We’re going to see how a powerful tool we’ve been given by God can be much less effective and even extremely dangerous when we don’t use it with the right knowledge and understanding, which He makes available to us. This theme is woven throughout the 3rd Chapter of the letter 1st John.
We’re in a series called, “Light, Love, and Life Through Jesus.” We’re studying the epistles, or letters, of John, called 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John.
The apostle John wrote these letters to the early Christians, and to Christians today, to put believers back on track. He wanted to show them the difference between truth and error, between absolute morality, or holiness, and relative morality. He called this “light.” He wanted to encourage the believers and the church to grow in genuine love for God and fellowship with one another. He called this “love.” And he wanted to assure them that they possessed eternal life with God, and also an abundant life here on this earth. He called this “life.”
We learned about this idea of abiding in Jesus, which means to continue in a daily, personal relationship with him. We saw how abiding in Jesus’ conduct, his affection, his will, and his presence, can give us proof that we truly know him.
The first part of 1 John 3 is actually closely tied to the last couple of verses in Chapter 2, so we’re going to start there. The theme of this first part is …
From a Child to a Reflection of God’s Light
The life of a Christian is a journey of transformation which involves maturing from a little child to a reflection of God’s light.
Let’s read 1 John 2:28 to 3:3.
1 John 2:28-3:3 (ESV)
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
In these first few verses, John summarizes the main points we will see throughout the rest of the chapter. He begins by emphasizing what we saw in Chapter 2: assurance of our salvation comes from abiding in Jesus.
And then he defines this transformation we talked about. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we immediately become “children of God,” loved, even adored, so dearly, as a parent loves and adores their little child. Just as the parent doesn’t look at the small child and see its faults and dark side, neither does God see those things when he looks at us. He truly adores us!
The journey of transformation ends when we become “like him.” When does that happen? When he “appears.” When will he appear? When we die or when he returns to the World, whichever comes first.
And what does “like him” mean? It means morally we’ll be without sin, intellectually we’ll be without falsehood or error, physically we’ll be without sickness or imperfection, and we’ll be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. It does not mean we’ll be identical to Jesus, in that we won’t be omniscient (knowing everything) or omnipotent (all powerful). In short, we’ll be pure reflections of God.
These verses also summarize that along the way of this transformation to becoming like him, we should expect several key changes to occur in our lives. One is in the area of righteousness. Why? He is righteous. The other has to do with love. Why? Because he so loves us.
Discussion
- John says “we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.” How do you hold both halves of that at once?
- “Just as the parent doesn’t look at the small child and see its faults and dark side, neither does God.” What is hard to believe about that?
- Verse 3 says everyone who hopes in him purifies himself. Why would hope produce purity rather than complacency?
Let’s continue. The next few verses can be summarized …
From Sin to Righteousness
The transformation requires overcoming the “impossible” barrier between a person and God.
Let’s read verses 4 through 10.
1 John 3:4-10 (ESV)
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
What is the difference between committing a sin, and what John describes here as “making a practice of sinning,” or, “to keep on sinning,” or, as some translations say, “to continue in sin?”
I want you to notice the subtle interplay between what we know, that is, what is in our head, and the convictions that we feel, that is, what is in our heart. The convictions of our heart are a powerful tool God gives us. But if we don’t use that tool with the right knowledge and understanding, that is, what we know in our head, that tool can be at least ineffective, and at most catastrophically dangerous. We need both the tool and the knowledge that goes with it. The knowledge alone is not enough. But the tool without the knowledge falls short and is dangerous.
In the context of overcoming sin, John explains that we have to have the knowledge, to know the facts. He begins verse 5 with, “You know …,” and then throughout this section he reminds us of the Biblical truths we must know and remember if we have any hope of overcoming sin and growing in righteousness: sin is lawlessness; Jesus came to take away sin; there is no sin in Jesus; the devil is real and wants us to sin; the devil has been sinning from the beginning. These are the facts, the truths.
Yet, if we know all these things, and then we do sin, which is inevitable because of our human nature, we might doubt the possibility of knowing Jesus, and we might become discouraged and simply give up trying. That’s where our heart comes in.
You see the difference between committing a sin and making a practice of sinning is a matter of the convictions of our heart. Our heart is what keeps us from becoming indifferent to God’s moral law. Our heart is what makes us feel sorrow and remorse for our sin. Our heart is what drives us to desire God’s forgiveness. These convictions of our heart enable us to keep short accounts with sins when we do commit them, and return to Jesus to abide in him.
Discussion
- John lists five things “you know” in this section. Which of the five do you most often forget in the moment you need it?
- “The knowledge alone is not enough. But the tool without the knowledge falls short and is dangerous.” Which side do you lean on more, head or heart?
- What does it look like to keep short accounts with sin rather than long ones?
Let’s continue reading. The next few verses can be summarized …
From Hate to Love
The transformation requires developing the ability to love as God loves.
Let’s read verses 11 through 18.
1 John 3:11-18 (ESV)
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Why should Christians not be surprised that the world hates them?
A related question: why did Cain hate his brother, Abel?
Can you see how there is a close connection between overcoming sin, which John discusses in verses 4-10, and learning to love, which he discusses in verses 11-18? In order to love as God loves, we must first overcome sin. In verse 12 John says the reason Cain hated Abel was that his own deeds were evil and Abel’s were righteous. As long as we are slaves to sin, as Cain was, we cannot love as God loves. We can’t even love someone who is righteous.
In the context of learning to love, John explains that we have to have the knowledge, to know the facts. He says this right up front in verse 11: “This is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” Jesus was crystal clear about this commandment. In verse 14 he explains that, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.” That is, love is evidence of our walk with Jesus.
But just as we saw with sin, it’s not enough to know that we must love, to know that when we do love we’re proving our faith in Jesus. Love is a matter of the heart. Our heart is what keeps us from becoming indifferent to the needs of other people. Our heart is what makes us feel sorrow and remorse when we put ourselves and our own needs ahead of others and their needs. Our heart is what enables us to see past the imperfections and hatred in others.
Our heart is a powerful tool which enables us to live more and more like Jesus. But we must beware, it is the same heart which murders other people, both literally and figuratively. And Jesus said there is no difference. That’s why we must be reminded to do what we know is right in our heads, even when we don’t feel like it in our imperfect hearts.
Discussion
- Verse 17 is about seeing a brother in need and closing your heart. What makes closing easier than opening?
- John says love is proved “in deed and in truth,” not “in word or talk.” Where has your loving stopped at talk?
- Cain’s problem was that his own deeds were evil and Abel’s were righteous. Why does someone else’s righteousness provoke us?
Let’s continue reading. This last section in Chapter 3 can be summarized …
From Heart to Head, and Back Again
We can be assured this transformation takes place by using the two greatest gifts of creation God has given uniquely to humankind: our heads and our hearts.
Let’s read verses 19 through 24.
1 John 3:19-24 (ESV)
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
What do you think it means for “our heart to condemn us?” Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
This is where John explicitly addresses this interplay between our head and our heart. If we only ever listen to our heart, if we live our lives only according to what we feel at any given moment, we can get into real trouble real fast.
You see, John realizes that loving others as God loves us is a huge ask, and one that we are not capable of most of the time. Hating someone is equivalent to murdering them!? Wow! How many times, just this past week, did you feel hatred in your heart towards another person? Loving someone means being willing to sacrifice everything you have, including your own life!? Wow! How many of us wake up in the morning prepared to die for someone else?
If we’re told that’s what it takes to be a Christian, John fully understands that we’re going to fall short constantly and as a result beat ourself up for it. We’re going to be angry with ourself. Our conscience, our heart, is going to condemn us, tell us we’re not good enough to be in a relationship with Jesus, to be loved by God. Our heart is a powerful tool, but if we don’t use it with the right knowledge and understanding, it can be more harmful than helpful.
That’s where the head comes in, relying on what we know, on the truth, as revealed through the Word of God in the scriptures. In verses 19-21 John says that “knowing we are of the truth reassures our heart,” for “God is greater than our heart and he knows everything.” And when we rely on the truth in our heads, then “our heart does not condemn us,” and “we have confidence before God.”
Then, coming to the heart of the Gospel message, John goes a step further and makes it clear that it isn’t just about what we know, but also about what we do. And what must we do? We must keep his commandment. And what is that commandment? “That we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” So none of this is possible without keeping the first part of the commandment: to believe in the name of Jesus, to put our faith in Jesus, to give up our life for Jesus.
But see how he also comes full circle with the second part of the commandment: to love one another. In other words, love is a matter of the heart, but it is also something we must do, without question, no matter what the convictions of our heart, or our feelings, tell us.
The Christian life is not easy, but it’s worth it!
Discussion
- “God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” Is that a comfort or a warning here? Can it be both?
- When your heart condemns you, what do you actually reach for first?
- The commandment has two parts: believe, and love one another. Why does John refuse to separate them?
- Love is a matter of the heart, but John says it is also something we do regardless of what the heart says. Where does that apply to you this week?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 1 John 3 teach about being children of God?
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we immediately become children of God. John describes this as a lavish act of love from the Father.
As his children, we are on a journey of transformation that will be completed when Christ appears and we become “like him,” free from sin, falsehood, and imperfection.
This identity as God’s children is not something we earn. It is something we are given.
What is the difference between committing a sin and practicing sin in 1 John 3?
John draws a clear distinction between the inevitable stumbles of a believer and a settled pattern of sinful living. Every believer will sin, but the one who is born of God does not make sin a lifestyle or become indifferent to it. The difference lies in the heart’s response: sorrow, repentance, and a desire for God’s forgiveness versus indifference and continued rebellion.
How do the head and heart work together in the Christian life?
John teaches that knowledge of biblical truth (the head) and the convictions of conscience and compassion (the heart) are both essential. The head gives us the facts we need: who God is, what Jesus accomplished, and what is true. The heart moves us to action and keeps us from indifference.
Without the head, the heart can mislead us. Without the heart, the head produces only intellectual agreement with no transformation.
What does it mean that God is greater than our heart in 1 John 3:20?
When our conscience condemns us and tells us we are not good enough for God, John reminds us that God sees the full picture. He knows our intentions, our struggles, and our faith, even when our feelings tell us otherwise. God’s knowledge and grace are greater than the accusations of our own hearts. This truth is meant to reassure, not to excuse ongoing sin.
Why does John connect love with sacrifice in 1 John 3:16-18?
John points to Jesus’ example: “He laid down his life for us.” True love is not merely a warm feeling or a kind word. It involves sacrifice, putting someone else’s needs above our own.
John challenges believers to love “in deed and in truth,” not just “in word or talk.” This means meeting real needs, giving generously, and being willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others.
This lesson is part of the Abiding in Christ series.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.