1 John 3:1-10
SS Lesson for 08/11/2024
Devotional Scripture: 2 Cor 5:16-21
Five books of the New Testament have traditionally been attributed to the apostle John, who was one of the original 12 disciples (Matthew 10:2). Three of the five, the ones we designate 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John, are letters from the apostle to various believers in the first century AD. Church history strongly associates John with the church in Ephesus, located in modern-day Turkey. Tradition says he died in this city in the AD 90s. The three letters were probably written in the region of Ephesus. The letters date from the AD 80s or 90s. John would have been an older man by this time (compare the self-designation “the elder” in 2 John 1; 3 John 1). The dignity of his age peeks through in 1 John as he addresses his readers as “dear children” nine times (examples: 1 John 2:1; 3:7). We are unsure of the issues that faced the letter’s original audience. Apparently, they had been confronted with threats to their faith. Some of these threats included the temptation from an early form of the attractive heresy we call Gnosticism. Among other things, gnostics taught that it did not matter whether a person had morality or love—as long as he or she had “secret knowledge.” To combat this false teaching, John emphasized the connection between right belief, right actions, and right love. The child of God must believe the truth, obey the commands, and love the brethren. False teachers were so bold that John referred to them as having a “spirit of antichrist” (1 John 4:3; compare 2:18, 22). John wanted their influence eliminated lest they split the church further (see 2:19). The church also faced more general threats, including the denial that Jesus is Christ (1 John 2:22), a return to idol worship (5:21), and a general lack of love for one another (4:7).
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, 8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. 9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair — every good path. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
12 Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
25 Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
14 The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.
33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.
32 "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Verse 1
The Holy Spirit’s production of righteous behavior in abiding Christians is evidence of God’s great love for us. John used love language more frequently in 1 John (46 times) and in his Gospel (44 times) than any other New Testament writer. Paul used it third most frequently in Ephesians (20 times). [Note: See Yarbrough, pp. 174-75 for a graph and a table of the occurrences in all the New Testament books.] Scripture calls us God’s children (Gr. tekna) because that is what He has made us. The name simply expresses the reality.
"The thought here is of the community of nature with the prospect of development (teknon, comp. 2 Peter 1:4), and not of the position of privilege (huios)." [Note: Westcott, p. 96.]
John never used the title huios, "son," to describe the relation of Christians to God. He reserved huios to describe the relation of Jesus to God (cf. 1 John 3:2; 1 John 3:10; 1 John 5:2).
Unbelievers cannot fully comprehend the children of God. The reason for this lack of perception is their failure to comprehend God fully. Since they do not "know" the Parent they do not "know" the children (cf. John 1:12-13; John 5:37; John 7:28; John 16:3).
"The author wants his readers to know that approval by the world is to be feared, not desired. To be hated by the world may be unpleasant, but ultimately it should reassure the members of the community of faith that they are loved by God, which is far more important than the world’s hatred." [Note: Barker, p. 330.]
". . . the world hates the children of God (1 John 3:13), just as it hated Jesus (John 15:18 f.), since they do not belong to the world. This very fact is a further proof that the readers are children of God: the way in which the world does not recognize them as being on its side is proof that they belong to God." [Note: Marshall, p. 171.]
Verse 2
Even though we are presently God’s children we do not yet fully reflect His image as we shall. However when (not "if," another third class condition) Jesus Christ appears and we see Him, we shall experience full transformation (i.e., glorification). Evidently seeing Jesus Christ will fully transform us physically and spiritually (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12).
"A child of God is here and now, indeed, like a diamond that is crystal white within but is still uncut and shows no brilliant flashes from reflected facets." [Note: Richard C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude, p. 452.]
"He will not be anything essentially different hereafter, but he will be what he is now essentially more completely, though in ways wholly beyond our powers of imagination." [Note: Westcott, p. 97.]
John’s references to the appearing in 1 John 2:28 and 1 John 3:2 frame his references to the new birth in 1 John 2:29 and 1 John 3:1. Every true Christian will participate in this appearing.
Verse 3
In the meantime we anticipate seeing and knowing Jesus Christ fully, and that anticipation has a purifying effect on us now (cf. 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:6; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 4:17; Matthew 5:8). [Note: See Wayne A. Brindle, "Biblical Evidence for the Imminence of the Rapture," Bibliotheca Sacra 158:630 (April-June 2001):149-50.] Similarly in the future seeing and knowing Christ will have a completely purifying effect on us (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18). The believer’s hope is not "in him" (AV and NIV; i.e., "within himself"), but "on Him" (NASB; i.e., "set on Christ"; Gr. ep auto).
"John states two reasons why the Christian ought to be pure. One is related to a past work of God and the second to a future work." [Note: Ryrie, "The First . . .," p. 1472.]
Verse 4
"In the preceding section John has been stressing the importance of continuing in Christ, doing what is right, and purifying oneself in anticipation of his coming. Now he deals more closely with the negative side of all this, the need for believers to abstain from sin and the possibility of their doing so." [Note: Marshall, p. 175.]
"The present vv, 1 John 3:4-9, form six strophes, each of which divides . . . roughly into half. The two halves of the strophes balance one another; for the second part of the v provides a development of the first part (1 John 3:4-5; 1 John 3:7), or a parallel (1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:9) or a contrast (1 John 3:8) to it." [Note: Smalley, p. 152.]
Sin stands in opposition to purity. Furthermore sin is very serious. The use of the Greek word translated "lawlessness" (anosmia) carries a connotation of wickedness (cf. Matthew 7:23; Matthew 13:41; Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:7). It means rejection of law in its broadest concept, flagrant opposition to God, rather than just breaking specific laws. Evidently the false teachers had a soft view of sin (cf. 1 John 3:7-8).
Verse 5
Two more facts believers know highlight the seriousness of sin. Jesus Christ became incarnate to remove sin, and there was no sin in Him. This is a strong assertion of Jesus’ sinlessness (cf. 1 John 2:1; John 8:31-59; John 10:30; John 17:22; 1 Peter 2:22)
"Because Jesus was holy, and without sin, this can become the character of those who abide in him (cf. Hebrews 2:10 to Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 5:9)." [Note: Ibid., p. 158.]
"The dominant thought here is not that of the self-sacrifice of Christ, but of His utter hostility to sin in every shape." [Note: Westcott, p. 103.]
Verse 6
If abiding in God equals being a Christian, as many interpreters believe, this verse appears to contradict what John wrote in 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10. There he said that Christians sin (cf. 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:15; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 3:18; 1 John 5:16; 1 John 5:21). It also seems to contradict personal experience since genuine Christians do indeed sin.
The key to understanding this statement, I believe, lies in the other terms that John used in the verse: "abides," "has seen," and "knows." John used these words throughout this epistle to refer to a believer who is walking in intimate fellowship with God (1 John 1:7; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 2:10). Still does this view not contradict what John said about the depravity of sinners, even Christian sinners (1 John 1:8)? I believe John was claiming that when a Christian walks in close fellowship with God he does not sin. The abiding believer never repudiates God’s authority over him by doing anything that resists God’s law or will while he is abiding in Christ. If he does, his fellowship with God suffers; He no longer "knows" God in that intimate sense. He no longer "sees" God because he has moved out of the light into darkness.
"John is thus saying that (translating the Gr. literally) ’everyone who lives in him (Jesus) does not sin’; and by this he means that an intimate and ongoing relationship with Christ (ho en auto menon, ’the one who lives in him,’ using the present tense) precludes the practice of sin . . ." [Note: Smalley, pp. 158-59. Cf. John 15:5.]
There was no sin whatsoever in Jesus Christ (1 John 3:5). He consistently abode in (obeyed) the Father (cf. John 14:9). The Christian who consistently "abides" in a sinless Person does not sin (1 John 3:6). If we could abide in Christ without interruption, we would be sinless. Unfortunately we cannot do that.
Some Christians have used this verse to support the theory that Christians are sinless and perfect. Scripture and experience contradict this position (e.g., 1 John 1:8-9; et al.). Others have used it to teach that a Christian does not habitually sin, but this too is contrary to experience and the same Scripture. Advocates of this second view usually support it with the present tense of the Greek verb (harmartanei) that they take to mean "keeps on sinning."
"In modern times a popular expedient for dealing with the difficulties perceived in 1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:9 is to appeal to the use of the Greek present tense. It is then asserted that this tense necessitates a translation like, ’Whoever has been born of God does not go on sinning,’ or, ’does not continually sin.’ The inference to be drawn from such renderings is that, though the Christian may sin somewhat (how much is never specified!), he may not sin regularly or persistently. But on all grounds, whether linguistic or exegetical, the approach is indefensible.
"As has been pointed out by more than one competent Greek scholar, the appeal to the present tense invites intense suspicion. No other text can be cited where the Greek present tense, unaided by qualifying words, can carry this kind of significance. Indeed, when the Greek writer or speaker wished to indicate that an action was, or was not, continual, there were special words to express this." [Note: Hodges, The Gospel . . ., pp. 58-59. See also Smalley, pp. 159-60; and Yarbrough, p. 183.]
"The perfect tense in Greek signifies a state of affairs. It is not concerned with the past occurrence of the event but with its reality, its existence." [Note: J. P. Louw, "Verbal Aspect in the First Letter of John," Neotestamentica 9 (1975):101.]
"The perfect tense here is not intended to categorize a person as either saved or unsaved, since even believers sin (1 John 1:8). Instead, the statement is intended to stigmatize all sin as the product, not only of not abiding, but also of ignorance and blindness toward God." [Note: Hodges, The Epistles . . ., p. 136.]
If we were to translate 1 John 1:8 and 1 John 5:16, where the present tense also occurs, "do not continually have sin" and "continually sinning a sin" respectively, these verses would contradict 1 John 3:6. It would involve no self-deception to say that we do not continually have sin (1 John 1:8) since whoever is born of God does not continually sin (1 John 3:6). Furthermore if one born of God does not continually sin (1 John 3:1), how could a Christian see his brother Christian continually sinning (1 John 5:16)? Suppose we translated the present tense in John 14:6 the same way: "No one continually comes to the Father except through Me." This would imply that occasionally someone might come to God in another way. No orthodox translator would offer that as an acceptable rendering of John 14:6, and it is not acceptable in 1 John 3:6 either.
". . . it is not surprising that commentators have attempted to water down John’s teaching to refer merely to the believer’s freedom from habitual sin. But we must not misinterpret the text for pastoral reasons. Properly interpreted, the text remains a source of comfort." [Note: Marshall, p. 187.]
Another view takes John to mean that no one who abides in Christ has the power to sin, or, to put it positively, Christians who abide in Him have the power not to sin. [Note: Smalley, pp. 161-62, 164, 172.] Yet this is an idea that the reader must import into the verse. While it is true that Christians who abide in Christ have the power not to sin, this does not seem to be what John meant here. He seemed to link abiding and not sinning in a more direct cause and effect relationship.
1 John 3:4 sets forth the essential character of sin, 1 John 3:5 relates it to the person and work of Christ, and 1 John 3:6 relates it to the whole human race.
Verses 7-8
Evidently the false teachers were in danger of deceiving John’s readers by telling them the opposite of what the apostles said here. John’s point was two-fold: conduct manifests spiritual relationship (cf. 1 John 2:29), and God hates sin (cf. 1 John 3:5). A sinner’s sinning has its source in the devil.
"By saying that the person who is a determined sinner (in the sense suggested by 1 John 3:6) ’belongs to the devil,’ John is in the first place drawing on the background of Genesis 3 (1-15), where the power of evil is represented as a serpent who tempts the woman (and, through her, the man) to disobey God (the reference to Cain and Abel in 1 John 3:12 confirms the suggestion that this section of the OT is in mind here)." [Note: Ibid., p. 168.]
Verse 9
Many English translations interpret the Greek present tense as saying no Christian habitually sins, as in 1 John 3:6. For example, the NASB has, "practices sin;" the Living Bible, "does not make a practice of sinning;" the Amplified Bible, "[deliberately and knowingly] habitually practices sin;" and the NIV, "continues to sin." However the Greek present tense does not always indicate habitual action, as pointed out previously. [Note: Marshall, p. 180; Dodd, p. 79.] Frequently it describes absolute action. The New King James Version takes the Greek present tense this way and renders the clause, "Whoever had been born of God does not sin." The NET Bible is inconsistent: it translates 1 John 3:6, "does not sin," but 1 John 3:9, "does not practice sin." Since earlier John wrote that the Christian does sin habitually (1 John 1:6-10; cf. 1 John 2:1) the idea that the Christian does not sin habitually is unacceptable. [Note: See Robert N. Wilkin, "Do Born Again People Sin? 1 John 3:9," Grace Evangelical Society News 5:3 (March 1990):2-3.]
". . . the ’tense solution’ in 1 John 1:9 is in the process of imploding in the current literature. It was shrewdly questioned by C. H. Dodd in his commentary in 1946 and dealt a major blow by S. Kubo in an article entitled, "1 John 3:9: Absolute or Habitual?" published in 1969. [Note: Footnote 16: Sakae Kubo, "1 John 3:9: Absolute or Habitual?" Andrews University Seminary Studies 7 (1969):47-56.] It has since been given up by the three major critical commentaries published since Kubo’s article; namely, I. Howard Marshall (1978), Raymond E. Brown (1982); and Stephen S. Smalley (1984). It seems quite clear that the ’tense solution’ as applied to 1 John 1:9 is an idea whose time has come-and gone!" [Note: Hodges, The Epistles . . ., p. 144.]
The reason one born of God does not sin is he has been born of God. John could say the Christian is sinless because a sinless Parent has begotten the Christian. The Christian becomes a partaker of God’s divine sinless nature when he or she experiences the new birth. The Christian sins because he also has a sinful human nature. However in this verse John was looking only at the sinless nature of the indwelling Christ that we possess. Jesus told Nicodemus that people need to experience a second birth (John 3:5-7). Every Christian has been born twice, once physically and once spiritually. John was looking at the consequence of our second birth in 1 John 3:9.
"As a total person, we do sin and can never claim to be free of it, but our ’inward self’ that is regenerated does not sin. . . .
"Sin does exist in the Christian, but it is foreign and extraneous to his regenerated inner self, where Christ dwells in perfect holiness. Put into Johannine terms, since Christ is eternal life (1 John 5:20), the one who possesses that life cannot sin because he is born of God." [Note: Ibid., p. 141.]
Again, if we were able to abide in Christ without interruption, we would never sin (cf. 1 John 3:6). The sinless nature of Christ controls the abiding Christian whereas the sinful human nature controls the non-abiding Christian (cf. Romans 6:16).
"That is, sin is never the product of our abiding experience. It is never the act of the regenerate self per se. On the contrary, sin is the product of ignorance and blindness toward God [cf. 1 John 3:6 b].
"To view sin as intrinsically foreign to what we are as regenerate people in Christ is to take the first step toward spiritual victory over it." [Note: Idem, The Gospel . . ., pp. 60, 61.]
John was saying that when a Christian abides in God he will behave as his heavenly Father, and others will recognize that he is a child of God. [Note: See Harris, p. 221.]
"If someone says, ’A priest cannot commit fornication,’ one cannot deny that as a man he can commit it; but priests, functioning as priests, do not do those things. The Bible uses language in a similar way, ’A good tree cannot produce bad fruit’ (Matthew 7:18). Of course a good tree can produce bad fruit, but not as a result of what it really is, a good tree. Also Jesus said, men ’cannot’ fast while the bride groom is with them (Mark 2:19). They can fast, but to do so is incongruous and unnatural.
"Similar notions are found in Pauline thought. Paul says, ’I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me’ (Galatians 2:20). If a Christian sins, his sin cannot be expression [sic] of who he really is, because his true life is that of Christ in him [cf. Romans 7:20-25].
". . . when a Christian sins (and John believes he can and will, 1 John 2:1), in that act he is behaving like a child of Satan. Who he really is not being made evident. To use Paul’s phrase, he is walking like a ’mere man’ (1 Corinthians 3:3)." [Note: Dillow, pp. 168, 169, 172.]
A different explanation and one that is commonly held, though it is inconsistent with both what John wrote earlier (1 John 1:6-10; 1 John 2:1) and with experience, is the following.
"Only the unconverted and the counterfeit will practice a self-seeking, self-asserting life of sin." [Note: Gleason L. Archer, An Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 429.]
Note the chiastic structure of 1 John 3:9. 1 John 3:6; 1 John 3:9 also form an inclusio.
“A No one who abides in Him sins (6a)
No one who is born of God sins (1 John 3:9).” [Note: Smalley, p. 171.]
Verse 10
The absence of righteous behavior in a life indicates the absence of intimacy with God. Likewise the absence of love for one’s brother Christian shows that the individual who does not love has little fellowship with God. Love is the most important particular manifestation of righteous behavior (John 13:34-35; cf. Matthew 22:37-39). John proceeded to discuss this trait more fully.
"The whole aim of the Gospel is the creation and strengthening of love. [Note: Westcott, p. 109.]
"The NIV rendering here, ’Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God,’ is a classic example of theologically motivated translation run amuck. It not only paraphrases the text but misinterprets it at the same time! There is nothing in this text about not being a child of God. How could there be? One must be a child of God before one could hate his brother. An unsaved man has no Christian brother to hate . . ." [Note: Hodges, The Epistles . . ., p. 152.]
The unloving Christian is "not of God" in the sense that God is not animating what he is doing. This believer is not on God’s side; he is doing the devil’s work rather than God’s.
John began this part of his argument by explaining what love is not.
John has made clear that the only basis on which a Christian can be identified (manifested) as such is by his or her righteous behavior. Christians are not manifested by the absence of sin in them; he never says this. The next question that John proceeded to respond to is, How can we identify "righteousness?" John’s response was, It is not seen in morality-unbelievers can be moral-but in brotherly love. In this section, as in the one preceding it and in the one following it, the theme, brotherly love, opens and closes the section, forming an inclusio.
(Adapted from URL:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/1-john-3.html)
Rubrics help learners understand expectations and how to achieve an assignment’s intended goals. Today’s Scripture gives us a rubric for whether or not we live as though we have been filled by God’s love. If his love has changed our lives, then we will seek lives of holiness and demonstrate love for others. God’s love has transformed us, but we are still affected by the presence of sin. Until the ultimate defeat of Satan, we will fail to behave or love as we ought. In the meantime, God has given us tools to help us grow spiritually. He has given us his Spirit to transform us into Christ’s likeness. God has also provided us with a spiritual “family”: other children of God. These spiritual “siblings” can encourage us to live according to the rubric of life that God has given us.