“For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 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. 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. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth.”
(1 John 3:11-18)
I find it interesting that the first recorded sin after Adam and Eve took that bite of the forbidden fruit was murder. Cain got offended when the Lord accepted his younger brother’s offering over his. After all, he had put in a lot of hard work to grow those crops. So, because his feelings got hurt, he killed his innocent brother, and we’ve been murdering each other for the same reason ever since.
John is telling us not to follow in Cain’s footsteps, but rather, we are to pour out our love on one another, which is evidence that we have passed out of death into life. The Apostle James puts it this way; “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)
The result of Cain’s anger was murder, and John points out that loving someone is more than good thoughts and words. There must be an outward physical expression of that love. He goes so far as to say that “we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers.”
The good news is that this will not last forever. This same John also wrote the words; “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be death anymore. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.” (Rev 21:4) He also warned us, “But people who are cowardly, unfaithful, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev 21:8)
I encourage you to find a Christian brother or sister that you can love in both word and deed.