In the preceding study of this series, we saw that the one who keeps on walking in the light and keeps on living as Jesus lived will not and does not continue to live in sin. "Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God" (I John 3:9). As we have also seen, the one who has been begotten of God does not keep on sinning, that is, he does not continue in the practice of sin, the reason being that his seed, the new nature implanted in his soul by the Holy Spirit, at the time of the new birth, remains in him and enables him to live a life of righteousness and purity.

In the Greco-Roman world, into which Christianity was introduced by Christ and the Apostles, an expression current in those days was that the world was divided into two groups—Greeks and non-Greeks. This thought was from the Greek standpoint. The Jews, on the other hand, also said that there were two groups—Jews and Gentiles. When Christianity became established in the world, the following statement became current coin: there are three races—Greeks; non-Greeks; and the new race, the Christians.

Attitude of the World Toward Believers

"Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you" (I John 3:13). Properly translated this sentence should read "Stop marveling, brethren, if the world hate you." These Christians to whom John was writing were amazed that the general attitude of the heathen world was hatred toward believers.

On this point Jesus said, "If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). The apostles had been associated with Jesus sufficiently that they knew the usual attitude which the people took toward Jesus. If one will study the life of Christ, he will see that practically from the beginning of His personal ministry antagonism here and there showed its ugly head. This fact is clearly seen in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, which records events near the beginning of the personal ministry of Christ, as we see in this passage. Jesus had healed a cripple man on the Sabbath day. The Jerusalem authorities became indignant and plotted to kill Him. Jesus had not violated the Sabbath law in healing the cripple man, but his opponents, unwilling to see the facts and truth in the matter, so construed His act of mercy and determined to kill him.

In the great intercessory prayer, John 17, Jesus prayed: "I have given them [the Apostles] thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (John 17:14). Latent in the heart of the unregenerated lies the diabolical hatred which caused Cain to slay Abel. Abel had done nothing to occasion his brother's slaying him, but it was an occasion of satanic hatred and jealousy which prompted this foul deed. It was this same Cain hatred that caused the enemies of Christ to try to kill Him.

Believers Passed Out of Death Into Life

"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (I John 3:14,15). In verse fourteen John expressed the profound conviction that he and the other believers are saved because they have passed out of death into life. Believers in the New Testament times knew without a doubt that they were saved: "We know that we have passed out of death into life. …" This passage evidently is an echo of John 5:24: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life." According to this statement the one who believes on Jesus has at the present time eternal life, and he will not come into judgment, the reason being that he has passed out of death into life. The believer at the present time has eternal life and will never come into the judgment of the Great White Throne, into which all the lost will come and be judged (Rev. 20:11-15). It is true that believers will come before the judgment seat of Christ and be rewarded according to the service which they render to Him (II Cor. 5:10). Jesus laid down His life for us, and those who come to Him in faith believing receive eternal life here and now.

"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." If one who claims to be a believer does not love the brethren, his claims are bogus; he has never been born again. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer," declared the Apostle John, "and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." Thus the attitude of the believer toward others is an index which reveals the real spiritual condition of one.

The Test of Love

"Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath the world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doeth the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth" (I John 3:16-18). We know that Christ loves us because He laid down His life for us. He was willing to enter the realm of death and to grapple with the powers of the unseen world in order to deliver us out of the grasp of Satan and save us eternally. His great love was the cause of His making the supreme sacrifice. We ought, therefore, asserts John, to lay down our lives for the brethren—if the occasion demands. A test that will show whether or not one loves his brethren is set forth in verse 17—if a believer has this world's goods and sees his brother in actual need and "shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?" If one thinks more of material goods than he does of his blood-bought brethren, that fact shows that the love of God does not dominate or control him.

Let us, therefore, not love in word, but in deed and in truth. James calls attention to the same illustration: "if a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit?" (James 2:15,16). Faith and love always, without an exception, manifest themselves in deeds of kindness toward the unfortunate.

The Test of being of the Truth

"Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: 20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things" (I John 3:19,20). John, both in the Gospel Record and in the Epistles, has much to say about the truth. Jesus asserts that He is the Way, and the Truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except by Him. John declares that we are of the truth and may assure our hearts of that fact before God. If, on the other hand, our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. If our conscience condemns us, we may be certain that God, who knows all things, likewise will condemn—unless we have been saved and passed out of death into life.

A Clear Conscience and Boldness in Prayer

"Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight" (I John 3:21,22). According to these verses, if we have clear consciences and if our hearts condemn us not, we have boldness toward God in prayer for the things which we need. One must be conscientious before God in regard to everything, so as to have a conscience void of offense. Believers are encouraged to bring all their needs and wants to Him. The Lord Jesus said that whenever two or three of His disciples agree as touching any one thing for which they should make request, their petition will be granted. It is, of course, to be understood that those praying together for a definite thing understand that their requests must be in accordance with the will of God. Sometimes Christians make out timetables for the Lord to follow in answering their petitions. The Lord, of course, does not promise to answer such prayers according to our human schedules. If, therefore, we have boldness to come before God in prayer because we keep His commandments and do the things pleasing to Him, He will be delighted to answer the petition that is in accordance with His will.

The One Great Commandment

"And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment" (I John 3:23). The one commandment which God demands of all persons is that they believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and love one another. On one occasion, according to John 6:28, 29, the Jews asked Jesus what they would have to do in order to do the work of God. The Lord Jesus replied: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29b). This passage puts salvation within the reach of everyone who believes, and in doing so he does the work acceptable to God.

The Test of Abiding in Christ

"And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us" (I John 3:24). One who keeps the commandments of Christ abides in Him. We know that He abides in us, believers, by the Spirit which He has given us.