God's Fellowship

Real Love, False Prophets

1 John 3:11-4:21

John’s first main section starts like this:

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to y’all: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. (1:5)

It’s a message from “we” to “y'all” (plural form of "you") about living in Light.

John’s second main section starts like this:

This is the message y’all have heard from the beginning: we should love one another. (3:11)

It’s a reminder to “y'all” (plural form of "you") about living in Love.

Before he was arrested and crucified, Jesus ate one final meal with his disciples and then taught them some important final lessons. One of the last things he said was:

“I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved y’all, y’all should love each other. All y’all’s love for one another will prove to the world that y’all are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35)

That’s the ultimate challenge, isn’t it — to love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ so sincerely that other people somehow see God in and through that love.

But our minds matter, too. So another lifelong challenge is to think carefully and continue learning and studying God’s Word. Then we can be wise and discerning about the world’s lies while we confidently follow and live God’s truth.

Read & Reflect

1 John 3:11-4:21

What does Paul say about “real love” from God and for others? How do you need to grow more in love for God and for others?
What does Paul say about “false prophets” and their teaching? Why do you think some people teach lies instead of truth?
What do you learn about God in these verses? (When Paul writes "God" he almost always means the Father.)
What do you learn about Jesus in these verses? (When Paul writes "Lord" he almost always means Jesus).
What do you learn about the Holy Spirit in these verses?
What do you learn about humanity and yourself in these verses?

Extra Info

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In English, "you" does double duty for both you (just the one you) and y’all (you and all the other yous). But the language of the Bible had distinct yous: both a singular and plural version.

Many of the "yous" in the New Testament would be better translated as y’alls or all y’alls because they were written not to just one you but to all the yous in a church, crowd, club, or group. Make sense?

Extra Verses

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1 Corinthians 13

Extra Things

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Listen and watch the videos below for more about God's love.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2103 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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