I John 3:1-24
3:1 John marvels at our blessed privileged of being claimed as children by God. For creation and love and wisdom manifested to care intricately about our individual lives is beautiful. In the development of our faith, we become increasingly spiritual; our thoughts and motivations align more contentedly with things of spirit than of the world.
3:2-3 We do not yet know what spiritual life will look like; it is likely that we, as humans, do not yet even have the ability to conceive of its nature. But what we do know, is enough: we know that it will be love, manifested, light and joy and wisdom. We know that as we envelop ourselves in spirituality, it envelops itself within us (for that is tangible even here on Earth).
3:2-3 We do not yet know what spiritual life will look like; it is likely that we, as humans, do not yet even have the ability to conceive of its nature. But what we do know, is enough: we know that it will be love, manifested, light and joy and wisdom. We know that as we envelop ourselves in spirituality, it envelops itself within us (for that is tangible even here on Earth).
3:4-6 There is no other way to be of this faith than to be completely invested. The core and intention of this faith is for us to realize we can learn and grow and create ourselves. We can refine and edify our souls and the expressions it produces: thought, speech, behavior. Therefore we must make the commitment. Our positive impact on the world requires that we are firmly established as individuals. We are fellow workers with God, 1 Corinthians 3:9, but before we begin our work on the earth we must begin the work of our souls: building and sustaining perseverance, courage, humility, a strong sense and determination of justice.
We cannot be hypocrites. If, through this faith we wish to accomplish peace, patience, wisdom, truth, compassion and humility on the people around us, we must be peaceful, patience, wise, truthful, compassionate and humble.
3:7-8 Jesus and the apostles have implored us to become perceptive individuals, able to discern truth from deception. We must cultivate the ability to see the authentic core of ideas, things and people. There are two camps of children: children of compassion and children of selfishness. Through compassion comes justice, patience, love and truth. Through selfishness comes greed, vengeance, deception, and arrogance. We want to be able to clearly discern members of each camp.
3:9 Only a soul filled with good intentions can claim itself as born of God. This verse serves perfectly as a reminder of our responsibility; if we are going to represent this faith, we must do so without malice. Every moment requires our patience and compassion (which can be easier said than done in certain circumstances).
We are able to do so through the understanding that our positive energy abounds, rebounds and rectifies. What we produce in the Earth truly does construct our world (individually and globally).
We cannot be hypocrites. If, through this faith we wish to accomplish peace, patience, wisdom, truth, compassion and humility on the people around us, we must be peaceful, patience, wise, truthful, compassionate and humble.
3:7-8 Jesus and the apostles have implored us to become perceptive individuals, able to discern truth from deception. We must cultivate the ability to see the authentic core of ideas, things and people. There are two camps of children: children of compassion and children of selfishness. Through compassion comes justice, patience, love and truth. Through selfishness comes greed, vengeance, deception, and arrogance. We want to be able to clearly discern members of each camp.
3:9 Only a soul filled with good intentions can claim itself as born of God. This verse serves perfectly as a reminder of our responsibility; if we are going to represent this faith, we must do so without malice. Every moment requires our patience and compassion (which can be easier said than done in certain circumstances).
We are able to do so through the understanding that our positive energy abounds, rebounds and rectifies. What we produce in the Earth truly does construct our world (individually and globally).
3:10-12 From Genesis through Revelation we are taught to have compassion for one another. Our insistence on (or refusal to) loving others is the ultimate distinguishing and defining trait.
3:13 John foresees a possible circumstance of our life in faith and encourages us to persevere through it: as we become more committed to spiritual objectives, we are less understood by the nature of the world. Our faith edifies our lives in various ways, perhaps removing us from certain people, habits or situations... and those things/people might lament or resent our separation from them.
John wants us to know and remember that we are never alone in faith, no matter how drastically our lives might change. Through every growth pain we have a comforter:
The Book of John, 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The Book of John, 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
3:14 If we love our fellow souls, we ensure our life continued beyond this Earth. For the next phase of our life is love, manifested.
3:15 There is no capacity for malice in Spirit. Hate is damaging. Negative energy, words, and actions contribute to the detriment of our world. Hate disables people's ability to grow and thrive. When a person or situation rejects us, we are meant to move on from them... not to remain in a festering hatred, Matthew 10:14.
3:16 Our purpose and potential here is all given in the effort to ensure healthy and joyous life for all of humanity. Both prophets and nature exemplify to us that life is to be sustained. Our planet is perfectly tailored to support the life in us, the prophets devoted their entire lives to others' well-being and thus they are our examples for our own directives while we are here.
3:17 If we have the opportunity or the material (whatever it may be) to fill a person's need, we have the responsibility to do so. To whom much is given, much is expected, Luke 12:48. Remember this passage from Matthew 25:31-46:
3:17 If we have the opportunity or the material (whatever it may be) to fill a person's need, we have the responsibility to do so. To whom much is given, much is expected, Luke 12:48. Remember this passage from Matthew 25:31-46:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
3:18 Let us show our love and our faith through what we produce, what we do and manifest on the earth in the lives of others. Let us be more than empty talkers.
3:19-20 Our motivations and intentions are known. Let us be impactful here because we are compassionate and believe in everyone's right to freedom and justice and truth.
3:21-23 If we absorb this philosophy into our souls, our expressions and behavior with truthfully reflect our authentic character. We may have confidence in the fact that God is working as diligently toward our hopes as we are working for His.
3:24 Our love and faith in spirit is a mutual commitment. Just as we devote our efforts to its ideals (bringing and ensuring compassion for all souls) It devotes itself to our personal ideals. It becomes passionate and diligent in helping us to accomplish our goals and to ensure love and justice and health within our lives.
