Keys of Truth: 1 John (Chapter 3)

Chapter summary:

God's great love has reached out to make us His children. We do not know our ultimate destiny, except that we will be like Jesus—and that everyone who looks forward to that transformation purifies himself or herself even now (3:1-3). In fact, continuing in sin is evidence that a person does not know God. Sin can be traced back to Satan, and Christ appeared to destroy the devil's work. It follows that no one born of God will make a practice of sinning: The Spirit of God now resident in us will not allow it (vv. 4-10).

Again the theme of "doing what is right,” turns John's thoughts to love. An evil person hates a righteous one, and hatred is the source of murder. Surely no murderer is infused with eternal life! (vv. 11-15) Rather than take another's life, the one who loves is willing to lay down his or her own life for others, even as Jesus laid down his life for us. When this kind of love has practical expression in our lives, we know we belong to God (vv. 16-20). Keep on loving and obeying God and we will have confidence before God and power in prayer (vv. 21-24).

The believer’s personal application: Love does find a way to express itself.

TEXTUAL INSIGHT

“Purifying hope” (3:3):

Hope is confident expectation, certainty about the future. If we know our destiny is to be like Jesus, this sense of our true identity will move us to be like Him now.

"Lawlessness" (3:4):

John's point is that when we break the law (sin) we rebel against God. Any violation of the moral standards God has revealed is rebelliousness. What we do in the flesh is of real importance!

“Lead astray” (3:7):

False teachers have little concern for morality, as the pressure in some churches to ordain practicing homosexuals makes clear. John warns us not to be deceived. Those who "do what is sinful" are "of the devil," not God.

"Destroy the devil's work" (3:8):

All sinful acts reflect the character of Satan. Yet the harm done by Satan can be and is being undone by Jesus. How? Through Christ, God's own "seed" (i.e., nature) has been planted in the personality of the believer. The devil's work in us is being unraveled by God, so surely that "no one who is born of God will continue to sin." This does not mean the believer will be sinless (1 John 1:7-10). It does mean that "he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."

"Cain" (3:11-15):

The Genesis 4 story illustrates several truths. The wicked tend to hate the righteous. Hatred expresses itself in evil acts like murder. Hostility itself is diabolical in origin. Therefore, "hostile Christian" is a contradiction in terms. One who hates is a murderer in their heart and cannot be one who has eternal life.

“Prayer conditions”? (3:21-22):

Some look at such sayings as "if our hearts do not condemn us" as a condition we must meet before God will answer our prayers. Yet, clearly John intends to encourage us. When we love, and our hearts do not condemn us, we know we are in a relationship with God in which He can answer our prayers. Other supposed conditions should be understood the same way.

Disobedience (Deuteronomy 1:43-45), unconcern (Isaiah 58:7-9), and injustice (Micah 3:1-4) are signs we are out of fellowship with God. But even (1) two agreeing on God's will (Matthew 18:19), (2) knowing our prayer is in harmony with Jesus' character and expressed will (that is, "in Jesus' name") (John 14:13-14), and (3) sensing an inner, Spirit-taught confidence that we have asked according to God's will (1 John 5:14-15) are not "conditions," but God's gracious indication that He has heard and will answer our prayers.