That You May Know
Truth Love and Eternal Life in Jesus Christ
By Will Bourne · Bourne Again Media LLC
1 John 1–5 · 1–20
The journey of this volume
What makes love more than something we say? First John joins the manifested life of Jesus with light, truth, obedience, assurance, and the Spirit’s witness. Begin with chapter 3, where Christ’s self-giving leads directly toward a neighbor’s material need. These pages invite confidence rooted in the Son and a love that becomes recognizable through truthful presence, practical care, and shared responsibility.
What need have I noticed that calls for a truthful and practical response?
What you’ll explore
- Life and assurance in Jesus Christ
- Love measured by Christ’s self-giving
- Compassion expressed in deed and truth
- The Spirit’s witness and abiding life
Love taking practical and truthful form
Begin with 1 John 3:16–24 in your Bible. Read 1 John 3:16 through 24 within the letter’s teaching on belonging to God. Notice how Jesus’ love becomes the measure for practical care, truthful action, and confidence before Him.
The following reading summarizes Commentary 12, “LOVE IN ACTION AND TRUTH,” with a selected excerpt from the manuscript.
John defines love through Jesus Christ laying down His life. Will follows that saving action as the shape and center of love received and then practiced within community.
The passage moves immediately toward a person with resources encountering a brother or sister in need. Compassion reaches material realities, asking whether God’s love is shaping a response that honors truth, dignity, and actual capacity.
Love in deed and truth belongs alongside belief in the Son and the Spirit’s witness. Shared care can strengthen confidence before God while remaining mutual, responsible, and attentive to the person receiving help.
Love taking practical and truthful form
For most readers, this will be expressed through sustained faithfulness rather than a dramatic final act. Time, attention, money, truthful speech, advocacy, caregiving, shared risk, patient repair, and protection can all carry the pattern of Christlike self giving.
Will Bourne · From Commentary 12 on 1 John 3:16–24, in That You May Know
Following Christ through this movement
Jesus Christ gives Himself willingly and reveals the seriousness of sin together with the depth of divine love. His identity as Son, advocate, and saving sacrifice remains central to the call to love.
Received love becomes practiced love beneath His command. The Spirit witnesses to abiding life and forms care that joins truthful action with the real good of people.
Continue in Scripture
John 13:34–35 · James 2:14–17 · Romans 5:6–8
Read these passages alongside the selected manuscript commentary. Keep each literary and historical setting in view while following the biblical witness toward Christ and faithful practice today.
A question to carry
Where do words of care need to become action? What can I offer responsibly while honoring the other person’s dignity and agency?
Stay with one person or situation that comes to mind. Notice what this passage brings into view before deciding how to respond.
Back to section choices ↑One faithful step
Choose one concrete need you have come to understand. Offer a realistic act of care or connect the person with appropriate support, listening to their priorities. Let the response include truth, shared responsibility, and gratitude for Christ’s love.
Back to section choices ↑A prayer for the journey
Jesus, thank You for the love made known through Your self-giving life. Open our attention to real need and teach us to care in deed and truth. Holy Spirit, strengthen assurance and form a shared life that reflects the Son. Amen.
Back to section choices ↑The formation emphasis in this volume
Will’s commentary follows love from Christ’s self-giving toward ordinary encounters with need. Words are to become deed and truth, and resources carry responsibility for practical care.
The formation emphasis makes self-giving mutual and proportionate. Attention, truthful speech, patient repair, and material support can reflect Jesus’ love while respecting the dignity and agency of everyone involved.
Editorial summary of Will Bourne’s manuscript.
Back to section choices ↑