Love in Action and Truth (1 John 3: 16-18)

LOVE IN ACTION AND TRUTH (1 JOHN 3: 16-18):

Apostle John continues to write about the way of loving one another. He writes that Christ laid down his life for believers and believers ought to lay down the lives for the brothers and by that the believers know love. The love is not a noun but a verb. Apostle John quotes the example of Lord Jesus Christ that he had given his life unconditionally for the reconciliation of mankind with God, showing the right path of life on the face of the earth. Likewise, the believers also need to be ready to show the right path and help others in need to know God, though it may cost life.  Real love is not in the thoughts and words but it’s the action through which each one of us could know what really means love.

Apostle John then writes that if anyone has the world’s goods and sees the brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?. A person who is good at the wealth, position, and health in the world has the world’s goods. If the believer is well and full in everything and sees his associate who is in need, he needs to help him as far as he could in whatever way that is possible. A person seeing another person being suffered, without caring for him could not be God’s child as he had not received God as the way actually he needs to know Him. Because a person who had received God as the father is related to everyone else in the world whether they are known personally or not known, because God created them all. God’s way of loving does not exist in a person who sees another person suffering and closes the heart.

Apostle John further makes a conclusive statement by addressing the believers as little children saying them not to love in word or talk but indeed and in truth. There are many people who desire to do good and love others but just keep on talking and seeking opportunities and also when there is a real opportunity available, they take chance to do it later. The Apostle strongly recommends the believers not to just keep on loving by talking that they love the other person but actually show it by the actions, which is the true love that makes sense meaningfully to the other person. Though the talking might impress others certainly, it is just temporary. The deeds make a believer trustworthy and show that the person is truly keeping up what is being believed.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.      By what we know love?

2.      How we can know love because Christ laid life for us?

3.      Why we ought to lay down our own lives for the brothers?

4.      With whom God’s love abide?

5.      Why does God’s love does not abide in a person who closes his heart towards a brother in need?

6.      How we need to love?

7.      Why we shouldn’t love in word?

8.      Why we should love in deed and truth?

9.      How we can love in deed and truth?