1 John 3:12

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. WHO - not in the Greek. OF THAT WICKED ONE - `evil one:' corresponding to "because his own works were evil." Compare , "of the devil," in contrast to "of God," . SLEW HE HIM? BECAUSE HIS OWN WORKS WERE EVIL, AND HIS BROTHER'S RIGHTEOUS - through every and hatred of his brother's piety, for which God accepted Abel's, but rejected Cain's offering. Enmity from the first existed between the seed the woman and that of the serpent....

12_Not as Cain _This is another confirmation, taken from what is contrary; for in the reprobate and the children of the devil hatred reigns, and it holds, as it were, the chief place in their life; and he brings forward Cain as an instance. It served in the meantime to give them consolation, as he at length concluded by saying, _Marvel not, if the world hate you. _ This explanation ought to be carefully noticed, for men ever blunder as to the way of living, because they make holiness to consist of fictitious works, and while they torment themselves with trifles, they think themselves doubly acceptable to God, as the monks, who proudly call their mode of living a state of perfection; nor is there any other worship of God under the Papacy but a mass of superstitions. But the Apostle testifies that this righteousness alone is approved by God, that is, if we love one another; and further, th...

11-15 We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. This love is the special fruit of our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again. But none who rightly know the heart of man, can wonder at the contempt and enmity of ungodly people against the children of God. We know that we are passed from death to life: we may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which love to our brethren is one. It is not zeal for a party in the common religion, or affection for those who are of the same name and sentiments with ourselves. The life of grace in the heart of a regenerate person, is the beginning and first principle of a life of glory, whereof they must be destitute who hate their brother in their hearts....

Verse 12. _NOT AS CAIN_] Men should not act to each other as Cain did to his brother Abel. He murdered him because he was better than himself. But who was Cain? εκτουπονηρουην, _he was_ _of the devil_. And who are they who, through pride, lust of power, ambition, gain, c., murder each other in _wars_ and political contentions? εκτουπονηρουεισι. To attempt to justify the _principle_, and excuse the _instigators, authors, abettors_, c., of such wars, is as vain as it is wicked. They are opposed to the _nature of God_, and to that _message_ which he has sent to man from the beginning: _Love one another. Love your enemies_. Surely this does not mean, _Blow out their brains_, or, _Cut their throats_. O, how much of the spirit, temper, and letter of the Gospel have the nations of the world, and particularly the nations of Europe, to learn! _AND WHEREFORE SLEW HE HIM?_] What could induce a

NOT AS CAIN - Not manifesting the spirit which Cain did. His was a most remarkable and striking instance of a want of love to a brother, and the case was well adapted to illustrate the propriety of the duty which the apostle is enjoining. See Genesis 4:4. WHO WAS OF THAT WICKED ONE - Of the devil; that is, he was under his influence, and acted from his instigation. AND WHEREFORE SLEW HE HIM? - Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” He acted under the influence of envy. He was dissatisfied that his own offering was not accepted, and that his brother’s was. The apostle seems desirous to guard those to whom he wrote against the indulgence of any feelings that were the opposite of love; from anything like envy toward more highly favored brethren, by showing t

EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 3:1 TO 1 JOHN 5:12 3. SECOND MAIN DIVISION. _God is Love._ 1 JOHN 3:1 (1) The _evidence of sonship. _Righteousness. 1 JOHN 3:1 The Divine birth is the outcome of the Divine love. 1 JOHN 3:1 BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE! Ποταπός;_ _literally, "of what country," in the New Testament always implies amazement; but,

NOT AS CAIN,.... That is, let us not be like him, or do as he did, hate the brethren. The apostle illustrates brotherly love by its contrary, in the instance of Cain, who was the first instance and example of hatred of the brethren, and of fratricide, and a very detestable one, by which he would dissuade from so vile and abominable a practice: [WHO] WAS OF THAT WICKED ONE; Satan, a child of his, an imitator of him, one that appeared to be under his influence, and to belong unto him. So the Jews say of Cain n, that "he was of the side of the serpent (the old serpent the devil); and as the way of the serpent is to slay and to kill, so Cain immediately became a murderer.'' And again, "because Cain came from the side of the angel of death, he slew his brother o;'' though they say that he afterwards repented, and became worthy of paradise p. AND SLEW HIS BROTHER; see...

I have read this chapter many times in your hearing, but we cannot read it too often, for it is full of the deepest and most important instruction. God grant that fresh light from above may shine upon it as we listen once more to the familiar words! 1 John 3:1. _Behold,_ If you never used your eyes to good purpose before, use them so now: 1 John 3:1. _What manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:_ Let the truth of our adoption amaze us, the adoption of such unworthy ones as we were to so high a relationship «that we should be called the sons of God.» 1 John 3:1. Therefore the world knoweth not, because it knew him not.

IV. RIGHTEOUSNESS AND LOVE AS MANIFESTED BY THE CHILDREN OF GOD Chapter S 2:28-3:18 __ 1. The children of God and their coming manifestation (1 John 2:28 -1 John 3:3) 2. Sin and the new nature (1 John 3:4) 3. Righteousness and love (1 John 3:10) 1 John 2:28 -1 John 3:3 . The address to the babes in Christ ended with the 27th verse, and now once more he speaks of the teknia, the little children, by which all believers are meant. The exhorta

To commit sin is a breach of God's law, a frustration of God's work of redemption, and the manifestation of a principle which betrays kinship with the devil. A man begotten of God will be in moral affinity with God, for which reason righteousness and brotherly love will characterise him. 1 JOHN 3:4. SIN IS LAWLESSNESS: _ i.e._ not the absence of law, but opposition to it. Law does not cease to exist for the Christian, and all opposition to it, so far from being morally unimportant, is rebellion. 1 John 3:5. he was manifested: _ i.e._ at His Incarnation. Righteous Himself, the work of Christ is to make us righteous too (_cf._ 1 John 3:8)....