Family Resemblance II

I John 3:10-15

I have two brothers and two sisters. To say that we didn't always get along would be an understatement. Some of those disagreements would get physical and sometimes someone would get hurt. Of those times when one of my siblings got hurt by my hands, I might still be angry, but I was also concerned that they were really hurt. I never wanted to inflict serious injury on any of them. How a sibling could hate another sibling escapes me. I didn't always get along with them (I still don't), but hate is so far from what I feel; or is it? It is kind of hard to make an argument for punching someone out of love.

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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. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

I John 3:10–15

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John tells us that if you want to tell which family a person belongs to, look at how they act. If they behave righteously, they are God's. Those who do not act righteously are not God's. Neither are those who do not love their brothers. Wait, you mean we can't live a good life and harbor ill feelings for our brothers and still be recognizable as a child of God? John says no.

To make this more difficult, the word brother does not just speak of biological brothers. It was also commonly used to refer to national brothers. John was writing telling them that they had to love their fellow countrymen. We also speak of other Christians as "brothers". So, what John is telling us is that we cannot hate anyone. While this might disagree with our sentiments, it should make logical sense. God is righteous and, "For God so loved the world..." (John 3:16) so we too should love the world if we are to be righteous. Also, "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5:10).

Then, of course, Jesus said, "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you" (Luke 6:27-28).

John takes the issue of hate and discusses Cain and Abel. God approved of Abel's sacrifice but rejected Cain's (Genesis 4:3-5). Cain became bitter and eventually killed his brother. Rather than fix that which was wrong in his worship, Cain fostered a spirit of resentment towards Abel. This grew to hate. When his hate was fully matured, he killed his brother. Hate is a dangerous thing.

In verse 13, John says that we should not be surprised when the world hates us. They hate us because we are different, and they know it (v. 14). We are not like them anymore. They resent us and hate us. While it is not fun, it is reality. The only solution is for us to share the Gospel with them and make them like us.

John ends this passage by saying that if we hate our brother, we are guilty of murder. Jesus said the same thing in the "Sermon on the Mount".

“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.’ 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."

Matthew 5:21-22

Jesus said:

• If you are angry with your brother, you are guilty of murder.

• If you say "Raca" or "You are empty headed" or "Brain dead", you are in danger of being brought before the council.

• If you call your brother a fool, you are in danger of Hell fire.

Why would Jesus say this? He is teaching what John said in I John 3. That is, if you hate your brother, you are not God's. A child of God will look like Jesus. Love does not look like the things He described in Matthew 5.

Father, we all struggle with this from time to time. We get angry and harbor our hurt and anger. If left unchecked, this can grow into hatred. Forgive us. Help us to forgive those who sin against us. May we be unmistakably Your children.