READ: 1 John 3:11-15
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. – 1 John 3:15
Love isn’t an optional matter for Christ’s church. This especially applies to the mutual love within the communion of saints. It’s a fundamental command, a new commandment from Christ!
Love cannot be restricted to love for God but should also extend to those belonging to God (1 John 4:20,21). True giving love comes from God. Hate stands against this love and originates from the evil one, the devil.
This is evident in Cain. It wasn’t his act of murder that made him a child of the devil. No, his murder stemmed from it. He had already been doing evil works fitting of the adversary, and the works of his brother Abel were righteous in the eyes of the LORD. Cain was led by the devil, which led him to kill his brother.
Here, Cain, who was of the evil one, and Abel, who was of God, stand in contrast. John remarks about the world’s hatred toward the church: do not be surprised. Precisely because the world without God lies in darkness and resides in the realm of Satan, as a believer and church member, you can expect hatred. Because Satan hates as the great adversary, God and Christ.
But, John says in verse 14, among us, brethren, isn’t this different? If you’ve been transferred from the realm of death to the realm of grace and life, wouldn’t you love your brother? In the realm of life, hate has no place. By loving your brother, you know and realize, that you’ve passed from death to life.
But if you claim to believe yet harbor hate for your brother, you aren’t in life but still in death. Anyone who hates their brother is a murderer. Hate itself is already a form of murder (see Gen. 4:5, Matt. 5:22)! If you notice hate within yourself, repent before it’s too late.
Is it enough to wish everyone well?
Singing: Ps. 37:4,9