1 John 3 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence
A child of God will naturally reflect the character of the family of God and particularly that of the patriarch of the household. Because the children have spent so much time with their father in the word, in prayer, and in fellowship, they will naturally begin to reflect something of his character even speaking in the same manner. Because God is pure, John says that everyone who is a child of God and who hopes in him will also begin to purify himself, both speaking pure words as well as pursuing pure works of righteousness from a pure heart.
Those who are not God’s children do not pursue purity in this manner. Instead of practicing righteousness, they continue to practice sin and lawlessness like their father, the devil. Even if they don’t acknowledge their consanguinity with the lord of darkness, their actions prove otherwise. They sound like their old dad, they walk like him and they think like him with that same arrogant spirit that refuses to submit to God. They may try to make some claim of Christ, but when confronted over their sin, they refuse to repent, and they cling to their old ways. They are a not a new creation, but the same old walking corpse devoid of light and truth. But those who have eyes to see Christ and know him have died with him to that old stinking, rotten flesh, and are happy to put it to death on a daily basis renouncing their old ways and their old man. So John points out this clear distinction so that those in the churches of Asia Minor might be able to distinguish the false teachers from those who are truly called by God. You will know them by their fruit rather than their flesh, and one of the greatest fruits that they will produce is love, not only love for God and his righteousness, but also a genuine love for the brothers.
John says that the one who has passed from death to life loves the brotherhood of the church. He isn’t jealous of the brothers; he doesn’t seek to outdo the brothers or tear them down in order to build himself up. He also doesn’t cause division by his hatred and distrust of the brothers. Rather, he seeks to build them up, to encourage them, and to strengthen them. He prays for them, serves them and shares God’s good gifts with them, even laying down his life for their good. This is a clear evidence that eternal life abides within a Christian that he loves the brothers. He loves them both in word and deed.
John says that by seeing something of this pursuit of love and righteousness in our own hearts and in our works we can grow in our assurance of salvation and confirm the truth of the gospel in our lives. Even though our hearts would normally condemn us because of the sin that is so often revealed, the gospel assures us of God’s grace and forgiveness when the Holy Spirit reminds us of these character traits of the family of God that he has been working into us. It is not that we seek to do works righteously and lovingly in order to be assured, but that seeing some of the fruit of righteousness and love displayed in our lives as we seek to walk with Christ confirms to us that Christ does indeed abide with us and that the Holy Spirit truly indwells us. Of course, none of us will ever get a hundred percent on any test concerning righteousness and love, but our once failing grades are now being replaced with marks of commendation. And now we might even get a smiley face drawn at the top of the paper showing that indeed Christ is pleased with our improvement.