The Meaning of 1 John 3:23: Believe and Love

Believing and Loving in a Time of Deception

This verse comes near the heart of John’s letter, where he’s urgently calling believers back to two foundational truths: faith in Jesus as the Son of God and genuine love for one another.

John wrote to churches facing false teachers who claimed to be spiritual but denied that Jesus was the Messiah who came in the flesh - what he calls the 'spirit of the antichrist' in 1 John 2:22-23, which says, 'Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist: the one who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever acknowledges the Son also has the Father. By stressing belief in 'the name of his Son Jesus Christ,' John is not merely talking about saying the right words. He means trusting who Jesus truly is and what He came to do. And because real faith shows up in real love, he ties it directly to Jesus’ own command to love one another, making both belief and love inseparable marks of true Christian life.

These two commands - believe and love - are not suggestions. They are how we stay rooted in truth and community when confusion tries to creep in.

What It Means to Believe in Jesus and Love Others

To truly follow Christ, we need to understand what John means by 'believing in the name of his Son Jesus Christ' and 'loving one another,' because these phrases carry deeper meaning than they might first appear.

Saying we 'believe in the name' of Jesus is not merely about uttering His name or acknowledging His existence. It means trusting who He truly is, His full identity and authority, as John 1:12 states, 'But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.' It’s about welcoming Him as God’s Son and surrendering to His leadership. And in John 14:26, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will teach believers everything and remind them of His words - showing that real belief involves ongoing trust and learning, not just a one-time decision.

The love John commands is not merely warm feelings or liking people who are like us. It is *agapē*, a choice to care for others selflessly, the same way Jesus loved us. This kind of love reflects God’s character and fulfills Jesus’ own command, making it clear that faith without love isn’t complete.

Faith and Love: The Twin Signs of Knowing God

Believing in Jesus and loving one another are not merely good ideas; they are clear marks of someone who truly knows God.

Jesus said in John 13:34-35, 'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.' This shows that real faith in Christ always results in real love, because we can’t claim to follow Him while ignoring His most basic command.

When we live by belief and love, we are not merely obeying rules. We are reflecting the very heart of the good news, where God draws us to Himself and changes us to love as He does.

Faith and Love in the Church's Mission

Believing in Jesus and loving one another is not merely for personal faith; it is at the very center of what the whole Church is called to do.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20-21, 'I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.' This oneness, built on belief and love, is how the truth of Christ reaches others. And in Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus sends His followers to 'make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,' which includes both believing and loving as one.

So when a church lives this out - trusting Jesus deeply and loving each other genuinely - it becomes a living witness that draws people to God.

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