1 John 3:11-24
Today's Passage: 1 John 3:11-24
s love countercultural? Everyone can extend and receive love - even those who do not believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The love that John writes about is a different kind of love. It is love that is defined by the actions of Jesus Christ. Love that would lay down one's life for another. Sacrificial. Selfless. Edifying. You and I are called to embody this kind of love.
1 John 3:16
[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)
Why do we love? Verse 16 tells us - because He [Christ] loved us to the point of death on a cross, and in loving us, He saved us. We are called to love partly to bear witness to what Christ has done for us. Those who have been loved love others. We didn’t deserve it, yet we received Christ’s steadfast, unconditional love.
We are also called to love in order to be set apart. God desires His people to be set apart. Think of the Old Testament Israelites. They lived differently, ate differently, and worshiped differently to show the rest of the world the kind of God they served. In the same way, you and I are called to love one another differently. We love sacrificially to build one another up. This kind of love displays the Gospel. It reflects the character of Christ, and therefore they hate that kind of love.
How do we love? We already talked about biblical love being sacrificial, but John makes it very plain to us.
1 John 3:17–18
[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. (ESV)
This is not the only way we can love someone, but it’s a universal principle that our deeds, our words, and our time will reflect what we love. We shouldn’t see loving those in need as the government’s job, rather it’s ours. We can love sacrificially because we have been loved sacrificially. So take inventory and see where your time, money, deeds, and words are being spent. Are they inward-focused or heaven-focused?
How can you tangibly show the love of Christ to someone today? Showing love in a way that puts yourself second and their needs first. Showing love in a way that reflects the way Christ loves you.
Written By: Joes Weaver
s love countercultural? Everyone can extend and receive love - even those who do not believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The love that John writes about is a different kind of love. It is love that is defined by the actions of Jesus Christ. Love that would lay down one's life for another. Sacrificial. Selfless. Edifying. You and I are called to embody this kind of love.
1 John 3:16
[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)
Why do we love? Verse 16 tells us - because He [Christ] loved us to the point of death on a cross, and in loving us, He saved us. We are called to love partly to bear witness to what Christ has done for us. Those who have been loved love others. We didn’t deserve it, yet we received Christ’s steadfast, unconditional love.
We are also called to love in order to be set apart. God desires His people to be set apart. Think of the Old Testament Israelites. They lived differently, ate differently, and worshiped differently to show the rest of the world the kind of God they served. In the same way, you and I are called to love one another differently. We love sacrificially to build one another up. This kind of love displays the Gospel. It reflects the character of Christ, and therefore they hate that kind of love.
How do we love? We already talked about biblical love being sacrificial, but John makes it very plain to us.
1 John 3:17–18
[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. (ESV)
This is not the only way we can love someone, but it’s a universal principle that our deeds, our words, and our time will reflect what we love. We shouldn’t see loving those in need as the government’s job, rather it’s ours. We can love sacrificially because we have been loved sacrificially. So take inventory and see where your time, money, deeds, and words are being spent. Are they inward-focused or heaven-focused?
How can you tangibly show the love of Christ to someone today? Showing love in a way that puts yourself second and their needs first. Showing love in a way that reflects the way Christ loves you.
Written By: Joes Weaver
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