1 John 3:17-18

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

(v17, NIV)

The church described in acts paints a picture of believers sharing with one another. There are many other things they do, but one thing in particular was how they lived together and shared with one another. However, I look at myself and question whether I do or am willing to share with my brothers? Do I hold on to these material possessions as my own? Am I unwilling to give it up and share? If I am selfish and unwilling to give in this nature, is it even possible for God's love to be in me? This is what John is saying. Having material possessions, if you do not have pity on your brother who you see is in need, is it even possible for the love of God to be in you? We are to love one another. Look to Jesus to see and know what love is.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

(v18, NIV)

John has been talking about this in this letter. We are to love one another. He is talking about it and we may talk about it. However, may it not stop there. Sometimes it's all too easy to simply talk about something but never actually do anything about it. We're all talk but we don't carry through. We should not just talk about love, but actually live it and show it. We aren't to love with our words or tongue, but with actions and in truth, as John says. This isn't to say that we can't love by speaking to others. We can show our love to others through words of affirmation and encouragement. However, speaking words of encouragement and adoration to another is an action. The problem is when we simply talk about how we are to love, but we do not show love to others.

What's interesting is that we are to love in truth. The first obvious point is that we are not to love in falsehood. Who ever heard of loving someone with a lie? If I am a doctor and I know that you have been diagnosed with a deadly disease, is it loving to withhold the remedy from you? Or if you were going to die with no hope of survival, would I be loving to tell you otherwise? Some may argue some extreme cases where a lie is more loving than the truth. I do not think so. Rather, a lie may be temporarily soothing and pleasant, but overall it is hurtful and devastating. However, the truth may be temporarily painful, but it is overall beneficial.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(John 14:6, NIV)

In gospel according to John, Jesus says it himself that he is the truth in addition to being the way and the life. If we remain in 1 John, he talks about truth as well. Those who walk in darkness or claim to be without sin are those who do not live by the truth or that do not have the truth in them. Live in the light; God is light. Love in truth.