Salvation by grace through faith; not through works / law-keeping.

[JLB]

How can a brother "in Christ" hate?

He becomes angry without a cause. Jesus likens anger to murder.

Murder, anger, hatred are the unholy doors to hell.

Everything Jesus taught and commanded is about love;
loving God and loving you neighbor.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:21-22


But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause…


Followers of Jesus Christ follow His leading, follow His teachings, follow His commandments.


John taught the followers of Jesus, what Jesus taught him.


We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:14-15







JLB

 

[JLB]

John juxtaposes those who walk in darkness-sin against those who walk in the light-God.
He uses alternating verses that apply to only one side or the other.
Those walking in darkness cannot say they have fellowship with God, (v6), and they cannot say they have no sin, (v8), and they cannot say they have never sinned, (v10).
If those who walk in darkness-sin are actually in the light-God, then sin is in God.
That just can't happen.

Walking in darkness is about hate.

Walking in the light is about love.

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11


We grow in God’s character and nature which is love.

The more we are “conformed” to the image of His Son, the more we walk as Jesus walked.






JLB

 

[jaybo]

Make no mistake Jay, Christians have commandments 1 Jn 5:3

The commandments that John is discussing are not the OT law. There is a world of difference. Christians are dead to the OT law. Period.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

The commandments that John is discussing are not the OT law.

23And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another 1 John 3:23

Of course he's referring to Leviticus 19:18...

18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

There is a world of difference. Christians are dead to the OT law. Period.

We are not dead to our obligation to uphold the righteousness of the law by the Spirit.

What we are dead to concerning the law is 1) it can no longer compel us to sin anymore, 2) it can no longer condemn us when we do sin, 3) it can no longer deceive us into thinking keeping it is how we become righteous in God's sight, and 4) it's requirements for redemption and atonement are no longer applicable to those who have already accomplished that through faith in Christ's ministry and sacrifice.

 

[Hopeful]

He becomes angry without a cause. Jesus likens anger to murder.

Murder, anger, hatred are the unholy doors to hell.

Everything Jesus taught and commanded is about love;
loving God and loving you neighbor.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:21-22


But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause…


Followers of Jesus Christ follow His leading, follow His teachings, follow His commandments.


John taught the followers of Jesus, what Jesus taught him.


We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:14-

Why do you think that murderers are "in Christ"?

 

[jaybo]

23And this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another 1 John 3:23

Of course he's referring to Leviticus 19:18...

18Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.



We are not dead to our obligation to uphold the righteousness of the law by the Spirit.

What we are dead to concerning the law is 1) it can no longer compel us to sin anymore, 2) it can no longer condemn us when we do sin, 3) it can no longer deceive us into thinking keeping it is how we become righteous in God's sight, and 4) it's requirements for redemption and atonement are no longer applicable to those who have already accomplished that through faith in Christ's ministry and sacrifice.

If we follow the OT law then we are denying the salvific work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 7:4-6, " In the same way, my brothers and sisters, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are enslaved in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the written code.

 

[Hopeful]

Walking in darkness is about hate.
Walking in the light is about love.
He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11
We grow in God’s character and nature which is love.
The more we are “conformed” to the image of His Son, the more we walk as Jesus walked.

I was conformed to Christ after the old me was crucified with Christ and I was reborn of His Father's seed.
I have continued to grow in grace and knowledge since that day.

 

[jaybo]

He becomes angry without a cause. Jesus likens anger to murder.

Murder, anger, hatred are the unholy doors to hell.

Everything Jesus taught and commanded is about love;
loving God and loving you neighbor.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:21-22


But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause…


Followers of Jesus Christ follow His leading, follow His teachings, follow His commandments.


John taught the followers of Jesus, what Jesus taught him.


We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:14-15







JLB

Apparently you're not aware of the conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Among other things, He called them "blind guides", "blind fools", "hypocrites" (four times), "snakes", "brood of vipers", and said "... upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth" and more.. You would do well to read Matthew 23.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If we follow the OT law then we are denying the salvific work of Jesus Christ.

Only if you are trying to be justified (made righteous) by following the OT law.
That is what is forbidden.

You don't seem to realize that  ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ are OT laws. And doing that is certainly not "denying the salvific work of Jesus Christ" as you say.

Romans 7:4-6, " In the same way, my brothers and sisters, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are enslaved in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the written code.

I explained to you the very thing the passage you quote says...being dead to the law means you are no longer held captive by the law to do what the law says you are not to do, and all the other things I listed in my post that the law had power over you in when you were an unbeliever.

Being dead to the law does not mean you do not have to, for example, love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. Faith UPHOLDS those lawful requirements. In fact, if you are not upholding those laws it shows you are not born again.

 

[JLB]

Why do you think that murderers are "in Christ"?

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

No murder has eternal life remaining in him.


JLB

 

[JLB]

I was conformed to Christ after the old me was crucified with Christ and I was reborn of His Father's seed.
I have continued to grow in grace and knowledge since that day.

Your flesh was not born again.

Your spirit was born again by the Spirit.

• that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6



JLB

 

[JLB]

Apparently you're not aware of the conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. Among other things, He called them "blind guides", "blind fools", "hypocrites" (four times), "snakes", "brood of vipers", and said "... upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth" and more.. You would do well to read Matthew 23.

Jesus Christ is not a Pharisee or a viper.


He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
John 3:36


If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:6

Jesus warned us to “remain” in Him.

Here is how the apostle John instructs us to remain “in Christ”.

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. 1 John 3:24


Do you consider the apostle John a Pharisee or a viper?


He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4






JLB

 

[JLB]

If we follow the OT law then we are denying the salvific work of Jesus Christ.

The law of Moses was for the children of Israel.


The law of Christ, written on our heart is about love;
loving God and loving our neighbor.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3


This has always been what God has desired.


Under the New Covenant we are not obligated to sacrifices animals or become physically circumcised or observe special feast days, new moons or Sabbaths, as well as special dietary laws which became a dividing wall of separation between Jew and Gentile.

Now we obey His Commandments which are about love, much of which were seen in the law of Moses.




JLB

 

[Hopeful]

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

No murder has eternal life remaining in him.


JLB

I don't feel it necessary to change the wording.
There are no murders in Christ.

 

[Hopeful]

Your flesh was not born again.
Your spirit was born again by the Spirit.

• that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6

I am a new creature.
The old me was killed and buried with Christ.
I was raised with Christ to walk in newness of life, quickened by the Holy Spirit.
Reborn of the Spirit.
I didn't enter my mother's womb a second time.
Did you?

 

[GodsGrace]

It isn't saying to only confine your forgiveness to members of your church.

If one sins against you, they are not Jesus' brother.
Sinners are the devil's children. (1 John 3:10)

Every man on earth is our brother "of the world".
Not every man is a brother in Christ.
I will not confine my forgiveness to only a select group.

This is not what JLB is saying.
We for give everyone.
We agape love everyone.
But some are brothers and some are neighbors.

I THINK this is what JLB is saying.
Hope he confirms.

 

[GodsGrace]

You're mixing the old and new covenants. Romans was written after Jesus' sacrifice and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Matthew's gospel was written before Jesus' sacrifice and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, all sins have been forgiven.

??
No gospel was written before Jesus died.

 

[Highway54]

The commandments that John is discussing are not the OT law. There is a world of difference. Christians are dead to the OT law. Period.

Not all of them Jay, for instance Christians are still obligated to observe 9 of the 10 commandments, we are still commanded to congregate, many things in the law if you stop to contemplate it.

 

[JLB]

I don't feel it necessary to change the wording.
There are no murders in Christ.

No need to change any wording but only to expound upon the actual words to make clear to those who don’t understand.

Obviously these words do not mean murderers are in Christ.

Just the opposite.


Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

• Whoever hates his brother

The first truth that should be understood is John is referring to
two brothers in Christ; Christians, those who have eternal life.
Those who are one spirit with Christ; one with the Spirit of Life in Christ.

Again, here is the context:

Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:13-15

By the time we get to verse 15, John has contextually made a distinction between the world and the brethren; brothers in Christ

There is no mistaking this distinction —

• The world = unsaved people
• The brethren = saved, born again Christians

Now that we understand this first aspect of the verse we can plainly understand that in order to have eternal life remaining in a person they must first have eternal life in them, in the first place.

For your car to remain in the mechanic’s shop for repair, it must first be in the mechanic’s shop in the first place. If the car gets repaired by which the owner comes to driver the car home, the car is no longer in the mechanic’s shop.

For a person to remain at church, they must first be at the church building. When the person who was in the church, then leaves the church, that person is no longer in the church building.

For a person to remain in Christ, they must first be in Christ. If a person does not remain in Christ, then that person is no longer in Christ.

This is elementary, basic foundational understanding.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15

• No murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

Eternal life was indeed in him, because he is a brother in Christ, then he began to hate his brother, thus he became a murderer, in which he does not have eternal life remaining in him.

We have two brothers in Christ, two people who have eternal life in them, and for whatever reason one of the brothers begins to hate his brother.


Because he hates his brother in Christ he (no longer) does not have has eternal life remaining (abiding) in him.


The point at which he did not have eternal life abiding (remaining) in him is when he began to hate.


He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11





JLB

 

[JLB]

I am a new creature.
The old me was killed and buried with Christ.
I was raised with Christ to walk in newness of life, quickened by the Holy Spirit.
Reborn of the Spirit.
I didn't enter my mother's womb a second time.
Did you?

Nevertheless, your physical body was never born again.

Your flesh still contains sin, lustful carnal sinful cravings which is why we are called to walk according to the Spirit, rather than the flesh.


I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:16-17


Here is what is in your flesh, that desires to be gratified by manifesting itself as “works” or “deeds”.


Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21


The born again, water baptized, Spirit filled Christ must learn to put to death these “works” or “deeds” that the sin (nature) in our flesh desires to gratify.


Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:12-13

• but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live

JLB