandments of “loving one
another” (v.22-24);
Believers and Sin
A. Reasons why believers should not sin:
1. And everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (v.3).
2. He who sins is of the
devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning (v.8).
B. What is sin?
1. Whoever commits sin also
commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness (v.4).
2. Sin is the result of being deceived by man
(v.7);
3. Sin is the work of the devil (v.8);
C. How to not sin for believers?
1. Keep the hope in the Lord that “we shall be
like Him” (v.2-3);
2. Abide in the Lord and see Him more and know
Him (v.5-6);
3. Practice righteousness by the Lord and be
not deceived by the works of the devil (v.7-8);
4. Live in the life of God and let the “seed”
of God abide in us (v.9);
Let us Love One
Another
A. Loving one another has kept the commandments
of God:
1. This is the message that you heard from the beginning (v.11);
2. This is our keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight (v.22-23);
3. He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him (v.24);
B. We know that we have passed from death to
life, because we love brothers:
1. He who does not love brothers is not of God
(v.10);
2. He who has no love remains in death (v.14);
3. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer (v
4. No murderer has eternal life abiding in him
(v.15b);
5. he who murders his brother is of the devil
(v.12);
C. How to love one another?
1. Love is laying down life for the brethren
(v.16);
2. Let “the love of God” abide in us (v.17);
3. Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in
deed and in truth (v.18);
4. Ask God for help to keep His commandments
(v.22);
5. Believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ
(v.23);
6. Abide in God by the Spirit whom He has given
us (v.24);
D. The advantages of loving one another:
1. We shall assure our hearts before Him
(v.19-20);
2. Whatever we ask we receive from Him
(v.21-22);
3. We abide in God, and He in us (v.24);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou