1 John 3:11-12
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,
John is referring back to what Jesus Christ and the earliest apostles taught. Jesus said, " A new command I give you, that you love one another. " When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is, He responded that we should love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. Looking at the fruit of the Holy Spirit that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23, the first fruit is love, which serves as the foundation for all the other fruits listed.
Without love, we are nothing. Paul described love this way in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 4 Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, 5 it does not behave dishonorably, it ⌊is not selfish⌋, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, 6 it does not rejoice at unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.49 The love of God is not self-centered; it is sacrificial and desires the very best for others. It is impossible for us to walk and live in God’s love if our hearts and minds do not abide in Jesus Christ and His word. Love is an essential part of Christianity. John was not only battling the false teaching of his day, but also the division and discord that may exist in the body of Christ. Division and discord are among the major schemes Satan uses to disrupt and hinder God's purposes in His sons and daughters.
12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and violently murdered his brother. And ⌊for what reason⌋ did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the deeds of his brother were righteous. [1]
John uses the example of Cain as one who didn’t walk in love. Cain was labeled as being of the evil one because of his outward actions. The actions in a person’s life reveal what is in their heart. If I claim to love my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ but fail to demonstrate that through my actions, I show that I have deceived myself. If we truly are committed to Christ, His love must lead and guide us in every decision and relationship.
The Greek word for evil is ponēros, which means bad, wicked, or evil. It primarily refers to moral badness but can also denote something undesirable condition.[2] It is actually where we derive the word pornography. “Because Cain was of the evil one, his actions revealed the character and nature of the devil. He chose to murder his brother out of jealousy violently. When we examine Cain's motives, we see that he was self-centered and driven by a love of self. When people are motivated by their sinful nature, they destroy anyone who stands in the way of their desire. This is why Scripture tells us to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit. We are called to crucify the sinful nature, and this occurs on a daily basis, step by step. Every day, we face decisions, and we must decide whether to indulge the sinful nature or to follow the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The question is asked: And ⌊for what reason⌋ did he violently murder him? Because his deeds were evil and the deeds of his brother were righteous. Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy. We who are in Christ need to learn from God’s word. People often look at the failures in the bible and are surprised at how wicked people can be. But the truth is it is only by God’s grace we are able to walk in obedience and do the things God has called us to do. Jesus has called us to love one another; the only way this is possible is to connect to Christ daily. By spending time in His word, spending time in prayer, and spending time in His presence, we will manifest His character and nature. God is love. When we walk closely with Him, His love rules over every action and decision we make.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your love. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for living inside us. Lead, guide, and direct me this day to walk in your love. Father, remove anything from my life that hinders your will and purpose. Father, help me to fall in love with you more and more. Please help me to be the son or daughter you have called me to be. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
[1] W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), 1 Jn 3:11–12.
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