I John 3:17-18

In gleaning what these men have said, it is the way we live that reveals the children of God. John is especially clear that the accent is on doing. Now in this context what is righteousness?

We may be able to give a legal definition from Psalm 119:172: "All your commandments are righteousness." But that is a bare-bones, legal definition of what righteousness is. In the context, it is to love our brother. To not do anything is a form of hatred. It is almost equated with murder. John says what we have to do is to reach out and really help the person.

There is something we can do. We might not be able to help the person physically because we are simply unable to do it—we are not where they are, we have not the mind (the technical expertise), or the resources in terms of finances, or whatever to actually do something that way physically—but the very least we can do is pray for the person. That is doing something, is it not? That is expressing your concern for the person to God. Surely we can all do something like that. That is an active step toward doing righteousness, a very important one.

So we can have fine words, fine thoughts, fine feelings, but none of those things will ever take the place of deeds. God's emphasis is always on action. Christ laid down His life for us.

I John 3:10-18

I am sure that I could have used dozens of scriptures to illustrate this and to prove it, but it all boils down to this: It is the way we live that reveals who the children of God are.

Those three sections that I have read to you, "by this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). That illustrates something. The children of God are made known or manifested by the way they live. I John 3:10 makes that very clear.

We understand what righteousness is, and in this context righteousness is love. Loving your brother, to be more specific. To not do anything—I am taking [picking] this out of what John says here—is almost equated as a form of hatred. It is almost equated with murder.

John makes it very clear in verses 17 and 18 [I John 3:17-18] that fine words, or fine thoughts, or fine feelings can never take the place of something that is done.

I John 3:17-18

John makes it very clear in verses 17 and 18 [I John 3:17-18] that fine words, or fine thoughts, or fine feelings can never take the place of something that is done.

Now, is this all tying in with what I gave at the beginning? Idleness invites disaster! It is not good enough for us to be swept clean. A new dynamic has to be found. That dynamic is love! Love is something that is done. It may possess fine thoughts, and that is good. But is does not really become love until an action is motivated.