1John, #3 Knowing You Have Eternal Life Certainty through Abiding in Love 1John 3:1-24.

1John, #3 Knowing You Have Eternal Life

Certainty through Abiding in Love

1John 3:1-24

1John, #3 Certainty through Abiding in Love

Previously, we’ve seen the theme of Knowing You Have Eternal Life manifested by Walking in the Light through John’s big picture / large brush painting of:

>Personal Spiritual Conduct, 1:5 - 2:6

>Loving Social Relationships, 2:7-11

>Separation from the World, 2:12-17

>Obedient Adherence to the Truth, 2:18-29


Now we can continue with this Certainty of Eternal Life demonstrated by:

Abiding Love. Love assures Eternal Life if/when:

>when it produces Obedience to God, 3:1-10

& >when it produces Loving Actions toward One Another, 3:11-24


Love assures Eternal Life if/when when it produces Obedience to God, 3:1-10

This first section is predicated upon God’s great love “bestowed upon us” that we:

>should “called His children” v.1a

>should be His children, v.1b


Being God’s Children produces results:

1. Strangers to the world, v.1c

2. Transformation into conformity to Him, v.2 (cf. Rom.12:1-2; 8:29; 1Cor.15:49-

54)

3. Self-Purification based on hope, v.3 (cf. 2Pet.3:13-14)



This Self-Purification is further explained:

1. freedom from the practice of sin, v.4a

2. because sin is lawlessness, v.4b

3. He came to take away sins because inHim there can be no sin, v.5

4. So if we are in Him, we cannot practice sin and must practice righteousness, vv.6-9 (see also 1:8-10; i.e. big pic - large brush)



The Practice of Sin or of Righteousness:

1. Makes it “obvious” who is a child of Godand who is a child of Satan! v.10

2. “Good People” don’t do bad things-

else there are no longer “good people”!

3. If we don’t “practice righteousness” then we are not God’s children! cf. v.1 > v.10.



Practicing of Righteousness includes Brotherly Love:

1. It was so from the beginning, v.11

2. As demonstrated by Cain’s failure, v.12

*Note Cain was “of the evil one” because he failed to love his brother!

3. Practicing brotherly love also produces hatred from the world, v.13

“Nor the one who does not love his brother” v.10b introduces the next section.


Practicing of Righteousness includes Brotherly Love:

1. Its practice causes us to “know” we have life rather than death, v.14

2. Failure to love our brethren is the same asmurder, v.15 (cf. Matt.5:21-22)

3. Our “Brother” showed us what brotherly love looks like by meeting our need! v.16

Love Assures Eternal Life when it produces Loving Actions toward Brethren, 3:11-24


Practicing Brotherly Love means

Meeting One Another’s Needs:

1. In regard to worldly goods, v.17

-failure to do so is “closing the heart”

-means God’s love doesn’t abide in us

2. Manifests that perfect combination of Deed and Truth, cf. James 1:22; 2:17ff; 3:13



Practicing Brotherly Love means

Meeting One Another’s Needs:

1. which provides knowledge that we are of the truth, v.19a

2. and assures our hearts before Him, v.19b

3. and gives us confidence before God offellowship and answered prayer becausewe keep His commandments, vv.20-22



“And this is the commandment, that we:

believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ,

and love another, just as He commanded”

“And

the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in the him.

“…by this

we know that He abides in us”

Verses 23-24 provide the Summary

1John, #3 Knowing You Have Eternal Life Certainty through Abiding in Love 1John 3:1-24.

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Transcript of 1John, #3 Knowing You Have Eternal Life Certainty through Abiding in Love 1John 3:1-24.