Love One Another (1 John 3:11-18)
Love One Another (1 John 3:11–18): Meaning and Reflection
In 1 John 3:11–18, John emphasizes the essential command to love one another, which he sees as foundational to the Christian life. This passage draws a clear contrast between the self-giving love of Christ and the hate exemplified by Cain, setting up a boundary between those who follow Christ’s example and those who live according to the world’s values. The theme of love here serves as a powerful reminder that Christian love is radical—it’s not mere words but self-sacrificial actions.
John begins by reiterating the core message of the gospel: “We should love one another.” This command is rooted in the example of Christ, whose love for humanity was demonstrated not through abstract feelings but in tangible, sacrificial actions. As John elaborates, the love believers are called to display is not sentimentality but a love expressed in concrete ways, particularly in the way they treat one another. This stands in stark contrast to the hate that leads to violence and division, illustrated in the example of Cain, who murdered his brother Abel out of jealousy.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of 1 John 3:11–18 and Commentary
1 John 3:11: We should love one another.
“For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
John’s message is both simple and profound: love one another. This is not a new command, but one that has been central to the Christian faith from the start. The call to love others is inseparable from being a follower of Christ, as seen in Jesus’ own words in John 13:34–35: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John echoes this message, reinforcing the idea that love is not optional for the Christian; it is foundational to who believers are.
1 John 3:12: Cain Killed Abel. Why?
“We must not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s were righteous.”
John uses the example of Cain and Abel to illustrate the destructive power of hatred. Cain’s jealousy of Abel’s righteousness led him to murder his brother. This tragic story, found in Genesis 4:8, demonstrates how hatred can grow when it is allowed to fester. Cain’s actions reflect the world’s values—marked by envy, violence, and division—while Abel’s righteousness exemplifies the way of love, justice, and peace. This contrast serves to underline that the children of God are known by love, not hate.
There are a number of lessons we learn from the story of Cain and Abel:
1 John 3:13: The World Hates
“Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you.”
John acknowledges that Christians will often face hatred from the world. Living according to God’s values, marked by love and self-sacrifice, will not be understood or accepted by a world that values power, selfishness, and division. Jesus Himself warned his followers of this in John 15:18: “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.” The world’s hatred is not a reflection of the believer’s failure but a sign of their faithful witness to Christ.
1 John 3:14: Passed from death to life
“We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death.”
John explains that the proof of having experienced salvation is the ability to love one another. This transition from death to life is not just a future hope but a present reality. The love Christians show for one another is evidence of the life that has been given to them through Christ. This idea echoes Jesus’ words in John 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Love is the outward sign of this inward reality.
1 John 3:15: What Jesus Said about hate
“All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them.”
John equates hatred with murder, drawing on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:21–22, where he says that even anger toward a brother or sister is akin to murder in the heart. John takes this teaching further, emphasizing that harboring hatred is incompatible with eternal life. Those who persist in hate reveal the absence of God’s life within them. This strong language serves as a warning against any form of bitterness or animosity within the Christian community.
1 John 3:16: Jesus laid down his life for us
“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.”
Here, John points to the ultimate example of love: Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus’ act of love is the model for all believers. John calls Christians not only to love in words but to demonstrate their love through self-sacrifice. This is a radical challenge to the world’s focus on self-interest. As Raymond E. Brown notes, sacrificial love is a behavior to be actively lived out in everyday life (Brown, 1982, p. 357).
1 John 3:17–18: Let us love one aother in truth and action
“How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.”
John closes this section with a call to practical love. True love is not just spoken but demonstrated through actions. Christians are challenged to help those in need, particularly their fellow believers. John’s reminder here is that love must be evident in deeds, not just words. This practical application is a key part of Christian living, as seen in James 2:15–16, which urges believers to meet the needs of others rather than offer empty words of comfort.
Love One Another (1 John 3:11–18): Meaning for Today
The message of 1 John 3:11–18 remains as urgent today as ever: love one another, not just in words but in actions. This love reflects God’s nature and serves as a proof of the transformation believers have undergone in Christ. John teaches that love is the distinguishing mark of the Christian community, and where love is absent, eternal life is in question. Christians are called to love sacrificially, following the example of Christ, who laid down his life for us. This kind of love is not a passive feeling but an active choice to serve and care for others, especially in a world that desperately needs to see it.
