Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 85th. Edition.
Dear Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven,
Today’s passage (1 John 3:10-15) reverts to an issue we encountered earlier (2:9-12). The matter of love for others is central to the message of 1 John. It is not clear whether the false teachers were the reason for this, or that the Christians of John’s day were in danger of ignoring their fellow believers and even hating them. The way the theme of true faith that manifests in righteousness, and the theme of love for others, appear together, implies that John is countering the lies of the false teachers.
It is possible that the false teachers gave license to “justifiable hate and retaliation,” when one was offended or hurt by another; or they could have justified the neglect of the needy, on account of the fact that it was a material body (which in their thinking was evil) that needed charity, implying that the “evil” material body should be allowed to suffer, just as it is allowed pleasure. Whatever the case, John says it is a lie and not the Christian way.
The Simple Contrast (vv. 10-11).Everything boils down to a simple, two-way fact: unrighteousness and failure to love to identify one as a child of the devil. Note that failing to love and hate are not distinguished, one from the other, because indifference is just as evil as hate. Recently, the news and social media have been flooded with news of the killing by a police officer, of a cuffed black man, as other officers watched and apparently, also prevented bystanders from intervening. Are those indifferent officers any better than the one who did the actual killing? When we ignore the plight of others, whether it is a matter of need or rights, we are as guilty as active haters. Followers of Christ should instead heed what he instructed, “Love one another, as I have loved you” (John 13:34-35). There are no two ways about it – we either are motivated by love as children of God, or indifference and hate is clear evidence that our claim to be Christians is a lie.
The Sin of Cain (vv. 12,13,15). In many ways, Cain is the epitome of human evil. The reas he murdered his brother, we are told here, is because “his works were evil and his brother’s righteous” (v. 12b). What an odd form of envy! Instead of striving after the righteous example of his brother, Cain chooses to eliminate “the competition,” as if that would make things any better for him. What is more, this attitude is not unique to Cain, no, it is the same reason the world hates believers. Maybe it is because to some, “we are the aroma of death” (2 Corinthians 2:16).Cain’s trajectory of evil went from envy to hate and ultimately, to murder. For this reason, hate should be equated with murder (v. 15). Jesus said as much in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-22). This is why we should not take strife and feelings of resentment among Christians lightly.
The Security for Christians (v. 14). A person who is governed by love can be secure in the knowledge that he/she has been transformed. The term used here “passed from death to life” has a double message. The first, of course, is that we are transformed. The second echoes the words of Jesus in John 5:24, words that we appeal to often, to show the certainty of our salvation and the fact that we will not be condemned. It is simple, isn’t it? If you want to tell who is a Christian, look for righteousness and love.
If you see indifference and hate, attribute it to the devil and those who are his. It is not rocket science!
Your loving Pastor Chris.