Lesson 6, 1^st John 3:1-12

Home

Index

by Lane Rogers

THE INTENSITY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR US (1^st John 3:1-2)

Now the writer tells us in verse 27, you stay with the Christ and the information that the apostles had given about Him and remain faithful to Him because He is your teacher. He is the one that has the ultimate knowledge. After all, He is the one that came from heaven and who has returned to heaven. Then in verse 28 the apostle says: “and now my little children abide in him so that when he comes you will not be ashamed of him at his appearing.” I am confident that these adventurous inventors of truth or that is , what they considered 'truth' (which was really error), are those who deny the humanity of Christ (the Gnostics). These are the anti Christ people and when they finally met Jesus they will be ashamed of the abusive representations that they have made of Him.

In 1^st John 2:29, for the first time John speaks of Christians as those who are “born” of God. It is an expression that will be used time and time again throughout the remainder of the Epistle (1^st John 3:9; 4:7;5:1,4,18). It is a figurative expression, emphasizing that the Christian's spiritual life is the result of the redemptive work of God.

A. The Amazing Love that God has for Us.

Learn four reasons why God's love is so amazing and what that means to us.

Behold (Gk.Emblepo) means to see, to look with intensive interest or consideration.

1. What manner (Gk. Potapos), indicates intense astonishment and admiration on the part of the apostle, (cf. Matthew 8:27; 2^nd Peter 3:11; Luke 1:28).

2. Four reasons why God's love is amazing. It is amazing because of:

   a. Its freeness – it is a gift.

   b. Its object – That He should love us as sinners (Romans 5:8).

   c. its intensity – that we may be able to comprehend the breadth, length, height, depth, and know the love of Christ.(Eph.3:17-19).

   d. The status it brings - We are Children of God.

3. Paul's description of men (Romans 5:6-11).

   a. We are “morally” weak v.6

   b. We are(were) “sinners” v.8

   c. We are(were) “ungodly” (saved from wrath) v. 9

   d. We are (were)“ enemies of God.”v.10.

B. What We “Are” as Children of God. v.1. The status granted us is amazing.

1. We are recipients of God's love. (v.1a) We are the objects of God's love.

   a. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God.

   b. It is through the love of God that we become His children. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).

   c. It is an honor for God to even take notice of us as one of His creatures (cf. Psalm 8:3-4)

2. We are unknown by the world (v.1b).

   a. “the world does not know us...”

   b. That ids, they do not recognize or appreciate us as to what we are in Christ.

   c. Some think we are fanatics or fools. 1^st Cor. 4:9-13.

   d. This is understandable:

   1) The world did not and still does not know Jesus. John 1:11

   2) And for now our lives are hidden in Jesus (Colossians 3:3-4).

3. NOTE: Love and honored by God, unknown and sometimes despised by the world; that is what we are today as the children of God. But as stated by Paul in Colossians 3:4, when Christ comes we will “appear with Him in glory”! This speaks of a future condition and John also writes about our future condition.

C. What We “Shall be” as Children of God (v.2).

1. It has not yet been revealed.

a. Exactly what we shall be like has not been revealed.

b. Which may be due to our finite incapability to comprehend.

c. In general terms we have been promised a spiritual body and immortality (1^st Corinthians 15:42-44; 50-53).

d. But there is something else hinted at both by Paul and John.

2. We shall be like Jesus!

a. ...we know that we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

b. Paul also says that we will be like Jesus when He comes.

1) We shall bear the image of the “heavenly man” 1^st Corinthians 15:49.

2) Our lowly bodies will undergo a wonderful transformation to become like Jesus (Philippians 3:20-21).

c. Though we cannot fully know what we will be like, it must really be something, for as Christ is now, no man can really see Him and live (1^st Tim.6:13-16).

NOTE: This wonderful hope of what we will be some day should encourage us to “stand fast in the Lord.” (cf. Philippians 3:20-4:1). John also has something to say as to how this hope ought to influence how we live.

D. What We should Be as Children of God (3)

1. Ought to be motivated by our hope.

   a. “everyone who has this hope...”

   b. The hope of which John writes, of course, is the earnest expectation that we will be like Jesus when He comes.

2. Diligently involved in purifying one's self.

a. The Greek word for “purify” is hagnizo {hag-nid-zo} which means “to make clean,” spiritually “to sanctify.”

1) It is closely related to the word for “holiness” which in Greek is hagiasmos, {hag-ee-as-mos}, meaning “holiness, sanctification.

2) It therefore involves the idea of being “set apart” for a holy purpose, which Christians are taught to pursue (Hebrews 12:14).

b. Properly motivated by the hope that Jesus will “transform our lowly bodies as the likeness of His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21), the true child of God will work toward the purity (holiness) seen in the Lord Himself.

c. How can Christians purify themselves?

1) First and foremost by appropriating the cleansing power of the blood of Christ (1^st John 1:9)..

2) Only then can we hope to truly be holy – without spot and blemish (Eph. 5:25-27).

3) But we also have an obligation to remove ourselves from things (2^nd Corinthians 6:16-7:1).

THE DEFINITION OF SIN.

A. As Understood by Some.

1. Sin is nothing more than a violation of human relationships.

2. This can be easily resolved by correcting relationship problems. While SOME sins may be a violation of human relationship the true meaning of sin is much greater than that.

B. The Literal Meaning of the Word Sin!

1. The Greek word for sin is hamartia {ham-ar-tee-ah}, and it is literally to miss the mark.

2. As when an archer fails to hit the center of his/her target.

3. So “sin” is some kind of action (or lack of action) in which one fails to meet the intended goal established by God. (Rom. 3:23).

C. As Defined by John.

1. Sin is “lawlessness” (NKJV), or “transgression of the law” (KJV).

2. The word for lawlessness (transgression) is anomia {an-om-ee-ah} which means “illegality, violation of the law.

   a. To break or violate a law, such as a law of God.

   b. To steal when the law says you shall not steal.

3. So sin occurs when you DO WHAT IS FORBIDDEN (often called a sin of commission.).

D. As Defined by James.

1. James describes another kind of sin (James 4:17)

2. So sin is also committed when we FAIL TO DO WHAT IS GOOD OR COMMANDED (often called the sin of omisison).

a. e.g. failing to love your brother

b. While you may not do ill toward your brother, failure to do good is just as bad.

E. In Both of These Definitions of sin.

One has failed to meet certain standards (they have missed the mark).

1. In this case, the standard of the “Law of God.”

   a. Which, when carefully noted is designed to help us in our relationships with:

   1) God

   2) Other People

   3) Ourself

   b. Every command of God, both negative and positive affect these relationships in one way or the other.

NOTE: Failure to understand the true nature of “sin” is one reason why there is so much apathy toward it today. But every time we sin, we adversely affect our relationship with God, other and yes, even ourselves.

THE ORIGIN OF SIN.

A. Sin Is of The Devil

1. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.”

2. This statement of John's is reminiscent of one made by Jesus in John 8:44.

3. From the beginning the devil has been the “father” or origin of sin. (“he is a liar and the father of it.”)

B. Those Who Sin Are of the Devil.

1. Since he is the “father” of sin, those who practice sin are his children.

2. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do “(John 8:44a)

3. So when we “miss the mark” by either:

   a. Doing what is forbidden.

   b. Failing to do what is commanded, we demonstrate that the devil is influencing our lives.

THE DEFEAT OF SIN. (vs.5a,8b).

A. This Was the Purpose of Christ's Coming.

1. “He was manifested to take way our sins” (1^st John 3:5a).

2. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the work of the devil (1^st John 3:8b).

3. As John the Baptist declared: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

NOTE: To continue to walk in sin, therefore, is to undermine the purpose of our Lord's coming.

B. Consider what it Cost Jesus to Accomplish this Purpose!

1. Nothing less than His own death (1^st Corinthians 15:3)

2. Nothing less than His precious blood! (Acts 20:28; 1^st Peter 1:18-19).

NOTE: Does not this tell you something about the terribleness of sin? When we properly understand what sin is about, how terrible it must be in the sight of God.

THE REFRAINMENT FROM SIN (VS. 6-7,9)

A. Whoever Abides in Him Does not Sin (v.6)

1. The phrase “does not sin” is present tense in Greek suggesting a practice of not sinning.

a. John has already affirmed that Christians sin (1^st John 1:8,10).

b. To say we have no sin is a lie and the truth is not in us.

c. So John is speaking about one who does not practice sin.

2. Such is true of those who “abide in Him.”

a. Those who “abide in Jesus “ do not continuously engage in sin.

b. Because they:

1) Let that which they have heard from the beginning abide in them.

2. Strive to walk even as Jesus walked (1^st John 2:6).

3. But the one who continuously practices sin has neither seen Jesus nor known Him (despite any claims to the contrary).

B. Whoever Has Been Born of God Does not Sin (v.9)

1. Again, John uses the present tense when he says “does not sin.”

   a. He is not suggesting that a person never sins.

   b. But he is saying that a person does not practice sin.

2. And why is that? Because His seed remains in Him.”

   a. The “seed” is the life giving principle that makes one a child

   of God.

   b. Which clearly involves the Word of God (1^st Peter 1:22-23).

3. As long as one allows the “seed” which is the “Word” that person is born of God.

   a. As such he does not continuously practice sin.

   b. Nor can he continuously practice sin, if the “seed” is remaining in him.

   c. Instead, he continuously practices righteousness (1^st John 3:7).

Home

Index

by Lane Rogers