For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 1 John 3:11 WEB
These words from John help us to understand the primary importance of love in the Christian life. The first apostles of Christ taught the gospel with a focus on Jesus’ commandment to love one another. As obedient followers of Christ, John encouraged the faithful to follow this commandment. This proves our love of Christ. As Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.
John begins chapter three of his first epistle with these words from 1 John 3:1, “See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. WEB” This statement reveals how radical and revolutionary the message of God’s love and Jesus’ command to love one another was in John’s time.
Sacrificial Love
Because the world did not know Christ and the value of loving God and our fellow man, the first Christians appeared strange to many people. The worldly wise of that time and even today considered or consider it a little naive to love to the degree with which Jesus devoted his life to others. Pride and selfishness prevents most of us from truly understanding the value of sacrificial love.
In this chapter of his letter, John compares and contrasts righteousness and evil. We read in 1 John 3:7-8, “Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil. WEB”
Beyond reinforcing the command to love one another, John teaches the importance of living without sin. As Jesus laid down his life to defeat sin and death, we, as Christians receive forgiveness and a new nature. In the righteousness of God, we too begin to sacrifice for others.
God’s Love
Concerning our willingness to use our own resources to provide for the needs of fellow believers, we read in 1 John 3:17, “But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him? WEB”
John encourages the faithful to love not only with words but with deeds. In teaching obedience to Christ he writes in 1 John 3:23-24, “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for the sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf. Help me to love like you. Guide me to live in your righteousness. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: Imitators of Us
