Because He Loved Us

I John 3:16-23

For God so loved the world... I heard a devotion shared on that text today (Thursday) and it is interesting that now I am writing on the same subject. Now our passage is not from John 3:16, but the two verses are very similar. It could be said that First John is the sequel to John 3. John 3:16 tells us that God loved us so much that He sent His Son who laid down His life so that we could live. He loved us because He chose to love us. It was not because we earned it, or were worth it, or deserved it. He loved because He is love.

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By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

I John 3:16–23

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John 3:16 tells of God's love towards us that made salvation possible. It was His love, His plan, and His Son's sacrifice that made it possible. The only contribution we make in the work of salvation is being the poor wretch in need of saving. So often we shift the focus of salvation from being about God, and make it about us. The only one who deserves and praise and any glory in the salvation of any person is God.

Now John is writing to tell us what comes next. Since we have been the recipients of that love, we are to love like He loved us. We are to "lay down our lives for our brothers". If this was a one-time action that required a split-second decision to be brave and lay down our lives, many of us could do that. This is especially true if it was for someone we loved. However, John is calling us to a different kind of "laying down our lives". He means that we are to do this daily through service.

The example he gives, besides love, is acting to alleviate the needs of suffering brothers. If we see a legitimate need and we have the ability to help, but do not, how can we claim to have the love of God in us? This is hard for some people. It takes a lot of work to earn the little pay most of us get. If a person makes near minimum wage, they have to work an entire hour for a dozen eggs now days. And yet, we forget that it is God who gives us the ability to work so that we can buy those eggs. He blessed us so that we could bless others. He loved us so that we would know that love, and then we could share that love.

If we do not have a heart to help people in need, God is bigger than our hearts. He can change them. We have not because we ask not (James 4:2). What does our money matter if we dishonor God with it. It becomes a stumbling block and sin in our lives. God wants to change that. He wants us to love Him so much that we love others with what He gives us. That is the mindset we much have.

John finishes this passage by saying, "And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment" (v. 23). God wants us to be saved by believing on the name of Jesus Christ His Son. Then, the result of receiving His love is that we love others. This would be easy if it was not for the other people we are called to love. They are aggravating and get on our nerves. We have to remember that we are too. We had wronged God with our sins, and yet He carried out His plan of salvation so that we could know His love.

Father, help us to remember how much we received and how little we deserved it. The more we understand Your love, the easier it will be to love those who we find so hard to love. Help us to be more like You, and more like Your Son.