Do you really love others? – Lesson 11

1 John 3:11–24 ESV “3:11 ¶ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 

3:13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 

3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 

3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 

3:16 ¶ By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 

3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 

3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 

3:19 ¶ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 

3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 

3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 

3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 

3:23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 

3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”

My grandfather was born in 1898.  It amazed me that he was born in another century and saw significant changes in his lifetime.  In front of his house was a brass pole that, as a child, I would grab a hold and swing myself around.  Until a few years ago, it was still there.  They used it for people to tie their horses when they came to visit.  He lived through two world wars, saw electricity come into the home, telephones replacing the telegram, cars replacing horses, and so much more.

However, in our lifetime, we have seen significant changes in the world.  As one person said, “Everything changes, just give it time.”

The statement is not true because some things do not change.

Evidence to the truth of the Gospel that the message does not change.  

1John 3:11 ¶ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

World and society is teaching the Bible must fit today.  They interpret the Scriptures considering society and its viewpoint.  Changing the Scriptures to approve of their sinful lifestyle by saying the Bible is outdated and no longer relevant to the world today.  Therefore, they change the message and meaning in order to justify their words, actions, and lifestyle.

This is a lie from the devil trying to deceive people into believing the Bible is no longer relevant today.

John stresses the message of the Gospel is still the same and has not changed, nor will it change.  The message is man is a sinner and needs a Saviour.  Sin still destroys lives, but Jesus came to save those who believe in Him by paying the price for their sins on the cross of Calvary.

There are three things that do not change.

1.  God does not change.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God is eternal; He cannot change.  He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.  He is the Creator of all things.  In the beginning, God was, is, and always will be.  He is eternal.  His attributes or character never changes.  He is holy and just.  He is all powerful and all knowing.  

2.  God’s word does not change.

Matthew 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

2 Timothy 3:14–17 ESV “3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

3:15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 

3:17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

God’s word does not change.  The message and meaning remain the same.  The zeal of the Lord will fulfill His word.  Nothing can wipe out the Word of the Lord; God preserves His word throughout the ages and it will stand until all is fulfilled.

3.  God’s Gospel message does not change.

Matthew 22:35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

Matthew 22:37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:38 This is the great and first commandment.

Matthew 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

1 Corinthians 15:1–6 ESV “15:1 ¶ Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 

15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 

15:3 ¶ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 

15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 

15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 

15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.”

Message of the Gospel remains the same.  Man is a sinner in need of a Saviour.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from heaven, born in the manger, lived a sinless life, fulfilled the Law, died on the cross, and rose again from the dead.  All those who believe in Him have received eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV “2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 

2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Evidence of one’s salvation is seen in love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–5 ESV “13:4 ¶ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;”

1 John 3:10–15 ESV “3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. 

3:11 ¶ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 

3:13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 

3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 

3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

The word ‘evident’ means to make known, clearly seen, or manifested.  The evidence is easily seen if a person loves his brother or not.  John tells the Christian, if you are really a Christian, then you will love the Lord and your brothers in Christ.  A person who says he loves the Lord and hates his brother does not love the Lord.  A person who hates his brother is lost and still in his sins.

John illustrates the difference between a child of God and child of the devil with the relationship between Cain and his brother, Abel.  Cain was the firstborn of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 4:1–12 ESV “4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 

4:2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 

4:3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 

4:4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 

4:5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 

4:6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 

4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” 

4:8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 

4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 

4:10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 

4:11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 

4:12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.””

Difference between Cain and Abel

Cain represents the children of the devil and Abel represents the children of God.

Cain’s character:

1. His action and behavior was self centered and self serving.

When Cain brought his offering to the Lord, he brought the best that he could have accomplished.  He was a gardener who worked hard to bring in the crop.  When it was time to give an offering to the Lord, Cain brought the best of his garden.

Yet, his offering was not accepted by the Lord because it did not meet God’s requirements for the offering.  Cain’s offering was a work of his hands, his effort.  His offering was a work salvation offering.  

When God rejected his offering, Cain was furious.  Furious because he gave his best, but it was rejected.  Rejected because Cain tried to work his way into pleasing the Lord by the effort of his hands. Rejected because it was not a blood sacrifice as required by the Lord to atone for one’s sins.

“But, in this case, there is a difference in the things offered. The one is a vegetable offering, the other an animal; the one a presentation of things without life, the other a sacrifice of life. Hence the latter is called πλείων θυσία; there is more in it than in the former. The two offerings are therefore expressive of the different kinds of faith in the offerers. They are the excogitation and exhibition in outward symbol of the faith of each. The fruit of the soil offered to God is an acknowledgment that the means of this earthly life are due to him. This expresses the barren faith of Cain, but not the living faith of Habel. The latter has entered deeply into the thought that life itself is forfeited to God by transgression, and that only by an act of mercy can the Author of life restore it to the penitent, trusting, submissive, loving heart. He has pondered on the intimations of relenting mercy and love that have come from the Lord to the fallen race, and cast himself upon them without reserve. He slays the animal of which he is the lawful owner, as a victim, thereby acknowledging that his life is due for sin; he offers the life of the animal, not as though it were of equal value with his own, but in token that another life, equivalent to his own, is due to justice if he is to go free by the as yet inscrutable mercy of God.”¹  

2.  His heart was filled with selfishness and jealousy.

When his offering was rejected, he became angry.  The Lord responded to Cain’s anger by saying if you offer the right offering, it will be accepted.  If you refused to make the right offering, then sin lies at the door.

Cain became very jealous of Abel, his brother.  His anger and jealousy over his brother grew in intensity until Cain, in his rage, murdered his brother.  His hatred for his brother showed the true nature of his heart.

Instead of repenting of his sins, he allowed his sins to continue, resulting in the murder of his brother.  Murder of his brother was an act of hatred. 

God gave Cain another opportunity to repent and give the right offering, yet Cain refused.  His sinful anger resulted in the murder of his brother.  His deeds were evil.

Abel represents the children of God.

He offered an offering of faith, a blood sacrifice which God required.  His actions were to be obedient to the Lord.  He offered to God that which is pleasing to the Lord.  It was an act of faith in the grace of God.

Abel’s motives were unselfish.  He loved his brother.

1John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

1John 3:15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Notice the difference between the child of the devil and the child of the Lord.

Child of the devil does not have eternal life.  Those who hate their brothers do not know God or have eternal life.  They are still in their sins and commit unrighteous deed.

Child of God knows God and has eternal life and commits righteous deeds.

Notice the contrast between these two passages.

Child of the devil:

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV “5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 

5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 

5:21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 

Child of God:

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV “5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Ephesians 2:1–6 ESV “2:1 ¶ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 

2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 

2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 

2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

A person who hatred characterizes his life is not a child of God, because God is love and those who know God will love their brothers and sisters.

Evidence of love is seen in action

1 John 3:16–18 ESV “3:16 ¶ By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 

3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 

3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 

As I have said before, “Talk is cheap!  Actions outshines words.”  How do you prove that you love someone?  It is not by what you say, but what you do.

Why should we love others?  Because God first loved us.

John 3:16 ESV “¶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 15:13 ESV “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Romans 5:8 ESV “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

How do we know the Lord loves us?  By the sacrifice He gave on the cross of Calvary.  God the Father showed us His love when He sent His son.  God, the Son, showed us His love by dying on the cross in our place.  Love is seen in the sacrifice Christ made for us.  He gave His life.

How do we show our love toward our brothers and sisters in the Lord?  When we give ourselves to hope those in need, we are showing our love for them.

How can a person say he loves another when he has the means necessary to help and he withholds it from his brother in need?  

Love is a verb, requires action.  

Love is not mere words, but words in action.

Love is willing to sacrifice for others. 

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV “2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 

2:7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 

2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

1 Corinthians 13:1–8 ESV “13:1 ¶ If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

13:2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

13:3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

13:4 ¶ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant

13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

13:6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 

13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

13:8 ¶ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” 

Love is faith in action.  

Love is helping others.  

Love is reaching out.  

Love is seeing the best in others.  

Love is patient and kind.  

Love speaks the truth.  

Love does not slander.  

Love does not speak ill.  

Love is not jealousy.  

Love is not filled with pride or arrogance.

Love is faith in action.

Love is seen in Christ’s sacrifice for us.

James 2:14–17 ESV “2:14 ¶ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 

2:15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 

2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 

2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

How can a Christian show his or her love toward others?

1 John 3:17–18 ESV “3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 

3:18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

When the Christian see a brother or sister in need and has the ability to help, he shows his love when he helps provide for those needs.

In this, our deeds will match the words that we speak.  What good does it do to tell someone to be filled and not give them something to eat?  Our actions should be in full evidence of our words and truth.

Word – logos – spoken word

Tongue – Glossa – part of the body – tongue or can mean dialect 

Deed – ergon – business or employment, accomplished by the hand

Truth – aletheia – that which is true 

“There is a good saying in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 145, 4, on this point: “If love consisted in word only, then love ceaseth as soon as the word is pronounced. Such was the love between Balak and Balaam. But if love consisteth not in word, it cannot be dissolved; such was the love of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the rest of the patriarchs which were before them.””²  

Here is the contrast between love and hate!  Christ is the example of what love is and Cain is the example of what hate is.  Christ gave Himself to die on Calvary’s cross for our sins.  Cain, so filled with hatred and jealousy over his offering being rejected, killed his brother, Abel.

Here is a true example of love of a disciple of Christ.

Luke 19:1–10 ESV “19:1 ¶ He entered Jericho and was passing through. 

19:2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 

19:3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 

19:4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 

19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”

19:6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 

19:7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 

19:8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 

19:9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.

19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””

The love of Christ transformed Zacchaeus’ heart.  Before Christ, his life’s goal was to gain as much money as he could through any means necessary, even if it meant cheating others.  After Christ, his life’s goal was to love and please the Lord and it was evident in his willingness to restore fourfold what he stole and gave 50% of his wealth to feed the poor.  His greed ceased, and God’s love filled his heart.

Evidence of love is seen in one’s heart.

1 John 3:19–24 ESV “3:19 ¶ By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 

3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 

3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 

3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 

3:23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 

3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”

“By this” ties this passage to the previous one.  By our love for the brethren gives us the assurance of our salvation in Christ.

We know that we are saved because we have a love for the brethren.  A love that is self-sacrificing gives us an assurance before the Lord.  This self-sacrificing love testifies to our heart that we know God and love God.

What happens if my heart condemns me?

1 John 3:20 ESV “for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”

Difficult verse to understand because there are two view points:

First view point (Heart condemns us because sin is present):

Heart will condemn the person who professes to love the brethren, but, his love is false.

Heart knows whether or not our love is genuine or not.  If it condemns the person, then he needs to examine his life to make sure that he is right with the Lord.

God is greater than our heart – God is a greater judge that our own hearts and He knows all that is present in our lives.

Psalm 139:23–24 ESV “139:23 ¶ Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

139:24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Hebrews 4:12 ESV “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” 

“If our heart condemn us – If we be conscious that our love is feigned, we shall feel inwardly condemned in professing to have what we have not. And if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, for he knows every hypocritical winding and turning of the soul, he searches the heart, and tries the reins, and sees all the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of the heart which we cannot see, and, if we could see them, could not comprehend them; and as he is the just Judge, he will condemn us more strictly and extensively than we can be by our own conscience.”³  

“For if our heart condemn us. We cannot hope for peace from any expectation that our own hearts will never accuse us, or that we ourselves can approve of all that we have done. The reference here is not so much to our past lives, as to our present conduct and deportment. The object is to induce Christians so to live that their hearts will not condemn them for any secret sins, while the outward deportment may be unsullied. The general sentiment is, that if they should so live that their own hearts would condemn them for present insincerity and hypocrisy, they could have no hope of peace, for God knows all that is in the heart. In view of the past—when the heart accuses us of what we have done—we may find peace by such evidences of piety as shall allay the troubles of an agitated soul, (ver. 9,) but we cannot have such peace if our hearts condemn us for the indulgence of secret sins, now that we profess to be Christians. If our hearts condemn us for present insincerity, and for secret sins, we can never ‘persuade’ or soothe them by any external act of piety. In view of the consciousness of past guilt, we may find peace; we can find none if there is a present purpose to indulge in sin.⁴”

Second view point (Heart condemns us unjustly)

Sometimes in our life that our hearts condemn us, telling us we are not a child of God. During those times, we need to rest in the assurance that God truly knows the truth of our salvation.  

There are always those who will question whether we are saved or not but, we know that God’s knowledge is greater than ours.

Who is John talking to here?  He is talking to believers, so he wants them to have the assurance that even though those around us condemn us, God knows what the truth is.

God gives me the assurance of my salvation by His Holy Spirit indwelling my heart.  He assures me my sins are forgiven and there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ.  

What happens if my heart does not condemn me?

1 John 3:21 ESV “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;” 

If we are living right before the Lord, our hearts or conscience will not condemn us and because of this, we will have confidence toward the Lord.  This will directly affect our prayer life.

A clean heart is by loving in truth and deed.

A clean heart is by knowing God more.

A clean heart is by keeping God’s commandments.

A clean heart is by the Holy Spirit indwelling my heart.

My prayer life increases because He will answer my prayers.

1 John 3:22 ESV “and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”

James 5:16–17 ESV “5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.” 

Notice the condition of having one’s prayers answered:  obedience to the Word of God.  When we are obedient to God’s word and trust Him in faith, He answers our prayers.  Without faith, there will be no answer to our prayers.  But, with faith, there is great power in prayer.

James 1:6–8 ESV “1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 

1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

My prayer life increases when I:

Keep His commandments – holy living: 

Psalm 66:18 ESV “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

Psalm 34:15 ESV “¶ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.”

Psalm 145:18 ESV “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” 

Do that which is pleasing in His sight – live by faith

Hebrews 11:6 ESV “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

What is the commandment of Christ?

1 John 3:23–24 ESV “3:23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 

3:24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”

John 13:35 ESV “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

How simple, yet how profound!  We are called to believe in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and love one another.  Without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord, faith is required to be saved.  You must believe (trust) on the Lord Jesus Christ.  Not just believing that He is the Son of God, but believing that He died for you on the cross and rose again from the dead so you might have victory over sin, death, and the grave.  You must believe in both the death and resurrection of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV “4:13 ¶ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 

4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 

4:15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 

4:16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 

4:17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 

4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

You must receive Jesus into your heart and surrender your life to Him.

Revelation 3:20 ESV “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Because of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, your life is transformed by Him.  You become a new person in Christ.  By this new nature, you are called to love your brothers and sisters in the Lord.  Not only called, but commanded to love.  Not a superficial love, but agape love.  

I know that I abide in Him when I keep His commandments.

This is not saying that I earn His abiding, but rather, the evidence of faith and love for others in my life testifies that I am a child of God. 

Things to Consider:

Consider what love cures and what hate destroys!

Hatred destroys all

Cain’s hatred destroyed Abel’s life and his life.  Because he refused to listen to God, he allowed the anger in his life to seethe to the point, he took his rage out on his brother, Abel.  Abel did nothing to Cain, yet Cain’s hatred destroyed so much:  his brother, his parents, his life, and his eternity.  No where is it recorded that Cain repented of his sins.

Genesis 4:10–16 ESV “4:10 And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 

4:11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 

4:12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 

4:13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.

4:14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 

4:15 Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 

4:16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.”

“A man who hates to be slapped on the back packs his coat with TNT and waits for this man who always slaps his back. His idea is when he hits me I will get him, I’ll blow him up. Hate kills both the person who you hate, but also yourself as well. Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat.”⁵ H.E. Fosdick.

Love cures all.

Romans 5:8 ESV “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23 ESV “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:16 ESV “¶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

The Lord loved us so much He sent His Son.  His Son, Jesus, loves us so much, He went to the cross.  Holy Spirit loves us so much He indwells our hearts and gives us assurance of our salvation.

John 15:12–17 ESV “15:12 ¶ “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

15:17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”

¹ Barnes Notes on the Bible – Genesis 4

² Adam Clarke Commentary

³ Adam Clarke Commentary

⁴ Barnes, A. (1884–1885). Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude. (R. Frew, Ed.) (p. 324). London: Blackie & Son.

⁵ http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/h/hate.htm