Our love for fellow believers, or the lack of the same, has eternal consequences.

Good morning. Forty-five years ago, on May 17th, those of you that are Norwegian know the significance of that date, I preached my first sermon at Calvary. Calvary was a lot smaller then. We met in southeast Rochester we had about 150 people who attended on a regular basis. And I was actually a pastor at the time, a small church in southeast Minnesota. And we did what was called a pulpit exchange, where the pastors went to a different church to preach for that particular Sunday. So, I was invited to preach here at Calvary. And I remember the passage that I preached on was Ephesians chapter five, verse one, be imitators of God as dearly loved children. And I talked about the fact that children love to imitate. And they learn, in spite of our efforts to teach them good manners. As part of my message, I asked the congregation, I’m going to ask you to do a couple of imitations. First, I’d like you to tell me, what does a cow say? (Moo.) That’s pretty good. Pretty good. Better than the first service. Here’s another easy one. What does a cat say? (Meow.) Okay, now here’s a little bit harder one. Imitate God. Imitate God. That’s a much harder challenge, isn’t it? Well, today we have a challenge placed in front of us from the book of First John. First John 3 verse 11, where he says we should love one another.

When Linus told his sister Lucy that he wanted to become a doctor, she laughed and said, you a doctor? That’ll never happen. You know why? Because you don’t love mankind. Linus replied, I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand. First John 3:11 says, for this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. And as we look at these verses this morning, I would like to suggest that our love for one another or the lack of the same, has eternal consequences. Our love for one another, or the lack of the same has eternal consequences. Our passage is First John 3, verses 11 through 15. We’ve been preaching through First John since April, we’ll be going to the end of the summer. The verses will be on the screen as I share from the message. But if you don’t have a Bible with you, you can take one of the seatback Bibles. The passage is found on page 1022. Now, this passage builds on the one that Pastor Kyle preached on last week when John wrote these words in verse ten. 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.

And John in verse 11, contrasts that with what should be true of us as followers of Jesus. We should be known as those who love one another. Now note I always, when I’m studying the Bible, I like to look for words that are repeated or words that are used in contrast. And we have both in this passage, in these five short verses, he uses the word love three times, the word hate twice and the word murder or murderer four times. Another pair of words that are used in contrast, he uses the word life twice and the word death twice. Now, as we look at this passage this morning, I would like to observe three truths that should be true of every follower of Jesus. The first truth is that we should love one another. First John 3, verse 11, for this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Now John has referred to the message earlier in his book, in chapter one verse five. He talked about the message that we have heard from him, that God is light. And he also referred to that what you have heard from the beginning in chapter two, verse 24. It’s been suggested that what John is talking about here is when these people, John’s audience, first heard the gospel message. When they first heard the gospel message, it was emphasized to them that they should love one another.

Now, I remember when I first heard the gospel message. I actually grew up in a family that went to church every week. I prided myself on knowing the Bible and knowing the stories from the Bible. But it really didn’t make a difference in my daily life. Life just went on. And yeah, something that we did once a week, but so what? Well, when I got to college, I had a friend from high school who went to the same college. We were going to a state university. And he shared with me that he had just written a 92-page paper on the deity of Christ. This is again, at a state university, and he had written this paper for one of his college classes. One, I could not believe that he had written a 92-page paper, and he had written on that subject matter. But he went on to share with me how I could know Christ personally. He shared with me what was called the four spiritual laws. I don’t know if Campus Crusade still uses those, but that’s what he used to share the gospel with me. And he said, you can know God personally through his Son, Jesus Christ. That’s the first thing that I remember when I first heard the gospel. Now, at that time, I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.

In fact, the next few months, every time I heard an invitation to receive Christ, I prayed that prayer and I thought, that’s what it means to be a believer. You ask Jesus to be your Savior, and I did it over and over and over again. Well, as I learned and as I am still learning, there’s more to being a follower of Jesus than that. As we have learned from our study of First John, to be a follower of God through His Son Jesus, means to obey His Word. To be aware of when we have sinned and to repent of those sins and to seek God’s forgiveness. And here in our passage this morning, we have another mark of followers of Jesus. They should be known as those who love one another. Now I love the one another commands that are in the New Testament. There are over 51 another commands in the New Testament as you have opportunity to read through the New Testament, look for them. They include commands like be devoted to one another, honor one another, accept one another, greet one another, encourage one another. And as we have here, in First John, love one another. There are also negative one another commands. Don’t judge one another. Don’t provoke one another. Don’t envy one another. Don’t lie to one another, and don’t hate one another. One of the scriptures that was just read for us from Colossians 3, did you catch the one another commands in that passage? Paul wrote these words bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. As the Lord has forgiven you, so also you must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. When John wrote in verse 11 that we should love one another, he was echoing the words of Jesus. John was one of Jesus’s disciples, and he wrote the Gospel of John to record Jesus’s earthly ministry and many of the things that he taught. The night before Jesus was betrayed and then went to the cross he shared many thoughts with his disciples. He knew that this was his last time to teach them, his last time to be with them before he died. And four times in that evening, Jesus told his disciples, love one another, love one another. If there was one thing that Jesus wanted his disciples to know is that they should love one another. This command is also found in the book of Romans, first and second Thessalonians, Hebrews, First Peter, and here in First John, and also in Second John. Are there any believers that you find it difficult to love? Perhaps you’re like Linus, you love mankind, but there are some people that you can’t stand. Well, John tells us that we should love one another.

And in verse 12, he tells us an example that we should not follow. And so the second truth in this passage is that we should not be like Cain. Perhaps you’ve heard the story of Cain and Abel. It’s found in Genesis chapter four. But read what John says in verse 12. We should not be like Cain, who was the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. Now again, John had just taught us, he had just written in verse ten, that 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. And so, as John was thinking of an example of someone who did not love his brother. The story of Cain and Abel came to mind. Again, it’s found in Genesis chapter four. We’re not going to take the time to read it right now, but I would encourage you to read it later. This is the first recorded murder in the Bible. Cain and Abel brought sacrifices to God, and presumably by that act of sacrifice, you would assume that they were both worshipers of God. But God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and he rejected Cain’s sacrifice. This led Cain, it made him furious. Furious to the point where he wanted to kill his brother. But before he did so, God warned Cain. God took the time to speak with Cain, and he warned him about the sin that was crouching at his door and how he needed to resist it. Cain turned a deaf ear to God. He went and spoke with his brother Abel, and then he murdered him. Now, after murdering his brother, God once again spoke with Cain. He asked him, where is Abel, your brother? And Cain said, I don’t know. And then he added those infamous words, am I my brother’s keeper? God then announced Cain’s punishment, and you can read the details as punishment, but one of the details was that he would be banished from God’s presence. And Cain said, this punishment is more than I can bear, and from your face I shall be hidden. He was also worried that someone would kill him because of what he had done, but God told him that wouldn’t happen. Cain had the opportunity, after murdering his brother, to acknowledge his sin, to seek God’s forgiveness. And I hope that God would have forgiven him. But the Bible is silent on that. The last words in Genesis regarding Cain is that he went away from the presence of God. Sin separates us from God. A holy God cannot tolerate sin in his presence.

And that is why John, in the first chapter of this book, told us that when we sin, we need to repent and confess our sins and seek God’s forgiveness. The author of Hebrews also shares the story of Cain and Abel in chapter 11, verse four. You might look at that later. But the emphasis there is on Abel’s righteousness. And Cain certainly was not righteous. He appeared to be a worshiper of God, but by his actions he proved that not to be the case. And so John warned his readers in verse 12, we should not be like Cain, who was the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. He showed by his actions that his faith, if there was any faith, was not important to him. And John warns us against following Cain’s example. Cain was very angry and probably hated his brother before murdering him. And in the last half of verse 13, John warns his readers, do not be surprised that the world hates you. Once again, John is echoing the words of Jesus as recorded in John chapter 15. It was also read for us earlier, but let me read those verses again. If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before. It hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.

But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. In verse 11, John had said we should love one another. Jesus disciples should be known for their love for one another. But then he warned them, but don’t be surprised if the world hates you. Jesus has taught his disciples that one of the marks of being a disciple was their love for one another. But because a person follows Jesus, the world which does not follow Jesus, will often react with hatred. And John says we should not be surprised when that happens. Have you ever experienced hatred because of your faith in Jesus? Because you are a follower of Jesus. In much of the world, people who follow Jesus do experience the hatred of the world and experience persecution and oppression, and often pay with their lives. If it happens to us, John says, don’t be surprised. A third truth that we find in this passage is that we should have confidence in our eternal destiny. In verse 14, John returns to the subject of love for our Christian brothers, and we read these words. We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Now notice that John says, we have passed out of death into life. Past tense. Not we will pass. Life now, and eternity with God is a present reality, not something simply to be hoped for. John likes to repeat words in this short book, and 15 times he uses the phrase we know. He wanted his readers to know certain truths. And here in verse 14, he wanted them to know the truth, that they had life in Jesus Christ because of their faith in him. They could have confidence in their eternal destiny. Once again, John is echoing the words of Jesus. In the Gospel of John, he recorded these words from Jesus in John chapter five. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but he has passed from death to life. And John is echoing those words here in verse 14. Later in First John, he writes these words. First John five, verses 11 through 13. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. Since becoming a believer in college, I have looked forward to the promise of eternal life in heaven. After my wife’s death a little under two years ago, my anticipation of what happens, excuse me, of what happens after we die has become even more significant to me.

Last year, Phil Wickham released a song called Homesick for Heaven, and I’ve been hearing that a lot recently. And I know how he felt when he sang that song. I wish I had Pastor Kyle’s pull and have Jamie sing it for us, but instead, I’m going to read one of the stanzas to you. In my father’s house there are many rooms. Enough for everyone. Enough for you. I know that it takes some faith, but today you can know without question. Believe in the power of Jesus name and you’re going to heaven. Hallelujah. In Jesus’s name, we’re going to heaven. John writes in verse 14, we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. But in contrast to those who are followers of Jesus and love their fellow believers and have passed out of death into life, notice what he adds in verse 14. Whoever does not love abides in death. Note the contrast love for our fellow believers leads to life, lack of love leads to death. Which will you choose, life or death? Paul told the Colossians to set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Similarly, he told the Ephesians this in Ephesians chapter two, God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive with Christ, and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. You might think that you’re sitting here in church, but if you’re a follower of Jesus, and obedient to God’s Word, you have a chair waiting for you in heaven. And Paul says, we are seated there with him in the heavenly places. If you are an obedient follower of Jesus, you can know, you can be assured, that you have eternal life. But how does that make a difference in our daily lives? Well, certainly it should make a difference when we love our fellow believers. If you are not yet a follower of Jesus, we would love to share with you the good news of how you too can experience God’s love and forgiveness. Well, John closes this passage in verse 15, I wish he had stopped at verse 14 with the good News, but he didn’t. He adds these words in verse 15. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Now again, he’s thinking of the example of Cain. But notice he equates hate with murder.

And we might think that John is being too harsh. But again, guess what? John is echoing the words of Jesus. This time words that Jesus spoke and are recorded from the sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter five. You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement. Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council. Whoever says you fool, will be liable to the hell of fire. Now we’re quick to put sins on a sliding scale and we feel that, well, certainly some sins are worse than others and are more worthy of God’s judgment. But God’s Word says any sin, any sin, is an insult against God and offends God. A holy God cannot tolerate sin in his presence, and any hope of life is found in repentance and obedience of His Word. The good news is that even those who hate and murder, they can be saved if they repent of their sins and seek God’s forgiveness. Many years ago, my wife had a nephew who murdered someone. We couldn’t believe it when we received the news, and as was my wife’s custom, she said, let’s pray about this. And so I prayed, and I asked God to bring good out of this situation.

And my wife looked at me and she said, how can God bring good out of a murder? How can God bring good out of a murder? Her nephew was sentenced and convicted, and he spent over 18 years of his life in prison because of that murder. I asked him recently what good came out of that situation? Well, what good came out of it is that he turned his life over to God. He sought God’s forgiveness. He couldn’t undo what he had done in murdering someone. But God forgave him because he came to him in repentance. He said that he had learned that he could not do life without God. I asked him, how did you make it through 18 years of imprisonment? And he said, I trusted God, I believed in Jesus, and I prayed. And that’s the only thing that kept me sane. He said over and over again, I saw how God answers prayer. Those who hate, those who murder, and those who sin, whatever the sin might be, can find salvation, forgiveness, and hope through faith in God, through His Son Jesus Christ, and through obedience of His Word. Our relationship with our fellow believers should be characterized by love. John says, love one another. When we obey God’s command to love one another, we can have assurance of eternal life knowing that we have passed out of death into life. Let’s pray.

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