Verse 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.
The word “behold” is from the Greek word “eido”, and it means look or pay attention. The apostle John wanted his readers to pay attention to what he was communicating, to pay attention to the quality or the type of love the Father has for the believers. God calls His children ‘sons’. This includes women as well. God does not differentiate between male and female as is done in English speaking cultures. To be a son of God is to be adopted into His spiritual family. Think about that. Look and pay attention and give thanks if you are a believer.
Application: Because, “. . . the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4), the unbelieving people living in this world neither understand nor want to understand the Gospel message and the people who follow after Jesus Christ. So often, Christians are shunned or mistreated. Not to worry. The true Christian has millions of family members, brothers and sisters in the LORD, either living here on Earth, or living in eternity in Heaven.
Verses 2-3 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. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
The Christian should be always growing and learning the contents of the Bible and therefore the character and love of God. The Christian should be always growing in their faith in God. Believers start their walk with God only knowing the basics of salvation and they must keep growing in Biblical knowledge and wisdom until physical death takes them into eternity. So from an earthly perspective, each believer does not know what he/she will be like after years of living the Christian life. Just as a baby goes through various stages of growth and development into adulthood, so does the believer go through various stages of spiritual growth and development. From a heavenly perspective, believers do not know what they will be like when they are no longer in their physical bodies, but in their spiritual bodies and in Heaven. The apostle John comforts believers by assuring them that they will be like Him, Jesus Christ, regardless of living in a physical body here on Earth, or of living in a spiritual body in Heaven. Remember the definition of the word “Christian” is to be like Christ. As a result of this “hope” (Greek word “elpis” which means expectation of good or joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation) the believer keeps himself/herself morally pure.
Verses 4-6 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Please remember that “eth” endings of verbs in the King James Bible means that the action is ongoing. Otherwise, when the apostle John states that whoever sins never knew Jesus, the believer who commits the occasional sin worries about his/her salvation and the state of his/her soul. The “eth” ending makes it clear that the person John is writing about is someone who makes a habit out of sinning.
Application: To say that the Christian never sins would not be true. The attitudes of the flesh can get in the way and a Christian can lose his/her temper or get angry without a cause or be rude to someone. But the Christian should recognize the sin and seek forgiveness both from God and from those affected by the sin. The Christian actually rarely sins because the presence of the Holy Ghost/Spirit prevents sinning. That is what the apostle John meant in the verses above when he wrote, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not:”. Sin is no longer a way of life.
Verses 7-8 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 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.
The “little children” in verse seven above means a term of endearment towards the apostle John’s disciples. Basically John is saying that if a person sins regularly, they are following their father, the devil. If a person does not make sinning a habit, that person is following Jesus. Note that the devil sinned from the beginning when he was created and continues to sin against God today. As a result, Jesus had to come to Earth to destroy what the devil was doing and what he was influencing people to do. And the Church has to spiritually fight against the devil and his evil spirit followers to keep the world from being overrun by sin and terrible acts of depravity.
Application: How did Jesus destroy the works of the devil? First it is necessary to define the works of the devil and the word translated as “destroy”.
The Greek word translated in the passage above as “destroy” is “luo” and it means to loose any person or thing tied or fastened, to dissolve, to unbind, to release from bonds, or to set free. The dictionary definition of the word “destroy” as it has evolved in the English language is to put an end to the existence of something , to defeat or ruin. To understand this passage, the modern English definition of “destroy” cannot apply. God did not remove the devil or his works when He manifested as the LORD Jesus Christ. He did not put him out of existence, but He did ruin his plans for world domination by establishing the Church. He provided a way for people to be release from the bondage of the devil and to be free. It is through His divine power and through His Church that the works of the devil are destroyed.
What are the devil’s works? The Greek word translated as “works” is “ergon” and it means business, employment, that in which any one is occupied, an undertaking, an act or deed, and a thing done. So what is the devil’s business that keeps him occupied by causing acts, deeds or things to be done? Basically his goal is to become divine and to usurp the real God who created all things. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Isaiah 14:13-14 Since he can’t do that, the next best thing is to ruin and if possible, end that which God created and which He cares about: specifically and especially mankind. How does the devil accomplish this? By assisting people to sin and therefore to be separated from God because of that sin, which if not dealt with before death, will send those people to Hell for eternity. By dying on the cross and shedding His blood as the final Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus provided the way for people to be saved from their sins and from the death and Hell that would result from those sins. God hears the prayers of His Church and sends forth His angles and His power to intervene in the affairs of mankind and therefore interfers in the devil’s plans. Make sense?
Verses 9-11 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. 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. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
The Greek word translated as “born” is “gennao” and it means to be born or to be begotten. This same word could be used when discussing the physical birth of a child. But to be born of God simply means to be forgiven of sins, and to have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost/Spirit inside of the person as a result of conversion, so that the person is no longer operating under the dictates of the flesh but under the dictates of a Holy God. The born again Christian cannot follow the devil and will love others.
Verses 12-13 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. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
The story of Cain and his brother Abel can be found in Genesis chapter 4. This story marks the beginning of the battle between good and evil among mankind. Cain was serving the devil and Abel was not serving the devil. So Cain killed him. This is exactly what the devil has wanted down through time: to kill the followers of God. He uses unbelievers to accomplish his works. That is not to say that all unbelievers are murderers. Many unbelievers are super nice people by the world’s standards and would never hurt anyone else. But some people are easily influenced by a demonic presence and these people commit horrible crimes against humanity and against the LORD.
Verses 14-16 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 16 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.
The death and life that the apostle John is talking about is spiritual death and life. From the perspective of God, those people who have rejected Him are the walking dead. They may be breathing and moving on the Earth, but their physical body will die and then their spiritual body and soul which has been without God will go to Hell, what Scripture refers to as the second death. Note that in God’s perspective, hating someone is equivalent to murder. The Greek word translated as “murder” is “anthropoktonos” and if means a murderer or a manslayer. The Greek word used for both brethren and brother is “adelphos” and it is referring to fellow believers.
Application: What does it mean to “lay down our lives for the brethren”? First responders such as police and firemen put their lives at risk daily and those in the military also risk their lives. History is full of stories of fellow Christians dying as a result of saving other brothers and sisters in the LORD during various times of persecution of the Church. But physically dying is not the only way to “lay down your life”. Sacrificing time, talents and treasure is another way as something is lost so another can gain. The believer is to put others and their needs before his/her own. Think about it. The story of the good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10 is an example of someone going out of his way to help a needy person. The good Samaritan gave of his time and his treasure. The ultimate example is the LORD Jesus Christ who gave of His heavenly home, His time, His treasure and His life for the brethren.
Verses 17-20 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? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
If God blesses a believer with good things such as wealth, personal property, or influence, and that believer refuses to share with those that are less fortunate and in need, the believer’s relationship with God is suspect. The love that a Christian is commanded to and is therefore supposed to exhibit is recorded in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 where the word “charity” is used which is brotherly love one for another.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13)
Verses 21-22 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
God created mankind with a conscience that helps determine the rightness or wrongness of behavior. Also, believers have the indwelling Holy Ghost/Spirit to guide them to all truth. Then to add to these, God has given believers the Bible in which is recorded very clearly the acts of different people who have lived in the past. Some did good and some did evil. But their true stories are to be examples for believers as to how to walk in the faith and how not to walk in this world.
Application: Perhaps every believer has asked them self at one time or another if they are really saved. The devil likes to put doubt into the minds of believers. The apostle John clarifies this in the verses above. If you do not feel guilty about anything and if you know that the commandments of the LORD are followed to best of your ability, all is well.
Verses 23-24 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. 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. (1 John 3)
Application: To “believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ” means to be committed to and to put one’s trust in the LORD. Do you believe that Jesus is God manifesting in the flesh, that He is almighty and all powerful, that His promises are true, and that He loves you with a love that really cannot be completely comprehended because it is so amazing? Are you committed to Jesus and do you trust Him is all aspects of your earthly life? Think about it.