1 John 3

3:5Under the Old Testament sacrifice system, a lamb without blemish was offered as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Because Jesus lived a perfect life and sacrificed himself for our sins, we can be completely forgiven (2:2). We can look back to his death for us and know that we need never suffer eternal death (1 Peter 1:18-20).

3:8,9We all have areas where temptation is strong and habits are hard to conquer. These weaknesses give the devil a foothold, so we must deal with our areas of vulnerability. If we are struggling with a particular sin, however, these verses are not directed at us, even if for the time we seem to keep on sinning. John is not talking about people whose victories are still incomplete; he is talking about people who make a practice of sinning and look for ways to justify it. Three steps are necessary to find victory over prevailing sin: (1) Seek the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word; (2) stay away from tempting situations; and (3) seek the help of the body of Christ—be open to their willingness to hold you accountable and to pray for you.

3:9“They can’t keep on sinning” means that true believers do not make a practice of sinning, nor do they become indifferent to God’s moral law. All believers still sin, but they are working to gain victory over sin.

3:9Weare “born into God's family” when the Holy Spirit lives in us and gives us Jesus’ new life. Being born again is more than afresh start; it is a rebirth, receiving a new family name based on Christ’s death for us. When this happens, God forgives us and totally accepts us; the Holy Spirit gives us a new mind and heart. lives in us, and begins helping us to become like Christ. Our perspective changes, too, because we have a mind that is renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:22-24). So we must begin to think and act differently. See John 3:1-21 for more on being born again.

3:12,13Cain killed his brother, Abel, when God accepted Abel’s offering and not his (Genesis 4:1-16). Abel's offering showed that Cain was not giving his best to God, and Cain's jealous anger drove him to murder. People who are morally upright expose and shame those who aren't. If we live for God, the world will often hate us, because we make them painfully aware of their immoral way of living.

3:15John echoes Jesus’ teaching that whoever hates another person is a murderer at heart (Matthew 5:21, 22). Christianity is a religion of the heart; outward compliance alone is not enough. Bitterness against someone who has wronged you is an evil cancer within you and will eventually destroy you. Don’t let a “poisonous root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15) grow in you or your church.

3:16Real love is an action, not a feeling. It produces selfless, sacrificial giving. The greatest act of love is giving oneself for others. How can we “give up our lives”? By serving others with no thought of receiving anything in return. Sometimes it is easier to say we'll die for others than to truly live for them—this involves putting others’ desires first. Jesus taught this same principle of love in John 15:13.

3:17,18These verses give an example of how to give up our life for others—to help those in need. This is strikingly similar to James's teaching (James 2:14-17). How clearly do your actions say you really love others? Are you as generous as you should be with your money, possessions, and time?

3:19,20Many are afraid that they don't love others as they should. They fee! guitty because they think they are not doing enough to show proper love to Christ. Their consciences bother them. John has these people in mind in this letter. How do we escape the gnawing accusations of our consciences? Not by ‘gnoring them or rationalizing our behavior but by setting our heart on God’s love. When we feel guilty, we should remind ourselves that God knows our motives as well as our actions. His voice of assurance is stronger than the accusing voice of our conscience. {f we are in Christ, he will not condemn us (Romans 8:1; Hebrews 9:14, 15). So if you are living for the LORD but feeling that you are not good enough, remind yourself that God is greater than your conscience.

3:21,22If your conscience is clear, you can come to God without fear, confident that your requests will be heard. John reaffirms Jesus’ promise that whatever we ask for will be given to us (Matthew 7:7; see also Matthew 21:22; John 9:31; 15:7). You will receive if you obey and do what pleases him because you will then be asking in line with God’s will. Of course this does not mean that you can have anything you want, like instant riches. If you are truly seeking God’s will, there are some requests you will not make.

3:23In the Bible, a person's name stands for his or her character. It represents who he or she really is. We are to believe not only in Jesus’ words, but also in his very person as the Son of God. Moreover, to believe “in the name” means to pattern your life after Christ's, to become more like him by uniting yourself with him. And if we are living like Christ, we will “love one another.”

3:24The mutual relationship, living in Christ as he tives in us, shows itself in Christians who keep these three essential commands: (1) Believe in Christ, (2) love the brothers and sisters, and (3) live morally upright lives. The Spirit’s presence is not only Spiritual and mystical, but it is also practical. Our conduct verifies his presence.