1 John 3

What We Learn About God in 1 John 3

When we come to Scripture, one of the first questions we should ask is, What do we learn about God here? In 1 John 3, we’re met with an overflow of revelation—truth after truth about who God is and what He has done.

Right out of the gate, we’re reminded that we have a heavenly Father who lavishes His love on us (v. 1). Not sprinkles. Not rations. Lavishes. And because of that love, we’re called children of God—right now, not someday in the future (v. 2). We learn that Jesus is coming again, that He appeared to destroy the works of the devil (v. 8), and that He is the very definition of love (v. 16). God doesn’t wait for us to guess what love means—He tells us plainly: love looks like Jesus laying down His life for us.

We also see that God is greater than our hearts and knows everything (v. 20). He knows our doubts, our pain, our wandering thoughts, and our self-criticism—and He is greater still. And finally, we learn that God reveals Himself through Jesus and commands us to love one another (v. 23). In short, 1 John 3 paints a vibrant portrait of a God who loves deeply, acts decisively, defines truth, and calls us into His family.

What We Learn About Ourselves as God’s Children

When we understand who God is, the next question naturally follows: What does this passage teach us about ourselves? In 1 John 3, we see three big ideas.

First, the opening verses show us what it means to be children of God. Our identity is rooted not in our performance but in His love. But that identity comes with a calling: to reflect our Father in the way we live.

Second, we learn that love is the evidence of life. Verse 14 says that we know we’ve passed from death to life because we love each other. When we don’t love, we’re not stepping into the life Jesus came to give—John describes it as remaining in death. That’s a jarring thought, but it’s also an invitation.

Third, John contrasts love and hate. Love lays down its life for others; hate withholds life. Love seeks the well-being of another; hate seeks its own way. In many practical areas—relationships, dating, sexuality, conflict—Scripture might not hand us a detailed rulebook, but it gives us something better: the character and definition of love itself. And God’s definition, not culture’s or our own feelings’, is what shapes our way of life.

Practicing Real Love in God’s Reality

If God defines love and calls us to live in it, then how do we actually practice real love? Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase in The Message puts it this way: “Let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love” (vv. 18–19). John teaches us that this is how we step into “God’s reality”—the life Jesus came to bring.

Practicing real love is also what silences our self-condemning thoughts. Even when there’s something to our self-criticism, God is greater than our hearts and knows more about us than we know about ourselves. This frees us—not to avoid honest self-reflection, but to refuse the lie that our failures define us.

And living in God’s reality means choosing His way over our default tendencies. Our way is often controlling, fearful, self-protective. God’s way is self-giving, compassionate, and grounded in truth. When we look at Jesus, we see love embodied: compassionate, slow to speak, quick to listen, always seeking the good and restoration of others. That’s the love we’re called to reflect.

Living This Out in Everyday Relationships

As we wrap our reflections on 1 John 3, we’re left with a practical question: What does this look like in real life? The application will vary—marriage, dating, friendships, teaching, parenting, or simply living as a neighbor. But the foundation is the same for all of us.

We remember that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and calls us His children. We remember that Jesus came to destroy evil and redefine love. We remember that God—not culture, not our emotions—gets to define life and love. And we live obediently to the way of Jesus, trusting that God’s commands are not burdens but the pathway to true life.

So we sit with 1 John 3. We let its truths soak into us. And we allow God’s Word to shape both who we are and how we live. Because in the end, this chapter doesn’t just tell us what God is like—it invites us to live like His children.