This post is Day 15 in a series of studies about “1 John”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

1 John – Day 15

The example of Jesus in going to the cross and experiencing the lashings of the whips of the soldiers is the one we are to follow. In the way He did not retaliate, neither should we. In the way he gave His life out of love for others, so should we.

1 John 3:14-16

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

The Thought

For most of us, death means the end of life, funerals, memorials, and cemeteries. But death has a different meaning in these verses. Here we are reading of spiritual death, an inability to love. Unfortunately too many people in the world are the object of others who don’t know how to love. We think of refugees, victims of abuse, battered wives. So many have not experienced love as it is meant to be.

God intended Real life and Real love to go together.

Hatred is the opposite of love and an equally strong emotion. God likens hatred to murder, and then tells us that eternal life cannot be in those people. They need our prayers!

Jesus’ example in going to the cross and experiencing the lashings of the whips of the soldiers is the one we are to follow. In the way He didn’t retaliate, neither should we. In the way he gave His life out of love for others, so should we.

Action

Ask yourself today how prepared you would be to die for others, whether family, friends or someone unknown. Pray that the Lord will teach you what you need to learn as you think about that.

Ask yourself if there is anyone that you really hate? Pray that Jesus will help you to forgive and to see that person through His eyes.

Pray for those in your church group, that each one will know what it means to Really LOVE others.