Murder in the Church
Lenten Devotional Series Day 23. Today’s meditation is on 1 John 3:10-15.
John writes, “Do not be surprised that the world hates you.” Why would the world hate Christians? Is it because of our offensive attitudes or behaviors? While that might sometimes be the case, the apostle John argues that it is our righteousness that earns the scorn of others. Peter Leithart observes, “When we are in the presence of a genuinely righteous person, we feel condemned.” And so in order to justify ourselves, “we attack and hate them.” In other words, comparison can give way to hatred and murder.
John warns us that hate-producing comparison can take place between professing Christians within the same spiritual family. “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” (3:12). Cain murdered Abel because of the disparity between Abel’s righteousness and Cain’s evil. Like Cain, we commit murder of our brothers and sisters in the church when we hate and slander them to relieve our shame.
According to John, what does it mean to love our brother or sister in Christ? When their holiness, maturity, or righteousness provokes us to guilt, we must resist the temptation to cut them down in order to feel better about ourselves. Instead, we should demonstrate our love for each other through imitation, allowing their righteousness to spur us on, encouraging our own zeal for virtue and holiness.
If we cannot help but hate the righteous, it may be that we do not truly belong in God’s family. St. John warns us, “No murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
Today in prayer, begin with the Collect of the Day (below). Search your heart and memory: has comparison with other Christians left you feeing guilt or shame? Has this shame driven you to gossip or slander? Have you harbored animosity against anyone whose words or actions have made you feel spiritually inadequate? Confess this to the Lord, and ask for his strength to cease with hatred and pursue love within the church. Then finish with the Lord’s Prayer.
The Collect of the Day. Almighty God, look upon the sincere desires of your humble servants, and stretch out the right hand of your majesty to be our defense against every enemy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.