1 John 3v1-6

1 ABehold-2a what manner of love the father has Agiven to us, that we might Pbe called-a children of God.  On account of this, the world Aknows1 us not, because it Aknow1–2a him not. 

  • After speaking about being born out of ‘him,’ John launches into the subject of love;
  • Ch3&4 and a couple of verses of Ch5 deal with the subject of love – love here being sacrificial, selfless love – agapae;
  • What is the love that the father has given to us?
  • Answer is found in Rom 5v5 (see also 1 John 4v9):

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (NKJV)

My own translation:

Moreover, the hope not Aput to shame because the love of (the) God has been Ppoured out in the hearts of us through holy spirit, the one being Pgive-a to us.

  • Notice simply ‘holy spirit’ not the person of the Holy Spirit – there is only one definite article after holy spirit. The NKJV has inserted ‘the’ before holy spirit in its translation which is not in the Greek;
  • Notice the word ‘being’ – the verb ‘give’ is continuous;
  • Notice also the aorist tense ‘give-a’ which leaves the verb undefined rather than the NKJV translation of past tense;
  • This holy spirit love is in addition to spirit of God in regeneration which differentiates between Old and New Covenant;
  • This holy spirit love is the reason we might be called children of God;
  • Love is also the first fruit of the Spirit;
  • OT believers were never called the children of God – they were always referred to as the children of Israel;
  • Being called a child of God and being able to call God – Abba Father was completely new, now that spirit of Christ/holy spirit dwelt within a believer’s heart.

In light of the love of God in our hearts or as John says ‘on account of this fact’:

  • The world and its system should not know us experientially because the world does not know God experientially and is at enmity with God;
  • The reverse is also true – if we are friends with the world we can’t be called children of God;
  • James 4v4 says friendship with the world is enmity with God.

2 Beloved, now we are children of God and not yet Preveal-a what we will be.  Moreover, we have Aknown3 that if he (might) Pmanifest-a, we will be like him, because we will MDsee him according as he is.

  • Presently we can be children of God but we can also be firstborn sons of God;
  • We can be firstborn sons if we are led by spirit of God (no definite article):

For as many as are Pled by spirit of God they are sons of God (Rom 8v14).

  • It is not certain what we will be – a child or a son;
  • And then there will be different glories between sons (1 Cor 15).

What does ‘if he be manifest’ mean?

  • Same as at the end of Ch2 – those who will not see Jesus be manifested because they are not resurrected;
  • Every eye will see (Rev 1v7) referring to those on the earth at Jesus’ return;
  • If we see Him manifest then the prize is to be resurrected like Jesus and have the life, the age-lasting one.

3 And every(the)one Ahaving this the hope on him, Apurifies himself according as that one is pure.

  • The hope is not certain;
  • Many teach that the Christian hope of what is to come for a believer is certain. However, it is not certain if a believer will be the bride of Christ;
  • Why should we purify ourselves?
  • Without holiness it is impossible to see the Lord (Hebs 12v14);
  • The Lord is after purity and holiness to count us worthy to be the bride of Christ.

4 Every(the)one Adoing the sin, also Adoes the lawlessness; and the sin is the lawlessness.

  • The sin – the sin nature;
  • The lawlessness – breaking the laws of God – His standards.

5 And yous have Aknown3 that, that one Pmanifest-a that he might Atake away-a the sins of us; and sin is not in him.

  • ‘Known’ here is simply knowledge of;
  • Jesus manifested nearly 2,000 years ago but will manifest again in the future (aorist tense);
  • Notice the difference in translation:

And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (NKJV)

  • To take away versus might take-away-a;
  • This verse in NKJV could be taken to mean that Jesus manifested in the past and took away all our past, present and future sin at that point;
  • But tying this back to Ch1v7 – it is not certain that your sin will be forgiven and taken away – this has been hidden in this verse – again I think because of theological bias.

6 Every(the)one Aabiding in him Asins not; every(the)one Asinning, has not Aseen him nor has Aknown1 him.

  • From v5 – sin is not in Jesus and therefore if we are abiding in Jesus we do not sin;
  • ‘Everyone sinning’ – does this verse mean they have never seen him or known him experientially in the past – no, I think it is speaking more of in that moment or in that instance.