My Bible has a beautiful description of The First Epistle of John and I will include that here:
God is light; God is love; and God is life. John is enjoying a delightful fellowship with that God of light, love, and life, and he desperately desires that his spiritual children enjoy the same fellowship.
God is light. Therefore, to engage in fellowship with Him we must walk in light and not in darkness. As we walk in the light, we will regularly confess our sins, allowing the blood of Christ to continually cleanse us. Two major roadblocks to hinder this walk will be falling in love with the world and falling for the alluring lies of false teachers.
God is love. Since we are His children we must walk in love. In fact, John says that if we do not love, we do not know God. Love is more than just words; it is actions. Love is giving, not getting. Biblical love is unconditional in its nature. Christ's love fulfilled those qualities and when that brand of love characterizes us, we will be free of self-condemnation and experience confidence before God.
God is life. Those who fellowship with Him must possess His quality of life. Spiritual life begins with spiritual birth which occurs through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ infuses us with God's life -- eternal life.
Although the apostle John's name is not found in this book, it was given the title Ioannou A, the "First of John."
Verses 1-2 Sons of God
We read in the first verse of chapter three, to look at the kind of love our Father God gave us. This love of the Father enables us to become the sons, or joint-heirs with Jesus of all that the Father has. In John 1:12 it says But as many as have received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
We don’t know exactly what being a son of God looks like, but verse two tells us that when we see His appearance we will be like Him and we will see Him the way He is. Romans 8:29 says For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Question: How does it feel to know you are a child of God? What benefits are yours because of your Heavenly Father? Do you view God as your Father? How do you feel when you think about how much God loves you?
Verses 3-6 Sin
When we place our hope in Jesus, we are purified through Him. Jesus took our sins away, so we will not continue to sin intentionally if we are living our life to honor Him. If we follow the example of Jesus and we go to God to help us do those things that are pleasing in His sight, we will not want to sin.
Jesus fulfilled the law so we are no longer under the law, but we are under grace. Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Question: What things do you no longer want to do now that Jesus is your Lord? Do you find yourself struggling with sin? Do you go to God to help you with the temptations and desires you have?
Verses 7-10 Don’t Be Deceived
The Bible says the one who practices living upright before God is righteous like Jesus. The one who sins is operating under the influence of the devil. The devil sinned from the beginning. This is why Jesus came to this world, to destroy the works of the devil.
The seed of sin is in the hearts of the wicked, but when Jesus comes into our hearts, He throws out those bad seeds and plants seeds of love, joy, peace, goodness, and this seed remains so that we will not sin.
Verse ten says this is how we know the children of God and the children of the devil. If someone is not living a righteous life and they do not love their brother they do not belong to God.
Question: Did you realize that someone who has not put their trust in Jesus is being used by the devil? Even the ones who are “good” people? Does this make you want to share the gospel with them so they can become a child of God?
Verses 11-13 Hate
The Bible reminds us that hatred is so bad it caused Cain to kill his own brother. He was jealous of him and instead of doing the right thing so that his gift would be accepted, he murdered him. Don’t wonder why the world hates you when you begin to live righteously. Jesus told us it would be this way. John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. Jesus said in John 7:7 that He is hated because He testifies the works of the world are evil. Cain hated his brother when he realized his brother was doing the right thing but Cain refused.
Question: Did you realize hate was such a strong emotion? Did you ever feel like you hated someone? Did you know that hating someone is the same as being a murderer? Why do you think God says hatred and murder are the same?
Verses 14-16 Life
We know we have new life in us when we love the brethren. If we find ourselves
unable to love others, we need to question if we are truly saved. If we have hatred in our hearts, the Bible says we are murderers. We will never have
eternal life if we are filled with hatred for others.
Jesus laid His life down for us at Calvary. This example is given to us to follow. If Jesus laid down His life for everyone including those who hammered the nails in His hands and feet and crushed a crown of thorns into His head, then we can offer our bodies a living sacrifice and pray for God to fill our hearts with love for everyone.
Question: Who do you have bad feelings toward? Why should we ask God to give us love for one another? Can you imagine the sacrifice Jesus made for the very ones who mocked Him, spit on Him, and hated Him? How can you live your life to be pleasing to Jesus?
Verses 17-18 Love In Action
Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. The Bible says if we have something in our possession that one of our brothers or sisters needs and we don’t have compassion on them, because we just can’t be bothered, the love of God doesn’t live in us. Love is a verb. It is an action word.
We are warned to not just say we love one another, but we are to show love toward one another by the things we do and the way we live according to the Truth of God’s Word.
Ezekiel 33:30-32
Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against (about) thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
We have to be so careful that we aren’t just going through the motions and speak loving words to one another, but then we go out of church and never put into practice the things we have been told.
Question: Have you ever been to church and listened to the preaching then left church and forgot what was said? Do you just go through the motions of church and then when you’re needed to help, you don’t help? Have you ever been to church where you felt like they said they cared but didn’t really show it? What did you do?
Verses 19-21
By loving out loud, in our actions, we have assurance we are walking in the Truth. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 For I know nothing by (against) myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
We need to have confidence in God to help us see where we are falling short so we can perfectly align our lives to His.
Question: Do you feel relieved that we are not condemned now that we are in Christ Jesus? How has He convicted your heart of doing something or feeling something you shouldn’t? How did you respond?
Verses 22-24 Commandments
Verse 22 says we will get our prayers answered if we are keeping His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. David said in Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry. This agrees with what Jesus said in John 15:7 if ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
What is His commandment? Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
And finally the conclusion of this wonderful chapter is that we know Jesus lives in us by the Holy Spirit that was given to us. John 14:17 Even the Spirit of Truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Question: Are you thankful for the Holy Spirit? How has He made Himself known to you? Are you praying for something specific? What does Psalm 34:15 and John 15:7 mean to you?
I hope that you were encouraged by today’s Bible study. First John is a great book to study because there are some hidden nuggets you must dig for to truly get a rich experience in this text. As you study, ask the Spirit of Truth to open up your spiritual ears and eyes to hear and see what God wants to reveal to you.
I look forward to breaking the bread with you again next Wednesday as we dive into chapter four. Hopefully something I said has given you strength for your journey and light for your way!
God bless you!
~Bridgett Owens
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