Verse of the Day
Monday, February 16, 2026
1 John 3:11
For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Introduction
At the heart of the Johannine epistles lies a singular, pulsing theme: love. It is not merely a feeling or a social nicety, but the very structural integrity of the Christian life. 1 John 3:11 serves as a foundational pillar in the First Epistle of John. It acts as a bridge, connecting the theological reality of being "children of God" with the ethical imperative of how those children must live.
This verse is deceptively simple. Yet, within its few words, it encapsulates the entire trajectory of the Gospel message. It reminds us that love is not a new innovation or a temporary strategy; it is the original, enduring, and defining characteristic of the community of faith.
Commentary
"For this is the message..."
John uses emphatic language here. He is not introducing a side topic or a minor suggestion. The Greek structure implies that what follows is the core content of the proclamation (the kerygma) that the community received. It signals that if you have missed this point, you have missed the Gospel itself.
"...you have heard from the beginning..."
The phrase "from the beginning" (ap’ archēs) is a favorite of the Johannine writer. It has a dual layer of meaning:
The beginning of their Christian walk: This was likely the first thing taught to them as new converts. Love was the "ABC" of their faith.
The beginning of the Gospel revelation: It harkens back to the ministry of Jesus, specifically the "New Commandment" given in the Upper Room (John 13:34).
By anchoring this command in the past, John counters the "novel" teachings of the secessionists (false teachers) who were disrupting the community with new, esoteric speculations. He is essentially saying, "Go back to the basics. The truth hasn't changed."
"...that we should love one another."
The content of the message is action-oriented. The verb for love here is agapōmen (subjunctive of agapaō), which refers to self-sacrificial, volitional love rather than purely emotional affection (philia). It is a mutual obligation within the community ("one another"). This is not a vague love for humanity in the abstract, but a concrete, messy, daily commitment to the specific people in one's spiritual family.
Understanding the Context
To fully grasp the weight of verse 11, we must look at where it sits in the letter.
The Contrast of Two Families: 1 John 3 establishes a stark contrast between the "children of God" and the "children of the devil." Just prior to verse 11, in verse 10, John provides the litmus test for distinguishing between the two: righteousness and love. If one does not do what is right and does not love their brother or sister, they are not of God.
The Example of Cain: Immediately following verse 11, John introduces the negative example of Cain (v. 12), who murdered his brother. This context is crucial. It shows that the opposite of love is not just hate, but death and violence. By contrast, the presence of love is the evidence that we have passed from death to life (v. 14).
The Crisis of Division: The Johannine community was fractured. Some members had left (1 John 2:19), claiming superior knowledge but lacking ethical fruit. John writes to reassure those who remained that their assurance of salvation is found not in secret knowledge, but in the visible, tangible practice of love.
Application for Today
How does this ancient text speak to the modern church?
Love as Orthodoxy: We often measure "true faith" by adherence to doctrinal statements or creeds. While truth is vital, John argues that love is a non-negotiable component of orthodoxy. We cannot claim to be "sound" in our theology if we are destructive in our relationships. In today's polarized climate, this challenges us to prioritize charity over being "right" in an argument.
The Antidote to Novelty: In an era obsessed with the "next big thing" in church growth, leadership strategies, or spiritual trends, verse 11 calls us back to the beginning. The most radical thing a church can do is not to buy a new program, but to actually love one another sacrificially. It suggests that our problem isn't that we need new instructions, but that we haven't yet mastered the old ones.
Concrete Community: The command to love "one another" forces us to deal with the people actually in front of us—the annoying neighbor, the difficult church member, the estranged relative. It moves love from a theoretical concept to a practical labor.
Reflection
There is a profound stability in 1 John 3:11. In a religious landscape that can sometimes feel complicated or demanding, this verse clears the fog. It tells us that the Christian life does not graduate beyond love; it deepens into it.
The phrase "from the beginning" suggests that love is our spiritual heritage. It is the DNA of the church. When we find ourselves confused about the will of God or uncertain about the direction of our lives, we can return to this primordial baseline. We are never more like God than when we are loving others, and we are never further from Him than when we refuse to do so.
This is not a call to a soft, permissive love, but to the rugged, cross-shaped love that Jesus demonstrated. It is a love that costs us something. As we reflect on this verse, we are invited to ask: If my life were the only evidence of the "message heard from the beginning," would anyone know what that message is?
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Verse of the Day is a daily inspirational and encouraging Bible verse, extracted from BibleGateway.com. Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM.
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