Thy Strong Word — I John 3:11-24. You may know that you have eternal life: God is greater than our heart.

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Rev. Doug Griebenaw, Mission Advocate for KFUO Radio in St. Louis, joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study I John 3:11-24.

Our culture often equates love with a nice feeling in our heart. One does not need to live very long to realize that our hearts can lead us astray. John knows that the darkness in this world is REAL, therefore we need light & love. God’s power, love, forgiveness, and healing is greater than our feelings. The focus of our love begins with God in Christ and therefore we steadfastly depend on Him to love others. We stand as both saints and sinners and cling to His promises as we love as He first loved us. “O Holy Spirit, give us Jesus as I have not loved in word or talk, but have thoughts of self more than others. Give us the fully sufficient active love in Christ that our works may be perfected by Your love. Lord have mercy, Amen”

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

I John 3:11-24

Love One Another

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers,[a] that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God,[b] and God[c] in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

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Footnotes

1 John 3:13 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verses 14, 16

1 John 3:24 Greek him

1 John 3:24 Greek he

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. esv.org