(Photo by Cassie Boca 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 98, we are going to study 1 John 3:13.
Let’s read our verse.
1 John 3:13 So do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
Let’s go over the definitions of the words.
So (2532. kai) — means “and” or “also.” This word connects the current verse to the previous verse, where John explained that Cain killed Abel because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
Do not (3361. mé) be surprised, (2296. thaumazó) — means “do not be amazed, astonished, or caught off guard.”
Brothers and sisters (80. adelphos) — refers to fellow believers who belong to God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.
If (1487. ei) the (3588. ho, hé, to) world (2889. kosmos) — refers to people and the world system opposed to God and His ways.
Hates (3404. miseó) you. (4771. su) — means to hate or feel hostility toward you.
In the previous lesson, we learned that Cain killed Abel because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. Cain’s evil deeds revealed his unrighteousness, which ultimately led him to murder his brother.
In this verse, John is telling his readers “do not be surprised” if the world hates them.
As Christians, we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbors, and even our enemies.
But this does not mean that others will love us in return. That’s because there is a conflict between those who follow Jesus and those who oppose Him and His ways.
Humanity’s rebellion against God began in the Garden of Eden, when Satan tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. This rebellion laid the foundation for the world system that opposes God.
This conflict continued with Adam and Eve’s children, Cain and Abel. Cain hated Abel because Abel’s works were righteous while his own works were evil.
Not everyone in the world will hate Christians, but we should not be surprised when people oppose us because we follow Christ. However, there will be people that do hate Christians and will persecute them.
In 2 Timothy 3:12, we read that all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Persecution means experiencing hostility, harassment, mistreatment, or violence because of your faith in Christ.
2 Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
John is speaking to “brothers and sisters” in Christ who belong to God’s family. In this verse, we see a contrast between those who belong to God and those who live in opposition to God and His ways.
John is warning fellow believers that the people in world may hate them because they follow Christ.
Cain hated his brother Abel and murdered him. In contrast, Christians are called to demonstrate genuine love for fellow believers and even for those who oppose or persecute them.
As Christians, we are called to do good to everyone, especially fellow believers.
In 1 Peter 1:22, we read that believers are called to love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers and sisters, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
In the next part of the verse, we see the term “the world.”
This refers to people that are opposed to God and His ways. Cain represents the pattern of wickedness that opposes righteousness.
Jesus said that you are either with Him or against Him (Matthew 12:30). In other words, if someone is not with Christ, they are aligned with the world rather than belonging to Christ.
This does not mean that every unbeliever is actively hostile toward God. However, some people oppose those who follow God, and throughout history, Christians have faced persecution and have even been murdered because of their faith.
Because of Satan’s influence on the world system, there is an ongoing conflict between light and darkness, and between righteousness and unrighteousness. As Christians, we should not be surprised when we experience opposition because we follow Christ.
In 1 John 5:19, we read that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. We see humanity’s rebellion against God begin in the Garden of Eden, when Satan tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. Satan continues to influence the fallen world system that opposes God and His ways.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
And finally, we see the words “hates you.”
The world is opposed to God and His righteousness. This opposition can also be directed toward those who follow Him.
The world follows the pattern of Cain, who hated his brother Abel because Abel’s works were righteous while his own works were evil.
When Christians live godly lives and practice righteousness, they may be hated because their actions expose the sin of those who oppose God, even when they do not directly confront them.
We need to be careful that our own actions do not unnecessarily provoke hatred or hostility. We are called to represent Christ faithfully, treating others with love, humility, and respect, including those who oppose or persecute us. If we experience opposition, it should be because of our faithfulness to Christ and His truth, not because of our own sinful attitudes or behavior.
In John 15:18–19, Jesus teaches this same principle. He wants His followers to understand that if the world hates them, it hated Him first. The world may oppose believers because they belong to Christ and are no longer of the world.
John 15:18–19 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
In conclusion, John wants believers to understand that they may experience hatred from the world because they follow Christ. We need to be aware that there is an ongoing conflict between righteousness and wickedness.
We see this conflict in Cain, whose evil deeds led him to hate his righteous brother Abel and murder him. In contrast to Cain, Christians are called to love one another deeply, to love their neighbors, and to love those who oppose or persecute them.
Here is a prayer to respond to today’s lesson.
Lord, thank You for Your Word and for reminding us that we should not be surprised when the world opposes us for following Christ. Help us to stand firm in our faith, live righteously, and love one another deeply. Give us hearts that love even those who oppose us, and help us to represent Jesus faithfully in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s read this part of the verse one more time.
1 John 3:13 So do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
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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.
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Thank you and God bless you.
Jeff M Newman
