I John 3:14

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We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.

THE STUDY:

John is a master at dualism: light/darkness, truth/lies, righteousness/sin, and love/hate. In this verse he presents a new contrast, death/life. John seems to remain in the theme of “EITHER/OR” or “BLACK/WHITE”! John never entertains the idea of a grey area when it comes to being a follower of Christ!

The perfect tense verb “we have passed” (metabebēkamen) conveys the idea of a settled relocation, of having “crossed over [metabebēken] from death to life” (John 5:24).

The Gospel uses the same verb to write of Jesus’ approaching death—“the time had come for him to leave [metabē] this world” (John 13:1). So here John describes a spiritual transformation. They had not just “turned over a new leaf”; they had received a new life. Their previous condition was spiritual “death” (thanatou). Now, by their faith in Christ, God had brought resurrection “life” (zōēn) to them. Acting toward others in loving ways is the supreme evidence of spiritual life—“because we love our brothers.” A lack of loving deeds demonstrates that professing Christians remain in spiritual death.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that loving others is evidence of spiritual life. If we do not love we are dead spiritually.

CONCLUSION:

           I wonder if people know we are Christians by our love? I surprised my congregation one Sunday morning by flinging this question at them: “What have you done today that nobody but a Christian would do?” Many of us would say they gave something, they said something, or they bought something. But they one thing we all can do is LOVE someone. The love of God can only be demonstrated through a believer.

Are you spiritually alive or dead today?

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (122). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.