Christ, or Sin 1 John 3:1-12 April 24, 2011

As We Read... Remember that we have one side of what was probably a dialog –Even though this does not appear to be a personal letter, as such When the writer addresses a specific issue or makes a specific statement or poses a specific question, he is likely dealing with a specific problem John had probably become aware of problems within a church and was writing to address them

God’s Great Love 1 John 3:1a – 1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. What does it mean to you to be a “child of God”? Paul expressed a similar thought in 1 Cor 2:9 – 9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” The Creator of All has chosen us!

Unknown to the World 1 John 3:1b –For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. What does John mean when he says that the “world does not know us”? How did the world not know Jesus? Why does our being a child of God contribute to the world not knowing us? How does this relate to the world today? Does the world know us?

Purify Yourself 1 John 3:2-3 – 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. We will see Him as he is... How and why are we to “purify ourselves”? Is this something that we can accomplish on our own? –If not, then how?

An Admonition from Paul Romans 6:13 – 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Sin shall not/should not be our master

Live Righteously Titus 2:11-14 – 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

The Lawlessness of Sin 1 John 3:4-6 – 4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Define “sin”... How did Christ take away sin? Does John really mean that we do not sin if we abide in Him? –Or that if we sin – even once – that we do not know Him?

The Litmus Test 1 John 3:7-8a – 7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. John was apparently confronting some who claimed to be in a relationship with God, but were living unrighteous lives There are only two games in town –Righteousness vs. Sin –Good vs. Evil –God vs. Satan

Christ’s Purpose 1 John 3:8b-9 –The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Compare with John 18:37 John says that those born of God don’t practice sin, but then goes on to repeat the idea that those born of God cannot sin Does this fit with your view of Christian theology? How does “His seed” abide in believers?

It’s Obvious 1 John 3:10 – 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. Whichever camp we choose to side with, it will be obvious –HOW WE BEHAVE SHOWS TO WHOM WE BELONG! Once again, John makes a statement that hints at a problem in the ranks –Those who claim to be of God but do not love...

An Example from History John 3:11-12 – 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. Why the reference to Cain and Abel? –What does this have to do with the current subject? Abel’s righteousness put the spotlight on Cain’s unrighteousness Is the same true of us today?

Bringing It Home If those who belong to Him do not sin, then how do we eliminate sin from our lives so that we can ne numbered among His? –Is this even possible? Remember, there are only two games in town –Righteousness –Sin Based on what John writes, it possible for us to ever be “good” enough to know God?

The Divine Nature Do I have the divine nature within me or am I merely pretending to be a Christian? Do I cultivate this divine nature by daily Bible reading and prayer? Has any unconfessed sin defiled my inner man? Am I willing to confess and forsake it? Do I allow my old nature to control my thoughts and desires, or does the divine nature rule me? When temptation comes, do I “play with it” or do I flee from it? Do I immediately yield to the divine nature within me?

Questions? Next week –“Loving Christ: Hating Each Other”(John 3:14-24)