1 John 3:16-18
Thoughts from Brian Cook
Dive Deeper
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:16-18
Behind the Scenes
The author of today’s verse is known as a “Son of Thunder”, the “disciple whom Jesus loved”, and the Apostle John. After having a front row seat to Jesus’ love for God and others, he penned this letter to the early church. Scholars believe this letter was circulated between many churches and believers to both speak truth and spread encouragement.
During the time of this letter, around 85-95 A.D., there was a popular and unbiblical teaching that was gaining traction and causing doubt in the early church. This theory was called Gnosticism and simply taught that the spirit was entirely good, and matter was entirely evil. This caused many people to doubt fundamentals about who Christ was, who they were, and what God had called them to do.
John was trying to combat a loud cultural message that was harming not only individual people’s faith, but whole communities as well. He had witnessed Jesus’ love for others, His crucifixion, and His resurrection. In this verse, John is trying to both validate who Jesus is and what He did as an act of love. He also describes how to love others the way that Jesus has loved, by being generous, truthful, and taking action.
John wants to dispel any confusion between the Word of God and the ways of the world. He is illustrating that we are incredibly loved by God and that love was meant to be shared with others. He also clarifies that it is not simply enough to talk about love, but to genuinely love our neighbors requires both action and truth.
Make it Real
As we have read in today’s verse, we are being called to love people just like Jesus has first loved us. We are called to love in action and in truth and that can start today. Maybe today is the day that you buy someone’s coffee, bring someone lunch, write a thank you note to a teacher, invite your neighbor to dinner, call a family member, or ask a friend how they have been doing. Today could be a step of courage to get out of your comfort zone and show the people around you the abundant love of God. As a believer in Christ, you are equipped and ready to love someone today through action and truth.
Maybe, it feels like I just added 18 more things on to your to-do list for the day. A to-do list that now feels the weight and pressure of salvation. If it feels inauthentic to step out and love someone else today, if it feels overwhelming and impossible to cross “love someone else” off your to-do list, then maybe your action step today is to receive the love of God.
I encourage and join you in crying out to God today, asking to feel His love. Let’s pour into His Word until we find His love. Keep knocking on God’s door because I promise, and more importantly He promises, that He will answer.
If the heaviness of it all is too much today, then let’s make finding the love of God our first priority. Because when we can begin to know this love that surpasses knowledge, then we are filled to the measure with the fullness of God. Out of that fullness, God’s love overflows to the people around us. Once God’s spirit of love is felt in our lives, it literally cannot be contained and will be shared throughout our community and our world.
Rebecca Dyer
ACF Devo Team
End in Prayer
Lord God, I thank you for the love that you have given us. I praise you for the love and goodness of your Spirit. Thank you for showing us a love that would sacrifice everything for relationship. Lord, I ask that your love would be felt and known deeply today. I pray that your Holy Spirit would speak loudly through the Holy Bible and illustrate the magnificent love you have for us. Lord, I pray that we will see the needs in our community and courageously act in love to help. I pray these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.