(Photo by Simon Spring on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible.)
Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.
In Lesson 95, we are going to study 1 John 3:11.
Let’s read the verse:
1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
Let’s go over the definitions of the words.
This (3778. houtos, hauté, touto) is (1510. eimi) the (3588. ho, hé, to) message (31. aggelia) — means the specific announcement being communicated.
You have heard (191. akouó) — means to hear, listen to, and understand what is being communicated.
From (575. apo) the beginning (746. arché) — means from the beginning or initial point of their instruction.
We should love (25. agapaó) one another (240. allélón) — means to deliberately and selflessly seek the good and well-being of one another, following the example of Christ.
In other words, this is the specific message you heard and understood from the beginning: that we should deliberately and selflessly seek the well-being of one another, following Christ as our example.
In Lesson 93 and Lesson 94, we learned that children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil. Children of God practice righteousness and love their brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who do not practice righteousness and do not love their fellow believers show that they are not of God.
As children of God, we are called to love one another. John is reminding his readers that they have already heard this message from the beginning. Because we still have a sinful nature, we need to be continually reminded to love like Christ. We must rely on God to love with Christlike love rather than simply follow our natural feelings. It can be easy to forget or neglect what God has commanded.
Just as John is reminding us to love our brothers and sisters, we should do the same. Encourage a fellow Christian today to love others. Loving one another is foundational to the Christian life.
No matter how difficult or unlovable someone may be, we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Look to Jesus and the way He loved, and follow His example. Ask God to increase your love for fellow believers.
In John 15:12-13, we read that Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us. Jesus is not only telling us to love one another, He gives us His own love as the example we are to follow.
John 15:12-13 (NLT) This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Let’s look at some practical ways we can love our fellow believers and the verses that support these biblical commands.
Look out for the interests of others.
We are to look beyond ourselves and care about the needs, interests, and well-being of others rather than focusing only on ourselves.
Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Forgive one another.
Just as Christ has forgiven us, we are called to forgive others. This can be difficult when someone has hurt you. When it is difficult to forgive, look to what Christ has done for you and remember how much He has forgiven you. This can help us extend that same forgiveness to others.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Build others up with gracious words.
Your words are powerful. They can either build someone up or tear them down. Look for ways to bring grace into the lives of others through your words. Avoid words that unnecessarily tear people down, and look for opportunities to encourage, strengthen and speak graciously to others.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
Pray for one another.
When you are around other believers, ask them how you can pray for them. Write down their prayer requests and pray for them regularly. Make this a regular practice in your life. As you pray, you will have the privilege of seeing God work in the lives of others. Praying for others is a powerful way to show them that you love and care for them.
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
In conclusion, we are called to love one another. It is easy to forget this command and become focused on ourselves. Take time each day to remind yourself of this command, and encourage other believers to love one another.
We covered four practical ways to do this. Let’s review what we learned.
Look out for the interests of of others. Look beyond yourself and find ways to help, encourage and build up other believers. Consider others more important than yourself (Philippians 2:3-4).
Forgive one another. When someone hurts you, it can be difficult to forgive. But instead of holding on to bitterness, look at what Christ has done for you. Remember how He has forgiven you, and extend that forgiveness to others (Ephesians 4:32).
Build others up with gracious words. Use your words to speak God’s grace into people’s lives. Always look for ways to encourage and build others up with your words (Ephesians 4:29).
Pray for one another. Find ways to pray for other believers. Regularly ask them how you can pray for them, and pray for them when they share a need. When appropriate, pray for people on the spot rather than simply telling them you will pray for them later (Ephesians 6:18).
As a believer, God dwells in you through His Spirit, and His love has been poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). As you walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) and yield yourself to Him, He enables you to love the people around you.
Surrender yourself to Him and ask Him to empower you to love others as He has loved you. Remember, this is not something we accomplish through our own strength. We depend on God and allow His Spirit to work in and through our lives.
Here’s a prayer to help you respond to today’s lesson.
Father, thank You for loving me through Jesus Christ. Help me to love my brothers and sisters as Christ has loved me. Help me to forgive, encourage, build others up and pray for one another. Give me the strength to obey Your command and walk by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you’ve been blessed by Hope Bible School, please share it with others.
Listen to these lessons over and over again.
Meditate on God’s Word throughout the day. Pray continually. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
If you have any prayer requests, please share them in the comments.
Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
