LOVE ONE ANOTHER

I JOHN  3:10-17

INTRODUCTION

The third test that we really love God is love to others. Since God is love, it is absolutely impossible to love God and not love one another .

Let us learn.

I. LOVE REVEALS ONE’S TRUE NATURE .(v10)

• The one thing that shows that one is either a child of God or of the devil is LOVE.
• A person who does not live a righteous life is not of God.
• A person who does not live a pure and holy life is not of God.
• A person who does not love his brother / sister is not of God.
• The person who mistreats, abuse, ignores, neglects or takes advantage of his / her brother /sister is not of God. (Rom.13:8-10)

II. LOVE IS AN ETERNAL MESSAGE FROM GOD. (V.11)

• Love is the message heard from the beginning of time.
• The message is “LOVE ONE ANOTHER”

III. LOVE DOES NOT PERSECUTE     OTHERS (v.12-13)

• Love does not persecute the righteous.
• Cain committed the very first murder on earth.
• Cain killed his own brother Abel (Gen.4:1-15)
• A person who truly loves his brother will not: Criticize, backbite, censor, spread rumors, downgrade, attack, abuse, gossip, envy, oppose, hurt, destroy, murder, dislike and hate. (John15:12, 13:8-10)
• If we love Christ, then the world will persecute us. (Matt.24:9, Luke 6:22-23, 21:17)

IV. LOVE IS THE PROOF THAT ONE HAS PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE (v.14)

• The death spoken here is Spiritual and Eternal death.
• Love is the proof that we have passed from death over into life.

V. LOVE DOES NOT HATE (v.15)

• The person that hates his brother is a murderer. (Matt.5:21-22)
• Love is the only security against hate.
• A hater is a murderer and no murderer has eternal life. (I John 4:20-21)

VI. LOVE IS THE PROOF THAT ONE UNDERSTANDS THE LOVE OF CHRIST. (v.16)

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us;

• When we were without strength (Rom 5:6)
• When we were ungodly (Rom 5:6)
• When we were sinners (Rom 5:8)
• When we were enemies of God, rebelling, cursing, neglecting, ignoring, denying and rejecting God. (Rom.5:10)

VII. LOVE HAS COMPASSION AND GIVES TO MEET THE NEED OF OTHERS. (v.17)

• Love gives the necessities of life to those in need.
• We live in a very desperate world, needs are everywhere (Church, home, school, street, country, region, continent and world) (Acts 20:35, I Tim.6:17-19)

CONCLUSION.

¨ Loving other people is the proof that we love God.

¨ Giving to the material needs of others is a higher proof that we are children of God.

¨ Do we really love God this way ?