Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer:— That is, in the temper and disposition of his mind; or, hatred is one step towards murder. See Matthew 5:21; Matthew 22:27; Matthew 28:20. Inthe 6th commandment murder is forbidden; but the commandments are so to be interpreted, that every tendency towards the crime condemned, is in its proportion forbidden, as one step towards the crime, or one degree of it. Murderers, and all sinners, are condemned to the second death: not but that upon deep humiliation and unfeigned repentance, murderers may obtainmercy; witness the case of David: but the impenitent murderer, yea, even he who only hates his brother, has not the heavenly temper and disposition of mind, nor any title to eternal life; hath not eternal life abiding in him. There is a fifth reason for their cultivating love to the Christian brethren; namely, that hatred of them, or want of love to them, was one degree of murder, or one step towards it: and who would not be shocked at the thought of being a murderer!
Related Commentaries of 1 John 3:15
1 John 3:15
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.