1 John 3

Like God the Father, I have an only begotten son. He is grown now, twenty-six years old, and in graduate school, after being in the work force for three years. I am so proud of him. 

We have very different personalities, he and I: I’m an extrovert, he’s an introvert; I’m a risk taker and he’s very cautious; I open my mouth before I’ve thought more than a couple of seconds about what to say, he’s reserved and reflective, but when he does speak, you should listen. Yeah, we’re different and that made raising him interesting at times, but I loved every minute of it.

Even though our personalities are quite different, we share a lot of common interests: we both love to read, we’re both writers and good at expressing ourselves on paper; we love music – all kinds – and love to go to concerts and musicals; we’re both sports enthusiasts and both play tennis. Now that he’s older these shared interests have been great fun, and, though we may act differently, it’s really neat to see the places where I’ve rubbed off on him a little. Those areas really show in many of his interests.

But there’s one way that you can definitely tell he’s mine, even beyond the music he listens to and his choice of tennis racket: our faces. I always tease him that no matter how greatly I embarrass him and how badly he’d like to deny that he even knows me, our faces will always give away the fact that I’m his mom. It’s obvious to everyone who sees us that we are related.

I John Ch. 3 opens with John talking about what it means to live as God’s children. I John 3:1 says,

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him.

This verse tells us that the world doesn’t know we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. But, I wonder if we can turn that around? Is it possible that the world around us can know what God is like by looking at us? 

The truth is, the people around us, the world, should be able to look at us and know what God looks like, just as looking at my son gives you a pretty good idea of what I look like. Now, of course, God is a spirit, so we’re not talking about physical attributes, but inner attributes – God’s character. 

When others look at us they should see the character and attributes of God. They should see love, joy, faithfulness, compassion, forgiveness, steadfastness, mercy, justice, truth, and so many others. 

When we are truly living as God’s children, we imitate Him. When that happens, the world will notice something different about us – they will see God.

• Do you have joy while going through something difficult? God gives us this ability

• Do you love others even when they are not very lovable and/or don’t love you in return? God most certainly does

• Are you able to forgive others when they hurt or wrong you? Yep, God sure does

There are almost as many ideas about who God is as there are people, but we, the children of God, truly know Him. We can speak of His mercy, of His love and compassion, his justice and faithfulness. When we exhibit these same characteristics, we are showing the world the “one, true God,” God our Father.

Just like when my son and I stand side-by-side, there’s no doubt that I’m his mom, when we emulate God, the world can get a good idea of what our God is like. And make no mistake, they are watching.

I John 3

Discussion Questions

1. John tells us in Ch. 3 that all who eagerly expect Jesus’ return, will keep themselves pure. Often, when we think of being pure, we immediately think of sexual sin, but what are some other areas of life where we have to work to stay pure?

2. When we are born into God’s family, our lives should change – our behavior, motivations, speech, etc. It’s not that we are immediately perfect and never sin, but our desires change. The more we get to know God – spend time in His word, worship and pray – the more our desire will be to live pure and holy lives. What are some areas in your life that still need to be cleaned up? List them below, then pray and ask God to help you change in these areas.

3. This chapter emphasizes the importance of loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. That can be quite difficult! I John 3:14 tells us that a person who has no love is still dead. What are some practical ways you can “love your neighbor,” even when it’s difficult?

4. John lists a two-part commandment for those who truly belong to Christ:

5. To believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ

6. Love one another

Are you struggling with one or both parts of this commandment? Do you know Jesus? Do you believe He is the Son of God?

Or maybe you find it difficult to love your fellow Believers; is there someone you’re holding a grudge against? 

No matter where you land in this commandment, there is love and hope waiting for you in Christ. Ask the Lord to change you, to make you more like Him. He’s right where you are, waiting for you to call on Him.