“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 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. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 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?” (1 John 3:11-1711For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12Not 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. 13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. 14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But 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? (1 John 3:11‑17)).
“This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” We have noticed a number of times that this expression, “From the beginning,” is characteristic of this epistle. In a day when men were trying to bring in false teachings and seeking to palm them off on unsuspecting people as Christianity, when in reality they were but doctrines of demons, the apostle calls the Christians back to that which they had been taught from the beginning, either by our Lord Jesus Christ directly while on earth, or by His immediate successors, the apostolic band; and prominent, of course, was that which is here emphasized, “This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
There are three distinct words used for love in the Greek language. One of these is never used in the New Testament; it is the word, eros. You are familiar with that word as the name of the Greek god that answered to the Roman Cupid. According to Roman mythology he was the son of Venus, the goddess of sensual love and physical beauty. Among the Greeks they used the name Aphrodite for the goddess, and Eros for her supposed son. This word for love is never used in the New Testament, for it had been so degraded among the Greeks. It would seem that the Holy Spirit of God stood guard over the pages of the New Testament, and said, as it were, “Do not pollute these pages with a word that has become so debased.” The other words are phileo and agapeoo. The first means affection, friendliness, the kind of love that good-natured people feel one for another. That word is frequently used in the New Testament. It is used of God in one place— “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:4, 54But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:4‑5)). “Love toward man” is just one word in the original; it is really our word “philanthropy,”— the philanthropy of God was manifested in sending His Son. Ordinarily, phileo is the word that is used for love between friends, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, and sometimes between Christians, but it is not used in the sense that the word agapeoo is used. This signifies a love that is Divine.
God is agape. He Himself is love in His very essence, and “he that dwelleth in love (in this sense), dwelleth in God.” It is love in this high sense, in this divine sense, that is brought before us in this portion of the epistle—love as the proof of a new nature, the evidence that we have been regenerated.
The one great command that is laid upon us by our Lord Jesus is that we love one another, love as He loved us, unselfishly, in a God-like, Christ-like way. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.” Cain was stirred up by jealousy and lured on by envy. “Wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” What a wretched thing is that vile sin of envy or jealousy. Scripture says that jealousy is “cruel as the grave.” I pray you, dear children of God, never permit yourselves to harbor that wicked thing. Perhaps God has given you some little ability along some line, but if as you see someone else who seems to be more appreciated than you, and there arises within you that abominable jealousy, check it immediately. Go into the presence of God at once and confess the sin of it, the wickedness of it, ask Him to so fill you with Himself that there will be no place for it. I have seen it among Christian workers, I have felt it in my own heart in connection with other preachers. One man has a message from God and he gives it in the power of the Holy Ghost, and another cannot bear to think that his brother’s message is so much appreciated and so greatly used, and he falls under the power of the same thing that led Cain to slay his brother, Abel. I have seen it, also, among those who sing the gospel. There may be one to whom God has given a marvelous voice, but instead of carrying out his own service and rejoicing in whatever ability God has given another, he is torn by envy and rent by jealousy because another is appreciated in place of himself. I have seen it in the Sewing Circle, in the Sunday School, and even in work in connection with ministering to the temporal needs of the saints. I remember attending a fellowship tea where two good sisters would not speak to nor look at each other because one had found that the efforts of the other were appreciated more than her own. What a wretched thing this professional jealousy is! There is no room for it in love, in the new nature; and whenever you find it, it is simply an evidence of an unchanged old nature; it is a shoot from the old thing that ought to be crucified. In the light of the cross of Christ, we realize as nowhere else that jealousy is indeed as cruel as the grave; and because of this cruel thing, people will tear one another’s reputations to pieces and go all lengths in order to belittle and degrade them. It seems so strange that we Christians, hated by the world, just a little flock after all, should ever suffer ourselves to indulge in such unkind feelings toward one another.
The story is told of Nelson, when, as his ships were drawn up in battle-array facing the Dutch fleet, he saw two English officers quarreling. He threw himself in between and pushed them apart, as he said, pointing to the ships of Holland, “Gentlemen, there are your enemies!” Would God that Christians would indeed love one another, then it would not trouble us if the world hated us, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” Do we know that we have passed from death unto life because we are so sound in the faith, because we are fundamentalists, because we are such earnest Christian workers, because we give so liberally to missions and to sustain the Lord’s work? Oh, no. What, then? “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” We love them in this divine sense. Oh, my brethren, my sisters, if you have not that testimony you had better begin to investigate the foundations of the house of your Christian profession. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” Some of us in our unconverted days did not love them very much. I remember when some of them would come to our home when I was a boy. They were stern old Scotchmen, and would say, “Harry, lad, are ye born again yet?” And I wouldna ken what to say. How I detested them! And then one day God came in in grace and saved my soul, and I could hardly wait to get down to see some of them and say, “Thank God, I am saved!” It makes such a difference; for this being born again, this being converted to God, is a real thing. It is the impartation of a new nature, a divine nature, the very essence of which is love.
By this “we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” The same thing that produces the sin of murder is that which leads you to hate your brother. It may not yet have gone just that far. I heard a professed Christian woman speaking of another, and between her clenched teeth, she said, “I wish she were dead.” What is that? That is murder; that is the thing that sends men to the gallows and to the electric chair. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” “But,” you say, “you heard a Christian woman say that?” Yes, but that was just for a moment, when she allowed the old nature to assert itself. She soon judged it and put it away. If Christians get out of touch with God, there may be a manifestation of that old thing, the flesh, or carnal mind; but they are indwelt by the Holy Ghost, and He will soon make them intensely miserable, and they will judge it and put it in the place of death. But no one who willfully goes on in these things has any business calling himself a child of God. No one who is characterized by hatred has eternal life abiding in him. No murderer possesses this blessing, and hatred is the root of murder.
This does not mean that an actual murderer cannot be saved, but it does mean that if he is saved, he will no longer live in hatred. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” You will observe that the words “of God” are italicized. John is not exactly saying, “Hereby perceive we the love of God,” but he has been telling us that as Christians we should love one another, and if we want to understand what love is, he gives us a sample—hereby we recognize what love is because, “He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” It is not exactly, herein is God’s love manifested but, if you ask what is meant by such love, this is the example. As a Christian, that which is manifested in Christ must be manifested in you. You must be willing to lay down your life for others, to endure any kind of hardship in order that you may help and bless others.
Years ago when I was a Salvation Army officer, the General, William Booth, was over in London, an old man and blind. They had hoped to have him present at a great Congress, but word was sent that he could not come. Then they asked for a letter from him, some message to read to the assembled officers, but no letter came. By and by when the Congress was in session, a boy came up the aisle with an envelope. It was given to the officer in charge, and as he held it up he said, “A message from General Booth!” He opened it, and said, “My comrades, it contains just one word—‘Others.’” That was all. That was what the old man had lived for, and that was what he would impress upon those who followed him. After all, that is the only happy life. The most miserable people are those who are trying to get the best for themselves, while the happiest people are those who give the most, sacrifice the most, and lay themselves out the most for the blessing of others. There is real joy in laying down one’s life for the brethren. There are always those who will say, “But really, you are working too hard; you ought not to do this, and ought not to do that.” The devil always has a lot of lieutenants to say, “Do be careful; your health is of so much importance.” It is ten thousand times better to wear out for Jesus’ sake in blessing others, and hear a “Well done, good and faithful servant,” than to have to go to the judgment-seat of Christ and give account of a lifetime of selfishness.
John says, “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?” Do you say, “I know he has need, but if he had saved his money as I have done, he wouldn’t be in such a fix; I know his clothes are shabby, but if he would take care of them as I do of mine, he wouldn’t look like that?” We read in James 2:1616And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (James 2:16) of those who say to the needy, “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” And He that is higher than the highest is looking down and taking note of it all, and some day the one who turns down God’s poor is going to be poor himself. Perhaps not poor financially in the same way that the other was, but a, time of great need will come, and he will go to God and begin to call upon Him in that hour of distress and wonder that the heavens seem brass above him.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” If in the secret of our own room in the presence of God, conscience says, “You know you were selfish, you were not considerate, you did not act in love, you did not manifest the Spirit of Christ,” remember that “if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” Then we read, “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” Do you get the inference? When you do not receive from Him, it is time to ask, “Have I a condemning heart? My own need is great, and God does not seem to minister to it. Have others come to me in their need, and have I failed to minister to them? I have cried unto God in the depths of my grief and sorrow, but He does not seem to listen. Did any ever cry to me in their grief and sorrow, and did I refuse to listen?” “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” You see, Christianity is intensely practical, and we have been trying to make it a theoretical thing, and we say, “Is it not true that all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved?” Yes, it is; but you know real faith worketh by love. Do not forget that. We have gone to Him in prayer and there has been no answer, but the secret of our unanswered prayer was in our own heart. We have been so selfish and indifferent to the needs of our brethren. “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. 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.” That Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love and of power and of a sound mind, and when He dwells within the believer and controls him, that believer walks in love and manifests the kindness of God to his brethren.