1 JOHN

Chapter 3, Verses 19-21

[1-15-12]

 

Review:

1 John 3:14-18) [KJV] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death.

QUESTION: Does someone become a Christian by loving others?

ANSWER: No!

QUESTION: Then what does this verse mean?

ANSWER: When we place our faith in the Lord Jesus and become new creatures in Christ we will find ourselves loving His people.

15) [KJV] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

QUESTION: In what way is someone a murderer simply because they hate their brother?

ANSWER: Note the following comment:

“A moment’s reflection will show that it is murder in embryo. The motive is there, although the act might not be committed” [BBC].

NOTE: Hatred is murder in the same way that looking at a woman lustfully is adultery. Cain hated Abel and murdered him, but from God’s perspective he was a murderer before he killed his brother. It takes a murderer to murder. In other words, it has to be in your heart before you commit the murder.

16) [KJV] Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren.

QUESTION: How do we know what “kind” of love the Scripture is talking about?

ANSWER: Jesus demonstrated it for us. We are to love one another to the extent that we “lay down our lives” for each other. Sometimes that might mean we throw ourselves on a grenade to save others, but mostly it will mean that we “spend” ourselves caring about others.

QUESTION: What does this verse tell us about John?

ANSWER: John, unlike any of the other disciples, stood at the foot of the cross and saw Jesus die for our sins. The issue was settled for him; Jesus loves us! When things didn’t go right for him he never doubted that Jesus loved him because he witnessed Him dying for us.

17) [KJV] But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

18) [KJV] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

QUESTION: What important message is John teaching us about love?

ANSWER: Talk is cheap! Genuine love demonstrates itself through action!

 

On To This Week’s Lesson:

1 John 3:10, 19-21) [KJV] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

19) [KJV] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

QUESTION: According to verse 10 who isn’t of God?

ANSWER: The individual who isn’t doing what’s right isn’t of God.

QUESTION: According to verse 19, taken in context with verses 14-18, who is of God?

ANSWER: The individual who genuinely loves God’s people, in practice as well as in words, is of God.

QUESTION: What do we learn from these two things?

ANSWER: Doing what’s right and loving God’s people amount to the same thing.

Galatians 5:13-16) [KJV] For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14) [KJV] For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15) [KJV] But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16) [KJV] [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

QUESTION: According to the above verses in Galatians what keeps us from sinning now that we are walking in liberty?

ANSWER: Loving people will cause us to do what’s right.

QUESTION: What keeps us from fulfilling the desires of our flesh?

ANSWER: Walking in the Spirit is the only way to keep from fulfilling those desires of our flesh.

QUESTION: What do we learn from these two things?

ANSWER: Loving people is the same thing as walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 3:2-3) [KJV] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3) [KJV] This Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

QUESTION: According to Galatians 3:2-3 what is walking “in the Spirit”?

ANSWER: Walking in the Spirit is a walk of faith; i.e., a walk of believing what God says about it.

QUESTION: What do we learn from the above 2 passages in Galatians?

ANSWER: Walking in the Spirit is a walk of believing God and loving His people.

19) [KJV] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20) [KJV] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

QUESTION: How do we “assure our hearts before him”?

ANSWER: When we love God’s people, and we know that we do, we have confidence towards God.

QUESTION: Why do we need to “assure our hearts before him”?

ANSWER: We need to “assure our hearts before him” because our heart tends to condemn us.

Regarding “our heart condemn us,” and “God knoweth all things,”

Condemn – “kataginosko – From G2596 and G1097; to note against, that is, find fault with” [Strong].

Knoweth – “ginosko – A prolonged form of a primary verb; to ‘know’” [Strong].

QUESTION: Why does our heart condemn us?

ANSWER: Our heart condemns us because it knows something against us. God knows that same “something,” but He doesn’t know it against us. There is no kata before ginosko when it comes to God. 

21) [KJV] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.

QUESTION: What do we need to do when our heart condemns us?

ANSWER: We need to remind ourselves that God “is greater than our heart,” and we need to accept His forgiveness and cleansing.