1Jo 3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1John 3:1-3: 3:1-3 When Christ returns, we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is . God’s children bear the image of Christ and will share in his glory (see Rom 8:18-30 ). • Those who have this hope keep themselves pure , seeking to become more like Christ in anticipation of his glorious appearing. It is partly for this reason that God’s children will not be ashamed when Christ comes (1 Jn 2:29 ).

Summary for 1John 3:1-3: 3:1-3 ^a When Christ returns, we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. God’s children bear the image of Christ and will share in his glory (see Rom 8:18-30 ^b).

• Those who have this hope keep themselves pure, seeking to become more like Christ in anticipation of his glorious appearing. It is partly for this reason that God’s children will not be ashamed when Christ comes (1 Jn 2:29 ^c).
Summary for 1John 3:4-10: 3:4-10 ^d This section discusses what it means to live a pure life (3:3 ^e). Being born into God’s family demands purification; a life of sin—a continual lack of purity—is evidence that someone is not really God’s child. Sin is incompatible with the new nature derived from the new birth. John wants believers to do what is right and thus demonstrate that they are joined to Christ and his righteousness. Those who are children of God do not make a practice of sinning, but this differs from the sort of “sinlessness” that the false teachers claimed (see 1:5-10 ^f and corresponding study notes).
3:6 ^g continues to live in him (Greek menō): This indicates “abiding” and “remaining” (John 15:1-8 ^h) in contrast to departing into falsehood. To the extent that we live in continual, dependent fellowship with Christ and in faithfulness to the apostles’ teachings, we will not sin.

• keeps on sinning: This verb denotes sin as an ongoing, repeated action. John was not saying that anyone who sins once does not know God (i.e., has no relationship with God). But if we persist in sin, we demonstrate a lack of relationship with God.
3:8 ⁱ destroy: This does not mean “to annihilate” but “to break down” (see Eph 2:14 ^j), “to undo,” or “to render ineffective.” Christ did not obliterate Satan; he came to undo the works of the devil by freeing people from sin and its awful consequences.
Summary for 1John 3:9-10: 3:9-10 ^k To live righteously means to live in a right relationship with God. (This is in contrast to the false teachers, who held that life in the spirit could not be contaminated by any behavior in a physical body.) This does not mean that we live perfect lives (1:8 ^l), but that we keep ourselves in a good relationship with God (1:9 ^m).
Summary for 1John 3:11-22: 3:11-22 ⁿ John now focuses on the believers’ need to love one another (see John 13:34 ^o).
Summary for 1John 3:12-13: 3:12-13 ^p Cain had been doing what was evil: Cain was jealous that Abel received approval from God; this jealousy led to murder (Gen 4:8 ^q). Hatred is judged, just as the outward act that results from it (see Matt 5:21-22 ^r).
3:14 ^s Having love for our brothers and sisters who are believers is tangible evidence that we have experienced rebirth in Christ and will have eternal life rather than death (i.e., condemnation; see Rom 6:23 ^t; Jas 5:20 ^u; Rev 21:8 ^v).
Summary for 1John 3:16-18: 3:16-18 ^w Christ’s example shows that real love involves self-sacrifice. We do this by becoming truly concerned about the needs of others and by unselfishly giving time, effort, prayer, possessions, and even our lives to supply those needs.
Summary for 1John 3:19-22: 3:19-22 ^x Those who truly love (3:16-18 ^y) have confidence that God accepts them because real love is primary evidence of real faith and of new life in Christ (see 4:7-8 ^z).
Summary for 1John 3:23-24: 3:23-24 ^aa John here gives a new criterion for discerning who has the Spirit. The Spirit is not the possession of an elite who are enlightened without their lives being changed. Instead, the Spirit comes to all believers and stimulates obedient discipleship (Gal 5:22-23 ^ab).