OceanSide church of Christ

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A STUDY OF 1 JOHN (22)

 

The Practice of Love

1 John 3:16-18

Victor M. Eskew

 

            John has been discussing the subject of love.  This was a characteristic the Gnostics did not display, especially toward those who disagreed with their position.  In 1 John 3:16-18, John continues this discussion.  In these verses, he writes about “The Practice of Love.”  John wants his readers to know how to truly display love to others.  Some will affirm that they love another person, but their actions betray them.  “I love you” is not manifested by words.  To the contrary, it is proven by action.

            John begins with the ultimate example of love, God’s love for man.  In 1 John 3:16, John reveals THE DIVINE DISPLAY OF LOVE.  “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us…”  There are four points found in this brief statement.  First, Jesus is God.  It was He who was manifest in the flesh (John 1:14).  It was Jesus who was crucified and gave up the ghost on the cross of Calvary (Luke 23:46).   It was Jesus’ body that was removed from the cross and placed in Joseph’s tomb (Luke 23:50-53).  Notice that John says that is was God who laid down His life for us.  This was a truth the Gnostics had a hard time digesting. 

            Second, God’s love was shown by His laying down His life for us.  Jesus did not just mouth the words, “I love you.”  His love was proven to man by His giving up His life.  Life is a precious commodity.  Each person only has one life.  Giving one’s life is the ultimate display of love.  “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  What elevates God’s love even more is the fact that He gave His life for His enemies (Rom. 5:8-10). 

The last two words of the statement form the third important aspect of the verse.  Jesus died “for us.”  Love is not selfish.  Love puts the needs of others before those of self.  Jesus became sin for us even though He knew no sin.  Jesus suffered so we could obtain His comfort.  Jesus died that we might live.  Jesus paid the price and gave us salvation free of charge.  Dear readers, it might be good for us to replace the words “for us” with the words “for me.”  It was much more personal than some individuals believe it to be.  Each one of us is a sinner.  Thus, Christ died for “me.”

The fourth point that John affirms is that each of us can “perceive” the love of God.  The Greek word is “ginosko.”  It has the same root from which we get the word “gnostics.”  The word means “to know,” “to understand,” and “to have a knowledge of.”  A man cannot say:  “I did not know God loved me.”  There is no excuse.  God demonstrated His love.  Each time his mind is directed to the hill of Calvary, he can hear God crying out, saying:  “I love you.”

This divine display of love is the divine pattern for humanity.  John concludes verse 16, with these words:  “…and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  What Jesus did is what each of us should be willing to do one for another.  Again, it is the ultimate proof of love.  Yes, if we are going to be like our Lord, we must have the willingness to give our lives for others.  This, however, will not be the normal requirement of love.  Therefore, John continues to write the next two verses.

John proceeds by setting forth THE DISMAL DISPLAY OF LOVE IN 1 John 3:17.  “But whoso hath this world 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 love that will not assist others is not love at all.  John is not writing about a person who is unable to help another.  No, this person “hath this world good.”  Too, John is not writing about a person who does not know of a need.  Instead, he informs us that the individual “seeth his brother have need.”  But, rather than suffering with the individual he “shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him.”  Had he been asked the day before the opportunity presented itself if he loved those in need, he would have answered in the affirmative.  Yet, when the opportunity is present, he turns from the individual with a cold, hard heart refusing to provide the assistance needed.  John ends the verse with a question:  “How dwelleth the love of God in him?”  John knows there is no love in such a heart.  He is asking those who engage in the behaviors he set forth to prove how God’s love abides within them.  If that is the way love is displayed, it is dismal indeed.

John concludes this section on love with THE DISCIPLE’S DISPLAY OF LOVE.  “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).  The genuine child of God knows that words regarding love that drip from the tongue are not enough.  Love must be shown to others in good deeds.  These deeds often involve self-sacrifice.  Too, they are to be done in truth.  They should be sincere and genuine.  They are not performed because a person has to do them but because the individual wants to do them.  There is an old saying that says:  “The proof is in the pudding.”  This is certainly true of our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.