1 John 3
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,[a]we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Love one another
11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do 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. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
16This 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. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
21Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
Footnotes:
a. 1 John 3:2 Or when it is made known
5 comments:
1 John 3
Pretty clear about not being of the world eh.
I really like v 18-20 in the NLT version:
18Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 19It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Father, we lift up our nation this morning. I pray that this nation learns more and more how to bless you Father. Guide our president and all the members of his staff. Renew our nation’s confidence in our president and help us unite in our efforts as a country. Only You can do this. Father I pray for everyone who receives this blog and their families. I lift up all the issues we have to you. Free us from ourselves and teach us to lean on you alone. I pray for all of our church families and the leaders of those churches as well. Father I pray for continued growth for all these guys and for an unquenchable desire to learn more and more. I also pray for courage to live out the life you have described for us so we may honor You in all that we do. I pray a special prayer for all the wives and children. Bless and protect them and give us parents the love and patience to bring them up into your family.
I ask all of these things in Your most Holy Name Father God, Amen
cas
Definitely like verses 18 and 19 as well...too often i speak a good game, but my actions, dont show speak the truth. i think about this a lot...how is it that i can talk about the importance of knowing God and honoring Him, but turn around and act in such an impure way? it's scary when you match this up with verses 9 and 10 that says if you are a child of God that you wont keep sinning. What do you guys think about this???? how is this possible? or, is it possible, but i truly havent made the deep rooted, complete surrender to God? i know i believe and try and follow and honor Him, but maybe God is saying that there is a transformation that takes place that is so profound, that if we have made it (and therefore truly believe) that we would no longer sin. wow, this is a tough one. thoughts???
I John 3
13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
I really enjoy the theme of Love against all odds theme in John's writing.
Wow! NLT really make the hypocrisy clear.
Lord - Help our words and our actions be consistent. Help my love and care of those around me to be great, selfless and obvious.
In christ's name, AMEN
jmb
This chapter really makes it clear that you either with God or against God.
I also like versus 17-19. Compassion through actions and not just words.
Lord, I come to you this morning asking you to help us remain on your team throughout our life. Touch our hearts in such a way, that others will begin to see you through us.
Amen,
LT
1 John 3
19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
What really jumped out at me was v. 19 "how we set our hearts at rest in his presence", When we're truly struggling with something, the only thing that eases our mind/concious/heart is to lay our issues before God. I know I'm close to Him when this happens right away, but generally it takes a few days or weeks before I will lay my true issue down before the Lord, and thats when I know my walk has strayed.
Father, You are the answer to our issues. You give us those things we ask for and need. Help us to lay all of our issues before You, as You are the only solution. Thank You for these men, these posts and Your Word as they have helped connect all of us to You, that we may know You more. Please watch over AJB and ELB today, and continue to help me show my true love to my family.
In Jesus Name
crb
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