Down an Unfamiliar Road

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LVIII) 10/01/21

^3:11 Here is the teaching you were taught when you were converted: We should love one another.

Colin G. Kruse (1950) feels that the NIV translation of this verse, unfortunately, obscures the clear connection between what is foreshadowed in 3:10 and developed in 3:11-18. It is because they failed to translate the Greek conjunction hoti (“for”) with (“which”). Otherwise, 3:11-18 would be introduced as: (“Which is the message …”). The Apostle John establishes this connection by picking up the notion of the person “who does not love” in verse ten when he urges his readers not to be like Cain, who “murdered his brother” in verse twelve. Then, in verse fifteen, John informs readers that anyone who “hates their fellow believer is a murderer.”

Thus, John begins his exposition of loving one’s fellow believers as the mark of those who belong to the truth. He reminds his readers that this is something they’ve heard from the time they were born again. The Gospel message they heard included the command of the Lord Jesus that those who believe in Him should “love one another.”[1] John’s assertion was probably dependent on our Lord’s discourse during the Last Supper. What John means by loving one another is spelled out negatively in the next verse and positively later in verses sixteen to eighteen.[2]

Judith Lieu (1951) mentions that the Greek conjunction hoti can be translated as “that,” “because,” “since.” The NIV, NASB, and the KJV all renderer it “For.” But as Thayer’s Greek Lexicon explains, it refers to some word or words that precede or immediately follow it in this context. But Lieu prefers “because this is the message” as the opening for this eleventh verse. Therefore, what does John say before? If you claim to love God but do not love your brother or sister, you cannot be of God because you’ve heard the message to love one another from the beginning.^[3]

Bruce B. Barton (1954) does not see this “love one another” as a command, as in the old system of Torah, but as an announcement of something good. The message announced from God requires believers to love their brothers and sisters in God’s family. The beginning refers to the time Jesus first told his disciples to love one another[4] and when John’s audience was first formed.[5]

Daniel L. Akin (1957) says that one of the most effective ways of teaching is by using contrasts and comparisons. For example, I might contrast what it means to be a male with being a female. I might highlight the attributes of a tall person by putting them next to a short person. Boy/girl. Big/small. Fast/slow. Up/down. North/South. East/West. Winner/loser. These are all simple examples, but we use this teaching technique all the time. And this technique is not new. The Apostle John also found drawing comparisons and contrasts to teach theology and spiritual truth effectively. Throughout 1 John, the Apostle draws our attention to various contrasts:

Walk in darkness/Walk in light	1:6-7
Say we have no sin/Confess our sins	1:8-9
Keep God’s commands/Do not keep God’s commands	2:3-5
Those who love the world/Those who love the Father	2:15
They/Us	2:19
Antichrist/Christ	2:22
Deny Christ/Confess Christ	2:23
Confident at Christ’s coming/Ashamed at Christ’s coming	2:28
Those who do what is wrong/Those who do what is right	3:4-7

Keeping this in mind, says Akin, lets us see how verse eleven flows naturally out of verse ten. Having been born of God, the child of God does what is right, which includes loving one another. In contrast, the devil’s offspring do not do right and hate their neighbors, destroying their reputation. Thus, there is a crystal-clear contrast between children of God and the devil’s brood, between those who love and those who hate. To make this plain, John goes back in time, all the way back to the beginning. There, he draws our attention to the first murder in human history, the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. He addresses both the act and the sinister source behind the action. Just as God delights in giving new life, the devil equally delights in producing death by instigating ad hominem.[6] [7]

David Legge (1969) notes that while there is deliverance, the Apostle John warns us that a sinful lifestyle can never be an alternative way of living for the child of God. Some propose that you can commit adultery and be a Christian. Or that a believer can engage in drunkenness and be a Christian. Listen to what the Apostle Paul had to say: “Don’t you know that those doing such things have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who worship idols, adulterers, or practice homosexuality – will have no share in his Kingdom. Neither will thieves nor greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers.”[8] That may sound harsh in today’s society, but it’s a case of betting that Paul was either wrong or right. Only on the Day of Judgment will that be decided by God. 

So, says Legge, God’s word is clear: you can do those things, but if you’re going to become a Christian, you must repent of them. Of course, it doesn’t mean that believers will not fall into some of those sins; God forbid that any believer stumble into such immoral behavior during their walk with the Lord. But the point is: these lifestyles must change and cease to be active in a Christian’s life. Here the Apostle John points it out in verse eleven, “Some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus the Anointed One and by the Spirit of our God.” Apparently, some in John’s audience were going back to their old sins. When the Apostle Paul saw the same thing among his converts, he told them, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless you fail the test.”[9] [10]

Douglas Sean O’Donnell (1972) tells us that while verse eleven starts the second half of the epistle, it does not introduce a new theme. The Apostle John has applied the “love test” before, and continues his thought from the final phrase of verse ten. We might even say that the following thirteen verses are an exposition of verse ten on “loving one another.” So, what is new is John’s illustration and application of love. John illustrates Christian love with a contrast between Cain-like hatred and Christ-like love. John begins with his reminder to love. This “message” came to John’s readers from the apostolic evangelists. It is what they heard when the Gospel was first preached to them (the meaning of “heard from the beginning”). That message, however, has its origin in Jesus.[11]

3:12 We must not be like Adam and Eve’s firstborn, Cain, who killed his brother Abel under the influence of Satan. And why did he kill him? Because Cain knew he did wrong with his offering, his brother did what was right with his sacrifice to God.

EXPOSITION

What better illustration could the Apostle John have used?^[12] None! It fits perfectly in his narrative about loving one another even when one is wrong, and the other is right. John was there when the Master told about the farmer who sowed his seed, and some of it fell along the road, and the birds came and took it away. So likewise, the seed of God’s Word is sown in the hearts of those who hear the Gospel, but Satan, like a crow, comes and steals the seed before it can take root.^[13] In fact, we see the same devious operation by Satan when he brought hostility between King Saul and his son-in-law David.^[14]

The Psalmist certainly knew that such inexcusable plans existed in the hearts of the wicked. Therefore, there was nothing that cheered them up other than causing a right-living person to do wrong. And when they failed to do so, they gritted their teeth in anger.^[15] Even King Solomon made a point of this in his wise sayings.^[16] But sometimes, you cannot persuade false accusers to exchange their lies for the truth.^[17] The Apostle John even heard his Master make that charge to those who hated Him.^[18] In fact, even some of those people in the world who were once good friends and buddies will turn against a friend who becomes a vibrant Christian.^[19] Pontius Pilate sure found that to be true when he told them that he could find no fault in the Anointed One.^[20]

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[1] See 1 John 3:23; 4:7, 11, 12; 2 John 1:5

[2] Kruse, Colin G., The Letters of John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, op. cit., Kindle Edition

[3] Lieu, Judith, I, II, & III John, op. cit., pp. 142-143

[4] See John 13:34-35; 15:17

[5] Barton, Bruce B., 1, 2, & 3 John (Life Application Bible Commentary), op. cit., pp. 71-72

[6] Ad hominem is an attack on an opponent’s character

[7] Akin, Dr. Daniel L., Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[8] 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

[9] 2 Corinthians 13:5

[10] Legge, David: Preach the Word, 1,2,3 John, op. cit., Part 9

[11] O’Donnell, Douglas Sean, 1-3 John (Reformed Expository Commentaries), op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[12] Genesis 4:4-15; See Hebrews 11:4; Jude 1:11

[13] Matthew 13:19

[14] 1 Samuel 18:14-15; See 19:4-5

[15] Psalm 37:12

[16] Proverbs 29:27

[17] Matthew 27:23

[18] John 10:32

[19] Ibid. 15:19-25

[20] Ibid. 18:38-40

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LVII) 09/30/21

^3:11 Here is the teaching you were taught when you were converted: We should love one another.

Not only that, says Kretzmann, but they must show their appreciation for the Anointed One’s wonderful blessings of love with one another, of which they have become partakers. The very antithesis of such unselfish love is shown in the example of Cain. Cain, who was of the Evil One, the one who murdered his brother. And why did Cain kill Abel? Because his offering to God was based on his works, but those of his brother were founded on God’s blessings.

Cain, the first murderer, received the inspiration for his evil deed from the devil, a murderer from the beginning.[1] Having rejected that which was good, Cain became a servant of selfishness and sin. At the same time, he was jealous of the pure character of his brother Abel, just as unbelievers resent the fact that Christians refuse to join them in their blasphemy of God and their various transgressions of God’s holy will.[2] That was the reason why he took his brother’s life because he could not bear God’s favor for Abel’s offering. Thus, it angered Cain that God accepted Abel’s sacrifice rather than his.[3]

Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1973) says it is no secret; the Apostle John clearly reveals that the message he is speaking of is that “we must love one another.” But John wants his readers to understand that we should love our neighbor as we want to be loved. If someone is still not convinced, love was why God sent His Son into the world;^[4] love is so powerful that the Apostle Paul said that loving God and one another fulfills the entire Law.^[5] It echoes what Jesus said that by loving, we fulfill the writings of the prophets.^[6] So while the demand for righteousness is an article of faith, the command for love is a matter of ethics.^[7]

Arthur W. Pink (1886-1952) writes about the inward confirmation of the reliability of the Scriptures. He touches on what the Apostle John says here in verse eleven about the teachings his readers already heard from him and other apostles. Pink points out that the Bible testifies to the fact that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,”[8] and our convicted conscience confirms it. The Bible declares that it is “not by trying to do what is right, but according to His mercy”[9] As sinners, we all learned that we were unable to do anything to win God’s favor. However, after crying out the prayer of the Publican, [10] we all went away justified by faith.

The Bible also teaches that “if any person is in union with the Anointed One, they are a new creation: old things have passed away; behold all things are now new.”[11] Consequently, the believer has found that the objects they once hated they now love, and the things thought to be for their pleasure, they now regard as trash to be thrown away. Furthermore, the Bible explains that we “are kept by the power of God through faith.”[12] Therefore, believers have proven that God’s grace is sufficient for all their needs, although the world, the flesh, and the devil are organized against them.[13] Ask any Christian why they believe that the Bible is the Word of God. They will tell you it’s because it has done for them what it professes to do. They have tested its promises for themselves and found its teachings verified in their experiences.^[14]

Greville P. Lewis (1891-1976) says that once we accept the Anointed One as Savior, we must obey Him as our Lord and Master. It is so because of the incredible offer of everlasting life and the supreme ethical demand to love our brothers and sisters in the fellowship of the Church.^[15]

Amos N. Wilder (1895-1993) sees the original message in this epistle is represented as an imperative declaration. The nature of the Good News is such as to have its outcome in the fellowship of mutual love. Look at it this way, the vows that a couple make at their wedding to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, until death us do part, is also a declaration. But it has no meaning unless it becomes a reality.^[16] The same is true with our relationship with the Anointed One. We can declare our love for Him, but it is meaningless unless it is evident in our fellowship with one another. So, for walking in the Light to have any significance, we must be moving forward with a purpose to love God by loving each other.

Paul W. Hoon (1910-2000) tells us that love as an ethical factor in our Christian life is not an option, not a religious or moralist invention, nor something based on pure emotion. Love confronts us as a necessity flowing from the heart in real-time. It is not a philosophical concept. Instead, it has its meaning in our Christian life. The Bible does not call Love a theory; it is God’s Law. Laws are established after the theory is proven as fact.^[17]

Rudolf Schnackenburg (1914-2002) notes that the Apostle John repeats here in verse eleven what he said in 1 John 1:5 and links them at the end of verse ten. To neglect this message, says Schnackenburg, would be a dangerous compromise. Earlier, John talks about Jesus’ command that we love our fellow believers, but now he broadens that by saying “love one another.” In other words, love is a two-way street; it is mutual and reciprocal. You might hear someone say, “I love that statue,” or “I love that car.” The problem is that your love is not returned to you. John does not want loving others to be restricted only to those in our group, but every human we meet. And the kind of love John is speaking of is defined in John 3:16 – God’s Love led to His giving, and His gift brought trust, and trust delivered help. Therefore, how can we love those outside God’s family if we do not love those inside?^[18]

Donald Burdick (1917-1996) reminds us that the love of brothers and sisters in God’s family is essential for Christian living. That’s why God gave it as a command. Burdick mentions that the excluded Gnostics and Dualists only appeared after Jesus came. Their refusal to fellowship with others caused them to be considered part of the antichrist spirit.^[19]

Stephen S. Smalley (1931-2018) says that a true child of God not only renounces any love for sin, but announces their unconditional love for others. The reason is that the message which Apostle John says was from the beginning is Good News about Love.^[20] Just think of this: Did God create the universe out of anger? Did He generate man and woman out of spite? Did He cause the atmosphere to provide light and rain out of rage? Did He call Abraham just to be mischievous? Did He give Moses the Law out of hatred? No! Nor did He send His Son to punish sinners, but to save them.^[21] So, long before it was spoken and then written, Love has been God’s proclamation to the world.

Edward Malatesta (1932-1998) states the Apostle John announces the central theme of this section to be love for one another. It is something he heard and preached since he became a disciple of the Anointed One. Now he adds faith in verse twenty-three as an integral part of the commandment.^[22] It’s understandable that you cannot love God or love your fellow believer unless you believe in God.

James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) sees verses 11-18 as the second contrast of Love and Hate, the first being the children of God versus vipers of the devil. While that may seem improper for the Apostle John’s day, it certainly is relevant for today. The meaning of love has been so degraded that the world uses it when talking about loving bad things. Boice brings up a popular song some years ago titled, “Everybody loves somebody sometime.”[23] But it doesn’t work with God. You can’t say that you love the Father and all His children just because you went to church. Hate originated with the devil; love commenced with God, who is Love. John expands on this in the next verse.^[24]

Michael Eaton (1942-2017) makes an interesting point by noting that the earliest promise of the Gospel comes as a commitment that God will crush Satan’s head.^[25] In other words, He will undo everything that Satan did in engineering the alienation between God and humanity. But this account in Genesis three is followed in Genesis four by a breach between man and woman. It then goes on to detail the breakdown between Cain and Abel. Later we read of the division between Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, David and Saul, and finally, physical Israel and spiritual Israel. No wonder the Psalmist cried out, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”[26] [27]

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[1] John 8:44

[2] 1 Peter 4:4

[3] Kretzmann, Paul E., Popular Commentary, 1 John, op. cit., pp. 567-568

[4] John 13:34-35

[5] Galatians 5:14

[6] Matthew 22:40

[7] Bultmann, Rudolf, A Commentary on the Johannine Epistles – Hermeneia, op. cit., p. 54

[8] Romans 3:23

[9] Titus 3:5

[10] Luke 18:13

[11] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[12] 1 Peter 1:5

[13] 2 Corinthians 12:9

[14] Arthur W. Pink: The Divine Inspiration of the Bible, Ch. 12, p. 56

[15] Lewis, Greville P., The Johannine Epistles – Epworth, op. cit., p. 84

[16] Wilder, Amos N. The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., pp. 260-261

[17] Hoon, Paul W., The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., pp. 260-261

[18] Schnackenburg, Rudolf, The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., p. 178

[19] Donald, The Epistles of John, op. cit., p. 56

[20] Smalley, Stephen S., 1,2,3 John – Word Commentary, Vol. 51, op. cit., 181-183

[21] John 3:17

[22] Malatesta, Edward, Interiority and Covenant, op. cit., p. 251

[23] As song written by Sam Coslow, Irving Taylor, and pianist Ken Lane which Dean Martin made popular in 1964

[24] Boice, James Montgomery, The Epistles of John, op. cit., pp. 91-92

[25] Genesis 3:15

[26] Psalm 133:1

[27] Eaton, Michael, Focus on the Bible, 1,2,3, John, op. cit., p. 107

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LVI) 09/29/21

^3:11 Here is the teaching you were taught when you were converted: We should love one another.

Fellowship with God [living right] is inseparable from love. The God of Light is also the God of Love. Knowing this, love, enables us to love beyond human love. Loving some members of the family of God is not easy, but God wants us to love unloving Christians. You may have heard the following jingle that reveals the true state of love among some believers today:

            “To dwell above with saints, we love,

                    Oh, that will be glory.

               But to live below with saints, we know,

                    Well, that’s another story.”

In the comic strip “Peanuts,” the cartoon character, Linus, once said, “I love mankind; it is just people I can’t stand.”[1]  In the face of irritation, loving a fellow Christians is an actual test of love coming from divine nature. Christians should love one another because they have a common origin – the family of God. As British Admiral Nelson drew his ship alongside to battle the Dutch fleet, two English officers quarreled. Nelson flung himself between them and, pointing to the ships of Holland, said, “Gentlemen, there are your enemies!” Never should our fellow Christians become our enemies.   

COMMENTARY

Richard Rothe (1799-1867) says that anyone unwilling to keep God’s commandment, in which God expressed the interest closest to His heart, cannot have genuine fellowship with Him in the heart where love began. Therefore, when we not only love God but are living in harmony with God, it is because we have a divine principle to love implanted in us through love. It is real life in union with God expressed by loving one another as He loved us.^[2]

Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (1802-1870) was an American author, educator, clergyman, French general in Revolutionary France, dramatist, memoirist, historian, and short storyteller. He was once quoted^[3] as saying, “I don’t know if it is because I will soon leave this earth, and the rays that are already reaching me from below the horizon have disturbed my sight, but I believe our world is about to begin to realize the true meaning of the words, ‘Love one another,’ without being concerned whether a human or God uttered them.”^[4]

It brings to mind the words of poet Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

               The worlds in which we live are two

                    The world “I am” and the world “I do.”       

               The worlds in which we live at heart as one,

                    The world “I am,” the fruit of “I have done.”

               And underneath these worlds of flower and fruit,

                    The world “I love” – is the only living root.^[5]

Frederick D. Maurice (1805-1872) makes a bold statement here. He states that the Apostle John never says or dreams that believers desire to sin because the devil forced them to do it. The thought of being obliged to sin is not implied in John’s words; in fact, they contradict it. Tempter and Accuser’s names do not indicate such a thing; the word “Sin” excludes it. That must belong to the person. The Apostle says that sin comes from contact or fellowship between an individual’s saintly and sinful spirits. To commit sin is to become Satan’s dependent, his servant. Do you think anyone will take more responsibility for their actions if they throw John’s doctrine overboard? On the contrary, it seems they would be in greater danger of denying their guilt. It might lead them to believe that sin is so much a part of them they can’t get away from it. There, excuses for wrongdoing await our signal under the words, inclination, tendency, and disposition. At the same time, they may give up hope for spiritual reformation. So, the best thing to do is cut themselves off from any communion with their fellow-creatures.

We need to remember, inclinations, tendencies, and dispositions may be more assertive in us than another believer, says Maurice. That means what is strong in us is weak in others. Each person tries to make their case; each pleads that their sinful tendencies are irresistible; each hardly looks at their fellow believer’s struggle, of which they know nothing. It is no myth – we know that it is what we are all continually tempted to do. Thus, it is the secret of narrow-mindedness and wanting everyone to feel sorry for us; it is the undisclosed reason for our hugging our vices until they destroy us.

Maurice continues. We must heartily believe that we have a common enemy plotting against us all, making use of every person’s particular gift or characteristic designed for blessings to bring them spiritual ruin. Satan is busy making accusations against us before our heavenly Father, [[6] then has us condemning every brother or sister for wrongdoing, turning us against each other. It means persuading us that they are not God’s children, that they do not belong to God’s family. The questions are: should we pamper this miserable pettiness that is preying upon our fundamental beliefs? Is it right to be cruel by mocking the spiritual illnesses and instabilities of our fellow believers? Should we not feel that we are in this fight together? That each person who stands their ground firmly is doing something to benefit us all, even if they are wounded?[7]

James J. Lias (1814-1923) notes that while most versions render verse eleven as “For this is the message,” we could translate it as “For the message.” That would make the passage a little more emphatic. And when we look at the phrase “from the beginning,”[8] it would mean from when they first heard the Gospel. The message John refers to contains the practical doctrine Jesus preached in His sermon on the mountainside.[9] We also find it formulated in the last discourse of Jesus before His crucifixion.^[10]

Lias goes on to say that many try to confine loving one another to the Christian society, no doubt because it is the first and most obvious precept within the Church. The Church was destined to embrace the whole world, since it was prophesied: “the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the water that fills the seas.”^[11] It was God’s will that “all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.”^[12] Therefore, it was proclaimed from the beginning of the Gospel that all believers should love one another.^[13]

Paul E. Kretzmann (1883-1965) says that so much depends upon the genuineness of a Christian’s conduct that the Apostle John warns against every form of deceit: “Little children, let no one deceive you:” they that practice righteousness are living right, just as the Anointed One is righteous; they that commit sin is of the devil, for from the beginning the devil sinned. John intended this clear statement to remove all misunderstandings and prevent every form of deception. The righteous disposition of the heart molds the Christian character by faith and is bound to express itself in holy living. The Anointed One is the type, the example, the pattern of righteousness, and a life of perfect holiness. A spiritual child of God will have His manner; a disciple of the Anointed One will follow the Master.

By contrast, says Kretzmann, a person that deliberately sins is a servant of sin, thereby showing themselves a compliant pupil, a part of the devil’s brood, and Satan’s workshop. He works in the children of disobedience and uses them as his tools for committing every form of wrongdoing. That means the devil was sinning from the beginning. The very first sin recorded was caused by him, and induced people to sin from then on. It makes them his slaves, servants of unrighteousness and damnation. It is a terrible picture that the Apostle John paints, which should cause any Christian to shudder with fear.

And the same test may be applied concerning the practice of brotherly love, notes Kretzmann, for this, is the message the Apostle John’s readers heard from the beginning, that they should love one another. John reverts to this topic time and time again. To John, brotherly love is the very essence and substance of the Christian life. All trees are known by their fruit. So likewise, the faith of the Christian must be revealed in the fruit of love.[14] According to the Word of God and the last instructions of Jesus, love is the outstanding trait and characteristic of the believer.

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[1] This line was spoken by Linus Van Pelt in the November 12, 1959 comic strip of Peanuts, written and drawn by Charles Schulz (1950-2000).

[2] Rothe, Richard, The Expository Times, op. cit., May 1893, pp. 354-355

[3] In 1893

[4] Dumas, Alex: The Expositor’s Dictionary of Texts, Vol. 2, 1 John, op. cit.

[5] Van Dyke, Henry: Poem: One World.

[6] Revelation 12:10

[7] Maurice, F. D., The Epistles of St. John, op. cit., pp. 188-189

[8] 1 John 2:24

[9] Matthew 5-7

[10] See John 13:34, 35; 15:12, 13; cf. 1 John 2:7

[11] Isaiah 11:9

[12] 1 Timothy 2:4

[13] Lias, James J., The First Epistle of St. John with Exposition, pp. 249-251

[14] See Galatians 5:22-23

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LV) 09/28/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

Peter Pett (1966) takes the Apostle John’s word that the children of God will be revealed. They are already exposed by the fact that they love God and obey His teachings, and love their brothers and sisters who are steadfast in the faith. It does not make them God’s children; it results from the fact that they are His children. But those who do not seek to obey God’s will, who are not living right, and who does not love those who are faithful in the faith, reveal who they are – the devil’s brood. It means they behave like the devil in his refusal to listen to God.

It must be noted, remarks Pett; there is no suggestion of being “born of the devil.” The devil gathers followers by deceit and betrayal. He is an intruder. John is contrasting God birthing us with being born as a human. When Satan convinces people whom he has tempted to join him, it is a work of disgrace. It is not the natural order of things. Nevertheless, it is their free choice. They, too, respond because of what they are. They have, by free choice, taken their stand against the will of God.[1]

David Legge (1969) says that this Son of Thunder[2] seems to offer choices in his condemnation of any kind of sin in a Christian’s life. The thought should come to mind that there appears to be an apparent inconsistency in what John is saying here and what he said in 1 John 1:8-10. He is equally dogmatic here in verse ten, but in a different sense. In verse eight, John says, “‘If we say we have no sin,” speaking of our sinful tendencies, “we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Now here he says, “If we say that we have not sinned,” speaking practically of the sins that we commit, “we make God a liar, and His Word is not in us.” Some theologians have concluded that John is contradicting himself. On the one hand, he says believers should not sin, especially if they call themselves a Christian. Otherwise, they are lying. Yet, John calls those liars in whom the truth does not reside, who deny they have a sinful nature and who refuse to believe they have sinned.[3]

Douglas Sean O’Donnell (1972) notes that the Apostle John moves beyond the idea of “wrongdoing” in Genesis[4] and the “lack of faith” in Hebrews[5] and places Cain’s motive at the devil’s doorstep.[6] It is a logical theological association to Genesis 3:1-4. It also fits Jesus’ view of the murder connection (“the devil” has been “a murderer from the beginning.”)[7] John confidently follows his Lord’s lead by equating those who reject other Christians to this same satanic source. John also has the apostate antichrists in mind. Did they depart the Christian community because they were envious of John? Envy or no envy, they hated John, and their poisonous gossip and false gospel were spilling into the church’s ears. They wanted the Christianity of the Apostles dead.[8]

^3:11 Here is the teaching you were taught when you were converted: We should love one another.

EXPOSITION

Ancient tradition tells us that as the Apostle John approached his final days, his voice grew so weak that he could no longer preach to the congregation in Ephesus. Yet, each Sunday, as he arrived at the church, he would offer a similar appeal: “Little children, love one another.” When the congregation grew tired of this same sentence, someone finally asked John why he frequently repeated it. He replied, “I say what I say because it is the Lord’s command, and if this is all you do, it is enough.”^[9]

Now the Apostle John removes all doubt as to where this truth was revealed to him. No sooner did Jesus call him and his brother, James, to be His followers than Jesus told them about God’s Love for the world and how we should love each other even as God loved us.^[10] It is clearly shown in John’s comments after he saw how Jesus dealt with Nicodemus.^[11] Once we become a beacon for the Light who dwells within us, the world will easily spot us as one of those “Christians.” And one of the things that will alert them is when they see us having compassion for those in need, even if they hate us.^[12] It was the same message Paul sent to the believers in Ephesus.^[13]

It appears that the Apostle Paul saw that the saints in Thessalonica were doing quite well when it came to being a light to the world and salt of the earth in their image of being a good Samaritan.^[14] And the Apostle Peter gave his readers a commendation on their change of heart and mind when it came to helping their spiritual brothers and sisters with physical, material, and spiritual needs.^[15] That is why he encouraged them always to find a way to agree on how to better understand each other, especially as part of the family of God.^[16] Doing this will spread and cause others to forgive one another of any hurts because real love is the remedy for disharmony.^[17] And the Apostle John used this same principle when writing his second letter.^[18]

This Greek entolē (“commandment” – KJV)[19] to love one another, the Apostle John’s readers heard from the beginning. Not merely in the beginning, but from the beginning; it was among the first announcements, and it had never ceased to be in force. In his Commentary on Galatians, Jerome tells us that when John became too infirm to preach, he often used to say no more than this, “Little children, love one another.” Finally, his hearers grew tired of it and asked, “Master, why do you always say this?” “It is the Lord’s command,” John replied, “and if you do only this, it is enough.”[20]

The only other occurrence of the noun “message” in the Final Covenant occurs in 1 John 1:5. That message has to do with “fellowship” with God.  The message here in verse eleven is that we “should love one another,” which is at the center of fellowship.  It is a message to saints who wish to have communion with God on an ongoing basis.

John issues a test of whether a believer is in fellowship with God and others.[21] Then, he views the Christian life as divine citizenship.[22]  He employs love again as a test of a person who is a genuine son. John continues his stark contrast between the family of God and Satan’s vipers in verses eleven and twelve. Cain is typical of Satan’s offspring, and the Anointed One is the firstborn of God’s family.

Also, the Greek conjunction hoti (“for” – KJV) at the beginning of verse eleven explains the basis on which the statement of the previous verse leans. John offers evidence substantiating the declaration, “Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor are they those who love Christian brothers and sisters.”[23] The people of God love God’s people.  This epistle aims to help John’s readers understand the nature of God’s Love.

The message that John was proclaiming was not new; they heard this at the very beginning of their walk with the Lord. It also draws attention to the divine nature of verse nine. The principle of love goes back to a family issue, the family of God.  Love is a reflection of divine nature. Love proves that spiritual life exists. The test of fellowship lies in love, not in religion, church attendance, or remorse. It starts with loving one another.

It should be noted that the words “love one another” occur 5 times in this epistle.[24] Thus, the term “love” in its various forms occurs 46 times. Believers should put their stamp on love. The words “one another” mean another of the same kind. Spiritual birth and divine nature came in the same package; therefore, love is no option for the believer. If God generated Christians into one family, it is reasonable that they would love people like themselves. So, the principle at work here is that the manifestation of love is the outcome of being a member of God’s family.

So, how do we apply this to our lives? Remember, the origin of spiritual life starts at conversion.  Believing and accepting the Gospel puts believers into one household.  It unites them in the Anointed One as members of God’s family.  It should generate family love, the Anointed One’s love within one another.

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[1] Pett, Peter: Truth According to Scripture, op. cit., loc. cit.

[2] Mark 3:17

[3] Legge, David: Preach the Word, 1,2,3, John, op. cit., Part 9

[4] Genesis 4:9

[5] Hebrew 11:4

[6] 1 John 3:12

[7] John 8:44

[8] O’Donnell, Douglas Sean, 1-3 John (Reformed Expository Commentaries), op. cit., (Kindle Locations 3196-3198)

[9] From Jerome (Galatians 6.10), cited in Alfred Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1894), xxxv. Cf. Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, trans. Andrew Cain, Ancient Christian Writers 121 (New York: Newman, 2010), p. 260

[10] John 13:34-35; 15:12

[11] John 3:16

[12] Galatians 6:2

[13] Ephesians 5:2

[14] 1 Thessalonians 4:9

[15] 1 Peter 1:22

[16] Ibid. 3:8

[17] Ibid. 4:8

[18] 2 John 1:5; cf. 1 John 2:3-4, 7-8; 3:22-24; 4:21; 5:2-3; see John 13:34

[19] 1 John 3:11

[20] Jerome, Fathers of the Church, Commentary on Galatians, 6:10

[21] 1 John 5:7-11

[22] Ibid. 5:11-24

[23] Ibid. 3:10b

[24] Ibid. 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11, 12

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LIV) 09/27/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

William Loader (1944) says that the Apostle John focuses on a believer’s ongoing attitude and behavior rather than a single incident. We are not called to show our love for a fellow believer just with a hug or embrace and a few kind words. No, John says, it must involve practical caring at the level of helping to meet one another’s basic necessities. In other words, it’s not just telling some member of the congregation that you heard about their needs and will be praying for them. It involves finding out what they lack to see which one you can help them with. That is how we love our Christian brother and sister. Our sanctified lifestyle must be holistic because it embraces the entire connection from God to the Christian community.^[1]

David Jackman (1945) says that membership in the family of God is not a cold and clinical relationship. God’s children are inseparable from love. Love is an honest connection with others – not an emotion, but an act of the will. Love as a feeling is useless. We must express our love by caring and sharing, hard work and loyalty, generosity, and long-suffering. That’s the love we need in order to claim the right to be called a child of God. God’s love does not grow naturally. It is a gift from our heavenly Father.^[2]

Robert W. Yarbrough (1948) writes that the Apostle John reaffirms that God’s offspring do not sin: No one born of God sins due to their divine parentage. John’s assertion has points of contact with previous verses, but makes its claim in slightly different ways. Thus, 1 John 3:9, taken together with 3:10, lays the foundation for the summons to love that is the central theme of 3:9-18. The passive forms of the Greek gennaō (to birth) infer that God is the active agent. The word appeared earlier[3] and persisted in later discussions.[4] It enables believers to be called “children of God.”[5] They have been “birthed” through the Holy Spirit, which harmonizes with the concept that they are not products of human procreation.[6] No wonder John will go on to make ambitious demands of them: they are a unique reality, divinely fathered and therefore graced with a higher ethic than those of natural birth.

Yarbrough then notes that verses nine and ten lay the foundation for loving by affirming the visible nature of the distinction between divine and demonic origins. Based on divine parentage, John is confident that God’s true children, like the devil’s brood, ultimately cannot conceal their true identity. The nature of their inner distinctiveness will be “evident” (Greek: phanera) from their actions. This Greek word repeatedly occurs in the Final Covenant (though only here in John’s writings) to describe the laying bare of the inner truth about deeds, [[7] whether they are characteristics of God’s[8] or Jesus.[9]

A third-way verses nine and ten lay the foundation for a love call to love, says Yarbrough, is by affirming the ethical nature that distinguishes between the two groups. In particular, some fail to obey God and then to love others. By touching on not doing the right thing, [10] John restates the moral dimension of knowing.[11] It foreshadows relating to moral and ethical instruction in later verses of this section.[12]

Colin G. Kruse (1950) observes that verse ten brings this section to a conclusion (1 John 2:29-3:10) and does so by restating (3:7-8) the criterion by which we distinguish the children of God from the devil’s brood. This is how we know who God’s children are and who the offspring of the devil are. Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God. Therefore, doing what is right and not doing what is right (both understood as ongoing actions) become important identifying marks of the children of God and the devil’s vipers. However, these are not the only identifying marks, as John’s concluding remark in this verse clarifies: neither is anyone who loves their Christian brother and sister. Other important identifying marks of God’s children and those from the devil’s nest are not loving fellow believers, respectively. By saying this, John introduces a new element into his argument and foretells the subject of the letter’s upcoming section.[13]

Judith Lieu (1951) makes a good point. She says that when we talk about someone being born of God, it no longer concerns identifying people by their actions and drawing conclusions. Instead, we must consider what we will be when we meet Jesus in the air. That is something for which we are not yet responsible. Just like offspring have no choice in who their parents were and can take no credit or blame for it, society considers them accountable for every thought or deed influenced by their upbringing. But God’s children are unique; the indwelling Spirit is their source for instruction on godly behavior. Nevertheless, it is up to them whether or not they obey.^[14]

Marianne M. Thompson (1954) points out that this tenth verse takes us back to verses one through three and contrasts the seen and unseen, the known and unknown. As of now, we are known in the world as God’s children, but we still must wait until God reveals everything about us to the world. At this time, the world recognizes us for our right living and loving. These are both characteristics of our Father God and His Son Jesus, our brother. Moreover, they conform to God’s standard and the pattern set by Jesus. The Apostle John emphasizes this because those who left the congregation did not believe in Jesus as God’s Son nor practiced brotherly love, especially with those who disagreed with them. As far as John is concerned, this violates God’s Royal Law of Love and makes them sinners.^[15]

Bruce B. Barton (1954) notes that the Apostle John spoke in absolutes – right or left, up or down, hot or cold; he offered no middle ground: a person either belongs to God or the devil. The matter concludes that believers can tell who God’s children apart from the devil’s brood. The way to spot the “pretenders” is to see whether they live righteously[16] and whether they love other believers[17] who are powerful witnesses to the reality of God’s Love. Believers must help to unify their congregations. They can also pray for other Christians, avoid gossip, build others up, work together in humility, give their time and money, exalt the Anointed One, and refuse to get entangled in troublesome disputes.[18]

Daniel L. Akin (1957) states that verse ten summarizes a discussion that began back in 1 John 2:3. It also prepares us for a more extended argument to follow on the importance of love. Two basic and straightforward tests are outlined in this text that distinguishes a child of God from the devil’s vipers. First, do you do what is right? Second, do you love others? John says it is that simple. In these verses, the Apostle John puts the issue in negative terms (not doing what is right and not loving others). But they are meant to be an appeal to believers: “Show yourselves to be true children of God! Practice these two virtues!” Those who hate sin have been set free from the devil’s clutches and born of God to do what is right and love others.[19]

Bruce G. Schuchard (1958) sees the Apostle John here shifting from the theme of living for the sake of righteousness to the theme of loving one’s fellow believer. Schuchard takes the Greek me agapon “no loving” to mean “fails to love.” This is not a “sign of weakness” but an action that ultimately defines the person. It is more than just forgetting to love or consciously or unconsciously missing the opportunity to love. Instead, it is characteristic of someone who refuses to love;^[20] they are traitors to the faith by failing to live either for the sake of the Father or the Son. They refuse to live right and embracing those who are their brothers and sisters in God’s family.^[21]

David Guzik (1961) notes that the Apostle John doesn’t spend time trying to prove or explain the devil’s existence. He knows the reality of the devil is a biblical fact. Unfortunately, some today lack John’s wisdom and either deny that the devil is real or they are obsessed with the devil. Some might think John is far too harsh in saying some are the devil’s offspring, supposing perhaps that John did not love people as Jesus did. But Jesus also called certain people children of the devil.[22] In this passage, Jesus’ point was important, establishing the principle that our spiritual parentage determines our nature and our destiny. If we are born again and have God as our Father, it will show in our character and determine our fate. But whether our ancestor is Satan or Adam, it will also show in our personality and future – just as it showed in Jesus’ adversaries.[23]

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[1] Loader, William, The First Epistle of John, op. cit., pp. 39-40

[2] Jackman, David, The Message of John’s Letters, op. cit., p. 96

[3] 1 John 2:29

[4] Ibid 4:7; 5:1^x3, 4, 18^x2

[5] See Ibid. 3:2

[6] Cf. ibid. 1:13

[7] Cf. Mark 4: 22; Luke 8: 17^2×; Acts of the Apostles 4:16; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 11:19; Galatians 5:19

[8] Romans 1:19

[9] Matthew 12:16; Mark 3:12

[10] See 1 John 2:29

[11] Ibid. 2:1

[12] Yarbrough, Robert W., 1-3 John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), op. cit., pp. 194-196

[13] Kruse, Colin G., The Letters of John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[14] Lieu, Judith, I. II, III John, op. cit., pp. 137-142

[15] Thompson, Marianne M., 1-3 John, op. cit., pp. 97-99

[16] See 1 John 2:3-5

[17] Ibid. 2:7-11

[18] Bruce B. Barton (1954) 1, 2, & 3 John (Life Application Bible Commentary), op. cit., p. 71

[19] Akin, Dr. Daniel L., Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[20] See 1 John 2:9-11

[21] Schuchard, Bruce G., 1-3 John, Concordia, op. cit. pp. 338-339

[22] John 8:41-45

[23] Guzik, David – Enduring Word, op. cit., pp. 56-57

• 

THE DANGERS OF UNDESERVED PRAISE

Bishop François Fénelon noticed that some of those in the parish, who were busy going around helping others cope in the aftermath of the recent war, seemed to be doing it so that everyone would see what a fine Christian they were. The problem was, they weren’t paying attention to their need for self-inspection and a harmonious relationship with God. So, the Bishop had these words to share with them:parish,

Showing sorrow for sin and undergoing other humbling circumstances are far more profitable than the constant desire for success. You know that your troubles helped you find out what you never knew before about yourself, and that the recognition, success, and admiration that come your way will make you self-satisfied. However, such self-satisfaction will bring disarray to the best-organized life because it is incompatible with humility. Therefore, being a successful Christian is far less effective than being a significant Christian.

We can be modest only so long as we give attention to all our spiritual weaknesses. Being conscious of this should be foremost in our mind; the soul should feel burdened by them and groan under them, and that groaning should be a perpetual prayer to be set free from “its bondage to decay,” and admitted into the “glorious freedom of the children of God.”[1] Overwhelmed by its faults, the soul should feel it deserves no deliverance by the great mercy of Jesus the Anointed One. Woe to the self-satisfied soul that treats God’s gifts as merits from good works and forgets what is due to God!

Set apart daily seasons for reading, meditation, and prayer. Involve yourself in helping others, when necessary, but be attentive to softening the harshness of your judgment, restraining your temper, and humbling your mind than upholding your opinion even when it is correct. Finally, humble yourself whenever you find that an undue interest in the affairs of others has led you to forget the one all-important matter of yourself: eternity.

“Learn from me,” Jesus says, “for 1 am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”[2] Be sure that grace, inward peace, and the blessing of the Holy Spirit will be with you if you maintain an unassuming attitude amid all your external uncertainties.

Written over 450 years ago

Vocabulary redacted by Dr. Robert R Seyda

One Christian lady told her pastor: I’m a middle-aged woman who is generally well-rounded in personality. I have a lot of good qualities. However, I have been trying to understand a basic flaw in my personality that gets me in trouble and that I know is unappealing to others. Despite how I try not to do it, I find myself falling back into a pattern that includes monopolizing conversations, talking about myself, bragging, and seeming to be a know-it-all. I think I would be better able to control this negative behavior if I understood why I do it. I remember bragging excessively as a child. My mother bragged about me too. I want people to be impressed and to like me, but this competitiveness has the opposite effect. I want to find the root cause of this behavior and what I can do to avoid it in the future.

Our Lord faced the same kind of situation in His day. He wanted them to know that the world is not a stage for us to show off how religious we are. Here’s what Jesus said:

“Be especially careful when you try to be a good Christian so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t make a big deal out of it to call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure they are artists. They treat prayer and speaking engagements like a performance, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowd. Yes, they get applause, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it even if no one is watching, don’t try to show off. That is the way God, who conceived you in love, is working behind the scenes to help you out.[3]

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[1] Romans 8:21

[2] Matthew 11:29

[3] Matthew 6:1-4

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LIII) 09/24/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

Ronald R. Williams (1906-1970) says that what the Apostle John writes here may cause us to think that we must keep to ourselves with much self-restraint to maintain a holy, sanctified life. However, the Apostle John says that the person genuinely living right according to God’s Word spends most of their time selflessly giving and sharing in love. You have to read John 3:16 and then read 1 John 3:16 to appreciate this principle.^[1]

Paul W. Hoon (1910-2000) comments that we can strive for victory by leaning on the Anointed One’s success while here on earth. Then we can enlist in the battle for living right, starting at forgiveness and the renewed power we received to do right, which the grace of God in the Anointed One brought about by faith in the believer’s soul. That means the struggle to live a holy life can only be won by those who, through grace, are in union with the Anointed One.^[2]

Rudolf Schnackenburg’s (1914-2002) comments that this allows us to imagine these practical facts: We are not born knowing how to lie, cheat, steal, hate, be prejudiced, or be biased. It is something we acquire. The same is true of righteousness and sinfulness. These differentiating characteristics are apparent when discerning the children of God from the devil’s offspring. Another thing is to note that they are called the devil’s brood because the Scriptures never say, “born of the devil.” Therefore, they are devilish by nature. Since the Anointed One is the truth-teller and the devil a liar, it should be easy to tell who belongs to whom.^[3]

There are many questions today about “the seed,” “fundamental beliefs,” “our new spiritual nature,” the “Holy Spirit,” and the “Word of God.” It is a combination of the three, which produces new life. Because these things are in the believer, they cannot sin habitually. Here then are the four distinctions of God’s children and the devil’s brood of vipers.

Those who do not practice righteousness are not of God. There is no in-between, no gray area. None are half in and half out. In contrast, God’s children are known by these spiritual factors. The Apostle John now reverts to the subject of love, which he discussed in chapter two.

Sakae Kubo, who received his PhD in New Testament and Early Christian literature from the University of Chicago, wrote that if we place “No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in them, and they cannot sin because they are born of God,”^[4] alongside, “My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus the righteous Anointed One,”^[5] we would either have to admit that the first quote from verse nine in chapter three is contradicted by the second quote from verse one in Chapter two, or to understand the first line in the present tense of being a habit, in contrast to the aorist (ongoing) tense of the second line. Thus, “They cannot sin” is not understood absolutely, but in the sense of, “They cannot continue in a habitual life of sin.” However, some have questioned whether such an explanation is entirely satisfactory. To have a more precise distinction of tenses would require further guidance.^[6]

John Stott (1921-2011) says that the Apostle John now proceeds to the second part of his elaboration of the moral test, and this time links righteousness with Christ’s past appearing. His argument for the indispensable necessity of holy living is now drawn, not from the expectation of the Lord’s second coming, when we shall see Him and become like Him, but from the purpose of his first coming, which was to remove sins and to destroy the works of the devil. John repeats the argument each time with a different emphasis.[7]

	Verses 4-6	Verses 8-9
The introductory phrase:	Everyone who sins (4)	He who does what is sinful (8)
The theme:	The nature of sin is lawlessness (4)	The origin of sin is the devil (8)
The purpose of the Anointed One’s appearing:	… He appeared so	The reason the Son of God was manifested
	that He might take away our sins (5)	was to destroy the devil’s work (8)
The logical conclusion:	No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning (6)	No one who is born of God will continue to sin (9)

John Phillips (1927-2010) feels that the story of the prodigal son^[8] is an excellent example of what the Apostle John is saying here. In the prodigal’s wildest days, his heart was far from his earthly and heavenly fathers. After the prodigal son returns, and his earthly father gave a banquet to commemorate his wayward son’s return while the angels in heaven rejoiced.^[9] Then comes the elder brother and complains that his earthly father never gave him so much as a baby goat to celebrate with his friends.^[10] That’s when his father admonished him by saying, “Son, you’ve always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.”^{[11] [12]}

Philip W. Comfort (1950) argues that the main tension in the Christian’s life is dealing with sin. Various theological theories have been proposed, from the total eradication of corruption upon the new birth and sanctification on the one hand to the acceptance of evil as a permanent factor on the other. Comfort says that although believers are absolutely and forgiven of sin, the scars are still visible. The Anointed One died to deliver and redeem us from sin’s penalty; now He lives to save the believer from sin’s power.

When we become new creatures in the Anointed One, says Comfort, and have a unique divine principle implanted in us. At the same time, the Holy Spirit is constantly at work purifying and cleansing the old nature’s leftover pollution and contamination of sin that is offensive to the new spiritual nature. By doing so, the believer grows and matures more and more into the image of the Anointed One. It becomes impossible to love and serve God in purity according to God’s Word while we still wade in the cesspool of sin’s impurities.^[13]

Stephen S. Smalley (1931-2018) sees verse ten as a transition from the previous section, in which John set out a proactive condition for living as God’s children by renouncing sin. That leads to the present passage, in which John describes the second condition as naturally optimistic through obedience. It all has to do with to whose family we belong. God’s family is renowned for living by the Word of God and doing His will even when it becomes uncomfortable. At the same time, the devil’s brood pays no attention to the Gospel and feels that being told what they cannot do is a form of divine bullying. So, they go their way instead of God’s way.^[14]

Edward Malatesta (1932-1998) says that those who continue sinning are no longer God’s children. They have forgotten all about the Rock who saved them, the God who gave them birth. How can you be a child of God when you reject His only Son? Furthermore, no matter how much you may claim that you are in union with the Anointed One, the fact that you do not love your fellow believer is a sure sign you are one of Satan’s horde. Not only do we live our lives for God and His Son, but we live our lives for each other.^[15]

James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) states that the Apostle John is calling for sound thinking. Just like, you cannot be a citizen of any country unless you have a birth certificate showing you were born there. And you cannot get in or out of that country without that country’s passport. So likewise, you cannot claim to be born of God without showing any proof that you love your brothers and sisters more than you love yourself. As they say, this is not a gray area. It is Light or darkness. The children of God and the devil’s brood coexist here on earth; that’s why it is essential to know the difference between the two. So, John says it’s not just saying you love God that identifies you, but that you also love your fellow believers.^[16]

I remember my father telling how he brought us back from Germany to the United States in 1952 aboard the ship USS America. The call when out for everyone to come on deck to have their passports and visas checked. When we arrived, there was a line completely around the boat. It looked like this was going to take a long time. But he heard over the loudspeaker, “All those with American Passports, come to the front of the line.” As we walked past hundreds of passengers, they looked at us with envy. When my father presented our passports, the immigration agent went over them and then stamped, “Approved for entry.” We were then able to go back to our cabin and wait for the ship to dock. That’s when American citizens were allowed to disembark first. My dad saw this as an illustration of those on Judgment Day, all wanting to enter heaven. But only those with heavenly passports can get in. And the visa they carry reads: “Has brotherly love. Approved for entry.”

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[1] Williams, Ronald R., Letters of James and John, op. cit., p. 38

[2] Hoon, Paul W., The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., p. 260

[3] Schnackenburg, Rudolf, The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., pp. 176-177

[4] 1 John 3:9

[5] Ibid. 2:1

[6] Sakae, Kubo, Ethics in Higher Education, Globethics Library

[7] Stott, John. The Letters of John (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries), op. cit., pp. 124-125

[8] Luke 15:25-32

[9] Ibid. 15:10

[10] Ibid. 15:29

[11] Ibid. 15:31

[12] Phillips, John, Exploring the Epistles of John, op. cit., pp. 103-104

[13] Comfort, Philip W., Cornerstone Biblical Commentary Series, op. cit., pp. 351-352

[14] Smalley, Stephen S., Word Biblical Commentary pp. 179-181

[15] Malatesta, Edward, Interiority and Covenant, op. cit., pp. 259-251

[16] Boice, James Montgomery, Epistles of John, op. cit., p. 90

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LII) 09/23/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

Charles Hodge (1797-1878) agrees that we are the object of God’s agape-love, for the Anointed One died for us. The gift of the Anointed One to be sacrificed on our behalf is everywhere in Scripture represented as the highest possible or conceivable proof of God’s love for sinners.[1] Therefore, the objection that this Church doctrine means the death of the Anointed One resulted in procuring the love of an unloving God is without foundation or even its shadow.^[2]

William Alexander (1824-1911) says that once more, the Apostle John’s Christianity proves to be more than a humanitarian sentiment to encourage cultivation yet is deeply pervaded by a sense of the vital connection of practical human love with God’s agape-love. So, it was the case for most liberal thinkers until they came to the words – “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love our fellow Christians.” They immediately closed the book, pronouncing that this verse was likely added to disturb the family of God’s peace of mind. Still, John puts humanitarianism in its rightful place as a result of something higher. “We have this commandment from Him, that they who love God love their brother and sister also.” It is almost as if John said, “do not sever the law of social life from the law of supernatural life; do not separate the human fraternity from Divine Fatherhood.”^[3]

Brooke Westcott (1825-1901) sees the Apostle John sharply dividing the world into two spiritual classes – the Upper Class and the Lower-Class. The Upper-Class walks in the Light of truth, while the Lower Class wanders around in the darkness of ignorance. But just as important, there is no twilight Middle Class. No one can live with one foot in the Light and the other foot in the darkness. Therefore, one class is justified for everlasting union with God; the other is condemned to eternal separation. This way, all mankind can see what they really are.^[4] For that which God kept secret will be revealed before the world’s eyes.^{[5] [6]}

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) chose verses one through ten here in chapter three for exposition. He says when any chapter or verse in Scripture begins with “Behold!” you may read some with a glance if you like, but when you see “Behold,” you must stop there. Place a marker to remind you there is something highly worthy of attention buried beneath these words. So, not only does the Apostle John tell us to behold the Father’s love, but the “manner” in which He expressed that love.

So, says Spurgeon, consider who we were, and who we are now, and what we feel ourselves to be, especially after the power of divine grace transformed us. That is why His beloved are called “the children of God.” Spurgeon heard that when a convert in India was translating this verse, he stopped and said, “No; it cannot be; let it be written ‘Subjects,’ not ‘Sons,’ for it is impossible we should be called ‘the sons of God.’” What a lofty relationship, with extraordinary privileges and special rights, a son enjoys with his father, says Spurgeon! Oh, what obedience the son owes to his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now possess through the Anointed One. “Behold!” you angels! Stop, you seraphs! Here is a thing more incredible than heaven, with its walls of jasper. Behold, universe! Open your eyes, O world! When you see the Church, you see God’s family here on earth.[7]

James J. Lias (1834-1923) comments that in so far as we possess the will to become what we will be, we are renewing day by day our covenant with God, with the attitude of self-surrender. It involves our union with the Great Head of the Church regarding what we are hoping for and daily desiring to become. It is what is meant by “justification” in Pauline logic. In this sense, John can say, in agreement with the facts, “We have passed from being morally dead to being spiritually alive.”^[8]

Lias goes on to say that the Apostle John wrestled with these issues that continually faced believers of being between the Light of truth and the darkness of ignorance. Meanwhile, the Apostle Paul frequently had the same struggle.[9] But, of course, each point of view has its advantages. For example, Paul’s case displays God’s mercy with humanity, which is necessary for dealing with souls. But John’s view has this advantage: it highlights the object at which the Anointed One’s Gospel aims. That object is nothing less than the Spirit’s endeavor to disentangle each soul from the trap of evil habits into the condition of likeness to the Anointed One in His sinlessness, into the “glorious liberty of the children of God.”^[10]

George G. Findlay (1849-1919) comments on how simple the Apostle John’s views are of life! For him, the complexities of human nature, the baffling mixtures, and contradictions of character scarcely exist. When the ultimate analysis is reached, people will be separated into two classes and no more – the sheep and the goats – at the judgment seat of the Anointed One.[11] We are the subjects of two warring kingdoms, the offspring of two opposing ancestors; no third category exists. The undecided must and will decide. The soul ends up either in heaven or hell. Right or wrong, love or hate, God or Satan, eternal life or death – these are the alternatives that John never ceases to press upon us. Through the whole Epistle, the duel goes on between these master-powers; at each turn, the Light of God’s Love and the night of Satanic hate confront each other; one chases the other from verse to verse of this paragraph.[12]

C. H. Dodd (1884-1973) explains that to be born of God means to belong to God. It also implies being in union with God, having His Word in us to do what’s right according to His will. All these stands on the one side of a dividing line: there is no alternative. If you are not living right, then you are living wrong. When you don’t belong to God, you are the devil’s property. Unless you act like a child of God, but as an offspring of the devil, you cannot claim to be part of God’s family and ignore the Gospel. It contradicts your claim to be in union with Him. The problem is that while you acknowledge your sin yet, you consciously continue sinning. The Apostle John establishes one fundament point: When we face the facts of personal experience, our pattern in life must complement the design given to us by Jesus the Anointed One. The actual and the ideal way of living for God must coincide. However, while we contemplate this perfect sanctified life, it is best to understand the basis for the truth upon which our actual life is in union with God.^[13]

Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) says that in this discourse by the Apostle John on brotherly love, he compares the children of God with the devil’s brood. It is not very complicated, says Bultmann, if you do not live right, that is, according to God’s Word, you are not in union with Him. But John does not stop there; he goes on to say that if you say you love God but do not love your fellow believer, God does not recognize you as one of His children.^[14]

Greville P. Lewis (1891-1976) points out that regenerated believers are thereby children of God. Therefore, since degenerated sinners are not children of God, they must be the devil’s offspring. But to make sure his readers understand, the Apostle John offers a practical test to distinguish one group from the other. First, those who do not live right are not children of God. But for John, the words “living right” is too vague, so he follows it up with this: “If you do not love your fellow believers, then God has nothing to do with you.”^[15]

Amos N. Wilder (1895-1993) says that verse ten is a second part of the test in verse seven – living right – then equates this with loving our fellow believers, which becomes the theme of the next passage.^[16]

Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) states that the Final Covenant never calls on us to do anything without first reminding us of who we are. Here is its unchangeable method: Doctrine equals practicing one’s spiritual position to achieve a practical posture. Thus, we have Doctrinal Theology (Romans) and Practical Theology (Galatians). That is what the Apostle John is doing here. In other words, he does not ask people to love one another before he reminds them of the fact that they are God’s children. It’s John’s way of saying, “If you claim to be this, but you act like that, your claim is logically incorrect.” It’s the same as, “You claim you’re telling the truth when all along you know you are lying!”^[17]

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[1] John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10

[2] Charles Hodge: Commentary on Romans, op. cit., p. 211

[3] Robertson, William, Expositor’s Bible Commentary, op. cit., loc. cit.

[4] Matthew 12:16; Acts of the Apostles 7:13; 1 Corinthians 11:19

[5] Mark 4:22; 2 Corinthians 5:10ff

[6] Westcott, Brooke: Epistles of John, op. cit., p. 108

[7] The Spurgeon Sermon Collection: Vol. 1, Sermon 62E, p. 316

[8] Lias, James J., The First Epistle of St. John with Exposition, op. cit., p. 242

[9] Romans 7:7-24

[10] Ibid. The First Epistle of St. John with Homiletical Treatment, op. cit., pp. 242-243

[11] Matthew 25:31-46

[12] Findlay, G. G. (1909). Fellowship in the life Eternal: An Exposition of the Epistles of St. John, op. cit., pp. 273-274

[13] Dodd, C. H., The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., p. 81

[14] Bultmann, Rudolf, A Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, op. cit., pp. 53-54

[15] Lewis, Greville P., The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., p. 82

[16] Wilder, Amos N., The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., p. 260

[17] Lloyd-Jones, Martyn, Life in Christ, op. cit., p. 336

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson LI) 09/22/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

COMMENTARY

Ignatius of Antioch (108-140 AD) asks us to consider those holding a different opinion with respect to the grace of the Anointed One which has come to us, and how opposed they are to the will of God. They have no regard for love; no care for the widow, or the orphan, or the oppressed, or the prisoner, or the free; the hungry, or the thirsty.^[1]

We have a challenging thought expressed by Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba (circa 200-300 AD) when he said that just as the spiritual world of Israel is different from the material world of Israel, so the people of Israel have sometimes left the spiritual world for this world. And when the children of Israel correct their actions, they cause the land of Israel to be filled with God’s Light, and He will build her with His Light and unite with her face-to-face. As a result, the children of Israel of our world will be redeemed and returned to their land.^[2]

John Tillotson (1630-1694), archbishop of Canterbury, says that we should consider on what grounds do sinful people place their false hopes that everything is well with their souls. (1) Some rely on the profession of the Christian faith and their baptism. But this is so far from being an exemption for a good life, that requires a sincere obligation. (2) Others trust their external devotion; they frequent the church and constantly pray to Him, hear His Word, and receive the blessed sacrament. But this falls short of making amends for the sinfulness of their lives; it spoils God accepting their so-called devotion. (3) Others are insensible and rebellious, depending on their future repentance, especially if they set times for their obligatory request for forgiveness. There is no doubt, but, that sincere repentance will put a person into a godly condition. However, no repentance is genuine but that which produces a real reformation in a person’s life. (4) Others satisfy themselves by exercising particular virtues such as justice, generosity, and charity. And it is not the case that pitying others will make your life holy while keeping other parts from being cleansed. (5) Some who are very careful of their outward appearance are still conscious of great secret vices that lie within them. And when they can find no comfort from the testimony of their conscience, they are apt to find relief in the reasonable opinions of others on how to excuse these shortcomings. But if we know we are inwardly corrupt, it is not the advice of others that can either alter or better our condition.

Trust nobody, says Tillotson, concerning yourself rather than you because nobody can know you so well as you know yourself. Wishful thinking and admiration by others do little good to a person with a bad attitude. (1) Some are afraid that they are already condemned for eternity and therefore cannot be God’s children. But no one who find the marks of rebellion in themselves has any reason to think of themselves as rejected by God – having an evil heart and impure life, either from eternity or in time. (2) Good people are conscious of many frailties and imperfections; therefore, they are ashamed of their condition. But God’s grace considers this and requires no other obedience to accept them just as they are. He is more concerned about what this state of imperfection is capable of doing to them. (3) They are afraid their obedience is not sincere because it proceeds many times from fear and not always out of pure love for God.

The answer to this is made plain in the Scriptures, notes Tillotson; God is aware of several reasons people are obedient: some out of fear, many in hope, and others with love. God intended they should all work together for their good. (4) Another case is that some believing people doubt their born-again state. It comes from a sense of the inconsistent performance of religious duties and the cooling of their affections towards God. But we can take comfort in the fact that God does not measure a person’s sincerity by the rise and fall of their affection. Instead, by their constant efforts to change and the motives for their actions. (5) Another cause of these doubts is that people expect more than a reasonable assurance of their status with God by some particular revelation, an extraordinary impression upon their minds. God may give this when, and to whom He pleases, but there are no Scriptures that make such a promise. (6) As for sometimes feeling downhearted, it is not a top-priority case. Therefore, it does not fall under any particular rule or guidelines.

Likewise, writes Tillotson, some have feelings about being good but don’t possess the desire to put them into action. The proper counseling that should be given to them to bring peace to their mind is, by all means, to encourage them to go ahead and fulfill their resolutions. They must be more attentive and guard themselves against sin and resist it with all their might.

In conclusion, states Tillotson, first we must learn the great danger of sins of omission as well as commission. Secondly, it is evident from what the Apostle John has said that nothing is more foolish than living in sin and pretending to be God’s child with hopes for eternal life. Thirdly, you can see the great indicator of a person’s good or bad spiritual condition: “Whoever does what is right is of God,” and “whoever does not do what is right is not of God.”

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) helps us understand the vividness of the Apostle John’s words when he says that those who are born of God do not sin. It draws a fine line between probable sinning and possible sinning. Every believer must admit that there may be a possibility under certain circumstances, no matter how remote, they would unknowingly break the law. But never would they count that a probability because they lacked the self-control needed to avoid sinning. Henry goes on to say that once born again, that Light in the believer’s mind helps them see more clearly the evil and malignity of sin. Furthermore, there is a particular bias in their heart that motivates them to despise and hate sin; and there is the essential spiritual principle that breaks the force and fullness of their sinful tendencies.^[3]

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) addresses how God now expects everyone to take notice of His hand in this mighty work of Grace. They should also acknowledge His glory in it and greatly rejoice in it, everyone doing their utmost, in the place where God planted them in, to promote it. But unfortunately, there are many instances the zealous promoters of God’s grace have been rejected. The truth is that when people continue to reject the Anointed One and do not confess their belief in Him, no matter how they were awakened to reality, and however strict, conscientious, and devoted they may be in their religion, God’s wrath and judgment await them.

They are now His enemies, says Edwards, and part of the devil’s seed; (as the Scripture calls all who do not confess and converted.)[4] Therefore, it is uncertain whether they will ever obtain mercy. God is under no obligation to show them mercy, nor will He, even if they fast and pray and beg.  As incredible as it may seem, they are provoking God by standing against His Son and are unwilling to accept Him as their Savior, though they realize how much they need Him. And seeing this is the truth, someone must tell them to awaken them to the reality of their lost condition.[5]

James Macknight (1721-1800) is of the opinion that the Apostle John uses the term “brother” here to include all of humanity, not just Christians. He acknowledges that the word “brother” in verse fourteen signifies fellow Christian believers, but in verses fifteen and sixteen, John does not point to Christians in particular. Therefore, it is evident that we should take the word brother here in the larger context neighbor. It becomes even more apparent in verse seventeen.^[6] It would undoubtedly harmonize with what John wrote about in his Gospel.[7]

Thomas Scott (1747-1821) says that we should notice that all who are not “regenerated” children of God are part of the degenerate in the devil’s brood. Actually, they imitate the devil who has been “sinning from the beginning,” and no doubt if they die unchanged, they will join him in his eternal punishment.[8] For the “Son of God” was manifested to tear down the devil’s empire. Yet, there are many in whose hearts the works of the devil are still active.[9] They continue being proud, selfish, sensual, malicious, envious, and remain alienated from the life of devotion, purity, and righteousness.[10] As such, they cannot receive the unique benefit of the Anointed One’s incarnation.^[11]

Charles Finney (1792-1875) discusses the evidence of regeneration, whereby saints and sinners are different. The degenerate sinner is overcome by sin, while the regenerated saint overcomes sin. The Apostle John makes that clear here in verses three through ten and again in chapter five, verses one through four. When correctly understanding these passages and interpreting them would teach that all regenerate souls overcome and live without sin, and that sin is impossible. This last circumstance and other parts of scripture forbid us to change this from a guideline into a mandate. But this much must be understood and acknowledged; overcoming sin is the rule for everyone born of God. The regenerated habitually lives without sin and falls into wrongdoing only at intervals. These incidents are so few, and far between that, we can say that sinning was never their intention. Nevertheless, the spirit of these texts does not imply that “sinlessness” should become a mandate.^[12]

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[1] Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Smyrnæans, Ch. 6

[2] The Zohar, Translated by Rav Michael Laitman, Published by Laitman Kabbalah Publishers, Toronto, 2007, The Letters of Rabbi Hamnuna-Saba, the [Hebrew] Letter Peh, p. 157

[3] Henry, Matthew: Commentary on the Whole Bible, First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 846

[4] Matthew 13:38

[5] Works of Jonathan Edwards: Vol. 3, Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England, Section 4, Part 3, p. 83

[6] James Macknight: First Epistle of John, op. cit., pp. 72-73

[7] John 3:16

[8] Note Mathew 25:41, 46

[9] See Galatians 5:19-21

[10] Ibid. 5:22-25

[11] Thomas Scott: First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 495

[12] Charles Finney: Systematic Theology, 1878 Edition, Lecture 30, pp. 387-388

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson L) 09/21/21

^3:10 So now we can tell who is a child of God and who belongs to Satan. Whoever lives a sinful life and doesn’t love their brother or sister shows that they are not part of God’s family.

Earlier in the chapter, John said, “it does not appear what we shall be,”[1] yet in this passage, he says that the children of God are “manifest.”  Thus, it is already abundantly clear what a Christian in fellowship with God is. They stand in stark contrast to what the world believes. Not all the devil’s brood sin crudely. Some sin in sophisticated ways.  Not all of them are violent or openly immoral. Some are very religious and ethical. The devil’s spokesmen are “ministers of self-righteousness.”[2] They come draped in religious robes of culture and high morality. Jesus said to some of the most religious people of His day that they were of their father, the devil.[3] Jesus told one Jewish religious leader that he needed to be “born again.”[4]

This is not meant to project the idea that “the children of God” are better than non-Christians.  Our tendency to sin is just as bad as any non-Christian. We are far from perfect except for our judicial perfection in the Anointed One – justification. A follower of the devil might pray regularly and attend church every Sunday. They can clean up the exterior of their lives so that they appear to be right in God’s eyes. They have a form of righteousness but not the righteousness of God.[5] The devil goes around sowing his seed among God’s people. That is why we have weeds with the wheat. It is essential to distinguish between genuine believers and false adherents.[6]

Look at your life. If you hate someone, are bitter toward them, or resent them, you are definitely out of step with God’s Word. When our capacity to sin controls us, we appear no different from the non-Christian. We may say all the right things and look pious or spiritual, but we are out of fellowship with God and other believers. We might give generously and witness continuously, but we are not in union with the Anointed One. Again, we are no different from the non-Christian except that we possess eternal life, which must be displayed. The word “manifest” means open to sight, visible, evident. The evidence is plain to see. It is obvious to all.  It should be easy for anyone who wants to examine the evidence to see it clearly in view. The presence or absence of sin makes it apparent under to whose rule they live.

The Christian living under the influence of sinful tendencies manifests their actual master – themselves, even though they try to conceal the fact that their old nature is in control. But, on the other hand, the Christian in fellowship with God manifests a unique mindset, a proper way of thinking that produces love for their fellow believers. So likewise, a member of the devil’s brood reveals their true sinful nature, a spiritless religion, and a code of situation ethics. We can identify their genuine relationship by this: they live and walk according to the satanic worldview.[7] The principle involved here is that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the one manifestation of fellowship with God and others.

Let’s look at it this way; humans are like containers. They cannot produce divine life within themselves. They need God to fill that vessel with His divine nature, giving them the capacity to fellowship with Him. As Augustine of Hippo (354-430) AD said, “Man is restless until he finds his rest in You.”[8]  God made man for Himself. French philosopher and theologian Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) said, “He [Man] in vain tries to fill from all his surroundings, seeking from things absent the help he does not obtain in things present? But these are all inadequate because the infinite abyss can only be filled by an infinite and immutable object, that is to say, only by God Himself.”[9] In modern terms, it means you have a hole in your life that only God can fill.

So, we see that unbelievers produce not only sins but also self-righteousness with their capacity to sin. It is difficult to distinguish between a non-Christian who adheres to human morality and a believer out of fellowship with God manufacturing moral righteousness. So, what makes a Spirit-filled believer different from a non-Christian when it comes to what moral code they are using?  If non-Christians have righteous behavior patterns, what makes God’s child different?  It isn’t a new smile on their faces, although that might be a minimum effect.

Only one thing makes a difference: the Christian has the indwelling Holy Spirit who manifests Himself by controlling their behavior. If the Spirit does not influence their lives, no one will know if He is there or not. But, on the other hand, when the Holy Spirit is in control, He reproduces the character of the Anointed One that hinges on divine, self-sacrificing love.[10]

Righteousness involves a right relationship with God. Fellowship with God rests on what God sees as being right. God’s children bear characteristic marks that disclose their true nature. Anyone who does not manifest any standards for living right covers up their spiritual nature. Thus, a believer in fellowship with God produces the very character of the Anointed One.

The word righteousness is sometimes too vague, so John specifies righteousness as meaning – loving a fellow believer. Love is the appropriate manifestation of divine nature. The absence of any expression of knowing what is right indicates a person is not walking in fellowship with God. A loveless believer cannot commune with God, who in His very essence is love. Therefore, not loving our brother and sister is a specific case of not exhibiting divine righteousness. Likewise, the lack of love for fellow Christians indicates the absence of fellowship with God. An important manifestation of fellowship with God is the love of fellow Christians.[11] Thus, we can distinguish between a Christian and a non-Christian by whether they have genuine communion with God.

So, how do we apply this to our lives? There is a method for determining whether we operate out of our tendency to sin or our divine ability to resist sinning. The inner nature of the godly “seed” will manifest itself in “doing what’s right” and “love.” Thus, the essence of righteousness [fellowship with God] manifests itself in love. Love is the distinct badge of being a believer. It is what decisively distinguishes a believer from an unbeliever.[12]

It means that while you love Christians who love you, you also love Christians who do not love you. You love the Christians who are friendly and easy to get along with and those who frustrate you time and time again. You love those who communicate with you, and those won’t talk to you at all. If we love our fellow Christians, we take care of how we treat them. If someone says that they love their fellow Christian at church but avoids them in public, it is apparent that they do not love their fellow believer. There is a correspondence between what we say about love and what we do with love.[13]

We can know that a person walks with God by their love for fellow Christians. Only God can give us true righteousness and love. He fills the container called the believer with the dynamics of who He is. Therefore, sin does not appeal to the Christian like it once did. They now have a sin allergy. They develop irritation anytime they are around sin. Furthermore, they want to avoid grieving the Holy Spirit.[14]  Peace flees their soul when they step out of fellowship with God. They cannot leave it unresolved. They must confess their sin immediately.[15]

The non-Christian has no desire or capability to do what is right in God’s eyes because they do not possess a divine nature. They may do good in a relative sense, according to how society measures goodness. A genuine believer always does what’s right that is acceptable to God’s standard of righteousness. They act according to God’s character, attributed to them. It is God-produced righteousness, not manufactured righteousness. After God imputes His righteousness to the believer, He can exercise that new nature to produce His personality according to His norms. God’s love will deliver love through His child when that child walks in fellowship with God’s Son. A person without God is essentially selfish. Unselfish love manifests God’s self-sacrificing love. Generous love proves that a believer is in fellowship with God.

Certain historic Christian moral convictions have become increasingly unpopular in recent years. In some places, people now consider traditional religious views to be wrongheaded, intolerant, and unloving. Therefore, Christians need to know how they are perceived, not because they hold fast to God’s truth that people disagree with, but because they are uncaring, snobbish, and cold-hearted. 

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[1] 1 John 3:2

[2] 2 Corinthians 11:14

[3] John 8:39-47

[4] Ibid. 3:3, 7

[5] 2 Timothy 3:5

[6] Matthew 13:36-39

[7] See Matthew 23:15; Acts of the Apostles 13:10; Ephesians 2:1-3

[8] Augustine, Confessions, Bk. 1. Chap. 1. ⁋1

[9] Pascal, Blaise: Pensées, E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., New York, 1958, p. 113

[10] Romans 5:5

[11] Galatians 5:14-15

[12] John 13:34-35

[13] 1 John 2:9

[14] Ephesians 4:30

[15] 1 John 1:9