1John 3:1
Outline:
I. \\#1:1-2:11\\ The Essentials of Fellowship.
A. \\#1:1-4\\ There is a FELLOWSHIP.
B. \\#1:5-2:11\\ How to know you have this fellowship.
II. \\#2:12-14\\ John’s Audience
A. \\#2:12-13\\ Little Children
B. \\#2:13-14\\ Young Men
C. \\#2:13-14\\ Fathers
III. \\#2:15-29\\ John’s Warnings
A. \\#2:15-17\\ Beware the World
B. \\#2:18-25\\ Beware the Spirit of Anti-Christ
C. \\#2:26-29\\ Beware the Seducers
IV. \\#3:1-5:21\\ John’s Revelations
A. \\#3:1-3\\ Christians Are Blessed!
B. \\#3:4-10\\ Christians Are Not to Sin.
C. \\#3:11-24\\ Christians Love the Brethren.
D. \\#3:24-4:1-3\\ Christians Test the Spirits.
\\#3:1-5:21\\John’s Revelations
I. \\#3:1-3\\ Christians Are Blessed!
1John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not.
A. \\#1\\ We are loved with a great love: The love of the Father.
B. We are blessed with a great relationship: To be called the
sons of God.
C. \\#2\\ We are destined for a great future: To be like Jesus.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but
we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1. "it doeth not yet appear"-This is our future not our
present.
2. "when he shall appear"-Our future begins when Jesus
appears.
3. "we shall be like him"-Our future is to be like Jesus!
D. We are called to a great virtue; To be as pure as Jesus is.
1John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in
him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
II. \\#3:4-10\\ Christians Are Not to Sin.
1John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth
also the law: for sin is the transgression of the
law.
A. \\#4\\ God’s Definition of Sin: "transgressing the law."
1. This is the basic and eternal definition of sin.
2. For the lost, they will be charged only with what was
written in the Bible; however, God has added an
additional stipulation for the saved.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do
good, and doeth it not, it is sin.
B. \\#5\\ God’s Cure for Sin: Jesus.
1John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to
take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
C. \\\#6-10\\ God’s Universal Lesson about Christians and Sin:
Christians Don’t Abide in Sin.
1. \\#6\\ Two repeated truths from \\#1John 2:3-4\\.
1John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither
known him.
a. Those in Jesus don’t sin.
b. Those sinning aren’t in Jesus.
(1) The word "sinneth" is in the present tense,
indicative mood which speaks of a continuous
action.
(2) Christians may sin, but they will not stay in
sin.
2. \\#7\\ Our Repeated Example from \\#1John 2:6\\: Jesus is
our Example.
1John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive
you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous,
even as he is righteous.
3. \\#8\\ Those who do not obey God belong to another power:
The Devil.
1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil.
a. John was plain spoken in saying those who claim a
relationship with the Father and His Son but abide
in sin are lairs and that neither the Word nor Truth
are in them.
b. But now he went further to say they were "of the
devil" - That would imply such people belong to the
devil and are under his spell.
c. John’s Reasoning
(1) "for the devil sinneth from the beginning"
John’s reason for associating the deceived
person with the devil is because he is doing
exactly what the devil does.
(2) Jesus came to "destroy the works of the devil"
And because that is what Jesus came to stop!
d. John left no Biblical way a person who calls himself a
Christian could continue in sin.
(1) It seems likely that John was writing about those
who had attempted to seduce these believers
concerning Jesus \\#1John 2:26\\, that He had
not come in the flesh \\#1John 2:22\\, and had
eventually left the fellowship \\#1John 2:19\\.
(2) John seems to have already said that these people
were lost, having neither the truth
\\#1John 2:4\\ nor the word \\#1John 1:10\\ in
them, and that they were so blind that they did
not know where they were going \\#1John 2:11\\.
(3) Now he associated such people with the devil, the
antichrist of all antichrists.
4. \\#9\\ The Reason Christians Cannot Continue In Sin
1John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not
commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and
he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
a. "for his seed remaineth in him"
(1) This is the more detailed explanation as to why
Christians do not abide in sin.
(2) The Seed was not named but from His effect, I
believe Him to be the Holy Ghost.
(3) John used his style of not naming the Person but
calling Him by a descriptive symbol: the Seed.
(a) A seed grows. While the Holy Spirit does
not grow, His influence within the
Christian should.
(b) A seed produces fruit, and the Holy Ghost
should certainly do that!
(4) The implication is that the Holy Ghost’s growing
influence STOPS the Christian from living a life
of sinfulness.
b. "because he is born of God"
(1) However the simplest reason is because they have
been born again!
(2) The New Birth changes the heart and nature of the
believer.
c. And because of this, "he cannot sin!"
5. \\#10\\ The Manifestations of the Lost
1John 3:10 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.
a. Or how to distinguish "the children of God" from "the
children of the devil."
b. If you do "not righteousness," you are "not of God."
c. If you "loveth not" your "brother, you are "not of
God."
III. \\#3:11-24\\ Christians Love the Brethren.
A. \\#11\\ John reminded his readers of a truth already given
\\#1John 2:7-11\\
1. The truth repeated is that Christians should love other
Christians.
1John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard
from the beginning, that we should love one
another.
2. John even restated the truth with the same words he had
used the first time:
1John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment
unto you, but an old commandment which ye had
from the beginning. The old commandment is the
word which ye have heard from the beginning.
a. John continued to encourage the true believers to love
one another. This repeated effort indicates that
something had strained the relationship of the
believers to whom he was writing.
b. An interesting sidenote: The phrase "from the
beginning" is used nine times in this book.
B. \\#12\\ A Bad Example of Love: Cain.
1John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked
one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he
him? Because his own works were evil, and his
brother’s righteous.
C. \\#13\\ A False Expectation; that the world will love us.
1John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world
hate you.
D. \\#14-15\\ A Proof of Salvation: Love.
1John 3:14 We know that we have passed from
death unto life, because we love the brethren. He
that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1. \\#14\\ "We know that we have passed from death unto life"
Our actions not only demonstrate the condition of our
hearts but of our very souls!
2. What is the proof of salvation?
a. "we love the brethren"
b. Of course this is not the only proof, but when one
does not love his brothers and sisters in Christ,
something is surely wrong with his heart.
3. What does it mean if we do not exhibit this proof? "He…
abideth in death."
a. One who does not love the brothers and sister in
Christ is lost.
b. John had stated the basic truth already, but he was
getting bolder with each repetition.
1John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and
hateth his brother, is in darkness even until
now.
1John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in
darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth
not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath
blinded his eyes.
4. \\#15\\ What makes hating a brother so bad?
1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a
murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him.
a. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer"
(1) This statement was born out of Jesus’ words.
(2) Jesus taught that what we think and say is—in
some ways—the same as the action.
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever
looketh on a woman to lust after her hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:22 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.
(3) That does not mean that if we think a bad thought
we might as well do it, but it does mean that
because we are spiritual beings our spirits are
just as responsible for their actions as our
bodies are for theirs.
b. "ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding
in him."
(1) Those who ARE murderers are not Christians.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and
unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
and all liars, shall have their part in the
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death.
(2) Thank God for a new life!
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you:
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
by the Spirit of our God.
E. \\#16-19\\ Actions are the proof of love.
1. \\#16\\ Love Exemplified:
a. How do we know that Jesus loved us?
1John 2:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us…
b. And what should we do for our brothers in Christ if we
love them?
1John 2:16 …and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren.
2. \\#17\\ A false love described:
1John 3:17 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. John expected more than a declaration of love from
true believers.
b. He expected a demonstration of love.
3. \\#18\\ A challenge to love given:
1John 3:18 My little children, let us not love
in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth.
4. \\#19\\ Salvation verified:
1John 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the
truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
a. The proof of our salvation is not doctrine, although
John had emphasized some doctrine in this epistle.
b. The proof of our salvation is our love, how we respond
to those who have hurt us and even wronged us.
F. \\#3:20-22\\ A Clean Heart Assures US
1John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is
greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
1. \\#20\\ While our heart might condemn us about most
anything, the context of this verse is still our loving
one another.
a. The heart is not a reliable guide…
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
b. …unless it is under the direction of the Holy Ghost.
c. BUT if even our heart condemns the way we have treated
a fellow brother, then we know God would not be
pleased.
1John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,
then have we confidence toward God.
2. \\#21\\ If our heart is not condemning us of wrong actions
to another (when it is under the direction of the Holy
Spirit), then we have some confidence that we have are
doing well.
1John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of
him, because we keep his commandments, and do
those things that are pleasing in his sight.
3. \\#22\\ It appears as though John may be leaping into a
different topic, but one that is based on what he just
said, "we have confidence toward God."
a. When we have confidence toward God \\#21\\, we can
expect to "receive of him."
b. Our prayers are much more likely to be answered when
"we keep his commandments" because we are more
"pleasing in his sight."
c. In verse 23, John reminded us two of the most
important commandments:
1John 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we
should believe on the name of his Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as he gave us
commandment.
a. "That we should believe on the name of his Son"
b. "and love one another" - By putting those two commands
together, John placed loving the brethren very high
in God’s priorities.
1John 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments
dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which
he hath given us. And hereby we know that he
abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given
us.
4. \\#24\\ And if we have done all of this ("keepeth his
commandments"), then we can know that we have fellowship
together ("dwelleth in him and he in him"), which was
John’s main purpose in writing this letter.
a. This is the first time the Holy Spirit has been
mentioned directly, although I have contended that
He is the Seed given to us \\#1John 3:9\\.
b. Now we are told that the relationship we have with
the Father and His Son is more than just one of
fellowship.
c. The Holy Spirit actually abides within us, and we
abide within Him.
IV. \\#3:24-4:1-3\\ Christians Test the Spirits
Note: It seems to me that the last line of \\#1John 3:24\\ begins
John’s next topic. Remember that verse and chapter separations were
added by good and godly men but were not part of the original texts.
1John 3:24 …And hereby we know that he abideth
in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
A. John’s main purpose remained to teach us about fellowship with
God.
1. There is a fellowship with God.
2. How to get it.
3. How to keep it.
4. How to know you have it.
B. Now that John has mentioned the Holy Spirit by name, he will
counsel these Christians to make sure it is the Holy Spirit
they are following and not some other influence.
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