Preach the Word Radio

“Love One Another” 

1 John 2:7

INTRO:

(1 Cor. 13)

A. Last week, the Apostle John taught on:

            1. the exhortation to ‘NOT LIVE IN SIN’

            2. If we do sin, we have an ADVOCATE

            3. He Himself, is our PROPITIATION for our sins – for entire world

B. John also gave the TEST of KNOWING HIM—-EXPERIENTIALLY-

            1. We demonstrate that we EXPERIENTIALLY KNOW HIM by –

                        a. KEEPING His COMMANDMENTS –

                        b. Keeping God’s PRECEPTS

                        c. All the PRECEPTS/COMMANDMENTS given to us by Christ & epistles

C. In V4 then, John said that anyone who CLAIMS TO BE SAVED;

            1. Yet DOES NOT OBEY God’s Word is a LIAR

            2. And they REALLY AREN’T SAVED

D. They may have an INTELLECTUAL SALVATION

            1. But they REALLY AREN’T SAVED EXPERIENTIALLY

E. The Word of God declares that those who are TRULY SAVED, will:

            1. KEEP God’s commandments

            2. And they will also –

F. ABIDE

            1. More than to just DWELL in the PRESENCE

            2. The idea of FAMILY, interaction, LOVE, participation, Working through problems

G. The true believer will also WALK, even as CHRIST WALKED

            1. We will live like CHRIST

H. The TRUE BELIEVER:

            1. Keeps God’s Commandments

            2. Abides in Christ

            3. Walks like Christ

I. And NOW TODAY;

            1. John CONTINUES this THOUGHT on EXPERIENTIAL FAITH

J. The TRUE believer will also-

            1. EXPERIENTIALLY demonstrate the LOVE OF GOD

“Love is the preeminent mark of a genuine believer. Love for God is the benchmark of one’s relationship to Him, and love for other people is the epitome of human relationships. Because love is the saint’s highest moral duty toward others, it is not only the ultimate mark of genuine salvation, but also provides the supreme assurance of that reality.”                        – John MacArthur

K. And this is the very thing that the APOSTLE JOHN now continues to teach us

            1. As we continue in Verse 7

⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

A. The Word ‘BRETHREN’ is better translated ‘BELOVED ONES’

            1. It refers to ‘GOD’S DIVINE LOVE’

            2. It is, ‘DIVINELY-LOVED ONES’

            3. This is the same word for LOVE as used in:

John 3:16    For God so loved (Divinely-loved) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

1 John 4:7-8
⁷ Beloved, let us (divinely…) love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is (Divine…) love.

The Word ‘COMMANDMENT’ here is ‘A PRECEPT’

            1. Again, not in the sense of the MOSAIC LAW

            2. But as an EXHORTATION to the CHRISTIAN, it’s an INJUNCTION

“Which you have had from the beginning”

            1. Refers to the BEGINNING of their SALVATION

A. John no doubt here could remember back to the time when Jesus had just silenced the —

Matthew 22:34-40
³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced…… the Sadducees, they gathered together.
³⁵ Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

B. At this point historically, the rabbis had long since started on that vast work of-

            1. Elaboration of the Law that ultimately evolved into the TALMUD

C. Already their commentaries and rulings and binding traditions-

            1. Had begun to replace the Torah in authority

D. The scribes divided all 613 commandments of the Mosaic Law;

            1. Into 248 Do’s (the number of the members of the body, as they counted them)

            2. And 365 Don’ts (One negative commandment for each day of the year)

E. They also saw great significance, too, in there being –

            1. Not only 613 commandments in the Law

            2. But also 613 letters in the Decalogue (The 10 Commandments)

F. They greatly elaborated the Law

            1. Expanding to the point of absurdity

2. For instance, the commandments concerning keeping the Sabbath—

G. According to a 1987 Associated Press story;

1. Here is how an ultra Orthodox Jew observes the Sabbath:

“Before the Jerusalem Sabbath siren wails at sundown Friday night, Orthodox Jews unscrew the light bulbs in their refrigerators so as not to inadvertently turn them on and violate the Sabbath. They turn off their water heaters. They hide money because it is a reminder of daily labor instead of divine rest. They cut their toilet paper in advance because ripping it would violate religious regulations. They light tall white candles moments before sundown because striking a match is banned during the Sabbath. These are some of the acts prohibited during the Sabbath: taking a bath, opening an umbrella, touching a pen (because they feel writing is work). Strict but complicated “carrying laws” govern what objects may be lifted and how far they may be moved.

Much of the Sabbath is spent in three long ritual meals, usually shared with friends who arrive on foot and interrupted frequently by blessings and ancient Hebrew songs. Each meal begins with bread seasoned heavily with salt, which all must eat to remind them of coming out of Egypt with Moses. Cooking is forbidden. Pre-cooked food is kept warm by turning a burner on low before the Sabbath and covering it with a copper plate that stays hot. Games are permitted during the Sabbath but restricted. “Fish” a card game of making pairs, is preferable to “Monopoly” which requires use of play money. Even conversation is regulated (I think that’s a good idea, even at church). Topics of work, politics or commerce are banned. Orthodox Jews strictly limit travel on the Sabbath. Unless one lives within the prescribed allowed walking distance, he cannot attend synagogue services. Many of these regulations are well intentioned but carried to the extreme

H. Many other O.T. laws were elaborated on, and contained in the Talmud, such as

            1. Ceremonially washing before a meal

            2. Mixing of materials in a garment (Bra / blended materials – braking the law)

            3. Turning on a light (kindling a fire)

            4. Distance – got around that by tying ropes to their property to extend travel area

            5. Drinking – sift the drink through their teeth, so as to not swallow a gnat

            6. Dietary laws; Circumcision; Ritual Sacrifices; Feast days; Fasting days

I. The Jews became CONSUMED by EXTERNAL KEEPING of the LAWS;

1. While they overlooked their HEARTS

Matthew 23:23-28
²³ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! ²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. ²⁷ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

J. In all forms of RELIGION, man is CONCERNED with APPEARANCE;

            1. While GOD IS CONSUMED on the HEART

1 Samuel 16:7   But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

K. And this is really what JOHN is stating here in his EPISTLE;

            1. ‘Those who EXPERIENTIALLY KNOW GOD…will LOVE from their HEARTS’

L. It’s EASY to PRETEND to LOVE your BROTHER or SISTER;

            1. And you may be able to PRESENT a FACADE, but GOD SEES the HEART

M. That’s why CHRIST REBUKED the PHARISEES;

            1. They were HYPOCRITES

            2. They APPEARED to be one way…

                        a. But in their HEARTS, they were another person

‘HYPOCRITE’

1. The term used of GREEK ACTORS who stood on stage

            2. Wearing a LARGE MASK, to indicate HAPPY/SAD/ FEAR etc…

HYPOCRITE

1. A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2. A person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Examples of HYPOCRITE

1. A HYPOCRITE might be one who criticize other people for not voting

a. But who don’t always vote themselves

       2. Or, as John says here, a HYPOCRITE is one who

            a. Says they LOVE GOD, but yet they HATE their NEIGHBOR

N. So the Jews has elaborated the LAW, to the point of absurdity

            1. They’d become so focused on EXTERNAL OBSERVANCE

            2. And the Jewish leaders laid LOADS on the PEOPLE that they could not bear

Matthew 23:1-7
¹ Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, ² saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. ⁵ But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. ⁶ They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, ⁷ greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

James 2:10
¹⁰ For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

K. The Rabbis had even made provisions for adultery, divorce,  murder & even HATRED!

1. It’s OK to COMMIT ADULTERY, DIVORCE, MURDER, HATE

2. You just must abide by the             ORAL TRADITIONS of the TALMUD

3. And they BEGAN to ELEVATE the TALMUD above GOD’S WORD!

Matthew 5:27-48  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. ³¹ “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³² But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. ³³ “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷ But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. ³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  ³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

L. Some commandments they rated as great,

1. Some as small, or lesser significant

M. So the lawyers asked Jesus:

1. “What was the GREATEST COMMANDMENT of all the 613 laws”

N. Jesus took His questioner back to the great creedal statements of:

Deuteronomy 6:5           You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 10:12      “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Deuteronomy 30:6
And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

O. Jesus then summarized all man’s duty to God and all man’s duty to man in –

1. Two comprehensive statements that were already embedded in the Pentateuch

Leviticus 19:17-18       ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

P. This is exactly how Jesus responded to the lawyer who tried to trap Him –

Matthew 22:36-40       “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Q. The Apostle Paul said much the same thing in Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:8-10
⁸ Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
⁹ For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  ¹⁰ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

R. Such was the OLD COMMANDMENT

            1. And such was the GREAT COMMANDMENT

“Love God supremely, love all men sincerely.”

S. All the other laws are expositions of these 2 rudimentary & revolutionary principles

            1. If everyone loved God and other people like that…

            2. Then we would not need the countless laws that tie us up in knots to this day

T. The 1^st 4 COMMANDMENTS deal w/ mans relationship to GOD

            1. The last 6 Commandments deal w/ mans relationship to MAN

U. And here JOHN is teaching that if our RELATIONSHIP to GOD is CORRECT;

            1. Then it will be EVIDENCED by our RELATIONSHIP to MAN being CORRECT!

V. Essentially, God is saying:

            1. “Don’t tell me you have CORRECT LOVE for ME, if you DON’T love your brother”

W. I think of even what the Lord stated in MATT. 5

1. Concerning our INTERACTIVE relationship with HIM & our NEIGHBOR:

Matthew 5:21-24      “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. ²³ Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

X. This whole idea then brings into play the BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE of FORGIVENESS

            1. “Well, WHY DON’T you LOVE your brother?”

            2. “Well, you just have no idea what he / she did to me”

                        a. “Therefore I can NEVER FORGIVE THEM”

Y. Many Christians today are going through life;

            1. Wondering why they DON’T GROW, or why they have a broken fellowship w/ God?

            2. And the ANSWER MAY JUST LIE in UN-FORGIVENESS…

                        a. Either towards your BROTHER / SISTER / NEIGHBOR

                        b. Or in some cases, (bitterness) even TOWARDS GOD

Z. “I’m NOT bitter TOWARDS GOD, I’m bitter towards what happened to me”

            1. When in reality, your bitterness is against God & hindering your walk w/ Him

Exodus 16:4-8     Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. ⁵ And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” ⁶ Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. ⁷ And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?” ⁸ Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.”

A. We may see our COMPLAINING as being directed against our circumstances;

            1. Yet, because GOD is SOVEREIGNLY directing the circumstances of our lives;

                        a. When we complain, it is really against the Hand of the Lord

B. Grumbling & Complaining, left unchecked –

1. Will EVENTUALLY develop into BITTERNESS

2. Which will BREAK DOWN our FELLOWSHIP with GOD & BRETHREN

C. Our RELATIONSHIP with GOD and ONE ANOTHER is INTERTWINED

            1. If I’m right with God;

            2. Then I am in POSITION to be RIGHT with my NEIGHBOR

D. But if I’m NOT RIGHT with my NEIGHBOR;

            1. Then I CAN’T be right with GOD

E. This is the BASE PRINCIPLE that John is TEACHING us here in his EPISTLE

            1. “Do you want to know if you are right with God?”

            2. “You will know if you DIVINELY-LOVE your NEIGHBOR”

F. Because GOD IS LOVE

            1. It stands to REASON that if I’m in FELLOWSHIP with GOD…

            2. Then I am in fellowship WITH DIVINE LOVE

            3. UN-CONDITIONAL LOVE

            4. LOVE that is MERCY FILLED

            5. Love that is GRACE CENTERED

            6. Love that DELIGHTS in FORGIVING the TRESPASSES of a BROTHER

G. But as Paul said in Gal. 5:13 -

Galatians 5:13-15      For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

H. And finally, I leave you with this same commandment from our Lord Himself:

John 13:33-35     Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. ³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”