He does not envy, He does not boast, He is never proud. Sometimes we have to get what a thing is not to understand a little bit more about what it is. 1 John has been given to us to help us understand how to define love. The Greek god 'Eros' takes a personification of this concept, and 'Aphrodite' and many other pagan gods were personifications of this fleshly, lustful love. Wonder not then that the serpentine world hates and hisses at you who belong to that seed of the woman that is to bruise the serpent's head'. They said 'Aye, he did'. Of course, last week we looked at John 8:44 that the devil was a thief and a murderer from the beginning, and here Cain is following in the footsteps of his spiritual father, committing murder. The Greek word that refers to the love of God, one of the kinds of love we are to have for people, is agape. Not only did He lay down His human life here on earth, but we go back into the eternity of past and we see in Philippians 2 that here He comes from the right hand of God, and He lays aside the grasping at divine power. That could be translated, 'If we possess life', 'bios', we get 'biology' from it, that is the life of the world. If they have something they give freely to the man who has nothing. What John is saying here is that that's not man's chief problem - ignorance - man's chief problem is rebellion and sinfulness in their heart towards God, This is serious stuff. Now turn with me for a moment to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, to the great passage on love and its definition. People are oblivious to needs that may be around them. Do you know many people who would put their lives on the line for you? 2 John 1:1 The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I alone, but also all who know the truth--3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers. (8) Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. But if you don't love your brethren, you're still dead! The negative repetition oude en, prorsus nihil, not even one thing (stronger than ouden nihil), excludes every form of dualism (against the Gnostics), and makes the panta absolutely unlimited. The name John is mentioned 131 times in the bible and may refer to several different men. Now turn with me for a moment to 1 Corinthians chapter 13, to the great passage on love and its definition. Patience is love enduring in every trial and test. The love of God is epitomised in Christ, perfected in Christ, and the greatest standard and expression and measure of that love is Calvary. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. This is serious stuff. Not a popular verse today! Friends, that's the way we behave, isn't it, sometimes, towards our brethren? What you are describing is that those things make you feel good, you get a measure of self-gratification tucking into a bar of Cadbury's, or spending your husband's money - it feels good! Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Lord, it's not easy, we've all wronged others and there's many a time we've been wronged and we've felt it very keenly. John 13:23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Maybe it's not the man next door, maybe it's the man or the woman in the next pew. I'm thinking of the Irish man, and somebody from England stops him at the lights, and says 'Can you tell me the way to Belfast?'. John, son of Zebedee was one of the Twelve Apostles, along with his brother James . Now I know, and I agree to differ with some who see this portion of Scripture outlining primarily the two natures of the Christian; but I believe that the sentiments here are too strong, because John, time after time after time, is telling us that these people who have an absence of these characteristics are proving that they do not have the life of God in them - and your old nature can never have the life of God in it. Have you ever scandalised? Do you see the seriousness? In verse 11 John reminds them of a command he says they had from the beginning: 'This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another'. In which two chapters is love mentioned the same number of times? He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Some people say that their marriage or their relationship has broken down irretrievably because they've 'fallen out of love'. 6. Sadly, love has come to be described in awful terms, some of the most hateful and perverse practices that are known to man today are now being described as 'love'. How can we say the love of God abides in us? John, the relative of the High Priest (see Acts 4:6) 3. 8. You can almost see it as well in the way that people talk about relationships. Now what is it that gives the love of God at the cross its character? Love is mentioned 310 times. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. After he died a poem of his was published, and it took the ninefold fruit of the Spirit from the book of Galatians that I mentioned to you at the beginning, and made them a kind of character study of the Lord Jesus - because that's what they are, they're the characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ within the Christian. That's the explanation for why he behaved in this way, why there was a lack of love. Would you put your life on the line for someone else? Jesus said it three times. Your just on more example of someone who is spiritually illiterate, who trys to condemn Christians because you can't get your own life in order.You talk about love when its you that is full of hatred and want to spread hatred upon others as well, Your no less than a hypocrite.You might like to read Isa. But if you love your brother, even imperfectly at times, it's a sign that you have the life of God in you - but let us all ask ourselves tonight: how much of that Christlike love is seen in me? I don't know whether you've ever noticed, but the New Testament hardly ever mentions the love of God that it does not speak also, or at least the context speaks also of the cross of our Lord Jesus. Our life has to live up to what we believe and what Christ taught. You might say: 'I love golf'. Then there are others who maybe wouldn't stretch their definition that far, but understand love as a sentimental sort of fluffy feeling that's akin to butterflies in the tummy - it's an emotion, purely, it is a tendency. John is only saying what James said in James chapter 2 and verse 15, he gives an example: 'If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? His life, it was said, was filled with the fragrance of Christ. If you do it's a good sign that you're saved, if you don't it's a sure sign that you're not. Agape is the very nature of God, for God is love (1 John 4:7-12, 16). John the Baptist son of Zechariah, figures prominently in the beginning of each of the four Gospels (Matthew 3:1). Verse 17: '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?'. However, these materials may be freely copied and distributed unaltered for the purpose of study and teaching, so long as they are made available to others free of charge, and this copyright is included. Question #112529. I want to ask you tonight: you call yourself a Christian, do you have a grudge against another brother? [829] John 1:3, with a probable allusion to Gen. 1:3, "God said," as en arche refers to bereshith, Gen. 1:1. The first is “not.” “Herein is love, not”--“not that we loved God.” Very naturally many conclude that this means “not that we loved God first.” That is not exactly the truth taught here, but still it is a weighty truth, and is mentioned in 1 John 4:19 in express words--“We love Him because He … First of all there is the doctrinal test, that we believe the historical gospel that was revealed at the beginning through the incarnation of our Lord Jesus, His death and resurrection, that we believe in the historical Christ and the historical authentic gospel. Now that is not the Bible's definition of love. I think there are few things today that have hurt the cause of Christ more than this very thing: jealousy, enviousness among God's people. Love, for many, has become lustfulness. Early Christians received the second epistle of John from the aged apostle in the latter quarter of the first century. My friend, there could be a hundred Christians that you know, and you love 99 of them, and there's just one that you hate - and John says if you hate that one you're in deep spiritual trouble! "Love each other" appears four times in the Bible, all in the New Testament. 1 John 3:18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. To God, in His holy eyes, hate is the moral equivalent of the murderous act, hate is the embryo of murder. How many times is the word love used in 1 John 5? A loveless man is not only a lightless man, but he is a lifeless man - and ultimately the only conclusion you can come to is that a man without light and a man without love is a man who is lost! Tigger313tig. But if we take all those definitions, modern definitions of love, we can see that there's a trend running right throughout them all, and it is simply this: that love in some shape or form is understood as being something that gives you self-gratification. My friend, if that is your problem, that is a big problem, a big problem. The Emperor Hadrian of Rome, in the early second century, called a man called Aristides to the palace to have him describe what Christians really were like. There you have the theory and practice! He learned about godly love from God, who Himself is love (1 John 4:8 1 John 4:8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love. It was transcribed from the tenth recording in his '1, 2 and 3 John' series, entitled "Brotherly Love" - Transcribed by Preach The Word. If you are truly a child of God, the world will hate you. Of all the “loves” mentioned in the New Testament, love for the brethren is one of the most prominent (see, for example, John 13:34-35; 15:12, 13, 17; Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17; 4:8; 1 John 2-4). He gives us the explanation: it was Cain's parentage of the wicked one, his practices of wickedness. Now in ancient Greece, in biblical Greek and ancient Greek, there were three or perhaps four definitions for love. There are some names that are always popular, John being one of them. Originally posted Jan 31 2010 5:27 PM. 1 w light and darkness (1 Jn. 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? A deacon in a church on one occasion had a grudge against another deacon - I don't know whether that ever happens or not these days - but he had even forgotten what the grudge was over. It is primarily the element of self-sacrifice, that He is dying there for us, not for Himself, for us, for the undeserving, for the iniquitous, the transgressors, the sinful, those totally unworthy. It may not be the act of murder. Not only are you still dead if you hate your brother, but you're a murderer like Cain, John says. Our verses for consideration are verses 10 through to 18, so let us begin at verse 10 under this title 'Brotherly Love': "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 He sees lust, He cries 'Adultery!' You hear people talking today about 'Falling in and out of love' - I don't believe you do either of those two things. We looked at this in more detail last week, but what John is saying is that this proved that Cain was not of God, this characteristic of lack of love. John was an apostle who reflected God's love. This is what he said, I quote: 'They love one another. James is saying, just as John, if you close your hand to him, and if you close your home to him, and if you close your heart to him, how does the love of God dwell in you? You're still dead, and then he says in verse 15 at the beginning: 'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him'. We're all for free grace, grace is free! Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. But literally what he's saying is, if we possess material possessions and shut down our feelings for the need of others and those who are in need, we're not giving real life 'zoa', a different word, to those who are suffering and the love of God cannot be in us. 'Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind. Also, the fact that 1 Corinthians 13 uses charity 9 times connects it … Let me live for others, What does the name John translate to? Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Had he wronged him? Does the world hate you? I wonder do we really appreciate the seriousness of how bad envy and jealousy can be among God's people, because John is likening it to murder, the murder of Abel by Cain right at the beginning - that first act of murder. You need to take that problem to God, because that thing, if it's habitual, if it's a lifestyle with that person, could be telling you that you're out of fellowship with God. Date: 90-95 AD. But the Bible is all about Love the very and true meaning in the Bible is about Love. The supreme act of love, John says in John 15:13, 'Greater love hath no man than this, but that a man lays down his life for his friends'. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth". The word agape received a broader usage under later Christian writers as the word that specifically denoted Christian love or charity (1 Corinthians 13:1–8), or even God himself. 1. It's something that blesses you, it's something that gives you a buzz, gives you a worthwhile feeling, a sense of gaining and getting - and certainly any concept of self-sacrifice is foreign to the modern understanding of love. 2 John. John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Of interest is the fact that while John is called “the beloved disciple,” the word “beloved” (agapetos) does not appear in this Gospel. Then there are others who see love as agreeing with everyone, being cordial, harmonious, even with others whose cultures and beliefs perhaps don't agree with yours, but yet you accept them and live and let live - they understand that to be love. God rejected Cain's offering and accepted Abel's - and out of envy and jealousy, because God never accepted Cain's way, he slew his brother. And 1 John has been given to us to help encourage us to, in fact, love. But a sure sign that you haven't is that you're going the whole way of the world, and they think you're it's best buddy. Romans 5 and verse 8: 'God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'. A lack of brotherly love proves the absence of eternal life. John 13:1 NIV [ Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet ] It was just before the Passover Feast. Don't miss part 11 of 1 John: 'Confident Christianity', ------------------------Back to Top I believe this is seen often in how, sometimes, we casually use the word - even as Christians. Those who believe walk in the light and obey the commands of God, not the ways of the world (1 John 2:15-17). Asked by We don't talk about the big red thing that beats in our chest, we talk about the seat of our emotions. O Thou Saviour divine, In such a self-forgetful way, He wasn't a child of God, he was a child of the devil! Any exceptions to these conditions must be explicitly approved by Preach The Word. That I may live like Thee'. It is not something that revolves around self or self-gratification, but at the very centre - and, ironically we could say, at the crux ('crux' is the Latin word for 'cross', of course) - there is self-sacrifice as the foundation of everything that can be described as love. But then there is the social test, and that is the one we're looking at tonight again, and that is that of love towards our brothers specifically in Christ - and our sisters of course - and indeed love that we are to show to all men. Not only was there his parentage, but there were his practices. If this is something that you're holding onto, if it is a lifestyle of hate, you need to beware - why? 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He uses pistos, faithful, only once (20:27). In fact, we sometimes speak of the "action model" of agape love. Check out a brief profile of each John mentioned in the New Testament. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. What was John doing on the Lord's day? But just as we were looking at last week, John is talking about those who commit sin and the word is 'a continuous habitual lifestyle of sin', and if you have a continual habitual grudge against some brother or sister in Christ, John says you need to beware. All material by David Legge is copyrighted. 'David Legge is kind, he does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud' - but this is in effect what John is saying. 7. Then secondly there is the moral test, we cannot claim to be Christ's-ones and live ungodly lives as some were doing in John's day - the moral test. 2 John 1:7-9 KJV (7) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. is the Greek word, 'on our behalf, in place of, as a substitute'. I don't know many. And 'smiting' certainly appears more than once, but certainly not more than 700 =). Subscribe to our email updates to receive bi-monthly notifications of new content. It … Because, just as the Lord Jesus said again in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6 and verse 15, 'If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses'. The Structure of 1 John: John does not structure his letter in a logical, closely reasoned style, as Paul often does. The deacon with the grudge sadly took sick, and he was lying on his deathbed, and all the other deacons bar one came to see him. A brother comes into the meeting, and he's in great need, and somebody pats him on the back and says: 'We'll pray for you brother, the Lord bless you, safe home'. Chapter 5 and verse 21: 'Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire'. My friend, what John is saying is that if you have a lack of love towards your brothers it proves an absence of eternal life. Not only were they renowned for doctrinal purity, but early Christians were renowned for practical charity. David Jackman says that on the few occasions he met him he sensed most powerfully the love of Christ in God's servant. PrevSermon    Series(10 of 23)    Next Sermon. If you possess things that give you life and sustenance, material possessions, worldly goods, but refuse to share them - the Authorised says 'shut up the bowels of compassion', and that is a literal translation because the bowels, the intestines were understood in the ancient world to be the seat of affections, the way we use the word 'heart' today. What other books of the Bible did he pen? A lack of brotherly love proves an absence of eternal life, he gives us the illustration: Cain. … It can only happen once, once we've given our life we haven't got another one to give, but John is saying we are daily called to live for others, to meet known needs. The presence of it should make us know that we have eternal life, but the absence of it proves that we do not have eternal life. But this word 'love' is found fifty times within 1 John, and it's remarkable when you consider that 1 John is only a book of five short chapters - but this theme of love is found fifty times right across those five chapters. Verse 16: 'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he', the Lord Jesus Christ, 'laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren'. You see, this is not just the mark of one who is of the devil, to hate believers and to slay and murder believers, but it's the mark of this whole unbelieving world. You're persecuting Christ! Again we could remind ourselves of what John said in chapter 2 and verse 6: 'We ought to walk even as he walked', in every aspect, not least showing that great agape love in our lives. John is saying that where there is no love there is no life, You see, when the Almighty God of heaven sees hate, do you know what He cries? Where are we there? John is likening it to murder, to butchery, to slaughter. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me'. John comes in here speaking of this lack of brotherly love that proves an absence of eternal life, and he says: 'If you don't love your brothers', verse 14 the second part of it, 'you're still dead', for a love for brothers is a sure sign that you've passed from death unto life. Now that word 'slew' in verse 12 literally could be translated 'to butcher' - 'Do not be like Cain, who was of that wicked one, who butchered or slaughtered' - it literally means 'slaughtered by smashing his throat'. Jesus said it twice. Of all the “loves” mentioned in the New Testament, love for the brethren is one of the most prominent (see, for example, John 13:34-35; 15:12, 13, 17; Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 2:17; 4:8; 1 John 2-4). The last time we visited this theme was in chapter 2 verses 7 to 17, we're not going to look at those tonight, but it would be good for you to recap at your own leisure and cover that again, what we have already studied in those verses. If you don't, or if you hate your brother, it's a sure sign that you lack eternal life. He talks later on in John 13, as He lays aside His towel to wash the disciples' feet, in verses 37 to 38 He talks again about laying down His life, and them laying down their lives for each other. It's not just a grudge against a group of people, or a denomination, or a sect, it could be a grudge against one individual. The big key to understanding agape is to realize that it can be known from the action it prompts. I might say: 'I love chocolate' - dropping a hint there! Name two other names he was known by? John wrote the Epistle in the later part of his life at Ephesus, where he spend most of his old age. Jesus is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered', so on and so forth. Rather you should have in your life the attributes of Christ: when He was reviled, He reviled not again. A loveless man, John is saying, is a lightless man - he can't see his way. Well we're turning, of course, again to 1 John, the first epistle of John, and this is study number 10 tonight, and the title is 'Brotherly Love'. 3:10) Quite often these letters, especially 1st John, are labeled fiThe Epistles of Love.fl John himself often wears the moniker fiThe Apostle of Lovefl for his many statements about love, both in his gospel and these letters. Someone has said: 'To love the world to me is no chore, my big trouble is the man next door'. John gives us, first of all, an illustration of what this love is not, what this love is not like. Give us that love that is nothing but the love of Jesus, that when He is hated He says 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'. But John doesn't leave it to conjecture for us to conclude what this love is like, but he says to us in verse 12: 'Do not love as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. Can I ask you tonight: do you know many people who would put their lives on the line for you? 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