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1JOHN 3:11-24
LESSON #8
AGAPE LOVE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
LIFE AND DEATH
MEMORY VERSE: 1JOHN 3:16
JOHNS LETTER IS COMPARED TO A SPIRAL STAIRCASE. HE KEEPS RETURNING TO THE SAMETHEME OF OBEDIENCE, LOVE, AND TRUTH. HOWEVER, EACH TIME HE RETURNS TO THESE THREE ASPECTSOF THE CHRISTIAN WALK, HE MAKES THEM MORE LOFTY AND PROFOUND.
READ 1JO 3:11-24 THE RETURN TO LOVE
IN CHAPTER 2 JOHN TALKED ABOUT LOVE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THATRESULTS IN FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. REMEMBER THAT LOVING OTHER BELIEVERS MEANS WEARE WALKING IN GODS LIGHT AND NOT WALKING IN DARKNESS.
NOW JOHN TALKS ABOUT LOVE FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF FAMILY MEMBERS. LOVE IS NOT JUST AMATTER OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS. IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
THERE ARE 4 LEVELS OF RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH A PERSON CAN CHOOSE TO LIVE:
1. MURDER (3:11-12)
IF OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE OF GOD ORIGINATES WITH CHRIST, WE WILL LIVE IN LOVE.HOWEVER, IF OUR LIFE RESULTS IN MURDER, WE LIVE ON THE LOWEST LEVEL SPIRITUALLY. OURFATHER IS SATAN, AND NOT GOD.
CAIN IS THE EXAMPLE (GEN 4:1-16)
NOTICE THAT CAIN IS NOT SPOKEN ABOUT AS AN ATHEIST. HE BELIEVED IN GOD. HE EVEN BROUGHTAN OFFERING TO GOD. EVEN CHRISTIANS WHO SAY THEY WORSHIP GOD CAN PRETEND THEY LOVE GOD.HOWEVER, THEY FAIL THE TEST OF LOVE FOR OTHER BELIEVERS. BY THE ACT OF MURDER. CAINREVEALED WHO HIS TRUE FATHER WAS. IT WAS SATAN.
CAINS PROBLEM WAS ENVY.
ENVY MEANS = “DISCONTENT OR UNEASINESS AT THE SIGHT OF ANOTHERS EXCELLENCEOR GOOD FORTUNE WITH THE DEGREE OF HATRED AND A DESIRE TO POSSESS EQUAL ADVANTAGES.”
2. HATRED (3:13-15)
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HATRED AND MURDER? (MAT 5:21-22)
ANGER IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES:
A PERSON WHO HAD A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH ANGER COULD BE TAKEN TO THE COURT. A PERSONWHO CALLED HIS NEIGHBOR AN “EMPTY HEADED FOOL” COULD BE TAKEN BEFORE THE HIGHESTCOURT, THE SANHEDRIN. A PERSON WHO CALLED A PERSON “A CURSED FOOL” PUT HIMSELFIN DANGER OF ETERNAL DAMNATION IN HELL.
WE KNOW WE HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE. (14)
THE VERB “PASSED” MEANS = A CHANGE OF LOCATION.
WHEN WE WERE BORN AGAIN. WE CHANGED LOCATIONS FROM SATANS KINGDOM TO GODSKINGDOM.
3. INDIFFERENCE (3:16-17)
WHERE DO YOU THINK “INDIFFERENCE” TO THE NEEDS OF OTHER CHRISTIANS FITS INTOTHIS PICTURE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE?
DISCUSSION: WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS “TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES” FOR OURBROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST? (16)
4. CHRISTIAN AGAPE LOVE (3:18-24)
WE MUST LOVE OTHER CHRISTIANS IN ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH, NOT JUST SAYING WE LOVE THEM.
REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT LOVING OTHERS BY FAITH NOT BY FEELINGS. BY AN ACTION OF YOURWILL YOU DETERMINE TO LOVE OTHERS. IT IS YOUR ACTIONS THAT PROVE YOUR FAITH.
(HEB 11:1 JAMES 2:17)
WHAT THREE BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN LOVE DOES JOHN MENTION? (19-22)
1. ASSURANCE
OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS AFFECTS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
A CONDEMNING HEART OR AN ACCUSING CONSCIENCE ROBS US OF OUR JOY AND OUR FELLOWSHIP WITHGOD.
2. (3:21-22)
3. (3:23-24)
PREVIOUSLY WE SAW WHERE JOHN TALKED TO US ABOUT THE PRESENCE AND GUIDANCE OF THE HOLYSPIRIT. (2:20)
HOWEVER, IN VERSE 24 IS THE FIRST TIME JOHN MENTIONS THE HOLY SPIRIT BY NAME. WHEN YOUARE OBEDIENT TO GOD AND LOVING OTHER CHRISTIANS, THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES YOU PEACE IN YOURRELATIONSHIPS AND CONFIDENCE WITH GOD. THE TRINITY IS INVOLVED IN THE LOVE LIFE OF THECHRISTIAN.
GOD, THE FATHER, COMMANDS US TO LOVE OTHERS. JESUS, THE SON, GAVE US THE SUPREMEEXAMPLE OF LOVE. THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN US AND HELPS US TO FULFILL THE COMMAND.
SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
A PERSON WHO MURDERS BELONGS TO SATAN.
A PERSON WHO HATES BELONGS TO THE WORLD WHICH IS UNDER SATANS CONTROL. (1JO 3:13)A PERSON WHO LOVES BELONGS TO GOD.
A CHRISTIAN WHO IS INDIFFERENT TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS MAY BELONG TO GOD BUT HE IS ACARNAL CHRISTIAN DOING THE WORKS OF SATAN.
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
JOHN USES THE WORD “KNOW” FOUR TIMES IN THIS SECTION. THIS WORD”KNOW” MEANS = TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE BY EXPERIENCE.
YOU CAN “KNOW” THESE SAME THINGS BY EXPERIENCING THEM IN JESUS CHRIST.
1. KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE (1JO 3:14)
2. KNOW THAT NO MURDERER HAS ETERNAL LIFE LIVING IN HIM (1JO 3:15)
3. KNOW THAT YOU LIVE THE TRUTH OF GOD BY LOVING OTHERS. (1JO 3:19)
4. KNOW THAT YOU ABIDE IN CHRIST AND HE LIVES IN YOU BECAUSE YOU KEEP HIS COMMANDS.(1JO 3:24)
HOMEWORK
1JOHN 4
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION FOR 1JO 3:11-24
WHICH TRUTH IN THIS PASSAGE MEANT THE MOST TO YOU? WHY?
HOW WILL THIS TRUTH CHANGE YOUR LIFE?
PREPARATION FOR 1JO 4
READ 1JO 4:1-6 FALSE TEACHERS
WHAT DID JOHN MEAN WHEN HE SAID WE SHOULD “TEST THE SPIRITS”? (1)
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE TEACHERS DOES JOHN GIVE HERE?
HOW DOES JOHN SAY WE CAN KNOW WE HAVE THE TRUTH? (6)
MEMORY VERSE: 1JO 4:1
