1 John Study
Lesson # 9
Children of
God Vs. Children of the Devil
Introduction
John has been discussing the difference between children of God & children of the Devil. Children of God focus their lives on obeying God & do not practice sin. They may sin, but they do not make it habit, or continually walk in unrighteousness. However, children of the devil do make sin a practice & do not seek to repent & be obedient to God. In this section John continues to contrast the difference by bringing up two other practices, the practice of living righteously & having brotherly love.
1. Who is a child of the devil?
a. One
who does not do what is right
1) God is holy, righteous & pure – 1 Pet.1:13-15
2) Therefore anyone who does not seek to live as He is, is not fit to be in
His presence & cannot be His child.
a) There life stands for all that opposes all that God stands for.
b) The things they do are against His nature
3) John says – all you have to do is examine a person’s life & see if they
are a child of God or a child of the devil – what do they practice?
b. One
who does not love his brother (fellowman)
1) Love means
a) 1 Cor.13:4-8
1) Being patient with others
2) Being kind in our actions toward others
3) Not being envious of what others have & are achieving
4) Not being boastful or arrogant toward others
5) Not being rude
6) Not being selfish
7) Not being angry & holding grudges
8) Being forgiving
9) Not delighting in evil
10) Rejoicing when truth prevails
11) Seeking to be protective & trusting of others
12) Being hopeful & persevering in relationships
b) Rom.13:8-10
1) Doing no harm to another person
2) Fulfilling the principles of the Law toward others
2. Do not be like Cain
a. Cain did not love his brother - therefore he murdered him
1. Cain wanted acceptance from God without being obedient
a) Thought he could bring any sacrifice to God & it be acceptable
b) Was angry that others had a greater devotion to God that he did
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2. Not happy when his brother’s sacrifice was accepted
3. Took out his anger toward God on his brother
b. Love does not persecute the righteous
1. Means we will not even dislike another
2. Love does not – criticize, abuse, backbite, gossip, spread rumors, down
grade, hurt, attack, destroy, talk about, murder etc.
3. Love cares & wants the best for others
3. Don’t be surprised that the world hates you
a. Perhaps the most misunderstood concept about Christianity
1. We seek to do right to others & expect them to respond accordingly
2. When they don’t – we react instead of expecting mistreatment
3. Warned over & over this will happen – still surprised
Jn.15:18-25; 17:14; Mt.24:9-13; 1
Jn.3:1; 2 Tim.3:10-13
b. Satan
rules & has tremendous influence over the world
1. Satan hates God & His Son Jesus
2. Rev.12:12:12 – filled with furry against all who follow Jesus
c. This
hostility against all who seek to honor God began with Cain
1. Satan had already got Adam & Eve to rebel
2. How dare Abel seek to be right with God – influenced Cain
4. Love – the evidence we have passed from death into
life
a. Death = spiritual life & death, not physical
b. Love - mark of true conversion – manifests that Jesus & His Spirit are in us
1) Jn.13:34,35
2) Love not the cause for eternal life, but the proof we have it
3) If love not prevalent in life –
sign not saved – not His – 1 Cor.13:1-3
c. Lack of love means we still abide in spiritual death – 1 Jn.2:9,11
5. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer
a. Hate – to pursue one with hatred; to detest
b. In God’s eyes Anger, bitterness, and contempt are just as serious as murder.
1. Why? Because the person who hates has the very same feelings and
spirit that the murderer does—a spirit of anger, bitterness, and
contempt.
2. The murderer reacts differently, more violently, but the heart of both the
hater and murderer is the same.
3. God looks and judges by the heart.
4. Mt.5:21,22
c. No murderer has eternal life – the implication is that one who hates his
brother does not have eternal life either.
1. A person who has negative feelings swirling within his heart, who has
allowed his heart to become hardened; has cut off fellowship
with his brother – is also cut off from God
2. He has destroyed himself spiritually
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6. Jesus defined love for us
a. Love = active good will
b. Jesus
demonstrated this in giving His life for us
1) Laid down His life – Rom.5:6
2) Willingly did this when we were unable to help ourselves
c. God wants us to love people just like Jesus did – Jn.13:34,35
1) Not matter if deserving or not
2) Because they are God’s creation is all that matters
d. Difference between God’s children & Satan’s children is love – Satan’s
children hate & destroy life, while God’s children love & willingly lay
down their lives for others.
e. Brotherly love means sacrificially serving others
7. An example of not loving
a. To have what another needs & refuse to help
b. To only talk about helping, but never following through
c. World’s goods = necessities of life
d. God’s love does not exist in a person who refuses to help another in need when
they have the ability to help them.
e. Lk.12:33; Acts 20:35; Rom.12:9-13; Gal.6:10; 1 Tim.6:17-19; Heb.13:16