Love reveals a person’s true nature; love shows that a person is either a child of God or of the devil. Note who it is that is not of God.
⇒ The person who does not live righteously is not of God. The person who does not live a pure and holy life is not of God.
⇒ The person who does not love his brother is not of God. The person who mistreats, abuses, ignores, neglects or takes advantage of his brother is not of God.
This is easily seen: God is holy, righteous, and pure and God is love. Therefore any person who does not live a holy, righteous, and pure life and who does not love could not be of God. His life stands opposed to all that God stands for. The things that he does are not of God; they are not of the nature of God. Now, of whose nature are they? Whose nature is unholy, unrighteous, impure; and whose nature is unloving? Not God’s nature, but the devil’s nature. This is not a pleasant thought, but Scripture declares emphatically that we are either a child of God or of the devil. What determines whose child we are? Our lives reveal exactly whose child we are.
⇒ The person who lives a righteous life and who loves his brother takes his nature from God.
⇒ The person who lives an unrighteous life and who mistreats his brother takes his nature from the devil.
We can look at our nature and tell whose child we are. If we live righteous, pure, and holy lives and love one another, we have the nature of God. If we live unrighteous, impure, and unholy lives and mistreat one another, we have the nature of the devil. It is that clear: there is no middle ground. God’s nature is not that of unrighteousness and hate. God is righteous and loving; therefore, the person who lives a righteous life and who loves his brother is of God.
Now, note a significant fact: John defines righteousness as love. This is what he is really saying in this verse: the person who does not do righteousness is the person who does not love his brother. Righteousness is love, and unrighteousness is failing to love. This is seen by scanning this passage:
⇒ Note verse 12: Cain did not love his brother so he murdered him and did an unrighteous deed.
⇒ Note verse 14: the proof that we have passed from death to life is our love, our righteous behavior toward our brother.
⇒ Note verse 15: love is not unrighteous acts, hate, or murder.
⇒ Note verse 16: love is the righteous act of God in giving His Son to die for us.
⇒ Note verse 16 again: love is laying down our lives for our brother.
⇒ Note verse 17: love is compassion and giving to meet the needs of our brother.
The point is this: love is action—righteous deeds in action. And righteousness is love—loving deeds in action. This is exactly what John declared earlier.
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him” (1 Jn. 2:10).
This is also what Paul declared in that memorable passage of Romans, a passage that we should live in and preach and teach as long as we live upon earth.
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Ro. 13:8–10).
How do we know if we really love God? We can look at love and tell. Do we love our brothers? Or, do we hold things within us toward others? Do we think evil thoughts about them? Talk about them? Criticize, murmur, grumble, gossip, or backbite them? Do we do evil against them? This is the nature of the devil—to tear down and destroy—not the nature of God. Therefore, if we do these kinds of things, we are revealing that we are not the children of God, but children of the devil. Love reveals whose child we are.
“Blessed are the peacemakers [an act of love]: for they shall be called the children of God” (Mt. 5:9).
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mt. 22:37–39).
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn. 13:34–35).
“Let love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Ro. 12:9).
1 John 3:10 This is the way God’s children are distinguished from the devil’s children. Everyone who doesn’t do what is right or love other believers isn’t God’s child.
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PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM