I John 3:11-12a
I John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, also the one who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message which you all have heard from the beginning, namely, that we should love one another;
12 not as Cain,
who was of the evil one,
and ruthlessly murdered his brother.
Introduction
Our text this morning continues our study of John’s first epistle.
Now remember the false teachers who are troubling John’s flock are doing so by their living as well as by their teaching. That is, in addition to denying Christ, they claim that it does not matter how you live in the body or the way that you treat others. Instead, for them salvation is a purely inward spiritual matter.
Therefore, John began this section by underscoring the fact that faithful living is an essential part of what it means to abide in/belong to Christ. Why? Faithful living is an essential part of what grace and salvation are doing in each believer.
In our text this morning John turns to underscore the fact that love is the second key component of what it means to abide in/belong to Christ.
Verse 10 (Review)
Notice at once, in verse 10 John provides the two key marks by which the children of God and the children of the devil are distinguished. Why? John wants his readers (both then and now) to be able to identify and avoid the deceptions of the world’s false teachers and their vacuous spirituality (both in what you practice and who you follow). Notice then John says that the first mark by which the children of God and the children of the devil are distinguished is righteous living (living that is being transformed by grace according to God’s Word). Not only that, John ended verse 10 by providing the second key distinguishing mark: John says that the one who does not love his brother is not of God. Importance: notice the picture of new life that John provides is not one of a cold, impersonal, or indifferent righteousness. Instead, the centrality of love underscores that the righteousness and new life that Christ provides is personal, compassionate, and relational. In other words, true righteousness always has the well-being of others in view.
Notice then the point: remember the false teachers who are troubling John’s flock are using their would-be position as spiritual leaders to manipulate, mistreat, and demean others for their own self-interest/gain. Not only that, they say that the way one lives does not matter. Therefore, in place of repentance and change, they leave the hurt that their actions have caused unacknowledged and unmended. Importance: at once we begin to see the real danger and harm that these false teachers present FN#1.
Finally, notice the flow: verse 10 serves as a transitional verse. That is, verse 10 alerts us that John is turning his focus from the first mark of new life (righteous living) to a discussion of the second key mark of new life (love for one another).
Verse 11
Notice at once, verse 11 immediately turns to provide the basis/reason/proof that love is a central aspect of the new life. John says, that love is the message/ directive that you have heard from the beginning. Importance: the Greek word that John uses here for “message” carries with it the notion of instruction/command. In other words, the message we have heard is more than just news/information. Instead, it is a directive that God intends His people to follow/implement. Not only that, notice who John says received this directive: John says it is a message that you all (plural) have heard. Importance: remember the false teachers who are troubling John’s church claim to have hidden and privileged insights into God, which God has revealed exclusively to them. Therefore, John reminds his readers that the centrality of love is something that God has made known to the whole of His people (it is an instruction that they all have heard). Importance: at once verse 11 reminds me that who God is and what God expects of His people are things that God makes known publically to His whole people (He writes it down). As such, then just as now there are no secret disclosures of God. In fact, a sure sign of a false teacher is the claim to have an exclusive, corrective insight from God.
Next notice the origin of the message: John says that love has been God’s unwavering command from the very beginning. Importance: in the face of the false teachers’ claims to have new insights into who God really is and what God really expects, John reminds his readers that the message to love one another is something they have heard from God from the very start. In other words, love is a command which God’s people have had continually throughout history.
Thus, from the Garden when God instituted marriage; to Mt. Sinai and the 10 commandments; through all the prophets; and finally culminating in God’s own Son; the constant, unbroken, and unwavering command of God is, love one another. Why? First, love describes the very heart of God. Therefore, as His children we are to love what our Father loves in the way that He call us to love it. Second, love is the single reason/explanation for our salvation. Therefore, as salvation takes hold in us, our new heart will reflect that love more and more. In other words love light righteousness is what grace is doing in each believer FN#2.
Verse 12a
Next, notice the contrast: if verse 11 told us that love has been the unwavering command of God and a mark of His children from the beginning, then verse 12 draws our eyes back to the beginning in order to provide an example of what love is not. Notice then John tells us that we are not to treat others as Cain did. Why? John says that Cain was of the Evil One. That is, his animosity towards and rejection of God are of the same sort as that of the Devil. Not only that, Cain’s rebellion (like all who reject God after him) either wittingly or unwittingly served the same objectives as Satan’s agenda FN#3. Notice the result: the darkness of Cain’s heart is reflected by the darkness of his actions. Therefore, John says that he ruthlessly murdered his brother FN#4. Importance: In both Jewish and early Christian writings, Cain served as the prototype of those who egregiously reject God. Notice then John’s polemic: John uses Cain as an outward/concrete depiction of the very sort of spiritual state that defines the false teachers. In other words, underlying the false teachers’ manipulation, mistreatment, and abuse of others is the same hatred and violence that motivated Cain.
Bottom line: John reminds me that a chief mark of new life is a love that seeks to promote the well-being and nurture of others. On the other hand, John also reminds me that hatred, bitterness, and that which seeks or delights in the harm of others is a chief mark of the brokenness and darkness that define the Satin’s kingdom. As such, verses 11-12 instruct me to seek love and avoid hatred (be it in my own attitudes and actions or in those I choose to follow).
Footnotes
1] On top of all of that, as would-be leaders, they teach others (by both their doctrine and example) that it is OK to do the same. Thus again we see the real danger and harm that these false teachers present.
2] Importance: notice at once the picture of new life that is beginning to emerge: love and righteousness are inseparably bound and together define the singular work that grace is doing in each believer. Notice then, love is always the motive of true righteousness (in other words, the reason I behave one way and not the other is because I love God and love my neighbor). On the other hand, righteousness is always the content of true love (that is, love always responds by treating others as their Creator desires them to be treated. As such, righteousness is how true love is always expressed).
3] Importance: there is more to this murder than simply a crime of passion or fit of rage. Instead, as verse 12 will go on to tell us, it was a deeply spiritual matter. How? Remember the promise of the Messiah was to come through Abel. Thus, by striking against his brother, Cain was striking against God and His promised salvation. As such, Cain (like all who reject God after him) was either wittingly or unwittingly an active participant in Satan’s agenda.
4] Note: the Greek work here for slew/murdered is σφάζω. When σφάζω is used in reference to a person it carries with it the connotations of a violent, vicious, and merciless act. As such, I have translated σφάζω as “ruthlessly murdered”