1 John 3:16

Commentary on 1 John 3:16

Scripture (NKJV):
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” — 1 John 3:16

Theological Teaching from 1 John 3:16

At the heart of 1 John 3:16 is a profound and practical definition of love: sacrificial love modelled by Jesus Christ. In Christianity, this verse is not merely a moral encouragement but a theological declaration rooted in the gospel. It teaches that true love is known and understood through the self-giving act of Christ’s death on the cross. This is not abstract love—it is incarnate, costly, and purposeful.

John’s use of “we know love” points to experiential knowledge, not just intellectual assent. Theologically, this aligns with the doctrine of effectual calling—believers come to know love because they have been drawn into union with Christ, who laid down His life for them. This love is not earned; it is sovereignly bestowed, echoing the Christian emphasis on grace alone.

Insights from 1 John Chapter 3

The broader chapter[i] reinforces the contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil (verses 10–15). Love is the distinguishing mark of the believer. Hatred, indifference, or selfishness are signs of spiritual death. Verse 17 continues the theme: if someone has material possessions and sees a brother in need but does not help, how can the love of God be in them?

This challenges modern Christians to examine whether their faith produces tangible acts of love. In Christian terms, this is the fruit of sanctification—the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Love is not optional; it is evidence of regeneration.

Application to Modern Christian Living

In contemporary life, where individualism and comfort often dominate, 1 John 3:16 calls believers to counter-cultural living. It urges Christians to:

• Practise sacrificial love: This may not mean literal martyrdom, but it does mean giving time, resources, and emotional energy for others.
• Serve the church community: Christian ecclesiology[ii] emphasises the local church as the body of Christ. Laying down one’s life includes bearing burdens, forgiving, and serving within this body.
• Reflect Christ’s love in society: Whether in workplaces, families, or public life, believers are called to embody the gospel through selfless action.

This verse also serves as a corrective to shallow expressions of love. It is not sentimentality—it is costly, Christ-centred, and others-focused.

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Distinctives

• Christocentric love: Love is defined by Christ’s substitutionary atonement.
• Covenantal community: The “brethren” refers to fellow believers within the covenant community.
• Sanctification as evidence: True love flows from a heart transformed by grace, not from moral effort alone.

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[i] 1 John 3

New King James Version

The Command to Love

3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Sin and the Child of God

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The Imperative of Love

10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [c]his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

The Outworking of Love

16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we [d]know that we are of the truth, and shall [e]assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave [f]us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Footnotes

1 John 3:1 NU adds And we are.

1 John 3:1 M you

1 John 3:14 NU omits his brother

1 John 3:19 NU shall know

1 John 3:19 persuade, set at rest

1 John 3:23 M omits us

[ii] noun [mass noun] theology as applied to the nature and structure of the Christian Church.