The overarching theme of the epistles of John emphasizes that true Love originates solely from God and that we are tasked with demonstrating this same intensity of love toward our fellow beings. The author underscores the significance of loving one another, drawing on the story of Cain and Abel to illustrate the contrasting outcomes of evil actions versus righteous ones.
For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. – 1 John 3:11-12 (NIV)
Cain was powered by satan to murder his brother, paralleling how he powers us to act contrary to God’s will. On the contrary, no one powers us to draw closer to God except for Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must strive to avoid the path of Cain and instead worship God wholeheartedly, undeterred by a world that may despise us. Our actions should reflect a strong connection with God.
The author warns that the world may hate those who are righteous but assures that loving others is a sign of passing from death to life. If we are following God’s path, the world will always hate us, as it tries to separate us from God. This hostility might make it seem more difficult to love the world, but we are not called to love the world itself, but rather its people. The author clarifies that the world is not God’s creation but is under the influence of the evil one. Although it might appear easier to love God if we are alone, we are called to love both God and His creations. Just as cats and dogs in some houses become friends because of their shared love for their master, our love for God should unite us in loving others.
Love In Action
Hatred is equated with murder while true Love is exemplified by Jesus Christ, who sacrificed himself for us, and we should be willing to do the same for others. Even Jesus equated hatred for a brother with murder, underscoring how hating someone is equivalent to murder. When we harbour hate towards others, we withhold God’s love from them. By not sharing this love, we are essentially consigning people to a fate worse than death, and sometimes even take pleasure in this. The expectation is to love our enemies to the extent of laying down our lives for them, much like a mother would for her child. Abel died because he was oblivious to Cain’s intentions, but we must transform the hate that surrounds us into true Love, even when we are aware of it.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. – 1 John 3:16 (NIV)
Genuine love is shown through actions and truth, not just words. Confidence before God comes from following his commands, which are to believe in Jesus Christ and love one another. Those who keep these commands live in God, and His Spirit within us confirms this.
Love In Action
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18 (NIV)
If someone has material possessions but does not help a brother or sister in need, the love of God cannot be in them. True Love is shown through actions and truth, not just words. The author refers to material possessions, perhaps to emphasize that their purpose on this earth is to help one another. We can demonstrate our love for others through our actions; if we have true Love, it will naturally be followed by actual deeds.
If we are not at peace within ourselves and our hearts condemn us, we lack the confidence to come into His presence. God’s command is to believe in Jesus Christ and to love one another. Those who keep God’s commands live in Him, and He in them, as evidenced by the Spirit He gave us. Only with the Spirit can we truly love those who hate us.
No Fear in Love
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:12 (NIV)
The proof of God working in our lives is evident in our growing ability to let go of hatred and love His creations more each day. God’s Love has redefined the concept of love through the sacrifice of His Son. This Love is made complete in us when we love each other, as it demonstrates God’s presence among us. We must rely on this love, focusing on loving one another and setting aside worldly disputes. By doing so, we align with the task God has given us and draw closer to Him each day.
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18 (NIV)
Is the fear of the Lord the beginning of distancing ourselves from Him? If we fear God, it suggests that we don’t fully love Him. Some people may love Jesus but fear God, forgetting that they are one and the same. It is difficult to truly love someone we fear. If our love for God is genuine, it will dispel any fear we have about drawing closer to Him.
Imagine a child who fears their parent to the point of avoiding them, rather than feeling loved and secure. This fear prevents the child from experiencing a true, loving relationship with the parent. In contrast, a child who feels secure in their parent’s love is more likely to approach them openly and without fear. Similarly, if our relationship with God is based on genuine love rather than fear, it fosters a closer, more trusting connection with Him.
For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. – 1 John 4:20 (NIV)
Isn’t it easier to love those whom we haven’t seen? It can be challenging to love those who are physically present in our lives, so claiming to love someone we cannot see might seem difficult. However, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us has seen God, and through the Spirit, we are empowered to love God and His creations. This divine connection enables us to extend love beyond our immediate physical interactions, affirming our ability to love both the seen and the unseen through God’s Spirit.
Should We Love the World?
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. – 1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
We should not love the world or anything in it because doing so means that the love for the Father is not within us. The harm in loving the world lies in its desires: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which do not come from the Father but from the world. These desires, including the pursuit of sexual immorality, material comforts, and worldly possessions, are traps laid by the evil one to distract us from our true purpose.
When we focus on accumulating these things, we often forget to do the will of God. Pride in our own achievements and reliance on our own wisdom can lead us away from God, as we stop depending on Him for support. Ultimately, these desires will pass away, and the evil one will have succeeded in his goal of separating us from our Father.
As we navigate our lives, we must continually strive to embody the true Love that God has shown us, extending it to those around us. This Love made perfect in us, drives out fear and draws us closer to God. By rejecting worldly desires and focusing on God’s will, we align ourselves with His purpose and demonstrate His presence in our lives. Let us not merely profess love with words but show it through our actions and truth, living out the divine command to love one another as God loves us. In doing so, we fulfil our calling and draw nearer to the eternal life promised to us.
The Jordan Valley 
Reply