Introduction:
Please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 John 2. The word ‘love’ is thrown around all over the place in our culture today. It is used in a variety of ways both for good and for evil. We love something in an evil way when we place that thing or dream where God belongs. We love something evil when we pervert evil to make it seem ‘good’. We love something evil when we willingly violate our conscience and proceed with our wickedness anyway. On the other hand, we love someone in a good way when we see it bless them. This is also true when someone is helped or assisted in a particular way. We love someone in a good way by supporting them in their time of need or giving our time to spend with them.
What I find interesting is that all of what was just spoken is true of both the believer and the unbeliever. I am sure that you have heard it said or seen it on TV, these acts of depravity or kindness. The world, as often as it can, will mask something evil to make it look good or right. There are times that we fall into sin. There is the common grace of God that enables unbelievers to do good from time to time. As Christ’s redeemed people, we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to do good for and toward one another.
Our text this morning leads us in a singular direction. That is our love for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. What does this look like? What does it not look like? What does it tell us about where we stand with the Lord? I have titled this sermon: From One Extreme to Another, and this morning I want us to consider two points and they are 1. Hatred toward a brother (vv.9, 11) and 2. Love toward a brother (v.10). Let’s read verses 9-11 together.
- Hatred toward a brother (vv.9, 11)
Let us begin in verse 9. An initial observation is that we have seen this type of verse before. In chapter 1, we looked at hypocritical living. Although there is truth to that, I want us to focus in, specifically on the word ‘hate’ which is about halfway through the verse. This is the first time in our study that we have encountered this word. The word ‘hate’ can be one sided or mutual. Clearly, John is speaking in the context of the church. Can this hatred or a strong dislike toward one another really take place in, of all places, the church? Before we answer this question, we must bring to light that this action of hatred does not regard disagreements over understanding in the Bible or theological difference. If that were the case, there would be a whole lot of hatred going on! Remember that list that was read for us in 2 Peter 1:5-7 and the warning in verse 9? Verse 9 said that the person of whom these things were not found in was blinded. In context, this is not referring to a theological spat or a disagreement that you or I might have with someone about a popular preacher. I know that I have gotten in several disagreements with people about whether to support or not support a big-name preacher. Do I ‘hate’ this person, although I disagree? One such event in recent history was the feud between John MacArthur and Mark Driscoll. This is one that led to some staunch disagreements between Reformed Calvinists. Both men claimed to be Calvinists, yet one was a more liberal in his preaching than the other. One was a little more dictatorial regarding church government. For quite some time, there was a division within the Calvinist movement as to which person do Calvinists support. Should this cause believers to be anger and hatred toward one another? I do not believe that our text in 1 John 2 suggests that we should. If it does not refer to this disagreement, then what does it refer to?
I am convinced that our text refers to a hatred of another person in a very personal way. What are some reasons that we might hate one another? A few reasons that come to mind are, I thought that you would officiate this wedding and you said, no; you have the job that I always wanted, your life just seems so easy, look at all of the things you have, you are so smart, and on and on the list goes. This hatred, unfortunately, can lead to decade-long grudges. Is there someone in your family who is a grudge holder? I can remember someone in another church who held a grudge toward another, and to my knowledge still does, over a job that he has. I can think of several grudge holders in my family.
Verse 9 describes this person who hates his brother as someone who says he is in the Light. In other words, this is someone who says he or she is a Christian. One commentator wrote, “We may say to our fellow men that we are Christians, and yet we may never have been born again – never obtained the precious faith of God’s elect – never have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, it might seem that this verse only refers to the hypocrite, but if you were to follow the Greek, you would see that this verse also speaks of the haters of God attacking the people of God. The Greek for ‘brother’ literally means a believer in Christ. Therefore, it could be said that the one who lives in the darkness hates the Christian. And don’t we see this today?! Here is a quote from the Washington Examiner, “Anti-Christian persecution is growing worldwide. With the exception of Israel, all indigenous Christian communities in the Middle East are in decline. Azerbaijan currently starves 120,000 Armenian Christians in an illegal blockade in an attempt to erase one of the oldest Christian communities on earth. Turkey denies and, in some cases, celebrates the Armenian genocide, coverts churches into mosques, and closes Greek seminaries and schools to smother the remnants of another millennia-old community.”
Further, verse 9 tells us that this person remains in the darkness. Look at the end of verse 9. As we have seen before regarding fellowship with one another, the same is also true in that it is impossible to be a believer in Christ and hate a brother in the Lord. John clarifies this by saying that this kind of person is still in the darkness or is still in his sin. Verse 11 helps us to better understand this. Look at verse 11 and notice that it says this brother not only is in the darkness, but that he walks in the darkness. This is none other than walking in and loving his sin. Do you see the difference between a Christian disagreement and true hatred toward Christians? This person who walks in the darkness is literally blinded by his sin. He is blinded so much that he cannot see where he is going. In other words, he is enslaved by his sin. This person can only live according to his sin, for he knows no other way. We are reminded in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 that “even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” What I found interesting about verse 11 is that the word blinded not only means blindness in terms of sight, but it also means, metaphorically, a ‘dulling of the intellect’. What does this dulling of the intellect mean? Turn over to Romans 1. We are going to read verses 28-32. I am convinced that this dulling of the mind is explained for us in Romans 1. These 4 verses are clear in telling us how those who are given over and enslaved to sin think and act. Their minds are unable to think rightly as they continue to walk in darkness. Turn back to 1 John 2 and look at verse 11 once again.
It appears verse 11 also refers to a hardening of the heart in some regards. This makes sense seeing that the word ‘darkness’ is unchanged in its definition from what had been seen in chapter 1. There is evidence for this because verse 11 tells us that if a brother were to ‘hate’ another, then these following statements in verse 11 are the consequence for that hatred. Hatred is not referred to in a human-to-human malicious sense alone, but this is a hatred of ‘the Light’. In other words, the one who says he is a ‘brother’ hates Jesus Christ and, therefore, hates his brother. Remember Jesus’ warning in John 15:18? “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”
These things must not be said of us. May you and I take this as a warning! If you or I are to find ourselves being angry toward one another and spiteful toward one another, even if it is the smallest and seemingly insignificant of reasons, brothers be quick to confess it and reconcile with one another. If this is outside the church, maybe with a former member or attendee who may have wronged you, I plead with you, do not leave this place without confessing it to God, and then reconciling with your brother!
- Love toward a brother (v.10)
Our second point is found in verse 10. It is in this verse that we go to the other extreme of hate and that is love. Notice the result of brotherly love. The text says as we love one another, we are continuing on in Christ. You and I can say with Paul that “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” And we press on in Christ, encouraged by one another as we love one another. What does this ‘love’ look like? Well, the word love in verse 10 is ‘agape’ known as the closest love that a brother can have toward another. This is an unconditional love, a love that is unmatched by the ‘love’ of this world. This love is not a physical love only; however, it is a deep affectionate love. This is a love that comes down from above. This ‘agape’ love is the same love that the Father has for His Son. Agape love is the love that Christ shared with us when He went to the cross so that He could be the atonement for our sins. Love for one another in this context is loyal love. Through thick and thin, through triumph and trial, through the sunshine and the storm, this love does not fade, this love does not waver. This is they kind of love that Christ has for us. Because He is God, His love is perfect without fail, ever!
Agape love is not a love that is contingent on emotions, it is not a worldly love, it is not a conditional love, it is not a short-lived love, it is not “tough love”, it is not a criticizing love, it is not a shallow love, it is not love on the surface that lacks depth. It is a love that every single human being desires. Every human being has a void that longs to be filled and agape love that comes from confession of sin, trusting in Christ, and repentance is the ONLY kind of love that can fill that void. Nothing else can fill it!
Look with me at the end of verse 10. There is one more description of this child of God who loves his brother. John tells us that “there is no cause for stumbling in him.” What does stumbling have to do with love? The word for stumbling is where we get our English word ‘scandal’. In Christian circles where have we seen this kind of stumbling? Usually, it is some sort of financial disaster, or it is infidelity in a marriage. So, we see, just using this example that if true Christ-like love occurs these kinds of disasters do not happen. Instead of financial ruin or infidelity, there would be a love for those who give cheerfully and a love for the person that is pure and not, merely, physically motivated. This quote summarizes this well, “Love, then, is the best safeguard against the woes pronounced by the Lord upon those who cause others to stumble.”
This love is not only a safeguard to physical woes, but spiritual. Finally, having this love for the brothers helps guard against false teaching. Simply put, with having this love we are concerned just as deeply for where the brothers are spiritually. You and I express this in seeing where people are in their Christian walk. You and I can ask questions about how we have been encouraged or what is God teaching us through His Word? How are we seeing Christ interject in our lives every day? In having this love for one another, we long for truth and when there may be some false teaching lurking or maybe a misunderstanding theologically, we lovingly, not brashly and harshly, walk through those moments with one another. It is by love that we act and that love we perform is given to us by Christ and reinforced by the Holy Spirit, who lives within us.
Conclusion:
This morning, we have seen quite the distinction between love and hatred. The one extreme is the lengths that people will act on their hatred toward God. On the other hand, the other extreme is the unconditional and bountiful love that we have for one another. We have also seen how these two words are similar to light and darkness, which is helpful as we tie this epistle together. Thinking on these things, I want us to consider 3 areas of application.
- God knows every thought that goes through your heart and into your mind. He knows whether there is genuine love in your heart for one another or not. He sees through the “smiley faces” that you and I wear at times. Brothers may this truth cause us to pause and reflect on how we are acting toward one another.
- There is a severe warning for us to be found in verse 11, as we have already noticed. The one who hates is in darkness and his eyes are blinded. If this is true of any one of us, the only remedy for this is to acknowledge this sin, confess it, and turn from it. May we be a church that strives to be like Christ so much so that we are unashamed to bring these things before our merciful High Priest, Jesus!
- Finally, verse 10 is reassuring for us this morning. As we live lives of love toward one another we are assured that we are in Christ. So, take courage brethren, not only do we have the privilege of having a deep love for one another, but this love reflects the, even, greater love that we have for Christ!
