"Cain wanted to satisfy God in his own way...People of the world are still doing this. They say Christ cannot be the only way to God."
[This message is part of a series through the book of 1 John, entitled "Salvific Assurance Through Testimony," preached by Pastor Senter].
We just finished discussing how our works, how the righteousness of Christ within us, bears His mark on us. How, when we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, do we then change? What things happen in us that others see because of our salvation? I pray we made it clear that all those things we discussed (the fruit of the Spirit) are results of the salvation provided by our Savior.
If you noticed, the first verse we are considering today is also the last verse we considered last week. This might happen to us a few times in this study. John has a way with his transitional sentences and it can be instructive to include them at the end of one study, but also at the beginning of another.
We are not capable of righteousness in and of ourselves. In the scriptures we study today, we find, therefore, some of the inner man. What is the difference between man as man truly is and the man as he is with Christ? What exactly is the original man like as opposed to the child of God; one claimed by Christ as His own?
Please look again at 1 John 3:10. In the last sermon post, we looked at what true Christianity is: a loving testimony resulting in the fruit of the Spirit articulated in Galatians 5. The actual practice of loving one’s brother is a difficult endeavor. It is good that we have the Lord with us, or we may never succeed with this, loving ones’ brother.
When I was younger, I treated my brother like garbage. I was a rotten brother. I even burned up his favorite stuffed monkey one time to try to break him of his need for it. I thought he was six, he was getting too old for such things, and I determined I would break him of this childish thing. I was a horrible brother. I believe he loves me today, he has respect for me, but I really ruined our relationship with my actions. I have reconciled with him. I picked on him because he was younger. I shunned him and refused to spend time with him. He was more favored, quite frankly, because he obeyed my mother and I did not. I was an evil, rebellious child who sought nothing for anyone except myself. Now, if Matthew knew the Lord I could use this verse against him today, because he has to love me whether or not I loved him. That would be quite selfish though. How many of you have relationships like that? Most all of you have always been wonderful to all of your siblings. I am confident you have never caused strife with your family.
I believe we have all had our times. If we look back on the times we have caused trouble, we will probably find that this was a result of selfishness or jealousy. Either we thought someone else was receiving some favor undeservedly, or we wanted the favor they received when we did not warrant anything of the sort. We think, many times, that just because we are here, just because we exist we deserve some special favor – just because. The truth is, we should never expect this treatment. We should never expect to receive anything. In fact, if we look truthfully at our lives, at our efforts, at our own personal fruits to others, we find a great gulf between our expectations, and the truth of our just desserts.
Salvation from a perfect God can give us perspective. Truly, it is initially a perspective given us (our iniquity and His perfection) that first calls us to recognize the need for our soul’s salvation. Today we do not look at the gulf though; we look at the stark differences between those on either side of the gulf. We should understand that, when we are saved, all the things of the world become old, and we become a new creature. We, therefore, should be saved from one side of the gulf, and moved to the other. Christian, you are saved from the evil of one side, and delivered to the righteousness of the other. You are saved from the hate of one side, and Christ moves our souls to a position and capacity to love selflessly on the other. In this post, we’ll look at, “ You are known as a Christian by your relationships to others, especially the ones you love,” and also consider that “We externalize our relationships, but they must come from Christ.“
I. Christians love one another (verse 10)
Is the fellowship at Mountain View Baptist Church with these children of God sweet? Do the relationships we develop here tend toward those we might consider long lasting? I know there are some ladies here that have known one another for many years–decades in fact. To keep friendships for such long periods of time, you have to care for one another. In these things, in the love that you see from others here, in the love we enjoy from one another, in the long-standing friendships that develop and are maintained, we find Christ. We talked somewhat about this when we were together last. Christianity and the Love generated through Christ is very evident in the lives of those who truly have Christ in their heart. This is “philadelphia”– this is brotherly love. This is the love we, as children of God, have for one another.
Here again we begin looking at this very aspect of the believer’s life. We see here the specific grace and the perfection of the Holy Spirit’s influence on our lives in the sweet fellowship we have one with another. If you claim Christianity, yet do not want to have closely tied-together-entwined fellowship with other believers, then your faith–or lack thereof– is evident, it is shown, others see it. We have a country of people where 75-85% claim they are Christians, yet when you ask them if they attend a church, if they attend a fellowship, they say no. Worse yet, if you ask them where they go to get their problems cared for, who they seek for advice and counseling, they tell you “psychiatrists” or some individual that has no idea what a spiritual life with Christ really involves. To the psychological or sociological professional, this building, this gathering, and the worship here is a crutch– a dependence mechanism, or a “needed emotional release.” Some are brazenly insulting and claim people attend church out of some childhood guilt complex. I submit to you, this is not an emotional issue; it is a spiritual and intellectual issue. To the normal church-goer who is pretending to be saved, this is just a place we have to go for God once or twice a week. These people are not your brothers and sisters in Christ yet. They do not know Him. On one side, therefore, you have the saint–always seeking God and fellowship with believers. On the other side, you have the lost. Therefore, there are children of God, and children of the devil.
Who we love, who we spend our time with, who we care more to be with, these choices very much mark our type of Christianity.
Not just where you enjoy spending most of your time, but what you do with your time also marks you.
A. True Christianity is a visible righteousness
We talked a little about this visible righteousness in the last post. Today we should delve deeper into this topic. The connotation of the verse really lends itself to the positive rather than the negative that permeated our discussion of the preceding verses. We, then, should concentrate on the positive aspects of this righteousness for a few moments. What righteousness do we see being done–or do we endeavor to do–that shows Christ in our lives? I will give you an example of someone. I know of a gentleman who owns a large manufacturing business. The Lord has gifted him in administration and he does very well. He is very wealthy. He also owns a tire recycling business. He makes his living from his manufacturing business; he serves the Lord there faithfully. All the profits from his tire business go to missions. He employs people in both, he pays taxes with both, and he serves the Lord with both. However, one is dedicated solely to the Lord.
I am not suggesting you should consider owning two businesses–one for you, and one for the Lord–but I am suggesting that this man’s actions mark him for righteousness. In your own little microcosm of life, in your own small sphere of influence, you too can be marked for righteousness. I will give you a simple example. This is not to brag, but it is an example. I do not have a lot of money to give, so if I can give help to someone, I try. Knowing the condition of most people in this world, I try to just offer prayer for anyone we can. The best opportunity is when you are out to eat and your server comes to your table. Offer to pray for them when you give thanks for the meal. It is truly amazing what true prayerful love can do to someone. Another thing I attempt to do is to try to help elder folk. I have a real heart for them. I help ladies pump their fuel, I help them through the door, I help them carry their stuff out to the car, and I help them with their dogs. You know, you just need to help them. In these little things, I pray the Lord is pleased with me and I want to share with others His love that is in me. I pray the Lord’s righteousness is shown through these things.
You do not have to do a big thing; you just have to do something.
There is also something that happens either way. There is cause and effect.
B. True Christianity is a Godly righteousness
When we attempt to do things of our own power, of our own accord, for our own good, we do it for us. When we do things of this nature and call them “righteousness”, eventually we become embittered because there is no recompense. When we do things for our own good, we look at it as a sacrifice with a reward attached. Rightly, the best and most satisfying things we can do are to help or serve others – selflessly. Wrongly, the motivation for this service cannot be “for our own good” which assumes a reward. The only motivation must be selfless love. Ladies and gentlemen, there is only one person we can receive selfless love from, and from Whom we can literally be injected with the capacity for it: Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit indwelling us.
In my experience, I have seen that people are selfish. I have seen it in my past. This pattern continually repeats itself. They have no individual righteousness, because no one does. They have no capacity to practice true righteousness, because everyone is born with a sin-bent and filled nature. They have no ability to be selfless, because their entire being is bent toward their individual success regardless of whom it might affect. This righteousness, the ability to act out of selflessness, the movement toward a life of pure service without expectation of recompense begins with salvation. It is not in us individually. This is the failure of most marriages today. They do not see their love and dedication to and for one another as an act of 100% give without expectation. A true loving marriage relationship involves dedication and hard work, and much grace for the both of you. Marriages that begin with and are based strictly in a physical attraction normally do not last. People can even feel emotion toward their spouse, but this emotion can only last so long. This is why scripture teaches abstinence from physical contact until marriage. This personal and individual gratification will and does become the focus of the relationship. There is a depletion of respect one for another, there is a depletion of inhibitions, and the relationship normally becomes focused inwardly not outwardly. People fall prey to the “thrill” in life and continually seek more of it. Drug users seek a better high, others seek an increasing intensity of satisfaction, and yet others seek the extreme limits of physical endurance. These relationships are nothing but unrighteous, ungodly, and incapable of true love.
Loving one another truly, selflessly, in Christ Jesus and therein being focused upon others–this is the basis of true happiness. This righteousness is in Christ, of Christ, for Christ, and because of Christ. If you are in a relationship today that does not focus upon serving the other, if you expect something in return, if you serve so that they serve, if you catch yourself saying, “I know she will do such and such because I did such and such;” then this relationship has the wrong focus. If you expect anything from any relationship you have, you have the wrong focus.
Agape love is selfless, it is focused upon others, and it expects no return for the investment. This form of love simply does, it serves, and it subordinates itself to others for the purpose of righteousness in Christ Jesus. Do you know this love?
We have discussed what love of your brother, or sister, entails in righteousness, how about unrighteousness?
C. True Christianity has no unrighteousness
The words that describe unrighteous people in this passage mark them as of the devil, literally. The word used to describe them is the word from which we get the word “devil”. The key to this understanding is in the realization that Satan can put good things in your life to draw you away from God. Consider this – Satan says to do whatever you want, focus upon anything you want, be whatever you want to be and have whatever you want to have. He claims to not be judgmental. He claims he is not a totalitarian, he claims that he will permit you to do whatever feels good. Do not think about consequences, do not consider the ramifications of your actions, just do what you feel is best. If it feels good, do it. This, ladies and gentlemen, is unrighteousness. This type of selfish and self-centered activity has no basis in Christianity, and no Christian should be engaged in any activity that is purely self-centered. If there is no value in it for Christ, if there is no orientation to serve Him, if you are purely serving yourself, this is an activity that lends itself to unrighteousness.
Another thing we find here is that these self-oriented activities end up leading us to hate our brothers. Consider this, if you are so deep into some thing that you would ignore the needs of another, or if you are so involved that your committal to the hobby, activity, or passion detracts from your ability to serve Christ–if your desire is purely to get to that next level of satisfaction in whatever you do, no matter what the cost to your family, your friends, or anyone around you, then I submit to you that you have an idolatrous relationship with that thing. This can be a person, a hobby, a game, or anything that so occupies your thoughts and concentration that you forsake all for this thing. It can be an emotion, it can be stubbornness, it can be anything that results in others suffering because of what you have chosen to do repeatedly. If people give you counsel, if people notice this activity, if people attempt to encourage you to change, but you steadfastly stay with your activity, you are unrighteous. I have seen some do this with video games, with books, children, outdoor activities, pride, and even sour attempts at joviality or jokes that hurt others. The activity can be the most innocuous or innocent, but it so consumes you that you are dedicated to it, rather than to being with, fellowshipping with, or helping others.
You may ask if I can give you an example of this obsession – how about several? Consider the substance abusers, and I place alcoholics in this same category. They will spend the home’s food money on their own desires. They would rather spend time with others drinking and partying, than with their families. They spend their families’ meager and needed resources on their own personal desires. These individuals are not alone. People can be so consumed with hobbies, or with lust-filled relationships (man with woman, and woman with man, even homosexual and lesbian) that they do the same thing. People would rather spend time in the wilderness than with God and His people. They ostracize their friends, their parents, and their families. They consider only their own lusts, and they seek only to fulfill that which makes them feel good. I submit to you that if your life is filled with someone who does not help you glorify God, this is an unrighteous relationship. This is unrighteousness in action, this is devilish, and this hurts people and does not edify anyone. Those engaged in this type of relationship actually hate others, and this scripture says that the love of God cannot be in people who do these things.
God’s salvation is the producer of this righteousness. Ultimately it is God’s glory that benefits from it, but God wants us to show our salvific love to one another. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we are not exhibiting these things, we do not love others.
Scripture has taught us for some time that unrighteousness and hatred are wrong. Scripture has also taught us that love is born from an obedience and submission.
II. Christians love in obedience (verse 11)
We should look at John 15:12-17. When we read this, we think to ourselves that this phrase “for his friends” is a different level of qualifier than what we have discussed with “agape” love. In other words, this is not a “philadelphia” or brotherly love, born of selflessness. Ladies and gentlemen, both “phileo” and “agape” are in this verse. It literally reads “greater “agape” hath no one than this, that he put down his life for his “phileo.”" Ever heard the phrase “putting your life on the line?” The verb “to put” is the verb here that is translated “lay down.”
Another thing we must observe is that normally we would place these two forms of love on different levels. Phileo is the brotherly love that we can have one for another. We should have this love for one another here in fellowship. We normally separate this from the agape love, and call the agape love the love we have between husband and wife. These things are true, but here Christ Jesus Himself tells us that there is no greater way to show selfless love to one another than to give your life to another person. It is the highest form of brotherly love.
One other aspect of this verse we must consider is the word translated “life.” This word indicates the inner most person, the soul of the individual, that thing that is your life. There is another word for “life” in Greek that more indicates the physical life. Here in this verse, we see Christ, essentially, saying that to give of yourself to another in love, forsaking your own inner feelings for another, forgoing what your personal inner desires are and giving all of that to another–giving another brother or sister your heart and dying to your own desires: this is true love. This commandment is also repeated in John 13:34 – that we love one another as Christ has loved us.
This, therefore, is the message from the beginning. This is a message you have heard, need to heed, and must obey from the beginning. This is not some new commandment. We see it multiple places, and John makes this a specific ministerial focus. 1 John 3:23 repeats our charge to love one another. Why do we find this to be such an important issue? Why do we find this charge, actually a command directly from Christ, to love one another? Isaiah 32:17 tells us “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” Isaiah tells of a deep wellness in our soul, a completeness (shalom) that we can achieve with Him. This love, this resting in Christ Jesus was taught to us from the beginning. This gives us that quiet rest.
I have made the point in previous discussions that agape love, true honest selfless love, is given out of submission and obedience because an individual trusts someone to care for them. They need not care what happens to themselves because their cares will be satisfied. The cares of a Christian are for eternal life with Christ Jesus, and only that life. This is where this true love leads someone. When you have the love of Christ in you, then you can truly give this to others. When you can obey this command, you trust Christ to care for you. If you, therefore, cannot submit to this commandment and love others selflessly, you are not trusting in Him to provide for you. You are leaning upon your own strength.
Giving yourself to one another wholly and completely shows the perfect righteous love to one another. This is not a new command, but it is a command we must obey. Are you leaning upon the Lord? Are you submitting to Him? Conversely, are you leaning upon your own strengths? If you are leaning upon and concentrating upon yourself you will always disappoint yourself. What is your decision? Our message of obedience should begin with unselfish love. Does your life exemplify unselfish love?
As is normal with John, we have the polar opposite. We have looked at love, now we should take a brief look at hate.
III. Demons hate and kill (verse 12)
I struggle with any better example than the one we find right here in scripture. How much more hateful can someone be than to be jealous of another simply because they obeyed. Here we have the first murder ever committed in the world, and it is sibling against sibling. Here are some statistics that should wake you up. There is even a term for this type of murder in criminal justice–it is called “siblicide” and is also known as “fratricide.” Between 1976 and 2007, there were 198 recorded sibling on sibling homicides. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service sites these occurrences as less than two percent of homicides. The part that should wake you up is that “American Indians exhibited an increased risk ratio for siblicide.” The good news: there are not many. The bad news is that Satan is still operating through Cain and the perpetrators are as young as 11 and 12 years old. This is not an accident database–these are deliberate acts.
Ladies and gentlemen, Satan wants you to consider yourself supremely. We know that children’s hearts do not need to be trained to do this. The first time they say “mine,” their little sin nature is poking through. Anyone who thinks that man is inherently good, or that children are just innocent little critters that need to grow up is naive and unobservant. We are wicked from the beginning and without the Savior to change our hearts we are just as lost as we can be. We are unable to serve others selflessly. Satan likes and uses us this way.
We have to face the fact that we were evil from the beginning. We then can understand that we are possessed of evil and this evil is from Satan. When we come to terms with the origination of evil we can also come to terms with the fact that there is a driving force behind this evil–Satan.
A. Cain was out of Satan
The use of words to portray this truth is very revealing in this passage. Literally John is saying Cain was out of, sent from, came from Satan. Cain was jealous because Abel’s sacrifice was accepted. Cain only thought of himself in the whole ordeal. We can almost see him saying, “After all, God gave me the gift of tilling the ground, He should be happy with the fruits of that gift.” That is not thinking of God’s desires or requirements. That is not considering obedience. That is considering what you want to give. Cain did not look at submission and God’s requirement for sacrifice, then go to his brother, and ask for an exchange. Abel was gifted with animals, growing, and nurturing them. Cain could easily have gone to Abel and said, “I’ll trade you some grain or corn or crops of some sort for a lamb to sacrifice for the Lord.” Something tells me that if Cain had broached the issue properly, Abel would have given him a proper sacrifice. However, because Cain essentially said, “Take what I give you” to God instead of submitting himself to God’s requirement, his true heart shone through with the act of murder.
Cain, after God chastises him for his self-centered attitude, turns his anger upon his brother–the only other person around he can take it out upon. He is mad not because God did take Abel’s sacrifice, but because God did not accept what Cain offered. What Cain offered, even if it was unacceptable to God, was good enough to Cain. Cain wanted to satisfy God in his own way. God essentially says, “It must be my way, you must submit to what I want. What you want, Cain, is of no consequence.” You can see Cain saying, “My brother, mister ‘goody two shoes’, is always giving everyone what they want. What about me? I give people and God what I have to give. Why isn’t what I give good enough?”
People of the world are still doing this. They say Christ cannot be the only way to God. There cannot be only one way. However, God says that there is only one way. There is no other way to heaven, no other way to be with God the father, except through Christ Jesus. God can be very demanding, and He has every right to be.
Have you ever felt this way? Then you have experienced the jealousy of Cain. Have you ever thought, “Do these Christians have it right? Is there only one way?”
The other part to this story involves a righteous man, Abel.
B. Abel was righteous
Many wonder how Abel knew to sacrifice, what to sacrifice, and how it was supposed to have been sacrificed. Abel had two parents, Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve witnessed the first sacrifice for their sins. God killed an animal and covered them with the skins of the animal to hide their nakedness. Prior to this, they did not need this covering. They were covered with some other form of righteousness. They were not naked. They were covered by the righteousness of God. Now, after the fall, they had to spill blood for their sins regularly. Abel learned his lessons. Cain grew haughty and did not take God into his heart. Abel, therefore, was righteous. Abel served God and sought to please others, especially God, by fulfilling their requirements and not his own. Abel gave of himself for God and was rewarded through God’s acceptance of his sacrifice. Scripture does not tell us exactly, but one has to ask why Cain did not barter with Abel. Is it because he only farmed enough for himself? Is it because he did not farm for others, even though he was gifted to do so? Scripture does not tell us.
You might think that you have never killed anyone. You might think that you are not as Cain for rising up against your brother or sister. Let us get back to our verse for a second. John uses the picture of Cain and Abel in a discussion of believers. By these things the works of the evil ones are evident, that they hate their brothers and sisters. I submit to you that you do not have to physically kill someone in order to kill them. How many of you have questioned someone’s motives before others? I try desperately to describe events around people to communicate and not ascribe motives. I do not trust my heart to make determinations. It is hard to do and I submit to you that I am not as successful as I should be at not slandering others. This can happen intentionally or unintentionally. We have to work at this every day because our hearts are desperately wicked and no one except God can know what is truly in there. You can kill some “with kindness,” but your words slay people regularly. Cover your mouth, especially when it comes to other believers. Jealousy begins and permeates sin. If you are jealous, you are coveting. This sin leads to murder. Slander is murder.
Are you a slanderous murderer? Have you spoken ill of others?
Today we discussed that Christians love one another. That true Christianity is visible, godly righteousness, and that it has no unrighteousness in it. We talked again about love in obedience and the fact that it is a commandment to love, which we must obey. Finally, we addressed the opposite of this very thing. We talked about demons, Satan, and their focus upon killing us. Satan was a murder from the beginning. He first convinced Eve that she could be like God and know sin. When this first sin happened, they both died. We looked at the unrighteous self-centered desires of Cain and the righteousness of Abel. In consideration of these truths, have you recognized yourself to be self-centered? Are you holding on to things because you want them? Conversely, are you willing to give things up? Are you willing to give things away in order to serve God? Where are you in your life? Do you covet other things more than you covet God? If you need help in finding scriptural answers to these questions, please contact us.
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