Some key purposes when you read in 1 John:
- Increase their joy (1 John 1:4)
- To guard them against sin (1 John 2:1)
- To warn people against false teachers (1 John 2:26)
- To strengthen their faith in Christ and assure them of eternal life! (1 John 5:13)
1 John 3:1-2
[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
We cannot be as we were when we become and are a son of God! We are changed! His love is manifested through the exaltation of the believer into a sonship of the Son, Christ!
God has no respect of person, so we should remember when we come to him that we ALL can come to God regardless of race, gender, status, or doctrines that have been placed before you. It was written that whosoever will could come! And until we receive that sonship, we cannot begin to realize who He is, and the world will still know you as you are. When you are changed in Christ, you will know it.
1 John 3:3-10
[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
[6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
[7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
[8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
[9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
[10] 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.
When we walk of God, we walk a new walk and talk a new talk. What we have placed within us is born of God! It cannot fail you! When we start to ABIDE in Him, we can begin to build a resistance to the old sin that we once had trouble with, and are now prepared to face all the new trials of life that are now ahead of us in the future!
The test of your walk with God is ultimately how you live your life for Him. God remains in you, so you are able to continually walk each day without giving up. It might seem hard to do, but by faith and the experiences of your life (testimony) you are able to draw strength. Prayer and fasting and reading help too!
1 John 3:11-15
[11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
[12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
[13] Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
[14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
[15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
When we live in evil works it begins to show on us, and our lives begin to come to a standstill. When our minds continually inherit sin on a daily basis, people cannot draw or be drawn from neither the light of our witness nor the fruitfulness of God in our lives.
As we read above, brotherly love is going to be the distinguishing mark of your spiritual life. The way that we are able to reach out to people in love regardless of what they have done puts into practice and demonstration the mind and heart of Christ!
1 John 3:16-18
[16] 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.
[17] 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] My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Let us do it in deed and truth! It is shown by the word of God and your obedience! Demonstrate what is living inside of you by letting the overflow show through your acts of love (of God) towards others. Always remember that love begins to manifest itself in sacrifice and not just in words.
1 John 3:19-22
[19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
[20] For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
[21] Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
[22] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
If we begin to walk in His statutes and through His will, you will begin to walk a victorious life that is pleasing to God. The outcome of love will always be assurance through faith and answered prayer!
1 John 3:23-24
[23] And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
[24] And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
The faith that we have in each other and love that we carry will stand through anything that we must endure together as a body! Faith and brotherly love is a must to fellowship with God! They are connected!