TO CHEW ON: "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God nor is he who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:10
A possible title for 1 John 3 would be: "Two Ways to Tell if Someone is a Christian." John talks about two litmus-test aspects of the Christian life in this chapter and they come together in verse 10:
"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest:
1] whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God
2] nor is he who does not love his brother."
Practicing righteousness makes its appearance in various forms throughout the chapter. It involves purifying ourselves (1 John 3:3), avoiding sin, and living, instead, a life of habitual righteousness (1 John 3: 6-8, 10, 22).
Loving one's brother is just as prominent. John presents it as an ancient requirement going back to Cain and Abel (1 John 3:11-12). He describes the person who does not love his brother as someone who "abides in death" (1 John 3:14), and the person who hates his brother as a "murderer" (1 John 3:15). That brotherly love is practical evidencing itself in a compassionate response to our brother's need (1 John 3:17-18). Our right living in this gives us confidence before God and assures us that He will answer our prayers (1 John 3:22).
I ask myself, if people looked at my life and judged it by these two criteria, would they say I was a Christian? What about you?
PRAYER: Dear God, Your standards are easy to understand but hard to live. I ask for Your help, especially with loving my brothers and sisters. Please help me to see fellow Christians—indeed all people—through Your eyes. Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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