love & loving

John talks about love & loving - subjects we might need to take a look at in a day & time when little of either seems to be known or practiced. 


1 John 3

11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: 

We should love one another.

12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. 

And why did he kill him? 

Because Cain had been doing what was evil, 

and his brother had been doing what was righteous.

13 So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.


  14 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. 

But a person who has no love is still dead.

15 Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart.

 And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them.



  16 We know what real love is 

because Jesus gave up his life for us. 

So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need & refuses to help—how can God's love be in that person?


  18 Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; 

let us show the truth by our actions.

19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, 

so we will be confident when we stand before God.

20 Even if we feel guilty, 

God is greater than our feelings, 

and he knows everything.



  21 Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.

22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask 

because we obey him 

and do the things that please him.



  23 And this is his commandment: 

We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, 

and love one another, 

just as he commanded us.

24 Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, 

and he with them. 

And we know he lives in us because the Holy Spirit he gave us lives in us.