"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:14-15).

Observations:

Hodges and Dillow strongly deny that loving the brethren is a mark of a true believer. They insist that love for the brethren is evidence that a person has fellowship with God, not that he is saved.

The expression "passed from death unto life" is carefully defined in John 5:24— "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." It is obvious that the person who has passed from death unto life is saved and has eternal life. The person who has not passed from death unto life is unsaved and condemned and does not have eternal life. John teaches that the person who does not love his brother has not passed from death unto life. He "abideth in death" (1 John 3:14). Indeed, he does not have eternal life abiding in Him (1 John 3:15).  How could he say it any clearer?

Hodges and Dillow admit that John 5:24 refers to salvation. However they say that even though "passed from death unto life" refers to salvation in John 5:24, it does not mean this in 1 John 3:14 (see Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 896). They are forced to say that it means something different because otherwise it would not fit into their theological system.

In the context, Cain is given as an example of a person who did not love his brother (1 John 3:12). Cain "was of that wicked one" (1 John 3:12), that is, he was unsaved. Cain was not a carnal believer, he was an unregenerate, wicked, unbeliever.

In 1 John 3:10 we learn that the person who does not love is brother is manifesting that he is a child of the devil (unsaved).

In 1 John 2:9,11 we learn that the person hating his brother is "in darkness." This is not true of the saved person: "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness" (1 Thess. 5:5).

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:8). This verse teaches that the person that "loveth not" is unsaved. Hodges and Dillow disagree. According to Hodges, this person is born of God but he does not know God (Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 898)! He believes that this verse is describing a saved person who does not love the brethren and who does not know God!

Is it correct to describe those who are truly saved (even carnal saved people) as those who know not God and who are in darkness and who are abiding in the state of death who are murderers and who do not have eternal life abiding in them? Is this an accurate description of those whom God has saved and called out of darkness into His marvelous light?

The theology of Hodges/Dillow insists that a saved person can live just like the unregenerate and persist in such a life style. This life-style includes hatred for God’s children. "I’m saved but I detest Christians. I hate being with them. I hate what they love and I love what they hate."   Perish the thought!

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