1 John 3:11–18 — The Truth About Love

Jon Beck

Our current series through 1 John is Life in the Light: Knowing Christ. Walking in Truth. Loving One Another.

These sermon notes are not a full manuscript but a listening guide designed to help our Tabernacle Church family follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can also find sermon notes, family devotional guides, our prayer list, and other resources on our church website.

1 John 3:11-18

Intro

  • In 3:4–10, the Word dealt with our relationship to sin.
  • Verse 10 transitions to another evidence of genuine faith: “…nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
  • Now the text shows us what genuine Christian love looks like.

Love Is God’s Desire — vv. 11–12

Love seeks God’s glory and the other’s good — v. 11

  • Love has been part of the Christian message from the beginning.
  • Loving one another is an ongoing responsibility.
  • The immediate emphasis is love within the family of God.
  • Jesus broadens that responsibility: love God and love your neighbor.

Biblical love is more than emotion, affection, or affirmation. It seeks another person’s true good through truth, sacrifice, and action. Their greatest good is to know Christ, follow Christ, and grow in Christ.

Biblical love asks:

  • What honors God?
  • What truly helps this person?

His glory. Their good.

Hatred of righteousness exposes who we are — v. 12

  • Cain is the opposite of brotherly love.
  • His deeds were evil; Abel’s were righteous.
  • Hatred in the heart eventually became murder with the hands.

What fills the heart will eventually show up in the way we treat people.

Love is a Heart Issue — vv. 13–15

Love is not always accepted — v. 13

  • Opposition should not surprise us.
  • Faithfulness to Christ will not always be welcomed.
  • We can love people, seek their good, and speak the truth—and still be rejected.

Love reveals new life — v. 14

  • Salvation has moved us from death to life.
  • Love is evidence of that new life.
  • Our actions flow from who we are.

We do because of who we are.

Hatred reveals spiritual death — v. 15

  • The Word moves from the outward act to the inward root.
  • Murder is the action; hatred is the heart behind it.

Love Is Defined by Christ — v. 16

Christ shows us what love is

  • His sacrifice was voluntary.
  • His love was personal and sacrificial.
  • The cross gives us the clearest definition of love.

Cain took a life. Christ laid down His life.

Christ shows us how love lives

  • His self-giving love becomes the pattern for His people.
  • Because He gave Himself for us, we should give ourselves for others.

We do not define love by culture, emotion, or preference. We define love by Christ and the cross.

Love Should Be on Display — vv. 17–18

Love responds to real needs — v. 17

The Word moves from Christ’s greatest sacrifice to an everyday opportunity to love.

  • He has — he possesses the ability to help.
  • He sees — the need is known and real.
  • He closes — he has the resources and sees the need, but refuses compassion.

The claim to love God is contradicted when we are unwilling to love others.

Love acts and speaks in truth — v. 18

  • The problem is not loving words; the problem is words without action.
  • In deed – genuine love becomes visible. Love acts and responds.
  • Biblical love uses wisdom and discernment; not every request is necessarily a genuine need.
  • In truth — love must be genuine and consistent with God’s truth.

Biblical love never separates compassion from truth.

The What Now

Love What God Loves

  • Seek God’s glory and the good of others. Let your love help people know Christ, follow Christ, and grow in Christ.

Guard Your Heart

  • Pay attention to what your attitudes and reactions reveal. Refuse bitterness, resentment, hostility, and hatred—even when you are rejected or opposed.

Ask yourself:

  • Is my heart right?
  • Is my motive Christlike?
  • Is my tone gracious?
  • Are my words truthful and necessary?
  • Am I trying to help—or simply trying to win?

Let Christ Define Love

  • Let the cross, not culture, emotion, approval, or affirmation, define how you love. Because Christ gave Himself for us, we should increasingly give ourselves for others.

Truth matters. How we speak the truth matters. Why we speak the truth matters.

Remember the Goal – God’s glory. Their good.

  • For the lost: redemption
  • For the believer: sanctification
  • For us: faithfulness to Christ

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