upon all those who dwell

The second half of 1John3:14 presents an interesting paradox. "He who does not love abides in death." Exactly how does one abide in death? If we take "abide" to equate to "live", we have one living in death. However, if we take "abide" and "live" to be the same as "dwell" we get closer to the truth.

Non-believers would lead you to believe that death is the same as nothingness. You live, you are something; you die, you are nothing -- you cease to be. Their picture of death is the same as an on/off switch.

Death is altogether something different for the believer. In death, you do not case to be. You are still very much something. Death is not a state of nothingness. Death is a location -- a location eternally separated from God. Hence, this v. One can abide in death in the same way that one can abide in South Dakota.

The choice to accept or deny Christ is not flicking some switch that turns on some character trait. It is making a choice the same way you would choose the location of a house or vacation. Where is it that you want to be? Careful. This move is permanent.