“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16 ESV)
Jesus Christ is infinitely more than just a good example for us. He did not live a perfect life and die an atoning death merely to show us what it looks like to live a godly life. His life demonstrated unblemished obedience, and his death accomplished the penal substitutionary atonement necessary for our salvation. It is only through the imputation of that perfect life and substitutionary death that we stand justified before our holy God.
Yet Christ does also serve as an example to us. While viewing Christ as our example is by no means a sufficient understanding of his birth, life, death, and resurrection, it is a true understanding. We cannot be Christ in the sense of carrying out his redemptive work as the Messiah, but we can be like him through reflecting his character and holiness.
John is drawing our attention to just such an example. He says, “By this we know love.” He has spent the last five verses commanding his readers to “love one another,” and, in case the nature of biblical love is unclear to anyone, he points to the quintessential example of love: Jesus Christ.
John Calvin notes of John’s description,
As an instance of perfect love, he sets before us the example of Christ; for he, by not sparing his own life, testified how much he loved us. This then is the mark to which he bids them to advance. The sum of what is said is, that our love is approved, when we transfer the love of ourselves to our brethren, so that every one, in a manner forgetting himself, should seek the good of others.
This is an incredibly high calling. It may seem like a standard too high to even begin to approach, yet John is crystal clear in his instruction. The parallel structure of his phrase “he laid . . . we ought to lay” emphasizes this point. As Christ has done in the pattern of his sacrificial love, so are we to do. Our lives are not our own because we have been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20), and, as blood-bought sinners, it is imperative that our love for one another reflect that of our blood-giving Savior.
The degree of our sacrifice may not be the same as that of Christ, requiring us to literally give up our lives for our brothers, but the love motivating our sacrifice should be like his.
As one study Bible notes,
Our love for one another may not require such a costly decision as this, but there must be some decision and action.
To lay down your life has a broader application than simply referring to the moment at which you die. Death is not the only way to lay down your life. It involves a lifestyle of giving up your own desires, preferences, pursuits, and privileges for the sake of others. It includes giving up the hopes and dreams you have for your life if, by doing so, you might better show the love of Christ to your brothers and sisters.
While John is calling us in this passage to lay down our lives for the sake of other believers, we also strive so that new brothers and sisters may be brought into the family of Christ. Missionaries in particular demonstrate this as they labor day and night to bring the gospel to the lost who, in God’s providence, are future members of the family.
Martin Luther summarizes this love well:
I will, therefore, give myself as a Christ to my neighbor, just as Christ offered himself to me. I will do nothing in this life except what is profitable for my neighbor since through faith, I have an abundance of all good things in Christ.
Only Christ can die the atoning death of a Savior, but the manner of his sacrificial love should be reflected in every one of his people.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
In Christ, we have the perfect example of love. As he laid down his life for us, may we, in thankful response, lay down our lives for our brothers and for our neighbors.
For his sake, amen.
Prayer Requests:
- Tuesday: Pray for relief efforts as ABWE missionaries and national partners begin rebuilding churches and ministries in Jamaica after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.
- Wednesday: Pray for the Bucharest Ministry House to be able to establish a true ministry home.
- Thursday: Pray for medical missions trips to Chile to have fruitful evangelism.
- Friday: Pray for the new missionaries who were commissioned at Missionary Orientation last week to have an encouraging and effective season of prefield ministry.
- Saturday: Pray for missionaries serving in prison ministry in the Philippines.
- Sunday: Pray for missionaries serving in Mexico.
- Monday: Pray for missionaries serving in children’s ministry to faithfully preach Christ to young hearts.
Featured Opportunity to Serve:
Church Planter
Location: Lithuania
We are looking for godly men or families willing to offer their lives to serve, build up, and expand the church in the spiritually dark nation of Lithuania. If you are servant hearted, theologically grounded, church ordained, and elder qualified, prayerfully consider joining our newly launched team to reach Lithuania.
