Welcome to episode 132 of Grasp the Bible. In this episode, we continue our study in the Book of 1 John, covering chapter 3:11-24. The series is called “Unshakable.” Today, we will cover:
- Love in action (vv. 11-18)
- Live in confidence (vv. 19-24)
Key takeaways:
- Those who do not do what is right hate those who do. To the extent that the believer agrees with Jesus’ testimony about evil and changes their life to do right, those who are of the world hate them for it.
- To hate someone because they are living rightly, and consequently pressuring them by example or teaching to live like the world, is a wish for their spiritual death and is, in effect, spiritual murder.
- John insists that love is to be demonstrated in actions and in truth. Love expresses itself in deeds.
- When our inner voice of conscience nags, God knows that the hearts of His children are in the right place, and we can trust God’s mercy and grace and approach Him in confidence.
- Christian believers can have confidence before God even when their inner voice accuses them.
- Faith in Jesus constitutes obedience to God.
Quotable:
- It is not enough to believe rightly. We must behave rightly. Being precedes doing.
Application:
- Our practice (how we live our lives) proclaims who and what we are.
- Genuine human love is the expression of salvation, not its cause. Loving others in the Christian family is evidence that one has made the transition from death to life.
- Hate is the first step toward murder. A person who hates is no different from a murderer in his attitude. The question is not so much, what are you doing, but what do you want to do?
- Loving others costs us something. We ought to show our love at all cost—even to the point of risking and losing our lives.
- Laying down one’s life as the proper expression of love involves meeting the need of others for the basic necessities needed to sustain life.
- The path to assurance in times of self-doubt is trust in God.
- Only through the power and work of the Holy Spirit can a person love God through faith in Christ and love others rightly.
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