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(Photo by Simon Spring on Unsplash. Berean Standard Bible.)

Welcome to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. This is Jeff M Newman. Get a new lesson every other week on Mondays at 12:00 PM Pacific.

In Lesson 95, we are going to study 1 John 3:11.

Let’s read the verse:

1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

Let’s go over the definitions of the words.

This (3778. houtos, hauté, touto) is (1510. eimi) the (3588. ho, hé, to) message (31. aggelia) — means the specific announcement being communicated.

You have heard (191. akouó) — means to hear, listen to, and understand what is being communicated.

From (575. apo) the beginning (746. arché) — means from the beginning or initial point of their instruction.

We should love (25. agapaó) one another (240. allélón) — means to deliberately and selflessly seek the good and well-being of one another, following the example of Christ.

In other words, this is the specific message you heard and understood from the beginning: that we should deliberately and selflessly seek the well-being of one another, following Christ as our example.

In Lesson 93 and Lesson 94, we learned that children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil. Children of God practice righteousness and love their brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who do not practice righteousness and do not love their fellow believers show that they are not of God.

As children of God, we are called to love one another. John is reminding his readers that they have already heard this message from the beginning. Because we still have a sinful nature, we need to be continually reminded to love like Christ. We must rely on God to love with Christlike love rather than simply follow our natural feelings. It can be easy to forget or neglect what God has commanded.

Just as John is reminding us to love our brothers and sisters, we should do the same. Encourage a fellow Christian today to love others. Loving one another is foundational to the Christian life.

No matter how difficult or unlovable someone may be, we are called to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. Look to Jesus and the way He loved, and follow His example. Ask God to increase your love for fellow believers.

In John 15:12-13, we read that Jesus commands us to love one another as He has loved us. Jesus is not only telling us to love one another, He gives us His own love as the example we are to follow.

John 15:12-13 (NLT) This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

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