How much do you think about the return of Christ? Do you think it will be during your lifetime? Why or why not?
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If Christians lived with a fervent belief in the imminent (at-any-moment) return of Jesus, how would their lives be different?
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John turns to the “purifying hope” of every Christian, that is, the return of Christ. John uses this purifying hope to elaborate on the moral test (love and obedience) of a true Christian. The hope of Christ’s return has a sanctifying effect on moral behavior. In anticipation of Christ’s return and reward, a genuine Christian walks in holiness of life. Those who do not evidence such behavior manifest an unsaved life.
One of John’s primary aims is to combat false teachers who are corrupting the fundamentals of the faith. Genuine believers will practice righteousness and love toward fellow believers. John was very concerned that Christians know how to tell the true from the false, the genuine from the artificial, true believers from false ones. He presents tests here to help determine these things.
Abide: This means to “remain” or “stay around.” (Note: We get our English word abode, “home or dwelling place,” from this root.) This “remaining” is evidence that salvation has already taken place. The evidence of salvation is continuance in service to Him and in His teaching. The abiding believer is the only legitimate believer. Abiding and believing actually are addressing the same issue of genuine salvation. Whenever John refers to abiding, he is referring to persevering in the faith of salvation, which is evidence of being a true believer.
Read 1 John 2:28–3:24, noting the key words and definitions next to the passage.
1 John 2:28–3:24 (NKJV)
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
when He appears (v. 28)—This refers especially to the Rapture and gathering of the church (see 1 Cor. 15:51–54; 1 Thess. 4:13–18), and the Judgment Seat of Christ to follow (see 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:9–10).
confidence . . . not be ashamed before Him (v. 28)—“Confidence” means “outspokenness” or “freedom of speech.” Those who are saved will have confidence at Christ’s coming because they will be blameless in holiness, based on abiding in Christ (Eph. 5:27. Col. 1:22. 1 Thess. 3:13. 5:23).
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him (v. 29)—The hope of Christ’s return not only sustains faith (v. 28), but makes righteousness a habit.
3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Therefore the world does not know us (3:1)—The real aliens in the world are not extraterrestrials but Christians. Having been born again and given a new nature of heavenly origin, Christians display a nature and lifestyle like their Savior and heavenly Father—a nature totally foreign (otherworldly) to the unsaved.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
now we are children of God (v. 2)—Everyone who exercises genuine saving faith becomes a child of God at the moment of belief (John 1:12; Rom. 8:16; 2 Pet. 1:4), though the truly heavenly, divine life in that person (see Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10) will not be revealed until Jesus appears.
we shall be like Him (v. 2)—When Christ returns, He shall conform every believer to His image, i.e., His nature. The glorious nature of that conformity defies description, but rest assured that believers will be as close to incarnate deity as humanity can possibly become.
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
purifies himself, just as He is pure (v. 3)—Since Christians someday will be like Him, a desire should grow within the Christian to become like Him now.
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
commits sin (v. 4)—The Greek verb for “commits” conveys the idea of making sin a habitual practice. Although genuine Christians have a sin nature (1:8) and do commit sin, which they in turn need to confess (1:9; 2:1), that is not the unbroken pattern of their lives.
sin is lawlessness (v. 4)—The term “lawlessness” conveys more than transgressing God’s law; it means rebellion, i.e., living as if there were no law or ignoring laws that do exist (James 4:17).
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
He was manifested to take away our sins (v. 5)—Christ died to sanctify (i.e., make holy) the believer (2 Cor. 5:21; Eph. 5:25–27). To sin is contrary to Christ’s work of breaking the dominion of sin in the believer’s life (Rom. 6:1–15).
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
does not sin (v. 6)—Like the phrase “commits sin” of verse 4, the sense conveyed here is the idea of habitual, constant sinning.
let no one deceive you (v. 6)—“to be led astray”; accepting what the false teachers were advocating
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
just as He is righteous (v. 7)—Those who are truly born again reflect the divine nature of the Son; they behave like Him, manifesting the power of His life in them (Gal. 2:20).
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
of the devil (v. 8)—The phrase gives the source of the false teachers’ actions; the term “devil” means “accuser” or “slanderer.”
from the beginning (v. 8)—Satan was originally created as perfect and only later rebelled against God (Isa. 14:12–14; Ezek. 24:12–17). John probably means the moment of his rebellion against God, the beginning of his rebellious career.
For this purpose . . . that He might destroy (v. 8)—Christ came to destroy the works of the archsinner, Satan; the devil is still operating, but he has been defeated, and, in Christ, we escape his tyranny. The day will come when all of Satan’s activity will cease in the universe and he will be sent to hell forever (Rev. 20:10).
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
born of God (v. 9)—The new birth (John 3:7). When people become Christians, God makes them new creatures with new natures (2 Cor. 5:17).
remains (v. 9)—conveys the idea of the permanence of the new birth, which cannot be reversed, for those who are truly born-again are permanently transformed into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10)
he cannot sin (v. 9)—This phrase once again conveys the idea of habitual sinning (see vv. 4, 6).
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
he who does not love his brother (v. 10)—The false teachers not only had an erroneous view of Christ’s nature and displayed disobedience to God’s commands, but they also displayed a distinct lack of love for true believers, who rejected their heretical teaching.
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
we should love one another (v. 11)—Love is not merely an optional duty for someone claiming to be a Christian, but positive proof that one truly has been born again (John 15:12; 1 Pet. 1:22–23).
12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Cain (v. 12)—Scripture presents Cain outwardly as a God-worshiper who even offered a sacrifice (Gen. 4:3–5). His murderous actions, however, revealed that inwardly he was an enemy of God (see John 8:44).
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
the world hates you (v. 13)—History is filled with stories of the persecution of the saints by the world (Heb. 11:36–40).
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
passed from death to life, because we love (v. 14)—Becoming a Christian is a resurrection from death to life and a turning of hate to love (see Gal. 5:6, 22). A lack of love indicates that one is spiritually dead.
abides in death (v. 14)—Someone who is characterized by hate has never experienced the new birth.
15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
He laid down His life for us (v. 16)—This expression is unique to John (John 10:11, 15, 17, 18; 13:37, 38; 15:13) and speaks of divesting oneself of something; Christian love is self-sacrificing and giving. Christ’s giving up His life for believers epitomized the true nature of Christian love (John 15:12–13; Phil. 2:5–8; 1 Pet. 2:19–23), and we are called to the same standard.
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
in word or in tongue . . . in deed and in truth (v. 18)—Love is not sentiment, but deeds.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
by this we know (v. 19)—A lifestyle of love in action is the demonstrable proof of salvation (see v. 16).
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
if our heart condemns us, God is greater (v. 20)—Although Christians may have insecurities and doubts about salvation, God does not condemn them (Rom. 8:10).
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
confidence toward God (v. 21)—Love banishes self-condemnation and results in confidence.
22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23 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 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
1) What did John suggest will be the experience for those who are not abiding in Christ at the time of His return (2:28)?
[Your Response Here]
2) What idea or truth specifically prompted John’s outburst of wonder and praise at the beginning of chapter 3?
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3) What did John mean when he said, “the world does not know us” (3:1)? (Hint: See Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 1:1; 2:11.)
[Your Response Here]
4) What four reasons are given for why true Christians cannot habitually practice sin (3:4–10)?
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5) What did John say about Satan and sin in 3:8?
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6) In what ways can we show and “do” love (3:16–23)?
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John clearly says that if we are children of God, we will practice righteousness. For more insight, read 1 Peter 1:3, 13–16.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . .
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
7) What does Peter say about our new nature and new conduct as children of God?
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8) Why did John argue that true Christians cannot “practice” sin?
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9) What did John mean when he spoke of “children of the devil” (3:10; see also John 8:44)? How does this fit in with the popular notion today that everyone is a “child of God”?
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10) How does John use Cain as an example in his letter (3:10–12)?
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Commitment to truth is not enough. Zeal for the truth must be balanced by love for people. Truth without love has no decency; it’s just brutality. On the other hand, love without truth has no character; it’s just hypocrisy. Many people place too much emphasis on the love side of the fulcrum. They talk a lot about love and tolerance, but they utterly lack any concern for the truth. Real love “does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6 NKJV). On the other hand, there are many who have all their theological ducks in a row and know their doctrine but are unloving and self-exalting. They are left with truth as cold facts, stifling and unattractive. Their lack of love cripples the power of the truth they profess to revere.
The truly godly person must cultivate both virtues in equal proportions. If you could wish for anything in your sanctification, wish for that. If you pursue anything in the spiritual realm, pursue a perfect balance of truth and love. Know the truth, and uphold it in love.
11) Review 1 John 3:1–3, as though reading it for the first time. Spend a few minutes pondering this rich paragraph. Then record your impressions.
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12) John reminds us that real love is not sentimental and it is more than lip service (3:18). In the chart below, list some tangible expressions of love that you can demonstrate this week:
| Person to Whom I Will Show Love | How I Will Show Love |
Write out additional reflections, questions you may have, or a prayer.
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