John Urges Christian Love

I John 3:13-18; 4:7-21

GOLDEN TEXT: “Let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.”—I John 3:18

THE first section of our lesson opens by saying, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” No doubt the Apostle John had in mind the words which he records in the Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 18, where our Lord says, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.” Looking at Jesus’ experiences, we see that He was hated by the most prominent, the most influential among the people. The scribes specially bated Him; the Pharisees, the chief priests and the Sadducees also hated Him. In time their hatred extended to and was shared by the common people.

Few prominent persons pose as being wicked, hence there is a, general disposition on the part of all to justify themselves (politically and religiously), by the claim that they are moved by noble sentiments, as either the supporters or originators of high standards. But we see the hypocrisy which has been manifest by the lives and procedure of those who have hated the Lord’s people without a cause. When, therefore, the truth comes to any of those who have error and pride mingled with worldly religion, it becomes a rebuke to them. As the apostles went from one place to another it was said of them, “These that have turned the world upside down have come hither also.”—Acts 17:6

The thoughts of Jesus are so deep and touch so upon the heart that everything not fully in accord with them appears worthless, in comparison. Hence, many of those who are teachers of religion find themselves impelled to hate and envy, to try to crush, to blacken and defame, that which is true. But these teachers have thus been tested and proved and found wanting. To the Lord their hypocrisy has been Manifested, whether others were deceived by it or not. And it is still true to day as it was in our Lord’s time, that “the darkness hateth the light.”

In consequence of this conflict between light and darkness, our Lord suffered at the hands of those who professed to be children of the light, the children of God; and who had, at least, a little light. Our Lord was not maltreated by either the Roman Governor nor the Roman soldiers of their own volition; for they were so totally blind as not to be thus affected by the light which He displayed. His persecutors were those who had some light, but who hated the brilliancy of the great light shining upon them from the Master.

When the Lord’s followers take a firm stand for the truth and for righteousness as did their Leader, the results are the same. Satan is their implacable enemy; he will see to it that they suffer, that there will be opposition, not only by himself, but by the world, which is largely under the influence of his spirit in various ways. Having taken this stand, the Lord’s people must not marvel if the world hate them and say all manner of evil against them falsely, for the Master’s sake. The more prominent they may be, as in our Lord’s case, the more virulent will be the attacks against them; the more interested will be the great Adversary in overcoming them.

Our lesson then turns to another side of the Christian’s experience, the love which exists between the members of the body of Christ. Sharing the opposition of the Adversary and the disesteem of the world, and sharing the love and favor of the Heavenly Father and our Lord, these are specially drawn to one another, and in their common faith and relationship to the Father and their Heavenly Bridegroom, they have a marvelous basis for loving fellowship.

As we learn to love one another the love of God is perfected in us—the true, unselfish love which the Lord commands, The Lord said that we should love one another as He has loved us—to the extent of being willing to lay down our lives for one another. We are not to love some of the brethren some of the time, and some of the brethren all of the time; but we should love all the brethren all of the time.

No one can be of the “elect” class unless this love is in him. He may not gain so full a control of the flesh that he will never speak sharply, hastily, etc., but he must reach the place where he will be perfect in intention, before he can be accepted as a member of the Kingdom.

QUESTIONS:

Why was Jesus hated by the scribes and Pharisees?

Should Christians expect to be hated for the same reason?

What should the Christian’s attitude be toward his enemies?

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