The message that John and his faithful followers had heard from the beginning was Jesus’ command to His disciples to love one another as He had loved them (John 13:34-35; John 15:12)."When differences arise within a community, hard feelings can be the result." [Note: Yarbrough, p. 197.] read more
The Righteousness of God and the Duties and Privileges of Sonship1. The sons of God] RV ’children of God,’ adding the words, ’and such we are.’ The word translated ’children’ here is characteristic of St. John, and implies community of nature, whereas the term ’sons’ as used by St. Paul suggests the privileged condition of heirship. 2. Note changes in RV. 3. This hope] of being hereafter like God in Christ.In him] RV ’set on him.’ Purifieth himself] ’He who looks forward to becoming like God... read more
(4) BROTHERLY LOVE THE NECESSARY FLOWER OF THE DIVINE LOVE IN THE DIVINE BIRTH (1 John 3:11-18).—In 1 John 2:10 St. John showed the necessary connection between righteousness and love; there is no contradiction between the two: the one is necessary to the other. Justice will become sternness without love; love will be weakness without justice. The two thoughts are introduced and connected in both halves of the Epistles. (See 1 John 2:3-11.) Here the duty of love is still more strongly insisted... read more
Sons of God 1 John 3:1 I. The grandest Title. Men will do much and endure many things for the sake of worldly honour. A man will work hard and deny himself, that he may obtain a title, or receive some cross or order from the hands of his sovereign. But these things do not last, the honour of a peerage cannot prolong a life, and the Victoria Cross, or the glittering order, must be laid on a coffin one day. The grandest title is that which the Father bestows upon us the sons of God. It means... read more
IV. RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LOVE AS MANIFESTED BY THE CHILDREN OF GOD CHAPTERS 2:28-3:18 1. The children of God and their coming manifestation (1 John 2:28 -1 John 3:3 ) 2. Sin and the new nature (1 John 3:4-9 ) 3. Righteousness and love (1 John 3:10-18 ) 1 John 2:28 -1 John 3:3 . The address to the babes in Christ ended with the 27th verse, and now once more he speaks of the teknia, the little children, by which all believers are meant. The exhortation has been much misunderstood. It does not... read more
3:11 {11} For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.(11) The first reason taken from the authority of God who gives the commandment. read more
This chapter continues the subject introduced in ch.2:28. Verse 29 has shown that righteousness is an absolute requirement. It is indeed a solid, sound basis for the precious bestowal of the love of the Father, as in verse 1: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.” Where the claims of righteousness are honorably and properly fulfilled, the love of the Father’s... read more
GOD IS RIGHTEOUS The second cycle centers around the thought that God is righteous (1 John 2:29 ); hence, fellowship with God depends on doing righteousness. In the working out of the proposition the apostle speaks of three things: (1) The motive for doing righteousness: the hope we have through our sonship to God (1 John 3:1-10 ); (2) The test of doing righteousness: love to the brethren (1 John 3:11-18 ); and (3) The reward of doing righteousness: assurance of salvation (1 John 3:19 to 1... read more
Practical Proofs 1Jn 3:3-12 Sometimes we think it is unspeakably comfortable to live in the society of John the Apostle, because he is so full of tenderness and love and fatherly clemency. He seems to have one subject, and to amplify it with the poetry of the heart; the subject of the Apostle is love: Love God, love one another, love the brethren. In no other part of Holy Writ is the word "love" so frequently and tenderly employed. Yet, if we listen to John wholly, that is to say to his... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 3:10-23
C. Learning to See Christian Love 3:10b-23John has made clear that the only basis on which a Christian can be identified (manifested) as such is by his or her righteous behavior. Christians are not manifested by the absence of sin in them; he never says this. The next question that John proceeded to respond to is, How can we identify "righteousness?" John’s response was, It is not seen in morality-unbelievers can be moral-but in brotherly love. In this section, as in the one preceding it and in... read more