1 John 3:11
Verse
Context
Love One Another
10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.11This is the message you have 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 Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
Sermons
Ernest C. Reisinger
John Gill
Theodore Epp
Chip BrogdenSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For this is the message - See Jo1 1:5. From the beginning God hath taught men that they should love one another. How essentially necessary this is to the comfort and well-being of man in this state of trial and difficulty, every sensible man must see. All are dependent upon all; all upon each, and each upon all. Mutual love makes this dependence pleasant and doubly profitable. Nothing can be more pleasing to an ingenuous and generous mind than to communicate acts of kindness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
the message--"announcement," as of something good; not a mere command, as the law. The Gospel message of Him who loved us, announced by His servants, is, that we love the brethren; not here all mankind, but those who are our brethren in Christ, children of the same family of God, of whom we have been born anew.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For this is the message,.... Sent from God by Christ, or what he in his ministry declared, and is the commandment which was so frequently urged by him, Joh 13:34; that ye have heard from the beginning; of the preaching of the Gospel to them, and of their conversion; see Jo1 2:7; that we should love one another; to which the command of Christ, the reason with which it is enforced, and the early notice of it, should engage.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence, I. To recommend fraternal Christian love, and that from the excellence, or antiquity, or primariness of the injunction relating thereto: And this is the message (the errand or charge) which you heard from the beginning (this came among the principal parts of practical Christianity), that we should love one another, Jo1 3:11. We should love the Lord Jesus, and value his love, and consequently love all the objects of it, and thereupon all our brethren in Christ. II. To dissuade from what is contrary thereto, all ill-will towards the brethren, and that by the example of Cain. His envy and malignity should deter us from harbouring the like passion, and that upon these accounts: - 1. It showed that he was as the first-born of the serpent's seed; even he, the eldest son of the first man, was of the wicked one. He imitated and resembled the first wicked one, the devil. 2. His ill-will had no restraint; it proceeded so far as to contrive and accomplish murder, and that of a near relation, and that in the beginning of the world, when there were but few to replenish it. He slew his brother, Jo1 3:12. Sin, indulged, knows no bound. And, 3. It proceeded so far, and had in it so much of the devil, that he murdered his brother for religion's sake. He was vexed with the superiority of Abel's service, and envied him the favour and acceptance he had with God. And for these he martyred his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous, Jo1 3:12. Ill-will will teach us to hate and revenge what we should admire and imitate. And then, III. To infer that it is no wonder that good men are so served now: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you, Jo1 3:13. The serpentine nature still continues in the world. The great serpent himself reigns as the God of this world. Wonder not then that the serpentine world hates and hisses at you who belong to that seed of the woman that is to bruise the serpent's head.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:11-22 John now focuses on the believers’ need to love one another (see John 13:34).
1 John 3:11
Love One Another
10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.11This is the message you have 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 Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Love of the Brethren
By Ernest C. Reisinger38251:13Love1JN 3:11In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the subject of gospel charity or love. He begins by reading from the little epistle of John, specifically Chapter 3, and continues to the end of Chapter 4. The preacher emphasizes the importance of love and its connection to the law. He mentions watching a news segment about male prostitutes and discusses the reactions of religious individuals to such topics. The preacher admits that this is the first time he has dedicated a sermon solely to the subject of love and acknowledges that it is a broad and complex topic.
1 John 3:11
By John Gill0Christian CommunityLoveMAT 22:39JHN 13:34ROM 13:10GAL 5:14EPH 4:2COL 3:141PE 4:81JN 2:71JN 3:111JN 4:7John Gill emphasizes the core message of the Gospel as articulated in 1 John 3:11, which is the commandment to love one another. He highlights that this command was not only a central theme in Christ's ministry but also a fundamental teaching from the beginning of the Gospel. Gill encourages believers to reflect on their conversion and the importance of love in their relationships, as it is a direct reflection of Christ's teachings and commands.
Love Must Serve
By Theodore Epp0Love in ActionDiscipleship1JN 3:11Theodore Epp emphasizes that true love, as described in 1 John 3:11-24, is not sentimental but a powerful expression of God's nature that compels us to meet the needs of others. He contrasts this with Cain's hatred and murder of Abel, illustrating that a lack of love signifies a separation from God. Epp highlights that genuine love is demonstrated through self-sacrifice for fellow believers and the sharing of both material and spiritual resources. He reminds us that love for God must translate into action, especially in reaching out to the lost. Ultimately, Epp concludes that love is the defining characteristic of a true disciple of Christ.
The Way of Cain
By Chip Brogden0GEN 4:3GEN 4:13EXO 22:29MAT 16:25JHN 3:27HEB 11:41JN 3:11JUD 1:4Chip Brogden preaches about the contrasting ways of Cain and Abel in relating to the Lord, emphasizing the importance of giving God our first and best with a heart of worship and love. Abel's sacrifice was accepted because he gave the firstlings of his flock, while Cain's offering was rejected as he gave only some of the fruit of the ground. The sermon delves into the heart motivations behind our actions, highlighting the danger of self-centered religious sacrifices and the consequences of following the way of Cain, which leads to hatred, destruction, and separation from God's presence.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For this is the message - See Jo1 1:5. From the beginning God hath taught men that they should love one another. How essentially necessary this is to the comfort and well-being of man in this state of trial and difficulty, every sensible man must see. All are dependent upon all; all upon each, and each upon all. Mutual love makes this dependence pleasant and doubly profitable. Nothing can be more pleasing to an ingenuous and generous mind than to communicate acts of kindness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
the message--"announcement," as of something good; not a mere command, as the law. The Gospel message of Him who loved us, announced by His servants, is, that we love the brethren; not here all mankind, but those who are our brethren in Christ, children of the same family of God, of whom we have been born anew.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For this is the message,.... Sent from God by Christ, or what he in his ministry declared, and is the commandment which was so frequently urged by him, Joh 13:34; that ye have heard from the beginning; of the preaching of the Gospel to them, and of their conversion; see Jo1 2:7; that we should love one another; to which the command of Christ, the reason with which it is enforced, and the early notice of it, should engage.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence, I. To recommend fraternal Christian love, and that from the excellence, or antiquity, or primariness of the injunction relating thereto: And this is the message (the errand or charge) which you heard from the beginning (this came among the principal parts of practical Christianity), that we should love one another, Jo1 3:11. We should love the Lord Jesus, and value his love, and consequently love all the objects of it, and thereupon all our brethren in Christ. II. To dissuade from what is contrary thereto, all ill-will towards the brethren, and that by the example of Cain. His envy and malignity should deter us from harbouring the like passion, and that upon these accounts: - 1. It showed that he was as the first-born of the serpent's seed; even he, the eldest son of the first man, was of the wicked one. He imitated and resembled the first wicked one, the devil. 2. His ill-will had no restraint; it proceeded so far as to contrive and accomplish murder, and that of a near relation, and that in the beginning of the world, when there were but few to replenish it. He slew his brother, Jo1 3:12. Sin, indulged, knows no bound. And, 3. It proceeded so far, and had in it so much of the devil, that he murdered his brother for religion's sake. He was vexed with the superiority of Abel's service, and envied him the favour and acceptance he had with God. And for these he martyred his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous, Jo1 3:12. Ill-will will teach us to hate and revenge what we should admire and imitate. And then, III. To infer that it is no wonder that good men are so served now: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you, Jo1 3:13. The serpentine nature still continues in the world. The great serpent himself reigns as the God of this world. Wonder not then that the serpentine world hates and hisses at you who belong to that seed of the woman that is to bruise the serpent's head.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
3:11-22 John now focuses on the believers’ need to love one another (see John 13:34).