3.13.2009
Dr. Russel D. Moore
1 John 3:10-18
- It is not an unusual experience in today's culture for young people to be in love with love. This is not surprising because in the world love means so many things.
- John writes of love as war between children of God and the children of the Devil.
- John is saying that we as children of God need to be alert to the fact that we are in a constant war with temptation.
- This is at the heart of the Gospel - how I know I am a child of God. If I love my brother - not "have feelings of love" but show by my actions that I am looking to Christ as my example for how to live a life that shows my love for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
- I am not to act like Cain - live in hatred of others because I know that there actions are right and my actions are wrong.
- This is a manifestation of guilt.
- I am also to not be surprised when the world hates me for what I do. When I am following Christ I am declaring war on the accepted culture. I am a "rebelutionary" for Christ.
- Satan would rather that I not think about my faith - he would rather that I just go along in life without being a radical. When I become a rebelutionary, Satan will exert greater power to bring me down.
- If I love Jesus then I am to love my brothers and sisters in Christ - if I don't then I am committing murder in God's eyes.
- I can base my definition on what I feel or on the culture around me, but this definition can easily be twisted.
- Love is giving myself up for another - for my brothers and sisters in Christ.
- What are people going to say about me in 20 years? Are they going to remember me as being a strong Christian or as someone who talked the talk buy doesn't walk the walk?
- I should be preparing myself now for my future wife and children (Lord willing).
- Am I willing to pour myself out for others? Am I concerned that there is a sentence of death on those that I know who are unsaved, or am I content that I am taken care of?
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