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The Letters of John

The World Hates You

1 John 3:11-15, ESV
Dr. Ed Pilapil Jr.
September 21, 2025
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Sermon Notes

Introduction

John shows a clear divide between the children of God and the children of the devil. Sin is lawlessness. Jesus came to take away sin and destroy the devil’s work. Those who belong to Christ do not keep on sinning. A true believer cannot live in habitual sin. Righteousness marks the one born of God. So does love. Our actions reveal who we truly belong to. John continues by showing that love is the core command of the Christian life. He contrasts love with hatred using the example of Cain.

1. Love

The message from the beginning was to love one another. This command is not optional. It is a must. Loving one another is a result of a genuine faith and knowledge of God. It is impossible to love one another without experiencing the love of God in salvation.

1 John 3:11: For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

2. Bad Example

Cain is a bad example. His deeds were evil. He murdered his brother, Abel. Abel was not evil, but righteous. The author then mentions the world hating the children of God. Like Cain, the world hates the believers.

1 John 3:12-13: 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. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.

3. Test

Love for God’s people gives assurance that one has eternal life. The one who does not love the community of believers remains in death. He does not possess eternal life. Like Cain, the one who hates a brother is a murderer.

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

Application

  1. Love God’s people. Love the brotherhood (sisterhood). Love the community of faith. In the context of John, love is serving one another, which includes generosity, especially in times of need.
  2. Guard the heart from jealousy, grudges, and resentment. Such can lead to hatred. Do not be surprised if the world hates us. Unrighteousness does not like righteousness. Darkness is opposed to the light.
  3. One clear evidence that we are born of God is the love for God’s people. Those who do not love the community of faith remain in darkness. Therefore, we resist hatred.

Study Guide

  1. What does it mean to “love one another” as the message heard from the beginning?
  2. Show the connection between Cain and hatred, then Cain and the world.
  3. What is the connection between murder and hatred?