Rev. Ronald C. Purkey,
Pastor
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The following Bible study outline was prepared by Rev.
Ronald C. Purkey for
the Adult Bible Class at Paul’s Chapel where Rev.
Purkey is the teacher.
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REFLECTING
GOD’S LOVE
SCRIPTURE:
INTRODUCTION:
John says
that believers are “called” to be “children of God” (1
It is also important that
we are called “children” of God. Every person is a creature that God created,
but it is by grace that we become a true “child” of God in the way John
describes it.
As William Barclay explains, it is like the
difference between paternity and fatherhood. Paternity connotes a
physical relationship -- you are a child of a father. Fatherhood connotes a
warm, loving relationship, the kind that John is describing in this passage.
God loves everyone He has created, but only those who humbly come to Him are
brought into God’s family.
I. THE
FATHER’S GREAT LOVE FOR US (1
A. Our Father. (3:1)
1. The Lord loves us.
John began the third chapter with a note of
astonishment regarding the Father’s great love for believers. He was amazed
that believers should be called His children. And then, to emphasize that this
is not just a title, he added, “And that is what we are!” (vs. 1). Believers
can be called the children of God because they receive and use power from God
(John
2. The world does not
recognize us.
Since the world did not recognize God’s own
Son, believers should not be surprised that the world does not recognize His
children. The world cannot understand or relate to them.
B. Our Hope. (3:2)
The Father’s love for His children, however,
extends beyond the present into eternity. Being His children in the present will
result in being like the Savior when He returns. While believers may be eager
to know the precise nature of their lives in eternity, John admitted that God
has not revealed that to them.
C. Our
Purity. (3:3)
Believers who hope to be like Jesus when He
appears are also committed to pursue purity and righteousness now. Their hope
leads them to an ongoing effort at personal purification.
Love Is Not Easy
Louis Cassels (1922-1974)
was for many years the religion editor of United Press International. His
column ‘Religion in
“The love that Christ
commands is not easy, even for people who are blessed with great natural warmth
of heart. And it is not impossible, even for those of us who tend to be crabby
and short-tempered. For Christian love is not a vague feeling of affection for
someone. It is rather a condition of the heart and will that causes us to seek
the welfare of others -- including people we don’t particularly like, and even
people who have done us wrong.” – David C. Cook Publishers, Bible-in-Life
QUESTION: Why does the world have
problems relating to Christians?
The world did not understand Christ and
rejected Him. Since Christians are God’s children and like Him, they also are
not understood and are rejected by the world.
QUESTION: What was the hope that
John put before his readers regarding their future? What did John say everyone
who has this hope should do?
John told his readers that although they
were God’s children already, all that being a child of God entails had not been
revealed completely. In addition to their current status as children, the
future hope remained that when Christ appeared, they would be transformed and
made like Him. John said that anyone who has this hope of future transformation
to Christlikeness should begin in this life to turn away from sin and pursue
righteousness and purity. Though they knew they would one day be like Christ,
John’s readers were not to wait until Christ returned to begin reflecting His
love and character.
II. THE
RESPONSE OF OBEDIENCE (1
A. Repentance. (3:4)
Since God has shown His great love for us,
our response should be to move toward purity. We should move away from sin,
which is “the transgression of the law” (i.e., lawlessness) (vs. 4), or active rebellion against God. No matter
how we might try to describe away our sin, sin is defiance of the will of God.
B.
Sanctification. (3:5)
John gave two additional reasons why, in
light of God’s love for us, believers should not accept sin as a way of life.
First, Jesus appeared in history in order to take away our sins (John
C.
Regeneration. (3:9-10)
1. You must be born again.
“Whosoever is
born of God”
-- this is the new birth we have been talking about. This is what the Lord
Jesus spoke of when He said to a religious ruler, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John
3:7).
2. You belong to the Lord.
Those who show victory over sin prove that
they belong to God’s family. Those who continue to live in sin reveal that they
are still a part of the devil’s family. John did not offer a third alternative.
Either you belong to the Lord or you belong to the devil.
Unfailing is
God's matchless love,
So kind, so pure, so true;
And those who draw upon that love
Show Christ in all they do. -- D. De Haan
QUESTION: How did John define sin?
John called sin “the transgression of the
law” (i.e., lawlessness) (1
QUESTION: What reasons did John give
for believers not to continue in sinful ways of life?
Believers will not continue in sin, because Jesus
came to take away sin. So those who follow Him will normally experience more
and more freedom from sin. Also, Jesus led a sinless life to provide an example
for us, and those who are in Him will follow that example.
QUESTION: What is the difference between
God’s children and the devil’s children?
Those who have been born of
God will not continue to be immersed in sinful ways of life. Those who are of
the devil do remain in sin and fail to demonstrate love.
A. The Hatred Of The World.
(3:11-13)
1. Christians love Christians.
Because of God’s love,
believers love one another. In repeating this command, John appealed to common
knowledge, something his readers, had “heard from the beginning” (vs. 11).
2.
Satan hates Christians.
The mention of Cain
indicates that hatred has also existed for a long time. Because Cain was a
child of the devil, he murdered his brother. The believer’s righteousness draws
hatred from the devil and his children. For that reason we should not be
surprised if the world treats us the same way Cain treated his brother Abel.
B. The Evidence Of Salvation. (3:14-15)
1.
We love one another.
The test of being in God’s
family, however, is not whether the world hates us, but whether we love one
another as believers. Love does not save us, but it provides evidence of our
salvation.
2.
We sacrifice for one another.
In contrast to Cain’s
example, the true test of love lies in a willingness to sacrifice one’s life
for another believer, as Jesus did on the cross. Not many of us will be called
to literally sacrifice our lives for another believer. However, we can show our
love by meeting the needs of others.
3.
We give ourselves for one another.
For John, loving is not
just a matter of good theology and speech, but a matter of giving of ourselves
to alleviate the suffering of fellow Christians. We must be “doers of the word, and not hearers only”
(James 1:22).
C. The Needs Of Others. (3:16-18)
1.
We should really do something.
Note that John changes from
talking about the “brothers” (1
2.
We should be a good neighbor.
This is the kind of shift that Jesus made in telling
the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). When the lawyer asked Jesus
the fairly abstract question, “And who is my neighbor?” (vs. 29), Jesus in turn
described a particular man in desperate need. He changed the question from “Who
is my neighbor?” to, “To whom can I be a neighbor?”
What Does Love Look Like?
Suppose you were to pray for your eyes to be opened to signs of
people in distress. If you did, you might suddenly see many subtle indications
that “support is needed here.” What a relief it could be to a hurting person if
a teacher, co-worker, or neighbor inquired sincerely, “How are things going
with you at the moment?” If you gently followed up that question, you could
find needs pouring your way.
Ask God to
show you what being available to others would mean for you -- and them -- today
and this week. Read through
“What does
love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to
the poor and needy. It has the eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to
hear sighs and sorrows.”
List some
people God brings to mind who may need your help. – David C. Cook Publishers,
Bible-in-Life
QUESTION: What
was Cain’s motive for murdering his brother? How is Cain’s attitude like the
world’s attitude toward believers?
Cain murdered Abel because
Cain resented Abel’s righteous
QUESTION: What
does genuine love look like, according to verses 16 and 17?
The ultimate example of
genuine love is Christ, who sacrificed His life for us. In showing genuine
love, a believer will put another’s best interest above his or her own and not
neglect another believer’s needs. Real love is not merely sentiment, but is
alert and active.
CONCLUSION: God loves us. He has made
us His children and wants us to reflect the love He has for us. When we love as
He loves, we show that we belong to Him. And others take notice.
Each day we have opportunities to
demonstrate God’s love. Each time an opportunity presents itself, we have a
choice to make. The decision to love, however, is not always easy to make. We
must focus on the love God has demonstrated to us. In remembering His love, we
find the courage and strength, despite our emotions, to act in loving ways
toward others.
THOUGHT TO
REMEMBER: “Love is God's will in action.”
PASTOR RONALD PURKEY’S OFFICE
E-Mail: Pastor Purkey
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