“FROM DEATH TO LIFE”

14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”

1 John 3:14

What’s the distinguishing mark of healthy fellowship with God? Is it being pious and prayerful? Is it being actively involved in ministry? Is it possessing deeply rooted biblical knowledge? These marks help us see a person’s commitment to God, but none of them is the ultimate indication of an intimate fellowship with the Lord.

In today’s verse, John continues his teaching about loving one another. He points out that love (agape) for fellow believers proves someone has passed (“metabino,” “to pass over from one place to another”) from death to life. The word “death” can mean many things, but in this verse, John uses the Greek  “thanatos,” which refers to “the misery of the soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body in hell. In other words, to abide in death means to have a progressively miserable life on earth, which will ultimately lead to eternal suffering in hell.

John says that Christians are past this stage and have moved to life, (Greek “zoe”). This life goes beyond the mere existence of an individual. Rather, it is having a real and genuine life demonstrated by active, vigorous devotion to God. Such a kind of life is seen in a person who has trusted Christ for their salvation. It takes place on earth and will continue in heaven for eternity.

Being a Christian is turning from hate to love. Selfless love is the true measure of obedience to Christ (John 13:35). When you’re born again, you have a real life, and your heart is filled with love—you love God and His church. You know you have passed from death to life when you care about God more than anything in this world and are committed to loving His people. You can’t love Christ and hate His Bride at the same time because love for God always results in love for the Church.

Of course, there are times when our relationship with a fellow believer gets sour, and in those cases, we have to forgive as we have forgiven. Offenses should not cause us to disconnect from our brothers and sisters. Instead, these are opportunities for us to seek reconciliation and extend God’s grace to them. Our mutual love for God should lead us to love one another despite our conflicts and disagreements.

On the other hand, the absence of love shows that a person is in a spiritual coma. Jesus taught that hatred is essentially murder (Matthew 5:21-22). Here, John implies that Christians still can hate, but such hate does not come from fellowship with Christ. This truth reminds us of David’s murderous actions against Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband (2 Samuel 12:9). For this reason, it’s important to avoid harboring hatred in our hearts. Doing so would reveal our lack of intimacy with God.

Do you consider yourself someone who has passed from death to life?

Pursue the Savior today!

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