1 João 3
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 3:2
MacArthur - ANTICIPATION OF CHRIST’S RETURN? 1 JOHN 3:2–3 (Borrow Strength for Today page 212) True Christians long for the return of their King. The words of the old hymn, “This world is not my home,” express the attitude of every true child of God. True Christians have a hope in their heart, a hope focused on the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the apostle Paul, we long to be set “free from the body of this death” (Rom. 7:24); we “groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:23). We long for the day when “just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:49). Our hope is a sanctifying one. John writes, “Every one who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3), while Paul reminded Titus that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:11–13). Our hope is a sensible one, leading to godly, responsible living. It does not justify careless living (2 Thess. 3:6–15); there is no such thing as someone who is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good. Do you find yourself longing for Christ to return and “transform the body of [your] humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:21)? If so, take heart. That’s another evidence that your salvation is genuine. ✧✧✧ Suggestions for Prayer: Pray with the apostle John, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20). For Further Study: In Philippians 3:20 Paul reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven,” while in Colossians 3:1–2 the apostle commands us to focus on heavenly things. Where is your focus? What do you spend your time on? Rearrange your priorities and schedule to give first place to eternal realities. James Smith - SONSHIP 1 John 3:2 1. A Wonderful Privilege. “Sons of God.” 2. A Comforting Negative. “Not yet appear what we shall be.” 3. A Blessed Certainty. “We know.” 4. A Glorious Hope. “We shall see Him as He is.” James Smith - A SATISFYING SIGHT 1 JOHN 3:2 1 Who shall we see? See Him. 2 Who shall see Him? “We shall.” 3 How shall we see Him? “As He is.” 4 What will be the effect of seeing Him? “We shall be like Him.” 5 Is this quite certain? “We shall.” James Smith - BUT WE SEE JESUS. Hebrews 2:9. (1) See Him as God's equal (John 1:3; Heb. 1:3). (2) See Him in great poverty (2 Cor. 8:9). (3) See Him in deep sorrow (Isa. 53). (4) See Him in self-sacrificing love (Matt. 20:28). (5) See Him in His unfailing obedience (John 6:38). (6) See Him in His mighty power (Eph. 1:20, 21; Phil. 2:9, 10). (7) See Him in His infinite compassion (Heb. 4:15). (8) See Him in great glory (1 John 3:2). Vance Havner - THE TWO APPEARINGS. It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2. Every time I look into a mirror I am reminded that it doth not yet appear what I shall be! But when He appears, we shall put on our Easter clothes! Some of us have laid away dear ones whose features were so distorted and disfigured as to be hardly recognizable, but so was our Lord when they laid Him away. His visage was so marred that He did not look like a man. But He was marred that one day so that all who are in Him shall rise unmarred. It does not appear so now, but it will when He appears! John MacDuff - VISION AND FRUITION. "So the wish grows deeper, fonder, Friend of souls! Your face to see, In Your pleasant Salem, yonder, Where no tear nor sigh may be; And God's presence on the sight Shines in pure unshadowed light." "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." —1 John 3:2. This beautiful verse of John comprises the two grand elements of heavenly glory: To "SEE God"—to be "LIKE God." It describes the matured manhood of the Christian. We are now in a state of infancy and childhood. As a child on earth is incapable of comprehending much that is made plain in after years, so, with regard to divine knowledge, "we know in part, and we prophesy in part," (1 Cor. 13:9.) But in the full development of our spiritual being we shall "see Him face to face." The earthly prayer will, for the first time, in all its amplitude, be fulfilled—"I beseech you, show me your glory," (Exod. 33:18.) See Him! What an advance does this announcement indicate in the moral capacities and privileges of the glorified, beyond what they enjoyed on earth! We cannot bear to look even on the natural sun here; we are dazzled and blinded with his intolerable brightness. But there, "the Lord our God" is to be our "everlasting light," (Isa. 60:20.) The spiritual vision will be enlarged and adapted for the augmented glories of this higher manifestation. See Him! What an honor! The Jewish High Priest was highly favored in being permitted, once a year, to gaze on the majestic symbol of the Divine presence—the Temple Shekinah Glory. What will it be to enjoy the eternal and uninterrupted contemplation of the great God Himself—that, too, undimmed by any mystic or shadowy rites; but "with open face," (lit. face unveiled,) "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord," (2 Cor. 3:18.) And it is to "see Him as He is." Not canopied in clouds and wreathed in rainbow-form, dreadful, inapproachable—but God in our nature, "Immanuel, God with us. It is plain that it is Jesus of whom the Apostle of love speaks in our motto-verse. Jesus as He was, and is, and ever shall be—the Elder Brother—the kinsman Redeemer—"the same yesterday, and today, and forever," (Heb. 13:8.) Often are we conscious of the thought presenting itself, "Would that I had been among the number of those who of old were privileged to hear that loving voice, and gaze on that countenance, 'fairer than the children of men!' Would that I had sat on the Hill of Beatitudes, and listened to those words of matchless wisdom; or stood by the sea-shore of Gennesaret, or in the graveyard of Bethany, or mingled in the jubilant crowd on Olivet!" This honor is ours in heaven. We shall "see the King in His beauty." "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes." "They shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads," (Rev. 22:4.) It will be said of His redeemed people in glory, as the queen of Sheba said of His earthly type, "Happy are your men, happy are these your servants, which stand continually before you!" (1 Kings 10:8.) "LIKE Him!" This is spoken of here as the second element in Heavenly bliss. Even on earth the contemplation of Christ by faith is represented as bringing about a resemblance to Himself. "We are changed into the same image from glory to glory." How much more, when, as divine artists, gazing on His unveiled luster, we shall be enabled to copy the Divine Original, feature by feature! "We shall be like Him, FOR we shall SEE Him." We cannot, even in the present world, be much in the company of an individual without insensibly contracting a resemblance to him—catching up his tones, his manners, his habits of taste and thought. So will it be in Heaven with Jesus. We shall become more and more "Savior-like." Oh, surely if it be an exalted honor to see Him, with what glory will it invest the ransomed thus, in any feeble measure, to resemble Him! If it be the Christian's secret aspiration on earth to be like Abraham, or Moses, or David, or John, or Paul, what will it be to be "like HIM," of whom these are but the faintest shadow? But, more than this—not only is likeness to Jesus an honor; it is a necessary requirement or qualification to render the believer fit for the enjoyment of Heaven. I need, in some degree at least, conformity to Him in character, in order to be able to appreciate His home of purity and love. The most beautiful landscape may be placed before the blind man, but, deprived of the organ of vision, by which alone its beauties can be apprehended, he can see no loveliness in it. So Heaven in its holiness would be one vacant and dreary blank, if I have no moral eye with which to behold it. But that moral vision will be imparted. The perfectly-renewed heart, a copy of its Lord's, will then be the true "organ of sight." There will be no sin to mar the contemplation of the Divine Original—nothing to disturb or divert the spiritual eye. The heart's affections will repose with full complacency on Him, the great center of attraction. There will be perfect unison with His will, and entire, unreserved consecration to His glory; all the ennobled, renovated, sanctified powers of the glorified nature will be willingly embarked in His service. The feet will run for Him; the heart will be an altar consecrated to His worship; memory will be a labyrinth of remembered mercies; the tongue will be a glorified instrument to resound His praise; the whole regenerated being a storehouse of collected materials to proclaim and testify of His greatness and majesty—His grace, and truth, and love. Be this, then, the view of Heaven I seek to have constantly before me—that I am to be "like my Lord." What a solemn and searching test is thus afforded with which to try my anticipations of future bliss! Amid the most intense worldliness, there may be ethereal speculations about the glory of the saints' everlasting dwelling-place. But do I long after its mansions because their bliss consists in having a heart assimilated in holiness to that of Christ? Like the Elder Brother, and in Him to the whole brotherhood in glory—saints, angels, God! Oh, if the consciousness of following, as His ransomed Israel, the pillar of His presence in the wilderness be delightful, what will it be to follow Him in the Promised Land? If the Eschol pledges be grateful, what will it be to pluck for ourselves in the heavenly vineyard, under the shadow of the living Vine Himself? 'Lord Jesus! prepare me for meeting You, seeing You, enjoying You.' Were I going, in a few years, to reside in a distant land, how I would strive now to master its language—to know its history—to put myself in a state of training for its habits and occupations. Heaven is that country; and this is the message sent by letter from its shores to every stranger and pilgrim on the earth, "And every one who has THIS HOPE in him purifies himself, even as Christ is pure," (1 John 3:3.) The priests in the earthly temple had to wash and purify themselves before they could engage in priestly service. So, if I am to be a "priest unto God" in the heavenly Jerusalem, I must sanctify myself for this everlasting feast. It is a quaint but a true saying, "The man who does not find heaven in his soul here, will not find his soul in heaven hereafter." Unlike Jesus now, I cannot expect to be like Him forever. The fine chiselings of the perfected model, indeed, will be added in glory; but the seed of the likeness—the bold outlines of the moral sculpture—must be begun on earth. Meanwhile, let the words sound in my ears, like the preparation-bell for the great Sabbath-services of the Church in heaven—let them follow me like a celestial monitor wherever I am, and howsoever engaged, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," (Phil. 2:5.) We will be like Him! (Octavius Winslow, "Eternal Glorification") "We know that when He comes we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is." 1 John 3:2 Perfect holiness is the eternal glory of the saints! The very utterance of the thought seems to awaken music in the soul. Seeing Christ as He is, and knowing Him as we are known—we also shall be like Him. Oh, what a conception! What a thought! No more elements of evil working like leaven in the soul. No more traces and fetters of corruption. No more evil heart of unbelief, perpetually departing from God. No more desperate depravity. No more sin warring within. No more temptation assailing from without. All is perfect holiness now! The outline of the Divine image is complete, for the believer has awakened in the finished likeness of his Lord! Extirpate all sin—and you have erased all sorrow! Complete the grace—and you have perfected the glory! You then have chased all sadness from the heart, and have dried all tears from the eye. That glory will be the glory of unsullied purity. Nothing of sin remains but its recollection; and that recollection but heightens our conception of the preciousness of the blood—that shall have effaced every stain, and of the greatness and sovereignty of that grace—which shall have brought us there. Robert Neighbour - The Children Shall Be Like Him "Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). This is the climax of our Home gathering. The Lord shall call us up, and we shall be changed. "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:16, 17). When this rapture takes place, is when we become like Him. It is from Heaven that we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; "Who shall transform the body of our humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself" (Phil. 3:20, 21). The second coming of Christ is the hour of the believer's being conformed to the image of God's Son. And now we have before us, some of the blessings that are ours as the children of God. And, who is there that does not rejoice in the fact of sonship? What care we for the things of earth, vanishing things? "Take the world, but give me Jesus, That dear Friend Who loves me so, Gladly all I leave to follow Jesus Through this world below." C H
1 João 3:2
MacArthur - It has been rightly said that imitation is the highest form of praise, and this transformation (We will be like Him) will be a supreme tribute to Jesus Christ—that He is the Chief One, the prototokos, among many who are made like Him (Ed: cp Christ the first fruits 1Cor 15:20+). Those whom the Father has elected to salvation through the Son will be made like the Son, conformed to the image of Christ (Ed: Instantly, 1Co 15:53+). He will be the first among His elect and redeemed humanity who will join with the holy angels to praise and glorify His name, reflect His goodness, and proclaim His greatness, as they worship Him endlessly. (See 1-3 Commentary - Page 117)(Ed: And all God's children cry "Maranatha! Amen!) Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commenting on we will be like Him write that we will be like Christ, and since… all sons have a substantial resemblance to their father, and Christ, Whom we shall be like, is “the express image of the Father’s person,” (Heb 1:3+) so that in resembling Christ, we shall resemble the Father. We wait for the manifestation (literally, the “apocalypse”; the same term as is applied to Christ’s own manifestation [in 1Jn 2:28+]) of the sons of God… Our first temptation was that we should be like God in knowledge (Ge 3:5), and by that we fell; but being raised by Christ, we become truly like Him, by knowing Him as we are known, and by seeing Him as He is [Pearson, Exposition of the Creed]. As the first immortality which Adam lost was to be able not to die, so the last shall be not to be able to die. As man’s first free choice or will was to be able not to sin, so our last shall be not to be able to sin [Augustine, The City of God, 22.30]. The devil fell by aspiring to God’s power; man, by aspiring to his knowledge; but aspiring after God’s goodness, we shall ever grow in His likeness. (ED COMMENT - As an aside JFB is one of the better "older" commentaries on prophetic matters - it tends to interpret prophetic Scriptures more literally and not to replace Israel with the church [see Israel of God] - as does Matthew Henry) J Vernon McGee tells about the story (ILLUSTRATION) "when a great big piece of marble was brought in to (the great artist Michelangelo), Michelangelo walked around it, looking at it, and then said, “My, isn’t it beautiful!” One of his helpers who was standing there said, “Well, all I see is a great big piece of marble—that’s all.” Michelangelo exclaimed, “Oh, I forgot. You don’t see what I see. I see a statue of David there.” The helper looked again and replied, “Well, I don’t see it.” Michelangelo said, “That is because it is now in my own mind, but I am going to translate it into this piece of marble.” And that is what he did. God says, “It doth not yet appear what you shall be.” He sees what He is going to make out of us someday. We are discouraged when we look at each other as we are now, but God sees us as we shall be when He shall appear and we shall be like Him. What a glorious prospect this is for us! “We shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” We are going to see the glorified Christ. We are not going to be equal to Him, but we are going to be like Him in our own way. This does not mean that all of us are going to be little robots or simply little duplicates—it is not that at all. We will be like Him but with our own personalities, our own individualities, our own selves. He will never destroy the person of Vernon McGee. He’ll not destroy the person that you are, but He is going to bring you up to the full measure, the stature where you will be like Him—not identical to Him, but like Him. (Borrow 1 John page 84) (Listen to the Mp3 on 1Jn 3:2) Because (3754) (hoti) serves as a marker of cause or reason, but interpreters are somewhat divided regarding whether this qualifies the previous verb oidamen (we know because - here the idea is that our future resemblance to Christ is based on the fact that “we shall see him just as he is.”) or the verb esometha ("we shall be like Him because we shall see Him just as He is") so that being like Him is the direct result or outcome of seeing Him (the cause - see explanations by Akin and Hiebert below). This latter seems to be John's emphasis -- that we shall be like Him -- rather than on how (the reason) the transformation (if the emphasis is on the verb oidamen) will take place. Daniel Akin adds that "The better understanding is that our future likeness of Christ is based on the fact that we will one day see him as he is (cause). The transformation idea (reason) is not absent, but it is not the primary one here. (See 1,2,3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) D Edmond Hiebert explains that because "may indicate either the reason for our assurance that we shall be like Christ or the cause of our being like Him. Under the former view "for" (hoti, or "because") is taken as introducing a dependent clause relating back to the main verb, "we know," giving the sense "we know that we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him." This rendering assumes that only those who shall be like Christ shall then be permitted to see Him as He really is. If the clause is connected with the immediately preceding words, "we shall be like him," then John explains that our future face-to-face encounter with the glorified Christ will complete our transformation into His likeness. Thus the amazing assertion that "we shall be like Him" receives the needed explanation. In the words of Bruce, "If progressive assimilation to the likeness of their Lord results from their present beholding of Him through a glass darkly, to behold Him face to face, to `see him even as he is,' will result in their being perfectly like Him. The comparative adverb "as" (kathos, "just as") emphasizes that then our beholding of Christ will no longer be as "through a glass, darkly," but we will truly be seeing our glorious Lord "face to face" (1Co 13:12+). Just as (2531) (kathos) means in accordance with a degree as specified by the context or in proportion as. We shall see Him in all His radiant splendor and majestic glory and no longer through a mirror dimly. He is is in the present tense signifying our Lord Jesus Christ's continuing state of glorious grandeur. To see His face, this is my goal, The deepest longing of my soul; Through storm and stress my path I’ll trace Till, satisfied, I see His face! —Chisholm David
1 João 3:3
MacArthur - The idea of purifying oneself does not mean believers can generate their own sanctification. Rather, it emphasizes that the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit does not take place apart from the believer’s obedience and use of the means of sanctifying grace. (1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 117) Osborne -This is an ongoing purification process, which begins at rebirth and continues until the day we see Jesus. The more pure we become, the clearer our view will be of Jesus, who is pure through and through. The Gospel of John, 1-3 John - Page 348
1 João 3:3
MacArthur - THE END OF GROWTH 1 JOHN 3:3 Truth for Today: A Daily Touch of God's Grace - Page 76 2 Peter 3:18 commands believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Your response to this verse is either action or inaction. If you desire to mature in Christ, you will experience blessing, usefulness, and victory by following the biblical path of glorifying God. And as David discovered, you will also experience joy: “I have set the Lord always before me…. Therefore my heart is glad” (Ps. 16:8, 9). The apostle John summed up the goal of spiritual growth when he said, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). The growth process will end on the day that we see Jesus Christ and become like Him. James Smith - THE PURIFYING HOPE.1 John 3:2, 3. 1. What is this hope? It is the hope of— 1. HIS APPEARING. "We know that when He shall appear." He will come again according to His promise (John 14:3). "Christ, who is our life, shall appear" (Col. 3:4). 2. BEING LIKE HIM. "We shall be like Him." This mortal shall put on immortality. "Our vile body shall be fashioned like unto His glorious body" (Phil. 3:21). 3. SEEING HIM. "We shall see Him as He is." "I will behold Thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness" (Psa. 17:15). "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12). What a bright and glorious prospect! 2. What is the effect of this hope? "He that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself even as He is pure." There is— 1. PERSONAL PURITY. "Purifieth himself." This sure and blessed hope constrains to voluntary purity. It is intensely practical (1 John 3:5), as all real faith is. 2. PURITY AFTER HIS EXAMPLE. "As He is pure." He willingly separated Himself unto God for the joy that was set before Him. Be ye holy, for I am holy. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. Those who look for His coming will long to live like Him, that there be no shame before Him at His appearing (1 John 2:28). 3. PURITY AS AN EVIDENCE OF FAITH. Every man that hath this hope purifieth himself. If a man is not seeking to purify himself, it is clear that this hope is not in him, there is no faith in the coming Saviour. "Dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves" (2 Cor. 7:1). Joseph Stowell - WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HEAVEN?—1 John 3:3 It is interesting to note that when Christ came, the disciples were frightfully naive about heaven. One might assume that having been schooled in Judaism they would have a keen understanding of the world to come. Yet their thoughts of a future paradise focused on the dream that a messiah would overthrow the Roman occupation, establish his rule on earth, and restore Israel to its former glory. It was not heaven there but heaven here that they anticipated. In fact, the whole religious environment of Christ’s day minimized the thought of heaven. One of the major religious groups were the Sadducees. They were wealthy materially, which made even the thought of heaven superfluous, and their theology actually denied the resurrection and the thought of an afterlife. Both their theology and their affluence made heaven unnecessary. The Pharisees, on the other hand, affirmed the reality of a life to come, yet, as one writer observed, “They were primarily concerned with the ritual dimension of Judaism.” Given these prevailing religious attitudes, it’s no wonder that the disciples’ view of heaven was dim. As such, it brought confusion to their hearts about Christ’s mission and anxiety within when He told them He was leaving. But all that changed after the Resurrection and Ascension. Heaven was real and compelling to the early church. They could take the flame of the fire and the torture of hungry lions because they knew that all that was better was yet to come. That this was indeed what Thomas Hobbes was to call the “nasty, brutish, and short” world. The idea that heaven was “far better” (Philippians 1:23 KJV) was a realization that enabled them to hold life loosely here and live for Christ regardless of the cost. And, as John said, living in the hope of seeing Jesus face-to-face was a motivation to purity in their lives. To this day, affluence and a preoccupation with earthside rules and rituals dim our view of heaven. It’s only when heaven is in full view that our lives start functioning as they should. Is heaven in clear view for you on a regular basis? If it were, what difference would it make? Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching, In His glory they shall share; If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, Will He find us watching there? --Crosby 1 JOHN 3:3 The one great characteristic of John Hyde was holiness. I do not mention prayerfulness now, for prayer was his life work. I do not especially call attention to soul-winning, for his power as a soul-winner was due to his Christ-likeness. God says, “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” His life was a witness to the power of Jesus’ blood to cleanse from all sin. “There is no power on the world so irrepressible as the power of personal holiness.” A man’s gifts may lack opportunity. The spiritual power of a consecrated will needs no opportunity, and can enter where doors are shut. In this strange and tangled business of human life there is no energy that so steadily does its work as the mysterious, unconscious, silent, unobtrusive, impenetrable influence which comes from a man who has done with all self-seeking. And herein lay John Hyde’s mystical power and great influence. Multitudes have been brought to their knees by prayer he uttered when filled with the Spirit. Chris Tiegreen - Shaped by Hope The One Year Heaven on Earth Devotional: 365 Daily ... - Page 139 All who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:3 IN WORD The world is full of false religious impulses —disciplines that change behavior without changing the heart, self-inflicted punishments as signs of penance, superficially imposed attitudes that only mask deeper flaws, and many more. At the root of many of these impulses is a desire to be pure. That’s a good desire that reflects the truth of our impure condition, but human beings seem to be woefully ignorant of how to fulfill that desire. Most attempts are full of self-effort, and a corrupt self can never make itself pure. That would be like a fire trying to put itself out with fire, or a mud puddle trying to cleanse itself with more mud. It won’t happen. When the source is the same as the subject, nothing is going to change. So how can this God-given desire for purity be fulfilled? By looking to the source. John introduces this thought by directing our attention to the Father’s love (1 John 3:1), and emphasizes that we will be changed simply by seeing Jesus (3:2). Or as is often said, we become what we behold. We always grow in the direction of our loves, don’t we? It’s natural. Whatever we love, whatever we gaze at affectionately, whatever we truly long for tends to shape us. Boys don’t try to act like their favorite athlete; they just do. Young musicians don’t work at emulating their favorite star; they just do. Lovers don’t impose painful disciplines in order to draw close to each other; they just do. So if we see divine love and gaze at the One who embodies it, we are filled with reciprocating love and become like Him. We are transformed by our hearts’ affections. IN DEED That’s how change happens in the Kingdom culture. It isn’t a set of rules no one wants to obey. It’s an environment that captivates our hearts, draws us to the King, and shapes us to be like Him. We are filled with hope in His coming, and like a bride or groom anticipating the wedding, our longings do the work of preparing us. In the process, we become pure just as He is pure. Greg Laurie - A CHANGED LIFE And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:3) Most Christians would readily agree with the simple truth that Jesus Christ is coming back again. But here is the question: If we believe that, how should it affect the way we live? We should be interested in taking the great truths of the Christian life and applying them to the way that we live. James 5:8 tells us, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” It is important to remember that God did not give us the prophecies of Scripture to entertain or tantalize us. Rather, these truths were given to us for a number of reasons. One of them is to motivate us toward personal godliness and bold evangelism. The truth of the soon return of Christ should cause us to want to live a holy life, and it should have a purifying effect on us. It should keep us on our toes spiritually. It is interesting that when God points out what is wrong with a nation spiritually, He doesn’t point His finger at the government; He points His finger at the church. God says that when a nation is sick, it is because there is a problem in His church. But He also tells us how to fix it: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). What it comes down to is how the teaching that Christ is coming back affects you. Don’t worry about the rest of the world. Don’t even worry about your Christian friends. How does this truth affect you? Joe Stowell - What Are You Aiming For? “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3 Let’s talk about heaven. If you’re like me, it’s hard to get your head around it and harder still to let it grip your heart. While most of us believe that heaven exists, we go on with life as though this is the only world that matters. Nearly every spiritual dysfunction in our lives can be traced back to the fact that heaven does not really have a hold on us. C. S. Lewis had it right when he said: “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” So, how do we “aim at heaven”? First, we recognize that this physical body is not all there is—“what we will be has not yet appeared” (1 John 3:2). In fact, earth is simply a dress rehearsal for the great world to come. All the pain and toil here is temporary. Poverty isn’t permanent. Illness is transient. For followers of Jesus, death is but a door to all that is far better. As we read in Revelation, there shall be no sorrow, no more crying, no more death, and he shall wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). Aiming at heaven also involves keeping Jesus in our sights. Looking forward to the day when “we shall see Him as He is” fills us with hope—not a worldly, wish-list kind of hope, but a hope that reflects the certainty of what is to come. It’s the kind of hope that keeps us from distractions and rivets our attention on what really matters in the long run; the kind of hope that purifies us. Maybe you’ve never thought of it like this before, but one of the strongest motivations for purity is connected to the return of Jesus. Because, let’s face it, there are some places we just wouldn’t want to be when He comes back. We might hope He doesn’t examine the places the Internet has taken us, or that He doesn’t see our attitudes toward others. If we really believed that today might be our last, we might finally be ready to forgive, to ask for forgiveness, or maybe even to share the love of Jesus with someone. So, how about it? Let’s stop aiming at earth and turn our hearts toward heaven! YOUR JOURNEY… What did C. S. Lewis mean when he said, “you get earth thrown in” if you’re aiming for heaven? Could it be what Jesus meant in Matthew 6:33? What are you aiming for—earth or heaven? Do your thoughts, attitudes, and actions support your answer? Think of some practical, tangible ways that you can be more heavenly minded. (And don’t worry, it won’t make you of “no earthly good”!) How would focusing on heaven stir your heart to purity? Joe Stowell - Dirty Windows - A friend of mine, Bud Wood, founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. The original ministry opened its doors in 1964 to 36 children, providing them a loving residential environment and a school that would focus on their unique needs, helping them to reach their potential. Most importantly, this ministry started with a primary goal of sharing God’s love with the residents and encouraging them toward a personal and growing walk with Jesus. Many of those original residents, now adults, still reside at Shepherds. The home, now known as Shepherds Ministries, has grown to include vocational training and a variety of other ministries all clustered around that central passion for delivering and living out the gospel. I remember Bud asking me one time, “Hey, Joe, do you know what our biggest maintenance problem at Shepherds is?” “I have no idea,” I replied. “Dirty windows. Our kids press their hands and faces against the windows because they’re looking to the sky to see if today might be the day that Jesus will return for them and take them to His home where they will be healed and complete.” I love that! Talk about having your priorities in the right place. One of the hallmarks of a committed follower of Jesus is a longing for His return. That’s what Paul anticipates as he writes to Timothy in the waning days of his earthly ministry. He acknowledges that he is “being poured out like a drink offering” and humbly states, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:6-7). But rather than spending his last days looking in the rearview mirror, Paul continues to look forward to the “crown of righteousness, which the Lord . . . will award to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:8). Notice that the crown isn’t some merit award for Paul’s years of distinguished service. It isn’t the “Church Planter of the Year” trophy. And it isn’t exclusive to Paul. He makes that plainly clear when he adds, “and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” The “crown of righteousness” is available to all followers of Christ who live righteously because they have organized their lives around longing for Him to return—with the expectation that it could be any minute now! That longing and expectation will change our priorities as well. It will make us think a whole lot less about how to build our kingdom and a whole lot more about His. It will pull our attention away from materialism and the accumulation of earthbound possessions and point us toward investment in that which is eternally significant. It will lift us from our anxieties and even the weight of this life’s difficulties, reminding us each day that something better awaits us. And 1 John 3:2-3 reminds us that our hope in the Lord’s return will motivate us toward purity, so that we want to be righteously pure and ready when Jesus comes for us. You may have decorated your windows for Christmas, but have you gone to them recently to see if the Jesus of Christmas is coming back again for you? Go ahead, smudge up a window or two! Life will be wonderfully different if you keep your eyes to the sky! YOUR JOURNEY… How often do you spend time thinking about the return of Jesus? How would it change your plans for the next 24 hours if you genuinely believed that Jesus could arrive at any moment? How about the next week? What about the next year? What steps can you take to regularly remind yourself that Jesus could be returning at any moment? What would it look like to “smudge up some windows” as you watch for Christ’s return in your home? F B
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MacArthur writes that "lawlessness conveys more than transgressing God’s Law. It conveys the ultimate sense of rebellion, i.e., living as if there was no law or ignoring what laws exist (James 4:17)." (Online note) Lawlessness is living as though your own ideas are superior to God's. Lawlessness says, "God may demand it but I don't prefer it." Lawlessness says, "God may promise it but I don't want it." Lawlessness replaces God's law with my contrary desires. I become a law to myself. Lawlessness is rebellion against the right of God to make laws and govern His creatures. Lawlessness signifies everything that is contrary to the will and law of God and is more intentional and flagrant sin. It is direct and open rebellion against God and His ways. Lawlessness describes one who has the quality of not being regulated by, restrained by or controlled by law. It is one who is not governed by nor obedient to laws and who is thus unbridled and uncontrolled in general. Some close synonyms include the quality of a person that manifests lawlessness include words such as -- anarchy, rebellion, insurgence, insubordination, chaos, disorderliness, mutiny, recklessness, sedition, unruliness (that's enough for starters!) Ligon Duncan sums up 1Jn 3:4 - John tells us—and this is the fifth part of his argument—in 1Jn 3:4, that the opposite, that not pursuing this holiness (1Jn 3:3+), but living in a life of sin is, in fact, an evidence that we don’t know God and we haven’t experienced grace. Look at what he says in verse 4. “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” John is saying that pursuing a life of sin is evidence of a rejection of God’s word, God’s word which is Christ’s word—He wrote it; He obeyed it. And when we pursue a life of sin, we show that we prefer to do it our way as opposed to God’s way. And he says that those who practice sin are practicing lawlessness. It’s an evidence of a rejection of God’s word and a rejection of Christ. (1 John 2:29-3:10 The Test of Righteousness) Can A True Believer Continue in Sin and Persist in Sin? "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God" (1 John 3:9-10). "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John 5:18). The Teaching of Zane Hodges and Joseph Dillow The fruitful believer The partaker or heir The believing believer The overcomer The barren believer The carnal one (non-heir) The saved person who stops believing The non-overcomer This righteous saved person has a new nature that never sins. Moreover this saved person consistently walks in the Spirit and does not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. This unrighteous saved person continues in sin and persists in wickedness. This carnal believer does not practice righteousness. He is born of God and has a new nature but he consistently walks in the flesh. He will not inherit the kingdom and will not reign with Christ. There are three factors which prevent a true believer from continuing in sin, and they all begin with the letter "C." (1) CONFESSION—The sinning believer need not continue in a state of sin because he may CONFESS his sins (1 John 1:9) and God is faithful and just to forgive his sin and cleanse him from all unrighteousness. (2) CONVICTION—Spirit wrought conviction ought to lead to humble confession. If it does not, the conviction continues. The Holy Spirit makes His grieved presence felt (Eph. 4:30). The true believer can never be comfortable in his sin, even as righteous Lot’s soul was vexed in Sodom (2 Pet. 2:7-8). We can thank God that He makes us miserable when we are not right with Him. When we are disobedient we are unsettled, unpeaceful, unhappy. Thank God it is so! (3) CHASTENING—If the sinning believer does not respond in the right way to God’s conviction in the heart, then the Father will chasten His child whom He loves (1 Cor. 11:31-32). Maximum chastisement can even result in the physical death of the believer (1 Cor. 11:30). As a good human father will not permit his child to continue doing wrong, so the Heavenly Father will not permit His child to continue in wickedness. [Hodges teaches that it is possible for true Christians to be "bastards" (Heb. 12:8--KJV) or illegitimate sons, and even though they are saved, they will not be chastened of the Father and they will lose their inheritance! See Hodges discussion of Hebrews 12:8 in The Bible Knowledge Commentary. See also The Teachings of Zane Hodges ] A Key Question: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" (Rom. 6:1) Paul’s answer: "God forbid (Perish the thought!). How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom. 6:2) Hodges/Dillow answer: The believer should not continue in sin but many believers do. Many persist in sin and practice unrighteousness (even persisting in the sins mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). They will be saved but they will not inherit the kingdom. Questions: Why are not these believers convicted? Where is the Father’s chastening hand? Where is the heavenly restraint? R. Gene Reynolds in his helpful book Assurance—You Can Know You’re A Christian said the following on page 73: A person who is living sinfully, who knows he is living sinfully, who enjoys living in such a manner, who intends to continue that sinful way of living—that person does not have the Holy Spirit living within him. The very fact that he is ‘comfortable’ about his sin is proof of the Spirit’s absence. His spiritual vital sign registers ‘no life.’ (From Assurance: You can know you're a Christian See also Gerald Borchert's book "Assurance and Warning") Hodges teaches that righteous living proves that a person is saved but that unrighteous living does not prove that a person is lost (Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 893). He says, "the converse does not follow" (p. 893). In other words, Hodges teaches that a person can give evidence that he is saved but he cannot give evidence that he is lost! His righteous living points to LIFE but his unrighteous living does not point to DEATH! He can have assurance of salvation but not assurance of damnation! For more discussion of this dangerous, deceptive teaching of Hodges, Dillow, Wilkin, et al see INDEX PAGE. Theodore Epp - 1 John 3:1-10 To live under the dominion of sin without any evidence of righteousness demonstrates that the person has not been born again. To live under the dominion of sin without any evidence of righteousness demonstrates that the person has not been born again. The reasons for this are clearly pointed out in some of these verses. First John 3:4, for example, says that sin is contrary to the law of God. Verse 5 says that sin is contrary to the mission, or the work, of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ not only came to take away the guilt of sin, but He broke sin's power so that the believer need not live under its dominion. When we do commit an act of sin and then confess it, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and our Advocate with the Father maintains our standing of righteousness before Him. Some have used these verses to teach that a person reaches a certain place in his Christian life after which he no longer commits any sin. These verses do not give any license to sin, but they contrast the state, or behavior, of the children of God with the state, or behavior, of the children of the world. A continual practice of sin in the life shows that the person is a child of the Devil rather than a child of God. "The devil sinneth from the beginning" (1Jn 3:8), and his children continue to live in sin, for that is in keeping with the character of their heredity. "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). (Back to the Bible) WHAT IS SIN? (1 John 3:4) - Croft Pentz What is sin? This question has been asked many times. Sin is failing to keep the Ten Commandments—Exodus 20:1–17. Sin is failing to live according to The Sermon on the Mount—Matthew 5–7. The Bible says that all men have come short of the glory of God—Romans 3:23. Sin is of the devil—John 8:44. Sin is: (1) Anything that opposes the Bible; (2) Anything that opposes God; and (3) Anything that opposes the church. As Christians we should hate sin, but love the sinner! I. SIN IS DISOBEYING GOD’S COMMANDS 1. Command of salvation—John 3:1–8. We must be born again. We must be changed! Notice John 3:18. If we do not believe we are already lost. Man goes to hell because he refuses to accept this command. 2. Command of surrender—Matthew 6:24. Trying to serve Satan, sin, and God at the same time is impossible. Note the words of Jesus in Luke 6:46. Have you surrendered completely to God? 3. Command of separation—Hebrews 12:14. Those who refuse to live a holy life are living in sin. Only the pure in heart will see God—Matthew 6:24. We must cleanse ourselves—2 Corinthians 7:1. 4. Command of sacrifice—Luke 9:23. Disobeying God means a lack of love for Him—John 14:23. If we love Him we will sacrifice for Him. Note these words: “But those who keep sinning are against God, for every sin is done against the will of God”—1 John 3:4, Living New Testaments. II. SIN IS DISOBEYING YOUR CONSCIENCE “Happy is the man who need not condemn himself for doing the thing that he approves”—Williams Translation. 1. Comfort—1 Timothy 1:19. Having a clear conscience. Many people cannot sleep because their conscience bothers them. Having a clear conscience is the best medicine you can get. 2. Conviction—John 8:9. The conscience is given by God. Thank God for your conscience, which convicts you. Your conscience is the best and truest friend you can have. When you are convicted and feel something is wrong—do not do it. 3. Cleansing—Hebrews 9:14. Having our conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ. As we walk in the light, we will have our consciences cleansed and made new. “These teachers will tell lies with straight faces and do it so often that their consciences won’t even bother them”—1 Timothy 4:2, Living New Testament. III. SIN IS DISOBEYING YOUR CONVICTIONS When you disobey your convictions it is sin! Others may do things and are not convicted by doing so, but if God convicts you, do not do it! 1. Seeing wrong—James 4:17. When we do what is right and fail to do it we commit sin. Many sins are committed by omission. 2. Spirit’s work—John 16:8. The Holy Spirit convicts, but He will not force us to do anything against our own will. 3. Sinning wilfully—Hebrews 10:26. God does not approve of wilful sinning. 4. Sanctifying work—Hebrews 9:14. We must purge our conscience. We must keep our consciences clean. When a person does not: (1) heed God’s commands; (2) obey His commands, and (3) obey his convictions, then he is in danger. Sin always separates from God. It separated Samson from God. Saul had the same problems. Judas, Peter, and many others, permitted sin to separate them from God. If we will please God in our daily lives, then we will not be guilty of sin. Robert Neighbour - Sin Scripturally Defined "But sin, that it might appear gin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful" (Rom. 7:13). There are at least six distinctive descriptions of sin. Some of them seem to overlap each other, but yet they carry separate considerations. Let us observe them. 1. "All unrighteousness is sin" (I John 5:17). This verse speaks of immoralities. It has to do more particularly with man's attitude toward his fellow-men. An unrighteous man is one who sins against his fellow-men. Unrighteousness sums up the works of the flesh, as described in Galatians 5:19 — "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like." Every work of sinful self is sin. It is in the heart of man that sin is conceived. The whole outflow from the sinful heart is sin, because the old man is "corrupt according to deceitful lusts," and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. 2. "Sin is the transgression of the Law" (I John 3:4). The word "transgress" means to "go across." God has given us His will as a rule of life. Whenever we go against that will, we transgress the law, and we have sinned. Sin is my way as against God's way. Sin carries with it the spirit of rebellion. It is casting aside the will of God, it is tramping His purposes under one's feet. 3. Sin is believing not on Him. Christ said that the Holy Ghost, when He came, would convict the world "of sin, because they believe not on Me" (John 16:9). A man may be ever so moral in life and he may be more or less obedient to the Law, and yet if he believes not on Christ, to him it is sin. The Holy Spirit does not convict men of sin because of their unrighteousness or because of their transgressions. All men know they are sinners on this line. The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin because they reject the Saviour; because they have been treading Him under foot, because they have been counting His Blood unholy; because they have believed not on Him. 4. "The thought of foolishness is sin" (Prov. 24:9). Sin is rooted in the mind. God said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts." "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." "The thought of foolishness is sin," that is, the very thought with which we consider evil is sin. David made a covenant with his eyes, because his eyes led him to the thought of evil. God is able to garrison the believer's thoughts and mind in Christ Jesus, but the mind of the flesh is corrupt, just like the heart is corrupt. 5. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). This verse has more to do with the sins of believers than of unbelievers. Whenever we do that which we cannot do in faith, we break fellowship with God and we sin. A good Christian should never do anything of which he is doubtful, for "He that doubteth is condemned." In our days we need sure footing. We must not go against the voice of the Spirit within. 6. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17). This passage also has special reference to the saved. There are sins positive; there are also sins negative. The latter is expressed in our failure to do the good. It is a sin of disobedience. When God tells us to do this or to do that, and we do it not, we sin. Paul said, "I was not disobedient unto the Heavenly vision." When the Lord spoke to Philip, he arose and went in the way to Gaza. Had either Paul or Philip known to do this good and had done it not, they would have sinned. Henry Mahan - Every person who practices sin as a course of life, excuses and justifies a life of flesh, and lives unrestrained, is lawless and a transgressor of the law. But no true believer can ever find peace John says God’s commands distinguish love from sin and are not burdensome (see 1 John 3:4; 5:3). The world says God’s commands are chains to be broken and shackles to be thrown off (see Psalm 2:3). Which attitude characterizes you? GENUINE BELIEVERS DO NOT CONTINUALLY SIN - ILLUSTRATION - Let me give you an illustration that may help us understand what John is saying here. The Nile River is the longest river in the world running 4,160 miles. Another interesting thing about the Nile is that it is the only river of any consequence that flows from the south to the north. Most rivers, like the Mississippi, flow from the north to the south. Not the Nile…it flows from the south to the north. However, just north of the fifth cataract in Sudan, the Nile bends to the west. It continues to bend until it actually is flowing south. But that southward flow only lasts for a short distance as the bend of the river turns once again back to its overall northward flow up to the Mediterranean Sea. That’s a great illustration of the flow of a Christian’s life when it comes to sinful behavior. In fact, Dr. John
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MacArthur says commenting on this verse "John’s description allows for no exceptions or dual standards. Everyone who habitually practices sin is living in an ongoing condition of lawlessness (James 2:10–11; cf. Ro 4:15), which marks all who are outside the kingdom of God (cf. Ro 1:32; Gal. 5:19–21; Rev 21:8). (See 1-3 John - Volume 5 - Page 123) (Bolding mine) Hiebert - Again John made a statement that allows for no exceptions: “everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness”. It pictures a class that is the opposite of those practicing righteousness (1Jn 2:29). The articular present participle portrays an individual characteristically engaged in the practice of sin. Burdick notes that “the KJV translation, ‘committeth,’ is misleading in that it suggests a point of action rather than the continuing practice. (Bolding added) (1 John 2:29-3:12) NLT Study Bible (borrow) - Being born into God’s family demands purification; a life of sin—a continual lack of purity—is evidence that someone is not really God’s child. Sin is incompatible with the new nature derived from the new birth. John wants believers to do what is right, and thus demonstrate that they are joined to Christ and his righteousness. Those who are children of God do not make a practice of sinning, but this differs from the sort of “sinlessness” that the false teachers claimed. (Emphasis mine)
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MacArthur - Sin is refusing to obey God’s law; it is rejecting God’s standards; it is, in fact, living as if God did not exist. Sin is the ultimate act of ingratitude toward the God “who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). Sin is the only thing that God hates (cf. Jer. 44:4), and so must believers (Ps. 97:10; Amos 5:15). The great Puritan writer Thomas Watson noted that a prerequisite for sanctification is such hatred for sin. Renew your commitment today to grow in your relationship with the Lord by hating evil (Prov. 8:13). Martin Luther - Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.1 John 3:4 We are all sinners, and at times we all fall into sin. But when true Christians fall, they soon come back, turn around, and struggle against the sin so that they won’t offend their neighbor. To illustrate, it’s difficult to avoid being wounded in times of war. Yet it’s an honor if one stands up to fight again. But it’s a disgrace if someone retreats. Similarly, even if Christians are completely surrounded by sin, they should still fight against it. Some people think they’re Christians because they’ve been baptized. These people give their desires free rein and don’t care about conquering their sins. They merely follow their own cravings. Committing sin comes from following the enticement and desire to sin. Many give these sinful desires free rein. They don’t want to repent or stand up to fight again. Today they commit adultery; tomorrow they want to live purely. It’s impossible for these people to avoid offending their neighbor. If they don’t offend them by something they do, then they certainly will by neglecting what they ought to do for their neighbor. An important part of Christianity is love, and love is not self-seeking (1 Corinthians 13:5). Insisting on our own way is not loving our neighbor, but following our own desires. So not showing love is the same as being disobedient. Those who aren’t pure, who don’t struggle daily against themselves, will give in to sin and do wrong. Those who don’t have the fruit on the inside won’t show it on the outside toward their neighbor. If we have not died to ourselves so that we can disregard our own desires, how can we seek what’s best for others? John Henry Jowett - TAMPERING WITH THE LABEL 1John 3:4-10 SIN is transgression. It is the deliberate climbing of the fence. We see the trespass-board, and in spite of the warning we stride into the forbidden field. Sin is not ignorance, it is intention. We sin when we are wide-awake! There are teachers abroad who would soften words like these. They offer us terms which appear to lessen the harshness of our actions; they give our sin an aspect of innocence. But to alter the label on the bottle does not change the character of the contents. Poison is poison give it what name we please. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” Let us be on our guard against the men whose pockets are filled with deceptive labels. Let us vigilantly resist all teachings which would chloroform the conscience. Let us prefer true terms to merely nice ones. Let us call sin by its right name, and let us tolerate no moral conjuring either with ourselves or with others. The first essential in all moral reformation is to call sin “sin.” “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin.” Paul Enns - July 29 WHAT IS SIN? Sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) Approaching God (Enns) - Page 29 Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, denied the existence of sin. "Evil is but an illusion, and it has no real basis," she claimed. In contrast, other greats have acknowledged sin's existence. Seneca the philosopher said, "We have all sinned, some more, some less." Goethe, the poet, exclaimed, "I see no fault which I might not myself have committed." Coleridge remarked, "I am a fallen creature ... an evil ground existed in my will previous to any given act." The Chinese refer to "two good men; one dead, the other unborn" (Bancroft, Christian Theology, p. 214). Most people will acknowledge sin, but what is it? The Bible uses several words to describe sin. One is transgression (Galatians 3:19). Sin is transgressing God's law; it is "stepping over the boundary." God gave Israel the law to show Israel His standard. When an Israelite committed murder or adultery or stole something, he sinned be-cause he had stepped over the boundary of God's law. Sin also means to "miss the mark" or "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). God has established a standard, and failure to keep that precise standard is to sin, or miss the mark of God's standard. Moreover, man deliberately chooses to miss God's moral mark-it is a voluntary choice. Sin is rebellion against God (1 John 3:4). It is a frame of mind that results in lawless action. Why will a group of young men smash dozens of mailboxes with a baseball bat? Rebellion against constituted laws. Sin is also a nature or principle within man (Romans 7:17). Paul lamented, "The good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish," concluding that it is "sin which dwells in me" (w. 19, 20). What a dilemma if there were no solution! But "Jesus Christ has set you free from the law of sin and of death" (Romans 8:2). Apart from Christ there is no solution to sin, but trusting Him resolves the dilemma. LESSON: Sin is rebellion against God, overstepping His boundary, and missing the mark of His standard. James Smith - SIN 1 JOHN 3:4 (R.V.) 1. Its Character. Pollution (Isa. 1), rebellion (Eph. 2:2), bondage (Rom. 5:21; 6:17), death (Eph. 2:1). 2. Its Course. (Rom. 5:12; Gal. 3:22). 3. Its Curse (Rom. 6:23). Ground cursed. 4. Its Cure (2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13). WHAT IS SIN? Sin is the transgression of the law.—1 John 3:4 - Ian MacPherson Sin is today what Sangster would call a “blurred word.” It has lost its sharp edges. It has, in fact, almost disappeared from popular speech. We hear much of vice, a great deal about crime, but sin has practically been dropped from the popular vocabulary. The term needs exact definition. Here are four views of its nature and effects. 1. It is a delight that deceives us. “Whosoever sins against light kisses the lips of a blazing cannon” (Jeremy Taylor). Sin is a kiss that kills. Sin is a hooded harlot whom men think beautiful and long to embrace, but when they take her to their breast she is unveiled as a loathsome hag. 2. It is a drug that dopes us. “Every sin works like a drug, and continued sin tends to stupefaction” (John Henry Jowett). “The more sense of sin the less sin” (Samuel Rutherford). There is this curious paradox in human life that it is not the sinner but the saint who knows most about sin. This is because it drugs its devotees. 3. It is a disease that destroys us. You may remember John Newton’s nimble lines: The worst of all diseases Is light compared with sin; On every part it seizes But rages most within. ’Tis leprosy and fever And palsy all combined, And none but the believer The least relief can find. 4. It is, as John in our text expressly tells us, a disobedience that demoralizes us. There is an oft-told tale of how Calvin Coolidge, having heard a sermon whose subject was “sin,” was asked by his wife what the preacher had said about it. Coolidge replied: “He said he was against it.” Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With loss of Eden. --John Milton, Paradise Lost HOLINESS - SIN J C Ryle Source - Ryle's highly recommended book 364 page magnum opus entitled "Holiness" - see PDF “Sin is the transgression of the law.”—1 JOHN 3:4 HE that wishes to attain right views about Christian holiness, must begin by examining the vast and solemn subject of sin. He must dig down very low if he would build high. A mistake here is most mischievous. Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption. I make no apology for beginning this volume of papers about holiness by making some plain statements about sin. The plain truth is that a right knowledge of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity. Without it such doctrines as justification, conversion, sanctification, are “words and names” which convey no meaning to the mind. The first thing, therefore, that God does when He makes any one a new creature in Christ, is to send light into his heart, and show him that he is a guilty sinner. The material creation in Genesis began with “light,” and so also does the spiritual creation. God “shines into our hearts” by the work of the Holy Ghost, and then spiritual life begins. (2 Cor. 4:6.)—Dim or indistinct views of sin are the origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day. If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of his soul’s disease, you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies. I believe that one of the chief wants of the Church in the nineteenth century has been, and is, clearer, fuller teaching about sin. (1) I shall begin the subject by supplying some DEFINITION of sin. We are all of course familiar with the terms “sin” and “sinners.” We talk frequently of “sin” being in the world, and of men committing “sins.” But what do we mean by these terms and phrases? Do we really know? I fear there is much mental confusion and haziness on this point. Let me try, as briefly as possible, to supply an answer. I say, then, that “sin,” speaking generally, is, as the Ninth Article of our Church declares, “the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that is naturally engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone (quam longissimè is the Latin) from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth alway against the spirit; and, therefore, in every person born into the world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation.” Sin, in short, is that vast moral disease which affects the whole human race, of every rank, and class, and name, and nation, and people, and tongue; a disease from which there never was but one born of woman that was free. Need I say that One was Christ Jesus the Lord? I say, furthermore, that “a sin,” to speak more particularly, consists in doing, saying, thinking, or imagining, anything that is not in perfect conformity with the mind and law of God. “Sin,” in short, as the Scripture saith, is “the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4.) The slightest outward or inward departure from absolute mathematical parallelism with God’s revealed will and character constitutes a sin, and at once makes us guilty in God’s sight. Of course I need not tell any one who reads his Bible with attention, that a man may break God’s law in heart and thought, when there is no overt and visible act of wickedness. Our Lord has settled that point beyond dispute in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matt. 5:21–28.) Even a poet of our own has truly said, “A man may smile and smile, and be a villain.” Again, I need not tell a careful student of the New Testament, that there are sins of omission as well as commission, and that we sin, as our Prayer-book justly reminds us, by “leaving undone the things we ought to do,” as really as by “doing the things we ought not to do.” The solemn words of our Master in the Gospel of St. Matthew place this point also beyond dispute. It is there written, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire:—for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink.” (Matt. 25:41, 42.) It was a deep and thoughtful saying of holy Archbishop Usher, just before he died,—“Lord, forgive me all my sins, and specially my sins of omission.” But I do think it necessary in these times to remind my readers that a man may commit sin and yet be ignorant of it, and fancy himself innocent when he is guilty. I fail to see any Scriptural warrant for the modern assertion that “Sin is not sin to us until we discern it and are conscious of it.” On the contrary, in the 4th and 5th chapters of that unduly neglected book, Leviticus, and in the 15th of Numbers, I find Israel distinctly taught that there were sins of ignorance which rendered people unclean, and needed atonement. (Levit. 4:1–35; 5:14–19; Num. 15:25–29.) And I find our Lord expressly teaching that “the servant who knew not his master’s will and did it not,” was not excused on account of his ignorance, but was “beaten” or punished. (Luke 12:48.) We shall do well to remember, that when we make our own miserably imperfect knowledge and consciousness the measure of our sinfulness, we are on very dangerous ground. A deeper study of Leviticus might do us much good. (2) Concerning the ORIGIN AND SOURCE of this vast moral disease called “sin” I must say something. I fear the views of many professing Christians on this point are sadly defective and unsound. I dare not pass it by. Let us, then, have it fixed down in our minds that the sinfulness of man does not begin from without, but from within. It is not the result of bad training in early years. It is not picked up from bad companions and bad examples, as some weak Christians are too fond of saying. No! it is a family disease, which we all inherit from our first parents, Adam and Eve, and with which we are born. Created “in the image of God,” innocent and righteous at first, our parents fell from original righteousness and became sinful and corrupt. And from that day to this all men and women are born in the image of fallen Adam and Eve, and inherit a heart and nature inclined to evil. “By one man sin entered into the world.”—“That which is born of the flesh is flesh.”—“We are by nature children of wrath.”—“The carnal mind is enmity against God.”—“Out of the heart (naturally as out of a fountain) proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,” and the like. (John 3:6; Ephes. 2:3; Rom. 8:7; Mark 7:21.) The fairest babe that has entered life this year, and become the sunbeam of a family, is not, as its mother perhaps fondly calls it, a little “angel,” or a little “innocent,” but a little “sinner.” Alas! as it lies smiling and crowing in its cradle, that little creature carries in its heart the seeds of every kind of wickedness! Only watch it carefully, as it grows in stature and its mind developes, and you will soon detect in it an incessant tendency to that which is bad, and a backwardness to that which is good. You will see in it the buds and germs of deceit, evil temper, selfishness, self-will, obstinacy, greediness, envy, jealousy, passion,—which, if indulged and let alone, will shoot up with painful rapidity. Who taught the child these things? Where did he learn them? The Bible alone can answer these questions!—Of all the foolish things that parents say about their children there is none worse than the common saying,—“My son has a good heart at the bottom. He is not what he ought to be; but he has fallen into bad hands. Public schools are bad places. The tutors neglect the boys. Yet he has a good heart at the bottom.”—The truth, unhappily, is diametrically the other way. The first cause of all sin lies in the natural corruption of the boy’s own heart, and not in the school. (3) Concerning the EXTENT of this vast moral disease of man called sin, let us beware that we make no mistake. The only safe ground is that which is laid for us in Scripture. “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart” is by nature “evil, and that continually.”—“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9.) Sin is a disease which pervades and runs through every part of our moral constitution and every faculty of our minds. The understanding, the affections, the reasoning powers, the will, are all more or less infected. Even the conscience is so blinded that it cannot be depended on as a sure guide, and is as likely to lead men wrong as right, unless it is enlightened by the Holy Ghost. In short, “from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness” about us. (Isa. 1:6.) The disease may be veiled under a thin covering of courtesy, politeness, good manners, and outward decorum; but it lies deep down in the constitution. I admit fully that man has many grand and noble faculties left about him, and that in arts and sciences and literature he shows immense capacity. But the fact still remains that in spiritual things he is utterly “dead,” and has no natural knowledge, or love, or fear of God. His best things are so interwoven and intermingled with corruption, that the contrast only brings out into sharper relief the truth and extent of the fall. That one and the same creature should be in some things so high and in others so low,—so great and yet so little,—so noble and yet so mean,—so grand in his conception and execution of material things, and yet so grovelling and debased in his affections,—that he should be able to plan and erect buildings like those to Carnac and Luxor in Egypt, and the Parthenon at Athens, and yet worship vile gods and goddesses, and birds, and beasts, and creeping things,—that he should be able to produce tragedies like those of Æschylus and Sophocles, and histories like that of Thucydides, and yet be a slave to abominable vices like those described in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans,—all this is a sore puzzle to those who sneer at “God’s Word written,” and scoff at us as Bibliolaters, But it is a knot that we can untie with the Bible in our hands. We can acknowledge that man has all the marks of a majestic temple about him,—a temple in which God once dwelt, but a temple which is now in utter ruins,—a temple in which a shattered window here, and a doorway there, and a column there, still give some faint idea of the magnificence of the original design, but a temple which from end to end has lost its glory and fallen from its high estate. And we say that nothing solves the complicated problem of man’s condition but the doctrine of original or birth-sin and the crushing effects of the fall. Let us remember, beside this, that every part of the world bears testimony to the fact that sin is the universal disease of all mankind. Search the globe from east to west and from pole to pole,—search every nation of every clime in the four quarters of the earth,—search every rank and class in our own country from the highest to the lowest,—and under every circumstance and condition, the report will be always the same. The remotest islands in the Pacific Ocean, completely separate from Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, beyond the reach alike of Oriental luxury and Western arts and literature,—islands inhabited by people ignorant of books, money, steam, and gunpowder—uncontaminated by the vices of modern civilization,—these very islands have always been found, when first discovered, the abode of the vilest forms of lust, cruelty, deceit, and superstition. If the inhabitants have known nothing else, they have always known how to sin! Everywhere the human heart is naturally “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jer. 17:9.) For my part, I know no stronger proof of the inspiration of Genesis and the Mosaic account of the origin of man, than the power, extent, and universality of sin. Grant that mankind have all sprung from one pair, and that this pair fell (as Gen. 3 tells us), and the state of human nature everywhere is easily accounted for. Deny it, as many do, and you are at once involved in inexplicable difficulties. In a word, the uniformity and universality of human corruption supply one of the most unanswerable instances of the enormous “difficulties of infidelity.” After all, I am convinced that the greatest proof of the extent and power of sin is the pertinacity with which it cleaves to man, even after he is converted and has become the subject of the Holy Ghost’s operations. To use the language of the Ninth Article, “this infection of nature doth remain,—yea, even in them that are regenerate.” So deeply planted are the roots of human corruption, that even after we are born again, renewed, “washed, sanctified, justified,” and made living members of Christ, these roots remain alive in the bottom of our hearts, and, like the leprosy in the walls of the house, we never get rid of them until the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved. Sin, no doubt, in the believer’s heart, has no longer dominion. It is checked, controlled, mortified, and crucified by the expulsive power of the new principle of grace. The life of a believer is a life of victory, and not of failure. But the very struggles which go on within his bosom, the fight that he finds it needful to fight daily, the watchful jealousy which he is obliged to exercise over his inner man, the contest between the flesh and the spirit, the inward “groanings” which no one knows but he who has experienced them,—all, all testify to the same great truth, all show the enormous power and vitality of sin. Mighty indeed must that foe be who even when crucified is still alive! Happy is that believer who understands it, and while he rejoices in Christ Jesus has no confidence in the flesh; and while he says, “Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory,” never forgets to watch and pray lest he fall into temptation! (4) Concerning the GUILT, VILENESS, and OFFENSIVENESS of sin in the sight of God, my words shall be few. I say “few” advisedly. I do not think, in the nature of things, that mortal man can at all realize the exceeding sinfulness of sin in the sight of that holy and perfect One with whom we have to do. On the one hand, God is that eternal Being who “chargeth His angels with folly,” and in whose sight the very “heavens are not clean.” He is One who reads thoughts and motives as well as actions, and requires “truth in the inward parts.” (Job 4:18; 15:15; Psa. 51:6.) We, on the other hand,—poor blind creatures, here to-day and gone to-morrow, born in sin, surrounded by sinners, living in a constant atmosphere of weakness, infirmity, and imperfection,—can form none but the most inadequate conceptions of the hideousness of evil. We have no line to fathom it, and no measure by which to gauge it. The blind man can see no difference between a masterpiece of Titian or Raphael, and the Queen’s Head on a village signboard. The deaf man cannot distinguish between a penny whistle and a cathedral organ. The very animals whose smell is most offensive to us have no idea that they are offensive, and are not offensive to one another. And man, fallen man, I believe, can have no just idea what a vile thing sin is in the sight of that God whose handiwork is absolutely perfect,—perfect whether we look through telescope or microscope,—perfect in the formation of a mighty planet like Jupiter, with his satellites, keeping time to a second as he rolls round the sun,—perfect in the formation of the smallest insect that crawls over a foot of ground. But let us nevertheless settle it firmly in our minds that sin is “the abominable thing that God hateth;”—that God “is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and cannot look upon that which is evil;”—that the least transgression of God’s law makes us “guilty of all;”—that “the soul that sinneth shall die;”—that “the wages of sin is death;”—that God shall “judge the secrets of men;”—that there is a worm that never dies, and a fire that is not quenched;—that “the wicked shall be turned into hell,”—and “shall go away into everlasting punishment;”—and that “nothing that defiles shall in any wise enter” heaven. (Jer. 44:4; Hab. 1:13; James 2:10; Ezek. 18:4; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 2:16; Mark 9:44; Ps. 9:17; Matt. 25:46; Rev. 21:27.) These are indeed tremendous words, when we consider that they are written in the Book of a most merciful God! No proof of the fulness of sin, after all, is so overwhelming and unanswerable as the cross and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the whole doctrine of His substitution and atonement. Terribly black must that guilt be for which nothing but the blood of the Son of God could make satisfaction. Heavy must that weight of human sin be which made Jesus groan and sweat drops of blood in agony at Gethsemane, and cry at Golgotha, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46.) Nothing, I am convinced, will astonish us so much, when we awake in the resurrection day, as the view we shall have of sin, and the retrospect we shall take of our own countless shortcomings and defects. Never till the hour when Christ comes the second time shall we fully realize the “sinfulness of sin.” Well might George Whitfield say, “The anthem in heaven will be, What hath God wrought!” (5) One point only remains to be considered on the subject of sin, which I dare not pass over. That point is its DECEITFULNESS. It is a point of most serious importance, and I venture to think it does not receive the attention which it deserves. You may see this deceitfulness in the wonderful proneness of men to regard sin as less sinful and dangerous than it is in the sight of God; and in their readiness to extenuate it, make excuses for it, and minimize its guilt.—“It is but a little one! God is merciful! God is not extreme to mark what is done amiss! We mean well! One cannot be so particular! Where is the mighty harm? We only do as others!” Who is not familiar with this kind of language?—You may see it in the long string of smooth words and phrases which men have coined in order to designate things which God calls downright wicked and ruinous to the soul. What do such expressions as “fast,” “gay,” “wild,” “unsteady,” “thoughtless,” “loose” mean? They show that men try to cheat themselves into the belief that sin is not quite so sinful as God says it is, and that they are not so bad as they really are.—You may see it in the tendency even of believers to indulge their children in questionable practices, and to blind their own eyes to the inevitable result of the love of money, of tampering with temptation, and sanctioning a low standard of family religion.—I fear we do not sufficiently realize the extreme subtlety of our soul’s disease. We are too apt to forget that temptation to sin will rarely present itself to us in its true colours, saying, “I am your deadly enemy, and I want to ruin you for ever in hell.” Oh, no! sin comes to us, like Judas, with a kiss; and like Joab, with an outstretched hand and flattering words. The forbidden fruit seemed good and desirable to Eve; yet it cast her out of Eden. The walking idly on his palace roof seemed harmless enough to David; yet it ended in adultery and murder. Sin rarely seems sin at its first beginnings. Let us then watch and pray, lest we fall into temptation. We may give wickedness smooth names, but we cannot alter its nature and character in the sight of God. Let us remember St. Paul’s words: “Exhort one another daily, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13.) It is a wise prayer in our Litany, “From the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil, good Lord, deliver us.” And now, before I go further, let me briefly mention two thoughts which appear to me to rise with irresistible force out of the subject. On the one hand, I ask my readers to observe what deep reasons we all have for humiliation and self-abasement. Let us sit down before the picture of sin displayed to us in the Bible, and consider what guilty, vile, corrupt creatures we all are in the sight of God. What need we all have of that entire change of heart called regeneration, new birth, or conversion! What a mass of infirmity and imperfection cleaves to the very best of us at our very best! What a solemn thought it is, that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord!” (Heb. 12:14.) What cause we have to cry with the publican, every night in our lives, when we think of our sins of omission as well as commission, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” (Luke 18:13.) How admirably suited are the general and Communion Confessions of the Prayer-book to the actual condition of all professing Christians! How well that language suits God’s children which the Prayer-book puts in the mouth of every Churchman before he goes up to the Communion Table,—“The remembrance of our misdoings is grievous unto us; the burden is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past.” “How true it is that the holiest saint is in himself a miserable sinner,” and a debtor to mercy and grace to the last moment of his existence! With my whole heart I subscribe to that passage in Hooker’s sermon on Justification, which begins, “Let the holiest and best things we do be considered. We are never better affected unto God than when we pray; yet when we pray, how are our affections many times distracted! How little reverence do we show unto the grand majesty of God unto whom we speak! How little remorse of our own miseries! How little taste of the sweet influence of His tender mercies do we feel! Are we not as unwilling many times to begin, and as glad to make an end, as if in saying, ‘Call upon Me,’ He had set us a very burdensome task? It may seem somewhat extreme, which I will speak; therefore, let every one judge of it, even as his own heart shall tell him, and not otherwise; I will but only make a demand! If God should yield unto us, not as unto Abraham,—If fifty, forty, thirty, twenty—yea, or if ten good persons could be found in a city, for their sakes this city should not be destroyed; but, and if He should make us an offer thus large, Search all the generations of men since the fall of our father Adam, find one man that hath done one action which hath passed from him pure, without any stain or blemish at all; and for that one man’s only action neither man nor angel should feel the torments which are prepared for both. Do you think that this ransom to deliver men and angels could be found to be among the sons of men? The best things which we do have somewhat in them to be pardoned.”* That witness is true. For my part I am persuaded the more light we have, the more we see our own sinfulness: the nearer we get to heaven, the more we are clothed with humility. In every age of the Church you will find it true, if you will study biographies, that the most eminent saints—men like Bradford, Rutherford, and McCheyne—have always been the humblest men. On the other hand, I ask my readers to observe how deeply thankful we ought to be for the glorious Gospel of the grace of God. There is a remedy revealed for man’s need, as wide and broad and deep as man’s disease. We need not be afraid to look at sin, and study its nature, origin, power, extent, and vileness, if we only look at the same time at the Almighty medicine provided for us in the salvation that is in Jesus Christ. Though sin has abounded, grace has much more abounded. Yes: in the everlasting covenant of redemption, to which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are parties,—in the Mediator of that covenant, Jesus Christ the righteous, perfect God and perfect Man in one Person,—in the work that He did by dying for our sins and rising again for our justification,—in the offices that He fills as our Priest, Substitute, Physician, Shepherd, and Advocate,—in the precious blood He shed which can cleanse from all sin,—in the everlasting righteousness that He brought in,—in the perpetual intercession that He carries on as our Representative at God’s right hand,—in His power to save to the uttermost the chief of sinners, His willingness to receive and pardon the vilest, His readiness to bear with the weakest,—in the grace of the Holy Spirit which He plants in the hearts of all His people, renewing, sanctifying, and causing old things to pass away and all things to become new,—in all this—and oh, what a brief sketch it is!—in all this, I say, there is a full, perfect, and complete medicine for the hideous disease of sin. Awful and tremendous as the right view of sin undoubtedly is, no one need faint and despair if he will take a right view of Jesus Christ at the same time. No wonder that old Flavel ends many a chapter of his admirable “Fountain of Life” with the touching words, “Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.” In bringing this mighty subject to a close, I feel that I have only touched the surface of it. It is one which cannot be thoroughly handled in a paper like this. He that would see it treated fully and exhaustively must turn to such masters of experimental theology as Owen, and Burgess, and Manton, and Charnock, and the other giants of the Puritan school. On subjects like this there are no writers to be compared to the Puritans. It only remains for me to point out some practical uses to which the whole doctrine of sin may be profitably turned in the present day. (a) I say, then, in the first place, that a Scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology which is so painfully current in the present age. It is vain to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so-called Christianity now-a-days which you cannot declare positively unsound, but which, nevertheless, is not full measure, good weight, and sixteen ounces to the pound. It is a Christianity in which there is undeniably “something about Christ, and something about grace, and something about faith, and something about repentance, and something about holiness;” but it is not the real “thing as it is” in the Bible. Things are out of place, and out of proportion. As old Latimer would have said, it is a kind of “mingle-mangle,” and does no good. It neither exercises influence on daily conduct, nor comforts in life, nor gives peace in death; and those who hold it often awake too late to find that they have got nothing solid under their feet. Now I believe the likeliest way to cure and mend this defective kind of religion is to bring forward more prominently the old Scriptural truth about the sinfulness of sin. People will never set their faces decidedly towards heaven, and live like pilgrims, until they really feel that they are in danger of hell. Let us all try to revive the old teaching about sin, in nurseries, in schools, in training colleges, in Universities. Let us not forget that “the law is good if we use it lawfully,” and that “by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (1 Tim. 1:8; Rom. 3:20; 7:7.) Let us bring the law to the front and press it on men’s attention. Let us expound and beat out the Ten Commandments, and show the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of their requirements. This is the way of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot do better than follow His plan. We may depend upon it, men will never come to Jesus, and stay with Jesus, and live for Jesus, unless they really know why they are to come, and what is their need. Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world. (b) In the next place, a Scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to the extravagantly broad and liberal theology which is so much in vogue at the present time. The tendency of modern thought is to reject dogmas, creeds, and every kind of bounds in religion. It is thought grand and wise to condemn no opinion whatsoever, and to pronounce all earnest and clever teachers to be trustworthy, however heterogeneous and mutually destructive their opinions may be.—Everything forsooth is true, and nothing is false! Everybody is right, and nobody is wrong! Everybody is likely to be saved, and nobody is to be lost?—The Atonement and Substitution of Christ, the personality of the devil, the miraculous element in Scripture, the reality and eternity of future punishment, all these mighty foundation-stones are coolly tossed overboard, like lumber, in order to lighten the ship of Christianity, and enable it to keep pace with modern science.—Stand up for these great verities, and you are called narrow, illiberal, old-fashioned, and a theological fossil! Quote a text, and you are told that all truth is not confined to the pages of an ancient Jewish Book, and that free inquiry has found out many things since the Book was completed!—Now, I know nothing so likely to counteract this modern plague as constant clear statements about the nature, reality, vileness, power, and guilt of sin. We must charge home into the consciences of these men of broad views, and demand a plain answer to some plain questions. We must ask them to lay their hands on their hearts, and tell us whether their favourite opinions comfort them in the day of sickness, in the hour of death, by the bedside of dying parents, by the grave of beloved wife or child. We must ask them whether a vague earnestness, without definite doctrine, gives them peace at seasons like these. We must challenge them to tell us whether they do not sometimes feel a gnawing “something” within, which all the free inquiry and philosophy and science in the world cannot satisfy. And then we must tell them that this gnawing “something” is the sense of sin, guilt, and corruption, which they are leaving out in their calculations. And, above all, we must tell them that nothing will ever make them feel rest, but submission to the old doctrines of man’s ruin and Christ’s redemption, and simple childlike faith in Jesus. (c) In the next place, a right view of sin is the best antidote to that sensuous, ceremonial, formal kind of Christianity, which has swept over England like a flood in the last twenty-five years, and carried away so many before it. I can well believe that there is much that is attractive in this system of religion, to a certain order of minds, so long as the conscience is not fully enlightened. But when that wonderful part of our constitution called conscience is really awake and alive, I find it hard to believe that a sensuous ceremonial Christianity will thoroughly satisfy us. A little child is easily quieted and amused with gaudy toys, and dolls, and rattles, so long as it is not hungry; but once let it feel the cravings of nature within, and we know that nothing will satisfy it but food. Just so it is with man in the matter of his soul. Music, and flowers, and candles, and incense, and banners, and processions, and beautiful vestments, and confessionals, and man-made ceremonies of a semi-Romish character, may do well enough for him under certain conditions. But once let him “awake and arise from the dead,” and he will not rest content with these things. They will seem to him mere solemn triflings, and a waste of time. Once let him see his sin, and he must see his Saviour. He feels stricken with a deadly disease, and nothing will satisfy him but the great Physician. He hungers and thirsts, and he must have nothing less than the bread of life. I may seem bold in what I am about to say; but I fearlessly venture the assertion, that four-fifths of the semi-Romanism of the last quarter of a century would never have existed if English people had been taught more fully and clearly the nature, vileness, and sinfulness of sin. (d) In the next place, a right view of sin is one of the best antidotes to the overstrained theories of Perfection, of which we hear so much in these times. I shall say but little about this, and in saying it I trust I shall not give offence. If those who press on us perfection mean nothing more than an all-round consistency, and a careful attention to all the graces which make up the Christian character, reason would that we should not only bear with them, but agree with them entirely. By all means let us aim high.—But if men really mean to tell us that here in this world a believer can attain to entire freedom from sin, live for years in unbroken and uninterrupted communion with God, and feel for months together not so much as one evil thought, I must honestly say that such an opinion appears to me very unscriptural.—I go even further. I say that the opinion is very dangerous to him that holds it, and very likely to depress, discourage, and keep back inquirers after salvation. I cannot find the slightest warrant in God’s Word for expecting such perfection as this while we are in the body. I believe the words of our Fifteenth Article are strictly true,—that “Christ alone is without sin; and that all we, the rest, though baptized and born again in Christ, offend in many things; and if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”—To use the language of our first Homily, “There be imperfections in our best works: we do not love God so much as we are bound to do, with all our heart, mind, and power; we do not fear God so much as we ought to do; we do not pray to God but with many and great imperfections. We give, forgive, believe, live, and hope imperfectly; we speak, think, and do imperfectly; we fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh imperfectly. Let us, therefore, not be ashamed to confess plainly our state of imperfection.”—Once more I repeat what I have said, the best preservative against this temporary delusion about perfection which clouds some minds,—for such I hope I may call it,—is a clear, full, distinct understanding of the nature, sinfulness, and deceitfulness of sin. (e) In the last place, a Scriptural view of sin will prove an admirable antidote to the low views of personal holiness, which are so painfully prevalent in these last days of the Church. This is a very painful and delicate subject, I know; but I dare not turn away from it. It has long been my sorrowful conviction that the standard of daily life among professing Christians in this country has been gradually falling. I am afraid that Christ-like charity, kindness, good-temper, unselfishness, meekness, gentleness, good-nature, self-denial, zeal to do good, and separation from the world, are far less appreciated than they ought to be, and than they used to be in the days of our fathers. Into the causes of this state of things I cannot pretend to enter fully, and can only suggest conjectures for consideration. It may be that a certain profession of religion has become so fashionable and comparatively easy in the present age, that the streams which were once narrow and deep have become wide and shallow, and what we have gained in outward show we have lost in quality. It may be that the vast increase of wealth in the last twenty-five years has insensibly introduced a plague of worldliness, and self-indulgence, and love of ease into social life. What were once called luxuries are now comforts and necessaries, and self-denial and “enduring hardness” are consequently little known. It may be that the enormous amount of controversy which marks this age has insensibly dried up our spiritual life. We have too often been content with zeal for orthodoxy, and have neglected the sober realities of daily practical godliness. Be the causes what they may, I must declare my own belief that the result remains. There has been of late years a lower standard of personal holiness among believers than there used to be in the days of our fathers. The whole result is that THE SPIRIT IS GRIEVED! and the matter calls for much humiliation and searching of heart. As to the best remedy for the state of things I have mentioned, I shall venture to give an opinion. Other schools of thought in the Churches must judge for themselves. The cure for Evangelical Churchmen, I am convinced, is to be found in a clearer apprehension of the nature and sinfulness of sin. We need not go back to Egypt, and borrow semi-Romish practices in order to revive our spiritual life. We need not restore the confessional, or return to monasticism or asceticism. Nothing of the kind! We must simply repent and do our first works. We must return to first principles. We must go back to “the old paths.” We must sit down humbly in the presence of God, look the whole subject in the face, examine clearly what the Lord Jesus calls sin, and what the Lord Jesus calls “doing His will.” We must then try to realize that it is terribly possible to live a careless, easy-going, half-worldly life, and yet at the same time to maintain Evangelical principles and call ourselves Evangelical people! Once let us see that sin is far viler, and far nearer to us, and sticks more closely to us than we supposed, and we shall be led, I trust and believe, to get nearer to Christ. Once drawn nearer to Christ, we shall drink more deeply out of His fulness, and learn more thoroughly to “live the life of faith” in Him, as St. Paul did. Once taught to live the life of faith in Jesus, and abiding in Him, we shall bear more fruit, shall find ourselves more strong for duty, more patient in trial, more watchful over our poor weak hearts, and more like our Master in all our little daily ways. Just in proportion as we realize how much Christ has done for us, shall we labour to do much for Christ. Much forgiven, we shall love much. In short, as the Apostle says, “with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor. 3:18.) Whatever some may please to think or say, there can be no doubt that an increased feeling about holiness is one of the signs of the times. Conferences for the promotion of “spiritual life” are becoming common in the present day. The subject of “spiritual life” finds a place on Congress platforms almost every year. It has awakened an amount of interest and general attention throughout the land, for which we ought to be thankful. Any movement, based on sound principles, which helps to deepen our spiritual life and increase our personal holiness, will be a real blessing to the Church of England. It will do much to draw us together and heal our unhappy divisions. It may bring down some fresh out-pouring of the grace of the Spirit, and be “life from the dead” in these later times. But sure I am, as I said in the beginning of this paper, we must begin low, if we would build high. I am convinced that the first step towards attaining a higher standard of holiness is to realize more fully the amazing sinfulness of sin. 1 John 3:3 Commentary <> 1 John 3:5 Commentary
1 João 3:5
MacArthur - The primary reason for Jesus’ coming to earth was in order to take away sins. Therefore, it is absolutely inconsistent with Jesus Christ’s redeeming work on the cross for anyone who claims to be a Christian (one who shares the very life of Christ) to continue in sin. To do so utterly ignores the reality of the sanctifying element of salvation, whereby believers are set apart from sin to righteousness (1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:7–9; cf. 1 Thess. 1:5–9). (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 124) Gary Derickson - This truth (take away sins) becomes the motivation for purifying ourselves as we anticipate being like Jesus. If we are trying to be like Him, we must identify with His purpose in coming. That should be our motivation for removing sin from our lives John
1 João 3:6
MacArthur - If no check against habitual sin exists in someone who professes to be a Christian, John’s pronouncement is absolutely clear—salvation never took place. (MacArthur Study Bible) The continuous sinner has not known God and is therefore an unregenerate person. Wycliffe Bible Commentary on abide and sin - Both words are in the present tense and indicate the habitual character of the person. The person who is abiding in Christ is not able to sin habitually. Sin may enter his experience, but it is the exception and not the rule. If sin is the ruling principle of a life, that person is not redeemed (Rom 6); thus a saved person cannot sin as a habit of life. When a Christian does sin, he confesses it (1 Jn 1:9) and perseveres in his purification (1Jn 3:3). The continuous sinner has not known God and is therefore an unregenerate person. (BORROW The Wycliffe Bible Commentary) Earlier John had written that "The one who says, “I have come to know (ginosko also in the perfect tense) Him,” and does not keep (present tense - as his general direction, not perfection!), His commandments, is a liar, and the truth (cp Jn 14:6!) is not in him." (1Jn 2:4+ ) In short, this person is not a believer as shown by his persistent disobedience! Has seen (perfect tense) Him or (absolutely does not) knows (ginosko - perfect tense) Him - These two phrases in simple terms are saying this person is not a genuine follower of Jesus Christ now and they never have been, regardless of what they may have professed (See discussion of John's use of perfect tense under "know"). Earlier John spoke of seeing Jesus explaining that "when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." (1Jn 3:2+) These individuals will not see Him in the same sense and certainly will not be like Him (glorified). On the other hand they will one day see Jesus when He comes as their Judge not their Savior - "BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen." (Rev 1:7+, cp Php 2:9-11+)
1 João 3:7
MacArthur - The genuine believer’s habitual lifestyle of righteousness stands in sharp contrast to those false teachers who practiced sin (cf. 1Jn 3:4, 6). Since Christ died on the Cross to transform sinners, those truly born again have replaced the habit of sin with the habit of righteous living (Ro 6:13, 14+). (SEE MacArthur Study Bible OR here)
1 João 3:8
MacArthur - A DECREASING FREQUENCY OF SIN Strength for Today: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith - Page 15 “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.”1 JOHN 3:9 ✧✧✧ A decreasing pattern of sin in a believer’s life means his faith is genuine. A sinful life pattern is incompatible with salvation. If you could continue in the same sinful pattern after being saved from sin, that would mean salvation is ineffective. Therefore, 1 John 3 deals with the saving work of Christ and reveals just how effective it is. Verse 5 says Christ “appeared in order to take away sins.” If you say someone who has had the work of Christ applied to him is continuing in sin just as before, you are denying the purpose for which Christ came. He died to take away the pattern of sin as well as the penalty. Therefore, if you are truly a believer you will relate to God in a totally new way, because the Christian “abides in Him” (v. 6). You are no longer a perpetual slave to sin, but you now have the option and ability to do good (see Rom. 6:14, 17–18). You will always be acutely sensitive to sin (Rom. 7; 1 John 1:8–9); yet, because of Christ’s abiding in you, your struggle will decrease over the years, and sin will be less and less a pattern in your life. That brings us to 1 John 3:9, which is a reminder that believers have been born anew by the Holy Spirit. Your new nature or new disposition of life is the “seed” verse 9 speaks of. Just as the seed of a plant, when placed in the soil, produces a distinct kind of life, the divine seed produces a righteous life in you that ends sin’s dominance. And that seed will never die—1 Peter 1:23 says it is “imperishable.” What does all this mean to you if you’re a genuine believer? It means you will see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life because you now have holy affections. It doesn’t mean sin will be eliminated, because your unredeemed flesh is still present. It means the more you practice righteousness—with its right motives, right desires, right words, and right actions—the less you sin, and the more you can be assured you’re a child of God. ✧✧✧ Suggestions for Prayer: If there is a frequent sin you struggle with, ask God to help you defeat it. Ian Paisley - The Manifestation of God the Son in Satan's Destruction "He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." I John 3:8 I. The Manifestation of God's Son "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested" The word manifested indicates the Eternal Pre-Existence of the Son of God. He was somewhere else before He was manifested to the world. He was manifested to the world in ten ways: 1, Supernaturally by the Incarnation; 2, Physically by the virgin birth; 3, Impeccably by the temptation; 4, Miraculously by His works; 5, Prophetically as the Prophet of God; 6, Sacrificially as the Priest of God; 7, Powerfully by His resurrection; 8, Gloriously by His ascension; 9; Supplicatory as the Advocate; 10, Royally as The King enthroned. II. The Devastation of God's Enemies The devil is the greatest of all sinners. He is the Supremo of Sin. He is the enemy of life, a murderer. He is the enemy of light, a liar. He is the enemy of law, a violater and he is the enemy of love, a traitor. Christ destroyed his works at Calvary and broke his head and will cany out his capital sentence fully when he damns him to the lake of fire forever. III. The Culmination of God's Purpose Christ did the Father's will. The text is the record of a glorious purpose fulfilled. Oswald Chambers —1 John 3:8 OUR LORD’S LIFE CHALLENGES US to maintain an intense narrowness in our spiritual lives. I agree that walking arm in arm with the world is highly beneficial for the civilizing of a community. But I believe that civilization is not Christianity. Modern Christians’ craze for social refinement is effacing the rugged, sterling truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fear of poverty makes many a Christian live in harmony with the world. The church that allows this worldly practice will, of course, gain the respect of this world; but if repentance does not come soon, that church will hear those words of Jesus, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23). First John 3:8 clearly shows us that Jesus came to our world of sin to destroy the works of the Devil, not to renovate them. The Christian who yields to this temptation to gain supremacy in this world will be found ultimately to bear the scent of a spiritual corpse, with a horrible stench of evil corruption. A W Tozer - Satan Would Bind Us in Our Own Grave Clothes Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings - Page 21 … For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 It is part of the devil’s business to keep the Christian’s spirit imprisoned. He knows that the believing and justified Christian has been raised up out of the grave of his sins and trespasses. From that point on, Satan works that much harder to keep us bound and gagged, actually imprisoned in our own grave clothes! He knows that if we continue in this kind of bondage we will never be able to claim our rightful spiritual heritage. He knows also that while we continue bound in this kind of enslavement we are not much better off than when we were spiritually dead. This is one reason why the Christians in today’s churches are behaving like a flock of frightened sheep—so intimidated by the devil that we can’t even say “Amen!” I am sure that it is not glorifying to our God that Christians should be so intimidated and silenced in our day. It was Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, who came down and took our human body for Himself. He was a man, born of a woman, a man wearing our own nature—but He was also God! He went out to the cross and they sacrificed Him there. The Father, God Almighty, accepted His sacrifice as the one, final fulfillment and consummation of all the sacrifices ever made on Jewish altars. After three days, He came out of the grave, then ascended as Victor over death and hell! Believing this, we ought to be the most fearless, the happiest and most God-assured people in the whole world! Daily Light on the Daily Path - “[The woman’s seed] shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.—But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.—“But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”—“You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.” The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.—And he . . . cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”—“In my name they will cast out demons.” The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Gen. 3:15; Isa. 52:14; Isa. 53:5; Luke 22:53; John 19:11; 1 John 3:8; Mark 1:34; Matt. 28:18; Mark 16:17; Rom. 16:20 Daily Light on the Daily Path -The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.—Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.—He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.—And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.—But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 3:8; Eph. 6:12; Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Rev. 12:10–11; 1 Cor. 15:57 Martyn Lloyd-Jones - 4 devotionals on 1 John 3:8 A MIGHTY BATTLE 1 JOHN 3:8 We see that our Lord did not come into the world only to teach. He did do that, and He gave incomparable teaching. We must realize what he came primarily to do. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,” not that He might teach us, not that He might give us a glorious example to follow, not that He might give us some transcendent idea that would illuminate our minds and thrill us. Not at all! He came, He was manifested, He appeared that He might “destroy the works of the devil.” We see that sin is unrighteous, that it is a transgression of the law, and that sin means we are violating God’s holy will for us and God’s holy purpose with respect to us. But this is the other part: “To continue in a life of sin and evil,” says John in essence, “is just to identify yourself at once with the devil and his ways and with everything that belongs to him.” And it is this that is emphasized in this verse. Our Lord came into this world to wage a great fight; He entered into a mighty battle. The way in which He was victorious in this fight is celebrated especially on Easter Day. This is the day that reminds us of the fact of Christ’s victory. It is not a day that reminds us of certain principles in life. You often hear people thank God for this whole “principle of resurrection,” how the flowers begin to appear, and how the trees and life come into being in the Spring. Now, that has nothing to do with this blessed message of the resurrection. We are concerned about a fact, not a principle of nature; and the fact is that in the resurrection our Lord ultimately established His conquest over the devil. Our Lord came into this world to wage a great fight. --- OUR ADVERSARY 1 JOHN 3:8 We begin by considering this “adversary,” as he is described (1 Peter 5:8), the devil. The Son of God came because there was a certain state and condition in this world that had been produced by the devil. Now whether we like it or not, the fact is that the whole drama of redemption, as it is outlined in the Bible, simply cannot be understood at all unless you accept the biblical doctrine with regard to the devil. It is an essential part of this message; it is there from the very beginning and right through to the end. And this is the biblical teaching. The explanation of the problem of mankind and the whole state of our world is to be traced back to this fact about the devil. According to the Bible, God made the world perfect; so what has gone wrong with it? And here is the answer. Someone who is described in various terms and to whom various names are given in the Bible came and spoke to the man and the woman whom God had placed in that perfect world. He is called “Lucifer,” “the son of the morning,” and “the god of this world.” He is called “the serpent,” “the prince of the power of the air,” and “the strong man armed.” There are various names given in the Scriptures, but they all describe the same person. And according to this teaching, this is the explanation of evil and of sin and of all our miseries in this world. The devil came and spoke to man, and he enticed him to sin. So man went against God; and the result of all this is the state of the world as it has been from the moment that man fell. The whole state of our world is to be traced back to this fact about the devil. --- LOOK FORWARD IN ANTICIPATION 1 JOHN 3:8 As we believe the message of the Gospel, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light—the kingdom of God’s dear Son. He is building up His own kingdom; he is drawing men and women unto Himself out of the world; He is going on with the work. He is in glory seated at the right hand of God, and He must reign until His enemies shall be made His footstool. He is going on until the number of the elect shall have been gathered in. And when that has happened, He will come again. He will return into this world as King and Lord, and He will finally finish the work. He will come with a mighty sword, and not only evil and sin but Satan himself and all his cohorts shall be cast into the lake of fire and will finally be banished from the sight of God for all eternity. And our guarantee of all this is the glorious fact of the resurrection: He “was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Remember then what He has already destroyed, and look forward in anticipation; the blessed hope that faces us as Christian people is that He will destroy these works of the devil utterly, completely, and finally. Evil and sin will be finally destroyed out of existence, burnt, destroyed forever. God shall be all and in all, and if we are in the army of the mighty Victor who has already risen from the grave and thereby conquered death, if we belong to Him, we shall behold that final judgment of Satan, and we shall dwell for all eternity in a perfect state with no sin and no sorrow, with no sighing and no tears. We shall dwell for all eternity in a perfect state with no sin and no sorrow, with no sighing and no tears. ---- SINLESS PERFECTION? 1 JOHN 3:8-9 The man or woman who is righteous will show that by living a righteous life; the one who is not righteous shows it by not living a righteous life. That is why this reference to the devil is so significant: “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.” That is his characteristic, his nature, his habit; that is his way of living. That is the thing that is so true of the devil: He sins from the beginning; he goes on sinning. “And that man,” John says in essence, “who goes on sinning is therefore the man who is proclaiming that he has the kind of nature that the devil has. He does not have the new nature that the Christian has.” We must remember that the apostle here is speaking about all Christians. Now some of the people who believe in sinless perfection tell us that the apostle here is only talking about some Christians. But at this point they become inconsistent, because they forget the message of verse 6; they say he is only speaking about some, but John is speaking about all Christians: “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.” If a man does not abide in Christ, he is not a Christian at all; to be a Christian means to be abiding in Christ. Now there are some who would have us believe that you can be a Christian without abiding in Christ, but surely that denies the whole doctrine of rebirth. We are in Christ or we are not, and if we are not in Christ we are not Christians at all. “If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9); if we have not been born of the Spirit, we are not Christians. You cannot be in Christ one day and out the next; every Christian is in Christ and abides in Him. John is not only speaking to certain Christians—he is speaking to all Christians. We must remember that the apostle here is speaking about all Christians. J C Philpot - 1 John 3:8 - There will be no thorough destruction of sin within until the body drops into the grave, and the soul mounts aloft to be with the Lord; nor a full destruction of its effects in the body until the resurrection morn, when the body shall be raised from the sleeping dust and changed into the glorious image of the body of the Son of God, meet companion for the immortal soul. Then will the victory be complete; then will Christ appear, shining forth with the lustre of a million suns; then will be the glorious manifestation of the Son of God, and the works of the devil thoroughly destroyed. The burden of heaven’s anthem, the grand theme of eternal adoration, will be the manifestation of the Son of God to destroy the works of the devil. The redeemed will look down from the battlements of heaven and see what works have been executed by the devil; they will see millions of fellow-beings consigned to eternal misery, weltering in hell, whilst they view themselves safe in the arms of eternal lvoe. They will see the Son of God, without a veil between, manifested to their eyes in such heart-ravishing glory as the three disciples had but a feeble, dim view of on the Mount of Transfiguration. It will be their joy to see Him as He is. He will always wear His human nature; He will never lay that aside. That will always shine resplendent with all the glory of Godhead; that will be the object of eternal admiration and love; and to that glory of the God-man all the saints in bliss will be for ever looking and for ever adoring, for sin will no longer have a being in them, but they will be conformed to the glorified image of the Son of God, and be celebrating for ever the grand triumph of the cross. A W Tozer - The Devil Hates Everything Dear to God Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings - Page 6 … For the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 I have observed among spiritual persons in the Christian fellowship a tendency either to ignore the devil altogether or to make too much of him. Both attitudes are wrong! There is in the world an enemy whom we dare not ignore. We see him first in the third chapter of Genesis and last in the twentieth of Revelation, which is to say that he was present at the beginning of human history and will be there at its earthly close. This enemy is not a creation of religious fancy, not a mere personification of evil for convenience, but a being as real as man himself. The Bible attributes to him qualities of personality too detailed to be figurative, and reveals him speaking and acting in situations hard and practical and far removed from the poetic imagination. He is said to be a liar, a deceiver and a murderer who achieves his ends by guile and trickery. While he is not omnipresent (omnipresence being an attribute of God alone) he is ubiquitous, which for his purpose amounts to the same thing. Satan hates God for His own sake, and everything that is dear to God he hates for the very reason that God loves it. Because man was made in God’s image the hatred with which Satan regards him is particularly malevolent, and since the Christian is doubly dear to God he is hated by the powers of darkness with an aggravated fury. In view of this, it cannot be less than folly for us Christians to disregard the reality and presence of such an enemy. David Jeremiah - For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Life-Changing Moments with God: Praying Scripture Every Day Lord God, I do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Inasmuch as I have partaken of flesh and blood, Jesus Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Having disarmed principalities and powers, Jesus made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. John the apostle heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death.” Thanks be to You, Almighty God, who gives me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ. The battle is real, Lord, but the victory is sure—and You give me strength in the meantime! I praise You! 1 JOHN 3:8; EPHESIANS 6:12; HEBREWS 2:14; COLOSSIANS 2:15; REVELATION 12:10–11; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 John
1 João 3:9
MacArthur explains that "The New Birth involves the acquisition of a seed, which refers to the principle of God’s life imparted to the believer at salvation’s New Birth. John uses this image of a planted seed to picture the divine element involved in being born again." (See MacArthur Study Bible) Accompanying our sincere desire to obey God will be a heightened sensitivity to our indwelling sin. --Jerry Bridges David Smith on the seed abiding in us - The germ of the divine life has been implanted in our souls, and it grows—a gradual process and subject to occasional retardations, yet sure, attaining at length to full fruition. The believer’s lapses into sin are like the mischances of the weather which hinder the seed’s growth. The growth of a living seed may be checked temporarily; if there be no growth, there is no life. (Expositor's Greek Testament) He cannot sin (dunamai = able) (hamartano = sin). Note that both verbs are in the present tense which speaks of the general direction of one's life. As discussed above, believers can and do still commit individual acts of sin, but John is not describing our occasional sins, as abhorrent as those are! Nor is he describing sinless perfection as some have falsely interpreted it (1 Jn 1:8+, 1Jn 1:10+ both negate "perfectionism"). What John is saying is that an individual who is truly Born Again, who has God's seed, cannot continually live a lifestyle of lawlessness. Notice that John uses the Greek negative "ou" (not "me") which signifies absolute negation. In other words he is saying that there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY a genuine believer can continually live in sin! This is in contrast to the teaching of Zane Hodges which states that a person can "believe" and then live the rest of their life in sin! In a sense such an aberration is supernaturally impossible! Why? Because believers have a new nature (cf God in us, the Spirit, continually "energizing" us giving us the desire and power to live pleasing to God - see Php 2:13NLT+) that pursues (however imperfectly) righteousness and not lawlessness. “He cannot keep sinning,” as the seed cannot cease growing. -- David Smith - Expositor's Greek Testament W E Vine on He cannot sin - here again, not the committal of an act is in view, but continuance in sin. It is not a case merely of moral impossibility, relationship to God, once it is established, not only abides forever but precludes the possibility of continuance of sin as a practice of the life. This difference between the children of God and those who are not is categorically stated in the next verse (1 Jn 3:10+). (Collected Writings) Regenerated life is not an “up and down” life; it is a life “up and up.” -- Oswald Chambers Kenneth
1 João 3:10
MacArthur explains that "The false teachers not only had an erroneous view of Christ’s nature and displayed disobedience to God’s commands, but they also displayed a distinct lack of love for true believers, who rejected their heretical teaching." MacArthur Study Bible Jon Courson - In the lives of those who are born again, there is not only the absence of something negative but also the presence of something positive. That is, there is not only an absence of habitual, constant sin, but there is the presence of love. Jon Courson's Application Commentary Stephen Charnock observed that the actions of a person reveal more about him than his words writing that "The testimony of works is louder and clearer than that of words, and the frame of men's hearts must be measured rather by what they do than by what they say. There may be a mighty distance between the tongue and the heart." Jack Arnold - In the Apostle’s thinking there are just two classes of people in this world. There are those who believe in Christ and prove it with their lives and those who reject Christ and produce no righteousness for God. This does not mean that unsaved men are created by the Devil but that they reflect the character of the Devil in their rebellion to God. Steven
1 João 3:13
MacArthur - An ancient proverb states that you can judge a man’s character by who his enemies are. That is also true in the spiritual realm. The world loves its own, but since Christ chose believers out of the world, the world hates them (John 15:19). (Strength for Today) John
1 João 3:14
MacArthur comments that "One sure mark of a transformed life is the desire to be with fellow Christians...That does not mean, or course, that Christians are to have no contact with unbelievers. But a professing Christian who prefers the company of the people of the world is probably still one of them.” (SEE Acts Commentary) C H
1 João 3:15
MacArthur - In his customary absolute, black-and-white style, John reminds readers that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. That does not mean that a believer could never commit an act of murder, or that someone who has committed murder can never be saved. But it does mean that those who are characterized by hateful attitudes and who regularly harbor murderous thoughts evidence an unregenerate heart and will perish eternally (cf. Rev. 21:7-8; 22:14-15) unless they repent. (See 1-3 John Commentary - Page 135) Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - This should be clearly understood, but it is not. Many people feel that they are acceptable to God and that God will never reject them, yet they have all kinds of negative feelings against others....Note that no murderer has eternal life. The implication is that neither does any person who hates his brother. A person who does not love his brother, who has negative feelings swirling within his heart, who has allowed his heart to become hardened against his brother—that person does not have eternal life dwelling within him. He has death, separation, alienation, division. He has cut off fellowship with a brother; he has put to death the relationship that exists between him and his brother. Therefore, he will be cut off from God; his relationship with God is put to death. (Borrow The Preacher's outline & sermon Bible : New Testament page 908) Daniel Akin - John adds a confirming note to his sweeping assertion: “and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” It does not require searching inquiry or research to confirm this fact. It is self-evident. The one who is governed by a spirit of hate does not possess eternal life. (See 1,2,3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Simon Kistemaker - John is explicit when he writes, "No murderer has eternal life in him." That is, a murderer has no part in the kingdom of God. Unless he repents and turns in faith to Christ, he is eternally lost. (Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude) Warren
1 João 3:15
MacArthur - Murderer is the word here that just means that, someone who slays a man. No murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Are you saying that if someone commits a murder they can never be saved? No. I am saying that if someone continues with a murderous heart, they're not saved, right? Paul was a murderer, was he not? Didn't he persecute and kill Christians? He says, "I was a blasphemer and a murderer." But he repented and was forgiven. All sinners can be saved, that's not what we're talking about here. We're not talking about who can be saved, we're talking about who is saved. And people with murderous hearts have never been transformed. They're just like Cain, they are children of the evil one. (True Christians Love One Another) Smalley on eternal life refers to "quality of spiritual life, made available to the believer now through Christ, cf. 1Jn 1:2; 2:25; 5:11, 13, 20. Here it is the equivalent of the “life” (ten zoen) into which the believer crosses over (1Jn 3:14). Ultimately eternal life is synonymous with Jesus Himself, as John declares at 1Jn 5:20. Thus hatred means the refusal to accept Christ as the decisive revelation of God’s love to us (1Jn 4:9), and as the means of our love toward the brotherhood (1Jn 4:19–21). (Borrow 1, 2, 3 John Word Biblical Commentary page 190) Paul gave a similar warning "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-21+) Note his "qualifier" is "those who practice such things" because all of us have been guilty of most if not all of these sins, but the distinction is that they are not our lifestyle, our habitual practice. Those who continually abide in this lifestyle will continually abide in eternal death, eternally separated from the Lord! Daniel Akin - The one who is governed by a spirit of hate does not possess eternal life. This does not mean that the murderer cannot be transferred from the sphere of death to the realm of eternal life. Indeed, forgiveness is available to all who repent, including those who murder. This statement is one of present reality. No murderer possesses the eternal life that comes from “abiding in him.” (See 1,2,3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy ...) John Kistemaker - The consequence of being a murderer is that the person forfeits eternal life… That is, a murderer has no part in the kingdom of God. Unless he repents and turns in faith to Christ, he is eternally lost. (Epistles of John- Simon J. Kistemaker) NET Note (and W Hall Harris) on abiding - The verb menō in 1 Jn 3:15 refers to a spiritual reality (eternal life) which in this case does not reside in the person in question. To speak in terms of eternal life not “residing” in such an individual is not to imply that at some time in the past this person did possess eternal life and subsequently lost it, however. The previous verse (1Jn 3:14) makes it clear that the individual under discussion here has “remained” in death (the realm of spiritual death) and so has never possessed eternal life to begin with, no matter what he may have claimed. Taken together with the use of meno in 1Jn 3:14, the use here implies that the opponents have “remained” in death all along, and have not ever been genuine believers. (Bolding added) Jesus used meno in His pronouncement - "And you do not have His word abiding in you, for (term of explanation = explaining the implications of not having His word abiding) you do not believe Him whom He sent." (John 5:38+) MacArthur on no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (this is a partial repeat of his previous comment) - That does not mean that a believer could never commit an act of murder, or that someone who has committed murder can never be saved. But it does mean that those who are characterized by hateful attitudes and who regularly harbor murderous thoughts evidence an unregenerate heart and will perish eternally (cf. Rev. 21:7–8; 22:14–15) unless they repent. (Editorial comment: By extension I would add that John's warning does not mean that a believer could never hate another believer, but that certainly would grieve the Spirit and temporarily interrupt one's communion with God. Jesus taught this same principle in Mt 6:14-15+ "if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." Our sins are forgiven at the Cross, but our daily communion with God is distorted by unconfessed sin, including the sin of hatred. We need to confess and repent and seek forgiveness if we have hated a brother. But the warning in John is even more serious, because if we are living a lifestyle of hatred and are claiming to be a believer in Him Who is love personified [1Jn 4:8, 16], we have to seriously examine ourselves as to whether we have the Spirit [Who enables love - Ro 5:5+, Gal 5:22+] dwelling in our hearts. We may be deceiving ourselves, thinking that our continual practice of hatred is not a serious matter and thinking that we are genuinely saved when we are not! Now, don't misunderstand what I am saying, for I am not saying you can lose your salvation. Neither am I saying that your not hating merits your salvation. And I am not saying that we as genuine believers will never hate [or murder for that matter - witness David's murder of Uriah], but what I am saying is that if we are continuing for some time in this state of enmity, we are miserable and eventually [like David - cp Ps 32:1-7 and Ps 51:1-17] we will be convicted by the Spirit and will confess and repent. The absence of the latter heart attitude is what should be a cause of serious concern. I am not your judge. God is our Judge and before Him alone we will all stand. I pray we who still are too quick to sin, will be just as quick to confess and repent [1Jn 1:9+]. Amen) (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 135) I Howard Marshall - Hatred is the wish that the other person was not there; it is the refusal to recognize his rights as a person, the longing that he might be dead. We may not like to put the point quite so frankly, but it is good that the real character of hatred should be so unambiguously displayed, so as to warn us against it. If I hate somebody, I am no different from a murderer in my attitude toward him. Such a person shares the nature of the devil, the archetypal murderer, and therefore it should come as no surprise that such a person cannot possibly possess eternal life. Hatred is incompatible with spiritual life. Put otherwise, the person who hates another wants to deprive him of life; such a person clearly does not belong to the realm of life. (Borrow The Epistles of John page 190) Steven
1 João 3:17
MacArthur - Refusing to help a fellow believer when you can, John reasons, reveals that you don’t really love him. And if you don’t love him, God’s love can’t be in your heart, which proves that you don’t belong to Him. This logic is sobering and persuasive. It should motivate us all the more to see the importance of practicing brotherly love. David Jeremiah - JESUS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 1 JOHN 3:17 Your Daily Journey with God: 365 Daily Devotions - Page 299 Several years ago, on its nightly newscast, one of the three major television networks invited viewers to submit stories of people helping people during the difficult economic recession —and they received far more examples than they could ever broadcast. If you knocked on the doors of all the homes in your neighborhood, you would likely find a high percentage of families or individuals who have been hit with hard times. Perhaps unemployment, illness, loss of life savings or other funds, broken relationships —tragedy touches almost everyone at some point. What marvelous opportunities to manifest the love and compassion of God to those who need it most! In His ministry Jesus reached out to everyone, and He wants us to do the same. Sow the seed of service in your neighborhood. Even if you are going through a hard time, you can still offer a word of encouragement or a helping hand to those in need. And perhaps share the love of Christ if they ask you why. If you want your neighbor to know what Christ will do for him, let your neighbor see what Christ has done for you. HENRY WARD BEECHER Martin Luther - HELPING OTHERS IN NEED 1 John 3:17 If we should be willing to die for our fellow believers, shouldn’t we be even more willing to give up our property and belongings?If we have possessions and don’t share them, if we don’t give food, drink, clothing, and so on—in other words, if we are greedy and stingy—then we aren’t Christians. Today, people are loudly complaining that those who have come to know Christ are the ones hoarding money. This is happening to such an extent that they fear God may unleash his wrath soon. Of course, God is merciful, but he isn’t idle. He doesn’t let sinners go unpunished. He’s merciful to the humble who fear him. It’s foolish to interpret this passage as referring only to people in extreme need. Besides, there are several degrees of love: we shouldn’t offend an enemy; we should help out a fellow believer;and we should support a member of our household. We know Christ’s commandment about loving our enemies. But we owe even more to a believer who loves us in return. We should help out whoever doesn’t have enough to live on. But what should we do if that person betrays us? We should help them again. We owe the most, however, to the ones related to us. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). It’s a general rule that if a person who has property and belongings doesn’t take the need of a neighbor to heart, then that person has no love. Moravian Daily Texts - How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? 1 John 3:17 Stewards of our time and talent, stewards of our neighbors too, serving God by serving others, so that all might be renewed. Stewards of this living planet, of the sea, the land, the air, healing damage we inflicted, cherishing this world we share. (84s*) Open the eyes of our heart Lord, so that we may see the needs around us. May we serve you by helping our neighbors, renewing our faith with love. Amen. * © 2012 by June Edwards. A W Tozer - OUR LOVE FOR GOD 1 John 3:18 Mornings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings - Page 30 The taking over of the romantic love ideal into our relation to God has been extremely injurious to our Christian lives. The idea that we should “fall in love” with God is ignoble, unscriptural, unworthy of us and certainly does no honor to the Most High God! We do not come to love God by a sudden emotional visitation. Love for God results from repentance, amendment of life and a fixed determination to love Him. Then as God moves more perfectly into the focus of our hearts, our love for Him may indeed rise and swell within us till like a flood it sweeps everything before it. But we should not wait for this intensity of feeling. We are not responsible to feel but we are responsible to love, and true spiritual love begins in the will. We should set our hearts to love God supremely, however cold or hard they may seem to be and go on to confirm our love by happy and careful obedience to His Word. Enjoyable emotions are sure to follow! Max Lucado - 1 JOHN 3:17 He Still Moves Stones: Everyone Needs a Miracle - Page 60 Leo Tolstoy, the great Russian writer, tells of the time he was walking down the street and passed a beggar. Tolstoy reached into his pocket to give the beggar some money, but his pocket was empty. Tolstoy turned to the man and said, “I’m sorry, my brother, but I have nothing to give.” The beggar brightened and said, “You have given me more than I asked for—you have called me brother.” To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast. Remembered By A Nail - Read: 1 John 3:16-23 | Emil Mettler, a restaurant owner in London, was known for his generosity. He often fed people for nothing. If a representative of a Christian organization came in and told him of a need, he would open his cash drawer and give a sizable donation. One day Emil opened his cash drawer in the presence of a missionary official who noticed a nail among the bills and coins. Surprised at what he saw, the man asked, “What’s that doing there?” Emil picked up the 6-inch spike and replied, “I keep this with my money to remind me of the price Christ paid for my salvation and what I owe Him in return.” Emil used that nail to remind himself that he owed the Lord a great debt of love and gratitude because Jesus had laid down His life for him (1 John 3:16-23). Emil used that simple object to stimulate his own generosity as he remembered the Savior’s sacrifice. Teach me to love as Thou dost love, And let the whole world know That Jesus Christ lives in my heart, His glorious light to show. —Brandt Christ gave Himself for us that we might give ourselves for others. A Talent To Care - Read: 1 John 3:10-18 | I’m not a talented guy,” says John Haggai. “I don’t sing, I don’t preach. I don’t teach. I guess I’m just here to help people.” For Kirk Porter, that’s enough. For the past 25 years, through the Big Brother program, John has been faithfully helping Kirk make it through life. Kirk, who is now in his early thirties but has the mental capacity of an 11-year-old, calls John “the best dad in the whole world.” The countless hours they have spent together have forged a bond of friendship that supports Kirk as he battles a brain tumor. John Haggai is wrong. He is a talented guy. He has the talent of helping the helpless—which is a sign of true religion (Jas. 1:27). He is giving the kind of love that Jesus calls us to give (1 Jn. 3:17). He has the talent to give of himself, to share his life, and to make life easier for someone who has nothing but love to give in return. The talent to care is the most underrated talent God gives. Caring and loving and nurturing have value that transcends the high-profile talents that put people in the spotlight. A caring heart, a listening ear, A thoughtful word, a gentle tear Will help to lift the heavy load Of weary souls along life's road. —DJD In life's relentless wear and tear, God gives us those who care and share. Help On The Way - Read: 1 John 3:11-20 | Our friends were traveling from Georgia to Illinois in a rented van. About halfway to their destination, their van was damaged when it hit a huge hole in the road. Other cars were disabled as well, and it was a rather chaotic scene. While our friends were sorting things out, a police officer offered to drop them off at a nearby McDonald’s. When they got there, they sat in a booth to await word about getting the van fixed. Because of their dedication to serving others, they didn’t have much money. Meanwhile, they had called to let us know about the difficulty, but there wasn’t much we could do except pray and trust that God would watch over them. As they and their children sat in the booth, a man came over with bags of burgers and fries. “God told me I should give you some food,” he explained as he delivered supper for the hungry family. How many times have we seen God send help on the way? On the flip side, how many times have we felt the urge to help someone—and balked at the notion? Jesus taught when He lived on this earth How to show love to the lost; Don't be afraid to give a kind touch, No matter how much it may cost. —Carbaugh A helping hand can lighten another's burden. Success and Failure - When thinking of success, who are some of the most successful athletes in history in your opinion? I think of men and women like Annika Sorenstam (golf), Richard Petty (NASCAR), or Nolan Ryan (baseball). Their careers were decidedly successful, and they have the numbers to back that up. Annika had 72 LPGA wins to go along with her 10 major titles. “The King” of NASCAR, Richard Petty, got his nickname by recording 200 Cup wins—a feat that will likely never be matched. Nolan Ryan? Well, all he did was strike out a record 5,714 batters and notch a record 7 no-hitters. Wow. No one could deny the success of these great competitors. But, is that all there is? What happens on the field is only a part of the equation. Some of how you define successful athletes depends upon how you define success. Is it the batting average that is hall-of-fame worthy, or is it the character of an athlete who is willing to step away from sport altogether to help a wife with breast cancer—like NFL linebacker Chris Spielman did. It seems clear that, while success on the field can be measured with statistics and championships, success in life must be defined by the content of the heart rather than the content of the stat sheets. This was the point that the apostle John was making in 1 John 3:17 when he wrote: But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? We can measure success according the standards set by the culture around us, but if we don’t have a heart for people, we will fail to be a success in the things that matter most. Our accomplishments and possessions can be good and meaningful and mark a certain kind of success, but a heart of concern for the needs of others will express the eternal love of God in a tangible way—and that is true success. Join us tomorrow on Sports Spectrum Radio. We'll take a further look at the need for a healthy perspective as we face the challenges of life. Bill Crowder, Sport Spectrum Chaplain Goats For Jesus - Read: 1 John 3:16-20 | When Dave and Joy Mueller felt God prompting them to move to Sudan as missionaries, all they knew was that they would be helping to build a hospital in that war-ravaged land. How could they know that goats would be in their future? As Joy began working with the women, she discovered that many were widows because of the devastating civil war and had no way to earn a living. So Joy had an idea. If she could provide just one pregnant goat to a woman, that person would have milk and a source of income. To keep the program going, the woman would give the newborn kid back to Joy—but all other products from the goat would be used to support the woman’s family. The baby goat would eventually go to another family. The gift of goats given in Jesus’ name would change the life of numerous Sudanese women—and open the door for Joy to explain the gospel. What is your equivalent to goats? What can you give a neighbor, a friend, or even someone you don’t know? Is it a ride? An offer to do yard work? A gift of material resources? O Lord, my heart is filled with love For others who have urgent needs So help me share in every way What I can give through words and deeds. —Hess God gives us all we need, so let’s give to others in their need. GREEK WORD STUDIES Life, living (goods) (979)(bios; English - biology = study of living organisms) describes (1) life (lifetime) and the activity associated with living and (2) one's livelihood, economic resources which one has as a means of living, the necessities of life, resources need to maintain life (of the poor widow's gift which was all she had to live on = Mt 12:44, Lk 21:4). Bios means life but is distinct from zoe which also means life as the elemental principle of the spirit and soul, life in a more abstract sense. Bios refers to more concrete expressions of life, the daily living of living, one's "manner of life" (source of our word "biography"). BDAG says that "Although there is frequent overlapping in usage, bios may be said to denote the manner in which one’s zoe finds expression, and the latter term may be used to connote quality of existence as such (this distinction illustrated by an ancient quote = "Here lies Similis, alive [bioo = verb form of bios] for a number of years, but really living [zao = verb form of zoe] for seven.")" "Zoē is life as a principle; bios has to do more especially with the organic life of the body and its conditions." (Vine) Bios covers both life and livelihood and includes anything of value in this present era and does not describe just the rich. John's challenge is for all who have the necessities of life! Bios - 10x in 10v - translated in NAS as: everyday life(1), goods(1), life(3), live(2), wealth(2). Mark 12:44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on." Luke 8:14 "The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 15:12 "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' Luke 21:4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." 1 Timothy 2:2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Bios - 24x in the Septuagint (Read the poignant uses in the book of Job) - Ezra 7:26; Esther 3:13; Job 7:1, 6, 16; 8:9; 9:25; 10:5, 20; 12:12; 14:5-6, 14; 15:20; 21:13; Pr 3:2, 16; 4:10; 5:9; 16:17; 31:3, 12, 14; Song 8:7 Closes (2808)(kleio) literally means to shut or close (like shutting the door of your prayer room so that you pray in secret - Mt 6:6, the door has already been shut = Lk 11:7, after the resurrection the disciples were together and the doors were shut… for fear of the Jews = Jn 20:19, 26). Figuratively to shut the windows of heaven means to have no rain (Lk 4:25, Rev 11:6). In Mt 23:13 kleio is used metaphorically of the Scribes and Pharisees shutting off the kingdom of heaven from men. In the parable of the 10 virgins (Mt 25:1-12) the foolish virgins were shut out of the wedding feast (Mt 25:10) because the Lord did not know them (Mt 25:11, cp Mt 7:21-23). Kleio is used figuratively in 1Jn 3:17 to describe the shutting of one's heart to the obvious needs of their brethren. Kleio is used of Jesus who "shuts and no one opens." (Rev 3:7) In Rev 3:8 Jesus tells the church at Philadelphia "I have put before you an open door which no one can shut." In Rev 20:3 Satan is shut in the abyss for one thousand years. In Rev 21:25 the gates of the city of the New Jerusalem shall never be closed. The first use of kleio in the Septuagint describes God closing the door of the ark = "And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed [it] behind him." (Ge 7:16). Kleio 15x in NAS translated as: close(1), closed(1), closes(1), locked(1), shut(11), shuts(1). Matt 6:6; 23:13; 25:10; Luke 4:25; 11:7; John 20:19, 26; Acts 5:23; 21:30; 1 John 3:17; Rev 3:7f; 11:6; 20:3; 21:25 Kleio 19x in the Septuagint - Ge 7:16; Josh 2:5, 7; Jdg 9:51; 1Sa 23:20; 2Chr 28:24; Neh 6:10; 7:3; 13:19; Job 12:14; Eccl 12:4; Song 4:12; Isa 24:10; Isa 60:11 (refers to gates of the city of Jerusalem in the Millennium); Ezek 44:1-2 (refers to the Eastern Gate of the City); Ezek 46:1-2, 12;
1 João 3:19
MacArthur - When believers know they have sincere love for one another, they can be certain that they are of the truth (the phrase literally reads, “out of the truth we exist”). (See 1-3 John Commentary - Page 143) Warren
1 João 3:19
MacArthur - John understood that at times true believers can struggle with their assurance. Some of his readers may have been so overwhelmed by the memory of their past sins and awareness of present ones that they found the thought of God’s forgiveness nearly impossible to accept. Their overactive consciences, beleaguering them with their own shortcomings, perhaps made it difficult for them to have a settled confidence in their right standing before God. So John wrote to encourage those believers and enable them to accurately evaluate their own spiritual condition. In so doing, he sought to solidify their conviction, rightly inform their conscience, and strengthen their assurance with a true understanding of their transformation and its evidences. (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 143) Dwight L. Moody once demonstrated the principle of How God works these things out in our lives like this: "Tell me," he said to his audience, "how can I get the air out of the glass I have in my hand?" One man said, "Suck it out with a pump." But the evangelist replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter it." Finally after many suggestions, moody picked up a pitcher and quietly filled the glass with water. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing the Holy Spirit to take full possession. WE ARE OF THE TRUTH That we are of (ex or ek - out of, denotes origin or source of) the truth (aletheia) (literally - out of the truth) - What does John mean by of the truth? In simple terms he means that we are truly in heart what we say with our mouths. We are authentic Christians. We are born of (ex or ek) God (1Jn 3:9+, 1Jn 4:7, 5:1, 4, 18). And because we are born of God, we now and forever possess eternal life in Christ Jesus. Marvin Vincent on of the truth - that we are real disciples of, and belonging to, the truth, as it is in Jesus: begotten of God with the word of truth. Having herein the truth radically, we shall be sure not to love merely in word and tongue. (1 Jn 3:18). Hiebert on of the truth - The verb “know” points to an acquired knowledge based on our experience. The resultant knowledge is that we are “of the truth” (ek tēs alētheias). The preposition rendered “of” (ek, “out of”) clearly marks the source of our spiritual being, namely, “the truth.” Used with the definite article (tēs), the noun retains its full theological significance as denoting the truth of God as revealed in Christ and His gospel. The phrase “out of the truth” occurs in the Johannine writings only in John 18:37, 1 John 2:21, and here. By our loving others ‘in truth,’ ....we know that we are ‘of the truth Stott remarks, “Truth can only characterize the behavior of those whose very character originates in the truth, so that it is by our loving others ‘in truth,’ that we know that we are ‘of the truth.’ ” (Borrow The Letters of John page 148) ASSURED HEARTS And will assure (peitho - future tense) our heart (kardia) before (emprosthen) Him - Assure (peitho) speaks of confidence (parrhesia - also in 1Jn 3:21, 4:17, 5:14) as described in 1Jn 2:28+, our confidence in that passage being a product of our abiding in Christ (by faith, enabled by the Spirit). The confidence is in our heart (kardia), our innermost being, our "control center" if you will, and as such should strengthen and encourage our walk of faith. The emphasis in the Greek is on before Him for the Greek literally reads "before Him (in His presence) we shall assure our hearts." Before Him (emprosthen), in His very presence, that is where we shall have confident assurance! This is great news and reminds me of Jude's great closing words - "Now to Him Who is able (The omnipotent God! He is able!) to keep (guard) you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 1:24-25+) A T Robertson on will assure (peitho - future tense) our heart (kardia) could be "either we shall persuade our heart or shall assure our heart, because God understands us." Marvin Vincent on will assure - literally, “persuade,” namely, so as to cease to condemn us; satisfy the questionings and doubts of our consciences as to whether we be accepted before God or not (compare Mt 28:14; Acts 12:20, “having made Blastus their friend,” literally, “persuaded”). The “heart,” as the seat of the feelings, is our inward judge; the conscience, as the witness, acts either as our justifying advocate, or our condemning accuser, before God even now. (Ed: And Satan or his minions can be at work here for in Rev 12:10+ he is called "the accuser of our brethren.") John MacArthur - Believers enjoy an assurance based not only on what Scripture promises to those who believe (Ps. 4:3; Phil 1:6+; 2Ti 1:12+), but, on a practical level, based on the presence of a serving love for fellow believers (cf. 1Jn 3:13–18) and a desire to live in holiness (cf. 1Jn 3:4–12). These qualities, because they come from God, cannot exist in a person who is still unregenerate. (See 1-3 John Commentary - Page 144) We… will assure (persuade) (3982)(peitho) in the future tense means will persuade, will pacify, will soothe the alarm of our heart. Notice that John includes himself ("we… will"). Thayer has "to tranquilize." In Mt. 28:14 peitho is used to mean "we will win him over." In this verse peitho is saying we will win over our heart. Peitho means to exhibit confidence and assurance in a situation that might otherwise cause dismay or fear. Hiebert notes that peitho "can also mean “conciliate, pacify, set at rest,” hence “assure.” This is its meaning in Matthew 28:14 and offers a more natural meaning here. It is in precisely this area of Christian love for others that the sensitive Christian heart often feels its own inadequacy and needs assurance." Heart (2588)(kardia) refers not to our physical heart but figuratively to the "control center" if you will of our being. It is the "center and source of the whole inner life, with its thinking, feeling, and volition." (BDAG) The New English Bible renders it "conscience" which is a legitimate translation given the context. Hiebert adds that "Here the emphasis is on the conscience (cf. Acts 2:37; 7:54) as the center of man’s moral nature. Although John never uses the Greek term suneidēsis, meaning “moral consciousness” or “conscience,” it is generally agreed that he here implies it under the term “heart,” for it is the conscience that assures and condemns us. John noted that Christians deal with their troubled conscience “before Him” (emprosthen autou) as the true judge of their inner character. Since this phrase is placed emphatically forward, Burdick observes that “John thereby emphasizes that the assurance is a justified assurance since it is experienced in the very presence of God.”… Whatever the cause for our own heart’s thus passing judgment upon us, the believer can take the matter before God for His judgment. Our conscience, troubled by the matter that it knows against us, can before God be quieted on the basis of the tests John here indicates." David Allen - ILLUSTRATION - Cars have a number of digital warning lights. One warns that the emergency brake has been left on. Another reminds the driver that the engine is running hot. Another warns that the alternator is not charging the battery properly. God has given us a built-in warning signal called conscience. Just as the warning lights in your car have to be properly wired, so to speak, in order to function properly, so your conscience must be properly schooled in the truth of God’s Word in order to function as God intended. But this is not at all. Even your conscience in good working order cannot force obedience! The driver may disregard the red lights of warning. If he does so, he may burn out the brakes, ruin the battery, or crack the motor block. Christians who disregard their conscience are headed for trouble. As a Christian, your conscience now functions according to a new standard. You now have a sharper sense of sin, and you now see wrong in what did not seem wrong before. This produces in us a great sense of responsibility. (See 1–3 John: Fellowship in God's Family) Marvin Vincent on before Him - as in the sight of Him, the omniscient Searcher of hearts. Assurance is designed to be the ordinary experience and privilege of the believer. Hiebert on before Him - The adverb rendered “before” (emprosthen used as an improper preposition with the ablative) conveys the picture of the believer standing “before Him,” before God, without any necessary distinction between the Father and the glorified Son. The expression was at times used of the individual standing before the judge; although the judgment scene need not be pressed here, the expression does convey the believer’s sense of accountability to the one before whom he appears. MacArthur on before Him - Even though believers stand before Him, in the awesome, intimidating presence of the absolutely holy God (Ex 15:11; 1Sa 2:2; Rev 15:4), they can have a calm, tranquil, confident heart and an affirming conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 2Cor 1:12; 1Ti 1:5; 3:9; 2Ti 1:3). Being in the presence of God terrified even the noblest of saints. Moses “hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God” (Ex. 3:6). The prophets Isaiah (Isa. 6:1–5) and Ezekiel (Ezek 1:26–28) also felt great fear as they stood in the presence of holiness. After witnessing one of His miracles, the apostle Peter “fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’ ” (Lk 5:8). He and fellow apostles James and John were traumatized on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17:1–8), as was John when he saw the glorified Christ (Rev 1:12–18). (See 1-3 John Commentary - Page 144) Sam Storms summarizes this last section (1Jn 3:19-24) - John begins by dealing with the "condemning heart," that is, the Christian experience of doubt, and offers two ways to overcome such doubt and find assurance with God (1Jn 3:19-20). In 1Jn 3:21-23 he deals with the result or effect that issues from having conquered the doubting heart, namely, a confident and fruitful prayer life. Finally, in 1Jn 3:24, he closes with a word concerning the mutual abiding between God and Christian and the role of the HS in granting assurance. The assurance of salvation may be obtained and the doubting heart pacified by reflecting on (a) our love for the brethren and (b) the omniscience of our heavenly Father - 1Jn 3:19-20. Look at these two grounds for assurance together. We often ask: "Am I really of the truth, i.e., saved?" The verdict we often pass on ourselves is, "I don't know!" Robert Law explains: "We believed that we had passed from death into life (3:14); but to ourselves this has become almost or altogether doubtful. When conscience summons us to the tribunal within, it declares us guilty. We have failed in doing the 'righteousness' of the children of God (3:10), or our faith has faltered --- our vision of the Truth has become dim. The evidence of our union with Christ is obscured by the consciousness of inconsistencies which, regarded in themselves, compel us to question whether we are 'of the truth' or have been self-deceived" (Tests of Life - Online). I. Howard Marshall (borrow page 196) writes: "It may happen that when a person engages in … self-examination he is alarmed by the result. He considers his life and can only conclude that he falls short of the divine standard. He does not love his brothers as fully as he should. He cannot claim that freedom from sin of which John spoke earlier. How can he possibly belong to the truth when he feels that his actions belie it?" (Sam Storms- First John 3:10b-24) Hailey's Bible Handbook - Many Christians are discouraged because they do not feel sure that they are saved. Sometimes we hear it said that if we do not know that we are saved, it is a sign that we are not saved. But it is a mistake to identify assurance with salvation. A newborn babe scarcely knows it has been born, but it has. Assurance comes with growth. We believe it is possible for a Christian’s faith to get stronger and stronger, until it reaches the full assurance of knowledge. Daily Light on the Daily Path - We know that we have passed out of death into life. “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”—Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. It is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.—By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him. . . . Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.—We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. You were dead in the trespasses and sins. . . . [God] made us alive together with Christ.—He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. 1 John 3:14; John 5:24; 1 John 5:12; 2 Cor. 1:21–22; 1 John 3:19, 21; 1 John 5:19; Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 1:13 Martyn Lloyd-Jones - WHAT IS PRAYER? Walking with God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotional Selections And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 1 JOHN 3:19 What is prayer? Well, I cannot think of a better way of describing it than these two words that we have at the end of 1 John 3:19: “Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.” That is prayer; prayer is coming before Him. Now we are always in the presence of God—“in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28)—and we are always under His eye. But prayer is something still more special. Prayer is having a special audience and going immediately and directly to Him— “before him.” Prayer is something in which we turn our back upon everything else, excluding everything else, while, for the time being, we find ourselves face to face with God alone. There is a sense in which one cannot expound it further; it is just that. We have to realize that is exactly and precisely what we do when we pray. Obviously, therefore, in a sense the most vital thing in prayer is the realization that we are before Him. And you will find that the saints have always talked a great deal about this. That is the difficulty; thoughts will keep on obtruding themselves, and our imaginations will wander all over the world, and certain ideas and proposals and wants and needs will intrude. But all that must be dismissed, and we must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. “Before him.” Now, says John, this whole question of brotherly love is of importance because of that. It is when you come there, when you are before Him, that you begin to realize the importance of what you are doing with the rest of your life and with the rest of your time. It is when you come there that you begin to see the relevance of this. We must just start by realizing that we are actually and literally in the presence of the living God. Resources on Assurance of Salvation: 1 John 3:19-24 Blessed Assurance - sermon by Steven Cole Full Assurance - Sermon by C H Spurgeon Assurance of Salvation… How Can We Have Assurance? from Spurgeon gems website Heaven On Earth-A Serious Discourse Concerning a Well-Grounded Assurance-Thomas Brooks (1667) (See also Genuine assurance) Assurance of Salvation from John Newtons Letters How can I have assurance of my salvation? How can a believer have assurance of salvation? What are some of the signs of genuine saving faith? If you doubt your salvation, does that mean you are not truly saved? What if I don't feel saved? Doubt vs. The Assurance of Salvation The Assurance of Conversion - Octavius Winslow Spurgeon's pastoral wisdom in dealing with a woman lacking assurance A Test of Assurance - How We Know Whether We Love God - Thomas Watson Assurance of Grace and Salvation - What It Is - William S Plumer The Assurance of Hope - John Angell James, 1859 Obedience to Christ Gives Assurance of the Truth of His Doctrines Archibald Alexander A Believer's Assurance- A Practical Guide to Victory over Doubt - John MacArthur Assurance - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Assurance - Torrey's Topical Textbook Security of the Believer - Holman Bible Dictionary Assurance - Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Assurance - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament Assurance (2) - Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament Assurance - Puritan Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary Assurance - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN: THE BOOK OF 1 JOHN by Jim Bomkamp 1. Walks in the light - 1Jn 1:6 2. Has fellowship with other Christians who walk in the light - 1Jn 1:7 3. Believes he has a sin nature - 1Jn 1:8 4. Occasionally sins - 1Jn 1:10 5. Continually keeps His commandments - 1Jn 2:3, 3:24 6. Continually keeps His word - 1Jn 2:5 7. Walks in the same way Jesus walked - 1Jn 2:6 8. Does not hate his brother - 1Jn 2:9 9. Loves his brother - 1Jn 2:10, 3:10 10. Does not love the world ( cosmos - the world in rebellion against God ) - 1Jn 2:15 11. Does not love the things in the world - 1Jn 2:15 12. Does the will of God - 1Jn 2:17 13. Stays in the Body of Christ - 1Jn 2:19 14. Has an anointing and as a result understands the truth of the gospel - 1Jn 2:20-21 15. Believes that Jesus is the Christ (Jewish Messiah of scripture) - 1Jn 2:22, 5:1 16. Abides in Christ (as a branch in the vine: see John 15) - 1Jn 2:27-28 17. Continually practices righteousness - 1Jn 2:29, 3:10 18. Purifies himself just as He is pure - 1Jn 3:3 19. Does not continually practice sin - 1Jn 3:6, 5:18 20. Practices righteousness and is righteous, just as He is righteous - 1Jn 3:7 21. His seed abides in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God - 1Jn 3:9 22. Loves the brethren - 1Jn 3:14 23. Loves not only with word and tongue, but in deed and in truth - 1Jn 3:18-19 24. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit gives assurance of salvation - 1Jn 3:24, 4:13 25. Confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (the eternal Son of God/Messiah) - 1Jn 4:2 26. Has overcome the false prophets and teachers (and the spirit that animates them) - 1Jn 4:4 27. Listens to, receives, and believes in the sound teaching from the apostles (the Bible) - 1Jn 4:6 28. Loves (with agape love) - 1Jn 4:7,8 29. Confesses that Jesus is the Son of God - 1Jn 4:15 30. Abides in (agape) love - 1Jn 4:16 31. Loves (agape) because He first loved him - 1Jn 4:19 32. Loves the child born of the Father (either Jesus, other Christians, or all men) - 1Jn 5:1 33. Overcomes the world - 1Jn 5:4 34. Believes that Jesus is the Son of God - 1Jn 5:5 J C Ryle on How to Know Your Religion is Real (excerpt from full sermon Reality) I will supply some tests by which we may try the reality of our religion. In approaching this part of my subject, I ask every reader of this paper to deal fairly, honestly, and reasonably with his soul. Dismiss from your mind the common idea,—that of course all is right if you go to church or to chapel. Cast away such vain notions for ever. You must look further, higher, deeper than this, if you would find out the truth. Listen to me, and I will give you a few hints. Believe me, it is no light matter. It is your life. (1) For one thing, if you would know whether your religion is real, try it by the place which it occupies in your inner man. It is not enough that it is in your head. You may know the truth, and assent to the truth, and believe the truth, and yet be wrong in God’s sight.—It is not enough that it is on your lips. You may repeat the creed daily. You may say “Amen” to public prayer in church, and yet have nothing more than an outward religion.—It is not enough that it is in your feelings. You may weep under preaching one day, and be lifted to the third heaven by joyous excitement another day, and yet be dead to God.—Your religion, if it is real, and given by the Holy Ghost, must be in your heart. It must occupy the citadel. It must hold the reins. It must sway the affections. It must lead the will. It must direct the tastes. It must influence the choices and decisions. It must fill the deepest, lowest, inmost seat in your soul. Is this your religion? If not, you may well doubt whether it is “real” and true. (Acts 8:21; Rom. 10:10.) (2) In the next place, if you would know whether your religion is real, try it by the feelings towards sin which it produces. The Christianity which is from the Holy Ghost will always have a very deep view of the sinfulness of sin. It will not merely regard sin as a blemish and misfortune, which makes men and women objects of pity and compassion. It will see in sin the abominable thing which God bates, the thing which makes man guilty and lost in his Maker’s sight, the thing which deserves God’s wrath and condemnation. It will look on sin as the cause of all sorrow and unhappiness, of strife and wars, of quarrels and contentions, of sickness and death,—the blight which has blighted God’s fair creation, the cursed thing which makes the whole earth groan and travail in pain. Above all, it will see in sin the thing which will ruin us eternally, except we can find a ransom,—lead us captive, except we can get its chains broken,—and destroy our happiness, both here and hereafter, except we fight against it, even unto death. Is this your religion? Are these your feelings about sin? If not, you may well doubt whether your religion is “real.” (3) For another thing, if you would know whether your religion is real, try it by the feelings toward Christ which it produces. Nominal religion may believe that such a person as Christ existed, and was a great benefactor to mankind. It may show Him some external respect, attend His outward ordinances, and bow the head at His name. But it will go no further. Real religion will make a man glory in Christ, as the Redeemer, the Deliverer, the Priest, the Friend, without whom he would have no hope at all. It will produce confidence in Him, love towards Him, delight in Him, comfort in Him, as the mediator, the food, the light, the life, the peace of the soul. Is this your religion? Do you know anything of feelings like these toward Jesus Christ? If not, you may well doubt whether your religion is “real.” (4) For another thing, if you would know whether your religion is real, try it by the fruit it bears in your heart and life. The Christianity which is from above will always be known by its fruits. It will produce in the man who has it repentance, faith, hope, charity, humility, spirituality, kind temper, self-denial, unselfishness, forgivingness, temperance, truthfulness, brotherly-kindness, patience, forbearance. The degree in which these various graces appear may vary in different believers. The germ and seeds of them will be found in all who are the children of God. By their fruits they may be known. Is this your religion? If not, you may well doubt whether it is “real.” (5) In the last place, if you would know whether your religion is real, try it by your feelings and habits about means of grace. Prove it by the Sunday. Is that day a season of weariness and constraint, or a delight and a refreshment, and a sweet foretaste of the rest to come in heaven?—Prove it by the public means of grace. What are your feelings about public prayer and public praise, about the public preaching of God’s Word, and the administration of the Lord’s Supper? Are they things to which you give a cold assent, and tolerate them as proper and correct? Or, are they things in which you take pleasure, and without which you could not live happy?—Prove it, finally, by your feelings about private means of grace. Do you find it essential to your comfort to read the Bible regularly in private, and to speak to God in prayer? Or, do you find these practices irksome, and either slur them over, or neglect them altogether? These questions deserve your attention. If means of grace, whether public or private, are not as necessary to your soul as meat and drink are to your body, you may well doubt whether your religion is “real.” INTIMACY PRESENT THOUGH ABSENT PSALM 16; PSALM 51; 139:7; 1 JOHN 3:19 Christ, humanity of; Empathy; Intimacy; Knowing God; Presence of God; Relationships My husband, Edward, is devoted to hawks and especially to the golden eagles that are returning to our part of Georgia. Driving down the highway with him can be a test of nerves as he cranes over the steering wheel to peer at the wing feathers of a particularly large bird. Is it an eagle or just a turkey vulture? He has to know, even if it means weaving down the road for a while, or running off it from time to time. My view is a bit different: “Keep your eyes on the road!” I yell at him. “Who cares what it is? I’ll buy you a bird book; I’ll even buy you a bird—just watch where you’re going.” A couple of summers ago, we spent two months apart, and I thought I’d get a break from hawks. Instead I began to see them everywhere—looping through the air, spiraling in rising thermals, hunkered down in the tops of trees. Seeing them, really seeing them for the first time in my life, I understood that I was not seeing them with my own eyes but with Edward’s eyes. He was not there, so I was seeing them for him. He was absent—or was he? He was present in me. Citation: Barbara Brown Taylor, The Best Spiritual Writing, edited by Phillip Zaleski (Harper, 1999), p. 262 Three Groups Regarding salvation and assurance, there are three groups of people: 1. those who are secure but not sure; 2. those who are “sure” but not secure; and 3. those who are secure and sure. Category one are conscientious believers in Christ who are saved but lack assurance. In category two are professing Christians who say, “Even though I’m living in sin, I’ll make it. After all, ‘once saved, always saved!’“ The third group are born-again believers who enjoy a warm, secure relationship with Christ each day. The objective basis of our salvation is the finished work of God’s Son on the cross. The subjective basis for our assurance is our believing the truth about Christ (I John 2:2, 4; 2:15; 5:1), loving the brethren (I John 3:14, 18, 19, 4:7–8), and obeying Christ’s commandments (I John 2:3–5). Adrian Rogers - A Good Conscience (See full sermon Legacy of Love page 263) Now, first of all, let’s look, if we can, at how we can have a good conscience when we love. Now, notice in verse 19: “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:19). What causes your heart to condemn you? Lack of love. When you have malice in your heart—when you have hatred in your heart—you have a condemning heart. God has wired you that way. If you’re saved—if you’re born again—you cannot fail to love and have confidence. Now, we’re talking about the word conscience. You say, “I don’t see the word conscience there.” Well, in the Bible, the word conscience and the word heart are often used interchangeably. When he says, “If our heart condemn us not” (1 John 3:21), he’s saying, “If our conscience does not condemn us.” Now, when you have love in your heart, you’re going to find a wonderful thing—that your conscience is going to be clear. Now, your conscience is not an enemy; your conscience is a friend—is something unique put in you that God did not put into animals. Have you ever thought about it? Animals cannot blush, and animals can’t laugh. Man has a conscience. Now, that conscience … A little boy said, when he was asked what conscience is, “That’s the part of us that feels bad when everything else feels good.” But, that’s not really true. It’s more than that. That may be the world’s frivolous definition of a conscience, but that conscience is that part of you that God has put in you. It is an ability to concentrate our actions and to make moral judgments. And, the Bible teaches that all of us should have a good conscience. Put these scriptures down—1 Timothy 1:19: “Holding faith, and a good conscience.” Put this one down—Acts chapter 24 and verse 16: Paul said—now, this is the Apostle Paul—it talks about his ambition: he said, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void [of] offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). Bill Gothard said that conscience—a good conscience—is this—an inner freedom of spirit and assurance from knowing that you have a transparency towards everyone, that no one is able to point a finger at you and accuse you of wrong toward him that you’ve never made right. Now, you can just take that definition by Bill Gothard and write the word love. Listen to it again—“that inner freedom of spirit and assurance from knowing that you have a transparency toward everyone, that no one—no one—is able to point a finger at you and accuse you of wrongs toward him that you’ve never made right.” There is absolutely no way that you can have a good conscience without love. When you love, you’ll make it right; and when you make it right, you have that transparency. Now friend, that’ll do you more good than a sleeping pill. If you don’t have assurance—if you’re doubting your salvation and you’ve given your heart to Jesus Christ—you’d better check up and see if perhaps there’s some bitterness in your heart, some sin in your life. It is an acid that will destroy your assurance. Look at verses 19 and 20 again: “And hereby”—now, he’s talking … “hereby” refers to “love”—“And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:19–20). Your heart will condemn you, and you will never—listen—never have a good conscience until you learn to love. When you love—when you love—I mean, truly love—when you’ve made it right—you’re going to have that sweet assurance. So, here’s the first legacy of love. And, he’s going to build one upon another. The first legacy of love is a good conscience.
1 João 3:21
MacArthur - Doubt ceases when believers are walking in faithfulness and obedience, because the heart does not condemn so that insecurity and fear give way to confidence before God. Such assurance causes believers to enter God’s presence with certainty (Eph. 3:12+; Heb. 10:19+; cf. 2Cor. 3:4+; 1Ti 3:13), so that whatever they ask in prayer they will receive from Him. (See 1-3 John - Volume 5 - Page 145) Adrian Rogers - 1 John 3:21 says "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence (boldness) before God." Let's give an example. You and your wife are having a horrendous argument and you're both filled with bitterness and hostility and you're saying all kinds of horrid things and then you discover your baby is sick and has a high fever. You say, Well, we need to pray, and you and your husband get down on your knees to pray. Don't you feel silly? I mean, don't you feel silly? You know exactly what you've got to do first. What? Honey, I'm sorry, forgive me, God have mercy on us. Why? You can't pray ("have confidence" or boldness before God) with that hostility in your heart? Why? Because your heart condemns you and you have no confidence toward God. (Sermon) Hiebert - Although the negative (mē) with the present subjunctive could mean “does not condemn us as an ongoing condition” because the heart has had no misgiving about our moral state, John seems clearly to mean that it “ceases to condemn us” because the charge of conscience against us has been resolved before God. Although every believer experiences occasions when his conscience for some reason condemns him, the present tense implies that such need not be the characteristic experience of the believer. Concerning such a life free from an accusing conscience Westcott remarks, “It does not imply a claim to sinlessness, nor yet an insensibility to the heinousness of sin, but the action of a living faith which retains a real sense of fellowship with God, and this carries with it confidence and peace.” CONFIDENCE AT THE THRONE OF GRACE We have (present tense - continually have) confidence (parrhesia) before (pros) God - In 1Jn 2:28+ he had referred to the confidence we could have at the time of Christ's return. Now John is saying we can have free and continual communion with the Most High God! The writer of Hebrews describes this confidence in an exhortation - "Let us therefore (because of Jesus our High Priest - Heb 4:14-15+) draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16+) John MacArthur - confidence before God. Love banishes self-condemnation. When a Christian recognizes in his life the manifestation of love in deeds and actions, it results in confidence about his relationship with God (Borrow MacArthur Study Bible page 1970) Earlier John had written "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that (term of purpose) when He appears, we may have confidence (boldness = parrhesia) and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1Jn 2:28+) Ulrich Zwingli - Our confidence in Christ does not make us lazy, negligent, or careless, but on the contrary it awakens us, urges us on, and makes us active in living righteous lives and doing good. There is no self-confidence to compare with this.
1 João 3:22
MacArthur - The second benefit of love is answered prayer (see 1Jn 3:19). Since love is the heart of obedience to the law (cf. Mt 22:37–40; Ro 13:8–10), its presence in a life evidences submission to God which He blesses by answered prayers (Borrow MacArthur Study Bible page 1970) Reformation Study Bible - Jesus expressed such confidence in the Father (John 11:41, 42) and encouraged His disciples to have similar confidence (John 14:13, 14). This confidence depends on the awareness that our desires are attuned to God’s (1 John 5:14, 15). The answer may not always be in the form that we expect, but it will be better. A T
1 João 3:23
MacArthur adds "His Name denotes all that He is (including the fact that He is both Savior and Lord, cf. Phil. 2:9–11). Believing in the Name of Christ is an important, oft-repeated New Testament theme (Jn 3:15–16; 20:31; Acts 16:31; cf. Mk 1:15; Luke 24:47), especially in this letter (1Jn 2:12; 4:2, 15). It was the reason John wrote both his gospel (Jn 20:31) and his first epistle (1Jn 5:13). (See MacArthur Commentary) You cannot believe without loving nor love without believing. -- R C H Lenski Hiebert introduces 1Jn 3:23-24 noting that "Basic to the believer’s assurance is the reality of his spiritual union with Christ. This assurance is grounded in the two-sided command to believers (1Jn 3:23), resulting in a two-sided fellowship which is given experiential confirmation through the indwelling Holy Spirit (1Jn 3:24)." The Gospel is a message to be believed, a Person to be received, and a lifestyle to lived! Marvin
1 João 3:24
MacArthur adds "That shared life is possible only by the Spirit Whom He has given (cf. Lk 11:13; 12:12; Jn 14:16–17, 26; 15:26; Acts 1:4-8; Ro 5:5; 8:11, 16; Gal. 4:6; 5:16, 22; Eph. 1:13–14; 1 John 2:20, 27; 4:1–2, 13)." (See The MacArthur Commentary) the condition of continuous mutual indwelling is obedience; although obedience is also the issue and evidence of the indwelling. John Stott - The concept of a mutual ‘abiding’ (RSV), mentioned here in the letter for the first time, we in Him and He in us, is derived ultimately from our Lord’s allegory of the Vine and the branches (John 15:1-11). There it is Christ Who dwells in His own, and they in Him. Here, if we may judge from the use of ‘Him’, ‘His’ and ‘He’ in 1Jn 3:22–23, it is ‘God’ (ED: The Father) Who dwells in us, as in 1Jn 4:12, and we in Him… Both here and in John 15 (Jn 15:10) the condition of continuous mutual indwelling is obedience; although obedience is also the issue and evidence of the indwelling. Cf. 1Jn 2:3–6 for an exposition of the same truth… No-one may dare to claim that he lives in Christ and Christ in him unless he is obedient to the three fundamental commands which John has been expounding, which are belief in Christ, love for the brothers and moral righteousness. ‘Living in Christ’ is not a mystical experience which anyone may claim; its indispensable accompaniments are the confession of Jesus as the Son of God come in the flesh, and a consistent life of holiness and love. (Borrow The Letters of John page 154) David Allen - If anyone does what God commands him to do, that person lives united with God in the sense that he or she maintains close fellowship (abides) with God and God lives (abides) in him. In this situation God’s fellowship with us remains uninterrupted. Of course, it is true that all who are genuine believers are constantly united with God and God is constantly united with them. The assurance of this abiding is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, Whom Jesus has given us. The Holy Spirit is the believer’s assurance of salvation. John 14:17 speaks of the Spirit as abiding “with you” and “in you.” This promise finds its fulfillment in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit (1Co 3:16, 17;1Co 6:19). (Preaching the Word - 1-3 John: Fellowship in God's Family) Henry Mahan on keeps and abides - This is what John has been saying throughout this entire chapter. Faith and conduct cannot be separated; belief and obedience are always found in the same heart. When His Spirit and His word governs our hearts and lives, it is evident that Christ dwells in us and we dwell in Christ. Whatever good works are done by us proceed from the grace of His Spirit Who dwells in us. (1 John 3 Commentary) Harris on abides - The verb here refers to the permanence of relationship between God and the believer, as also in 1Jn 2:6, 4:12, 4:13 (2x), 1Jn 4:15 (2x), and 1Jn 4:16 (2x). The present verse implies that this is a mutual and reciprocal relationship. Previously the author has introduced the concept of believers residing in God and/or Jesus in 1John 2:5–6, 24, 27–28, and 1Jn 3:6 (cf. also 1Jn 5:20). The author also mentions God residing in the believer in 1Jn 4:12 (cf. 1Jn 2:14; 3:9). Here, however, the ideas are combined and mutual for the first time in the letter (cf. later references in 1Jn 4:13, 15, 16). (Exegetical Commentary on 1 John 3:11-24) And He in him - We abide in God and God abides in us through the Holy Spirit. John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. John 14:17 [that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him. John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, [art] in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. Kistemaker - They who keep God’s word in their heart experience that God makes His home with them (Ed: This is referring to experientially at home, to daily communion with God, to intimate fellowship, but positionally God is forever at home in the genuine believer's heart, because His presence is independent of our behavior. In other words we can't merit His presence by our obedience any more than we can lose His presence by our disobedience.). (Epistles of John) HOW TO KNOW GOD ABIDES IN US We know (ginosko present tense) by this that He abides (meno present tense) in us, by the Spirit Whom He has given (aorist tense) us - speaks of knowledge gained by experience and notice John includes himself in this statement. Know in the present tense conveys the sense that we can continually know this truth. What do we know? That God the Spirit lives in us, in our mortal bodies. How do we know? By this! By what? This phrase could refer to what has preceded - we know that He abides in us by our obedient lifestyle of loving our brethren (1Jn 3:11-18) or it could refer to what follows - we know He abides in us because the Spirit has revealed that truth to our heart. I favor the latter interpretation, but in a sense both are probably operative. He abides (meno) is at home, remains in our heart with the present tense signifying God continually abides in the genuine believer. While fellowship may wax and wane, especially if we have unconfessed sins, His presence in our heart does not cease. The essence of the new covenant is union and oneness which is not based on our behavior but upon His immutable promise. He is the covenant keeping God. He has clearly promised to never, ever, at any time, leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5+) The day we entered covenant with Him by grace through faith, was the day our eternal destiny was forever sealed and secured, because He signed the covenant agreement with His blood (Mt 26:28+, Mk 14:24+, Lk 22:20+, 1Cor 11:25+)! Now you still might be saying "Well that is somewhat subjective to say we know by the Spirit Who is in us." Not really. In fact His indwelling is quite objective as demonstrated by our changed conduct. When we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we were continually disobedient to God. We were chasing after sin, but now sin chases after us. Now the fact that we desire to obey God and are able to obey God is evidence of a supernatural power abiding in us. There is no way we would be able to keep God's commandments (e.g., to love our brothers and sisters in Christ) unless we had the Spirit "at work in (us), both to will (give us the desire) and to work (give us the power)" to live in a way that pleases God. (Php 2:13NLT+) And thus we can know (ginosko) because we have experienced His power. John Stott adds that we desire to "set our hearts at rest, when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit’s working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God’s commands and to love our brothers; for the condition of Christ dwelling in us and of our dwelling in him is this comprehensive obedience (24a), and the evidence of the indwelling is the gift of the Spirit (24b)." (Borrow The Letters of John page 154) This verse is similar to another verse that speaks to assurance of salvation… The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him] in order that we may also be glorified with [Him.] (Ro 8:16-17+) The King James Study Bible (page 2009) Abides in this verse describes the mutual indwelling of Jesus and the Christian. The believer abides in Christ by keeping His commandments. Christ abides in the obedient believer as One who is “at home” with that believer. Jesus spoke of this mutual abiding in John 15:4, 5, 7. Albert
1 João 3:24
MacArthur - The church’s understanding of the Spirit’s Person and ministry has been seriously distorted over the past few decades. Charismatics have given an undue emphasis to certain pentecostal gifts so that subjective experience is often elevated over objective scriptural truth. At the same time, many non–charismatics have overreacted to charismatic excesses by almost ignoring the Holy Spirit. For most, an in–depth study of the Spirit does not fit with the pragmatic, psychological approach to solving spiritual problems. But we can’t afford to go to either extreme; otherwise we’ll miss out on what it really means to know the Spirit and to minister by His power. (Strength for Today) Hiebert - John insists that the ultimate source of our experience of the divine indwelling in our lives is the Holy Spirit Himself. The certainty “that he abideth in us,” which is the heart of true Christian assurance, is wrought in us “by the Spirit which he hath given us”. The Holy Spirit is the source from which the certainty of our relationship with God is drawn. The indwelling Spirit is God’s gift to the believer. As Houlden remarks, “Whatever man has by way of relationship with God is never the result of his own effort or initiative, but the gift of God.” Candlish - We are to distinguish here between our dwelling in God and His dwelling in us. Our dwelling in God is to be known by our “keeping His commandments”; God’s dwelling in us, by “the Spirit which He giveth us.” And yet, the two means of knowledge are not far apart. They are not only strictly consistent with one another; they really come together in one point. For the Spirit is here said to be given to us--not in order to our knowing that God abideth in us, in the sense of His opening our spiritual eye and quickening our spiritual apprehension--but rather as the medium of our knowing it, the evidence or proof by which we know it. And how are we to recognize the Spirit as given to us? How otherwise than by recognizing the fruit of the gift? The Spirit given to us is, as to His movement or operation, unseen and unfelt. But the fruit of the Spirit is palpable and patent. “It is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” For “against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). (Our Abiding in God by Obedience) John Stott concludes 'The Spirit whose presence is the test of Christ's abiding in us, manifests himself objectively in our life and conduct. It is he who inspires us to confess Jesus as the Christ come in the flesh, as John immediately proceeds to show (1Jn 4:1ff.; cf. 1Jn 2:20, 27). It is also he who empowers us to live righteously and to love the brethren (cf. 1Jn 4:13; Gal. 5:16, 22). So if we would assure our hearts when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit's working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God's commandments and to love the brethren; for the condition of abiding is this comprehensive obedience (1Jn 3:24a), and the evidence of abiding is the gift of the Spirit.'" (Borrow The Letters of John page 154) Harris - The Spirit’s role in the believer’s assurance in 1Jn 3:24. Here in v. 24 is the first explicit reference to the Spirit in 1 John, although the “anointing” mentioned in 1Jn 2:20, 1Jn 2:27 is best understood as a reference to the Spirit also. After this there will be additional references to the Spirit in 1 John, all more or less explicit (1Jn 4:2, 13; 5:6, 8; cf. also 1Jn 4:6). Appeal to the Spirit as proof of God’s presence residing in the believer may appear at first subjective, but it is very important to note (especially in light of the debate over Christology with the secessionist opponents, which amounts to a claim to be receiving new revelation) that the ground of assurance is not based on some revelation by the indwelling Spirit, but on the fact of the Spirit’s presence in the life of the believer. No content of any “message of reassurance” from the Spirit is mentioned or alluded to here. Second, as Smalley notes, “the Spirit, according to John, manifests himself objectively in the life and conduct of the believer, inspiring a true confession of Jesus (1Jn 4:1–3) and enabling his followers to act righteously (cf. 1Jn 2:29) and lovingly (cf. 1Jn 4:12–13).” (Exegetical Commentary ) Sam Storms on the Holy Spirit - Finally, lest all that has preceded fail to bring full assurance to the doubting heart, John appeals to one final source of confidence, the Holy Spirit. John says that yet another way of knowing that God truly lives in us is by the Holy Spirit who indwells us. But how or in what way does this assurance manifest itself? In other words, what does the Holy Spirit do which brings us assurance? There are two possibilities: * Stott takes one view, what may be called the objective view, and explains: "The Spirit whose presence is the test of Christ abiding in us, manifests himself objectively in our life and conduct. It is he who inspires us to confess Jesus as the Christ come in the flesh… It is also he who empowers us to live righteously and to love the brethren. So if we would assure our hearts, when they accuse and condemn us, we must look for evidence of the Spirit's working, and particularly whether he is enabling us to believe in Christ, to obey God's commandments and to love the brethren" (151). * The other view, which I call the subjective view, is similar to the thought of Romans 5:5 and Ro 8:14-16. The Holy Spirit is the gift from the Father and the Son "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes (God's sovereign enablement), and you will be careful to observe My ordinances (Our personal responsibility)." (Ezekiel 36:27) Jesus said "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever." (Jn 14:16) Jesus said "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Lk 24:49) And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said," you heard of from Me. (Acts 1:4) Jesus said "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (Jn 14:26) Jesus said "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me." "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear." (Acts 2:33) Related Resources: Of the Manner and Importance of the Spirit's Indwelling - John Flavel What is sanctification? What is the definition of Christian sanctification? What is progressive sanctification? What is positional sanctification? Keeps (5083)(tereo) means to observe, keep watch over, heed, guard and in the present tense "describes what is to be the characteristic habit of the believer." (W E Vine) He is not saying that keeping saves us (cp James 2:10 where keeps = tereo) but keeping does show we are saved. This is John's fourth use of the verb tereo. Earlier he had written "By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep (tereo in the present tense) His commandments." (1Jn 2:3+) In fact "The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep (tereo in the present tense) His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1Jn 2:4+) On the other hand "whoever keeps (tereo in the present tense) His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him." (1Jn 2:5+) TEREO IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 2:3; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:5; 1 Jn. 3:22; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 5:3; 1 Jn. 5:18 John MacArthur - WHAT ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT? Strength for Today: Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith - Page 1 “The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us.” 1 JOHN 3:24 ✧✧✧ Because the Holy Spirit affects every area of the Christian life, it is vital that we have a balanced and correct view of His role. The church’s understanding of the Spirit’s Person and ministry has been seriously distorted over the past few decades. Charismatics have given an undue emphasis to certain pentecostal gifts so that subjective experience is often elevated over objective scriptural truth. At the same time, many non–charismatics have overreacted to charismatic excesses by almost ignoring the Holy Spirit. For most, an in–depth study of the Spirit does not fit with the pragmatic, psychological approach to solving spiritual problems. But we can’t afford to go to either extreme; otherwise we’ll miss out on what it really means to know the Spirit and to minister by His power. He is indispensable in saving us, enabling us to obey Jesus Christ, and ultimately perfecting us in glory. Paul urged the Galatian believers not to abandon the Holy Spirit but to lean completely on Him. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3). Too many Christians are wasting time looking to seminars, gimmicks, counselors, and novel interpretations of old truths to uncover “the secret” to the abundant Christian life. But the key to such living is not a mystery or a secret. The sufficiency of the Holy Spirit’s ministry, as revealed through the pages of God’s fully reliable Word, is all the information and resources we’ll ever need to live fruitful and prosperous spiritual lives. In today’s verse, the apostle John is speaking of Christ’s indwelling presence in the believer’s life, which the Holy Spirit reveals to us. Therefore the Spirit is working with the Lord Jesus in encouraging you, guiding you, enlightening you, and empowering you for every good work (see John 14:16–20; 16:13). By understanding the Spirit’s role and allowing Him to work in you daily, you’ll begin to see your life becoming more like Christ each day. ✧✧✧ Suggestions for Prayer: Pray that God would grant you and everyone in your church a proper and balanced understanding of the Spirit’s role. For Further Study: Jesus is portrayed as the Good Shepherd in John 10. Read that chapter, and list the major characteristics He has as our Shepherd. Daniel Akin - A number of years ago I met a 55-year-old man who asked if he could share his conversion testimony. I said, “Sure! I would love to hear it.” He told me he had trusted Christ at the age of 50, just 5 years before. He went on to say he was a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who had experienced several failed marriages, all of which were his fault. He said he blamed no one, that he had made bad choices and dumb decisions throughout most of his life. Then, with tears streaming down his face, he began to talk about his childhood and a dad who criticized and condemned him at every turn. He said, “You know, all I can remember about my childhood was my daddy saying things like, ‘Boy you can’t do anything right. Boy, you’re just downright dumb. Boy, you will never grow up to amount to anything.’ ” He then added, “I guess I grew up to be exactly what my daddy said I would be.” But then, with a gentle smile and a twinkle in his eye, he quietly and humbly whispered, “But 5 years ago, when I met Jesus, I got a new daddy. And this daddy loves me. He believes in me. He thinks I can do anything!” In Christ, we do get a new daddy, a perfect daddy, a perfect heavenly Father. This Father longs for you to have a healthy heart and a clear conscience. And you can! Recall who you are in Him through Christ and by the Spirit. Love others as you have been loved by Him. Obey His commands and please Him out of “gospel gratitude” for who He is and what He has done. These are truths with the power to save. These are truths with the power to heal. (See Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John - Page 89) Comment - I can totally identify with this man's testimony for I had 2 very bad fathers, until the day I met my Heavenly Father, the best Father one could ever have in time and eternity. See My Testimony of the Grace of God Adrian Rogers - A Gracious Communion (See full sermon Legacy of Love page 263) Now, here’s the third legacy of love—and that’s the reason I told you, folks, if you were just even selfish, you would want to love: it gives a gracious communion. Look, if you will now, in verses 23 and 24: “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments and dwelleth in him, and he in him”—that is, you are in Jesus and Jesus is in you—“And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us” (1 John 3:23–24)—the abiding spirit. Now, that’s the third legacy of love—a gracious communion. The Holy Spirit—just whispering to us that we belong to God. The Lord is real to us. That’s the ministry of the Holy Spirit—to take the things of Jesus and to show them to us. Look, when I learned to love and I lived by love, I’m going to have a good conscience. And, when I have a good conscience, I’m going to have a great confidence. And, when I have a great confidence, I’m going to have a gracious communion. I mean, the Holy Spirit is going to be whispering to my heart that I belong to Jesus Christ and He to me. A. The Witness of the Spirit Do you know the reason that some Christians doubt their salvation? They don’t have the witness of the Spirit. And, how do you know that you’re saved—because some preacher has told you that you’re saved? Or, does God’s Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you’re a child of God (Romans 8:16)? Now, the Holy Spirit can be there and you can be saved, and you can have absolutely no assurance because you’ve failed to love. And, the Holy Spirit is just grieved. And, you know the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to give you joy, and peace, and understanding, and wisdom, and power, and grace, and to make Jesus Christ real to you—not just what you hear on Sunday morning, some sermon, but God in your heart, abiding in the Spirit of God, that gracious communion; not nearly union, but communion, as koinonia—that’s that word that goes all the way through the Book of 1 John. But now, folks, let me tell you this about the Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit is very gentle. This time I want you to turn to scripture. Would you turn to Ephesians chapter 4? Just turn to it. Ephesians chapter 4 and look, if you will, in verse 26: “Be … angry, and sin not”—and, by the way, the only way to be angry and sin not is to be angry at sin—“Be … angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath”—that is, “Husbands and wives, don’t go to bed angry, back to back”—“Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27). Now, when you do that—when you have unresolved anger—what you’ve done is just open the door to the devil. You’ve said, “Devil, come on in. Wreck my home. Wreck my marriage. Ruin my life. Take away my … Defile my conscience. Ruin my confidence, and destroy my communion.” You’ve given a place to the devil. B. The Grieving of the Spirit But now, skip on down to verse 30—says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit”—when you give a place to the devil, what do you do? Well, you grieve the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is resident in your heart and in your life when you’re saved—“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption”—now, if you have anger in your heart—if love is not there—that doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit of God forsakes you. He cannot—he will not. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. Do you see that? It’s one of the great verses on eternal security. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now, watch this—“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:30–31). 6. Bitterness Now, what grieves the Holy Spirit? These things right here, and I want you to look at them. First of all, he says “bitterness.” Do you know what bitterness is? Bitterness is an unresolved hurt. Did you hear it? An unresolved hurt. Somebody’s hurt you; somebody’s done you wrong. It may be real; it may be imaginary, but you perceive that somebody has done you wrong. Anybody here like that—somebody’s hurt you? Maybe a child, father, mother, brother, sister, a boss, a dear sweet pastor? Somebody has done you wrong, and you have bitterness. 7. Wrath Now, watch this—bitterness turns to wrath. That’s next—wrath. Look at it in verse 31 (Ephesians 4:31). Do you know what the word wrath means? The word wrath has the idea of heat, something burning, sort of a slow burn. The best illustration I can give you of this is to think of some oily rags in an attic or a closet, smoldering—or just the heat building up. All right, now watch—first of all, there’s bitterness; and then, there’s that wrath, that slow burn. 8. Anger And then, it says “anger” (Ephesians 4:31). What is anger? What’s the difference between wrath and anger? Well, wrath is that slow burn, but anger is when somebody opens the door, and the oxygen hits those rags, and they burst into flame. Anger! You say, “Well, I lost my temper.” You probably found it. You know, when a person says, “I lost my temper,” what they’re saying is, “It’s not really my fault—it’s not really me. I lost it.” No, what is happening, folks, is that you’re showing what’s in your heart. 9. Clamor Now, watch it—bitterness turns to wrath; wrath turns to anger. And, what does anger turn to? Clamor. What is clamor? That’s speaking loudly. You’re wrong. Don’t shout. I’m not shouting. And, you begin to … you get your voice loud. You begin to say things, and you get on a roll. 10. Evil Speaking And then, watch this—clamor turns to evil speaking. Then, you begin to say things you would never have said, but you’re on a roll now. And, you begin to say to your loved one, to your child, “I wish you’d never been born into our family.” You begin to say to your parents, “I don’t love you.” You begin to say to your husband, “I want out of here. I want a divorce.” You begin to say to somebody, “I wish you were dead.” The devil says, “Tell them more—tell them more.” And, you say these awful, terrible, hurtful, horrible things. The Bible calls that evil speaking. 11. Malice And then, he says “malice.” You know what that is? That’s when evil speaking turns to the desire to hurt somebody. “To do malice” means to actually harm them. You may wan to hurt them financially, emotionally, physically. You may want to abuse them, and you may do things in a rage. You look back—you say, “My God, how did I do that?” I’ll tell you how you did it: you weren’t abiding; you weren’t Spirit-filled. You let the sun go down upon your wrath. You gave a place to the devil, and you grieved the Holy Spirit. “Grieve not the holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30). When you grieve the Spirit of God—when you grieve Him—He’s so gentle. Have you ever seen somebody’s spirit just close up? I’ve done some awful dumb things in my life. I’ve said some things to Joyce I ought not to say, and I’ve just watched her spirit close up. I can tell when I’ve done wrong—like that. I know I’ve done wrong. The Holy Spirit’s a dove. He’s not a lion; He’s a dove. You can grieve the Holy Spirit. By the way, the Holy Spirit is a person. The Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t believe He’s a person. You can’t grieve an influence. I can’t grieve that piano. You can only grieve a person. And, by the way, you can only grieve somebody who loves you. Grieve is a love word. Your neighbors’ kids will vex you; your own kids will grieve you. Amen? You can only grieve somebody that loves you. You see, the Holy Spirit of God loves you; but when you don’t love, you grieve the Spirit of God, and He closes up, and He withdraws, and you don’t have that communion with God that you ought. Oh, but the legacy of love! When you love, you have a good conscience. Then, you have a great confidence. And then, you have a gracious communion. Isn’t that great? Isn’t love wonderful? And, the love of God, the Bible tells us in Romans 5:5—it’s “shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.” Taking Orders - Read: 1 John 3:18-24 | This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. —1 John 5:3 A sergeant in the Indiana National Guard was demoted and sentenced to 4 days in jail because he refused to take off his cap. It really wasn’t that simple. The incident occurred during winter training exercises when temperatures were well below freezing. The man wore a soft cap with ear flaps under a regulation helmet. The previous spring he had suffered burns to his face and ears, and doctors had advised him to wear a cap to protect his sensitive skin. At this point you’re probably feeling sorry for the guardsman. But there’s more to the story. In the official report, there was evidence that the man was intoxicated, and this incident of insubordination had been preceded by two other warnings about proper headgear. The soldier was not excused, though he thought he should have been. Like so many of us, he made the mistake of thinking he was within his rights to dismiss the orders of someone in authority. Master, make me ready When Thy voice is truly heard, With obedience glad and steady, Still to follow every word. —Havergal To love God is to obey God. Drawn to God There is within us all a magnetic draw to seek God's presence in a more exclusive way, focusing on divine attention rather than our own egocentric list of do's. If we do not follow that prompting, we end up fragmenting ourselves from our potential as disciples. And we fragment God, expecting the Spirit's love only in spite of ourselves. —Mary C. Miller in the Covenant Companion (April 1994). Christianity Today, Vol. 40, no. 1. See: Genesis 6:9; John 14:23; 1 John 3:24. Wayne Grudem - He Gives Us Assurance - See page 562 Systematic Theology The Holy Spirit bears witness “with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16) and gives evidence of the work of God within us: “By this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us” (1 John 3:24). “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit” (1 John 4:13). The Holy Spirit not only witnesses to us that we are God’s children, but also witnesses that God abides in us and that we are abiding in him. Once again, more than our intellect is involved: the Spirit works to give us assurance at the subjective level of spiritual and emotional perception as well A Town Run By Women Topics: LAW, TRUTH, WOMEN Bible Verses: John 18:37; 1 John 3:24 In April 2007, China announced that it was planning to build a town dedicated to women in its Shuangqiao district. Longshuihu village in the Shuangqiao district of Chongqing municipality will be the world’s first “women’s town,” where men will be punished for disobedience. The town is expected to be completed by 2010. “Traditional women dominate and men have to be obedient in the areas of Sichuan province and Chongqing, and now we are using it as an idea to attract tourists and boost tourism,” said a Chinese Tourism director Li Jigang. At the gate leading into the town, visitors will be greeted with a slogan saying: “Women are never wrong; men can never refuse their needs.” When tour groups enter the town, female tourists will play the dominant role when shopping or choosing a place to stay. Any man foolish enough to debate this point can be punished by kneeling on a hard board or be forced to do the dishes in a local restaurant. There is only one person who has all of the truth and should be followed and that is Jesus Christ. Billy Graham - SPIRIT-FILLED LIVING The Holy Spirit: Activating God's Power in Your Life - Page 281 Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 JOHN 3:24 The Holy Spirit is already in every Christian heart, and He intends to produce His fruit. However, there must be a displacement. A boat does not sink when it is in the water, but it does sink when the water comes into the boat. We do not fail to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit because we live in a sea of corruption; we fail to do so because the sea of corruption is in us. The internal combustion engine’s worst enemy is the deadly carbon that builds up in the cylinder chamber. It reduces the power and causes the motor to lose efficiency. Oil will improve the engine’s performance, but it will not remove the carbon so that the motor can run more efficiently. Mechanical surgery must be performed to remove the carbon so that the oil can do its best work and the motor perform as it was designed to do. Similarly, we must eliminate the works of the flesh from our inner lives so that deadly carbon and grit do not impair the effectiveness of our spiritual performance. This is possible only as we yield our lives to the control of the Holy Spirit. We must let the laser beam of God’s Word scan us to detect the abiding sins and fruitless qualities which impair our personal growth and fruitfulness. The story is told of a man who glanced at the obituary column in this local newspaper. To his surprise he saw his own name, indicating that he had just died. At first he laughed about it, but soon the telephone began to ring. Stunned friends and acquaintances called to inquire and to offer their sympathy. Finally, in irritation, he called the newspaper editor and angrily reported that even though he had been reported dead in the obituary column, he was very much alive. The editor was apologetic and embarrassed. Then in a flash of inspiration, he said, “Do not worry, sir, I will make it all right, for tomorrow I will put your name in the births column.” This may sound like merely a humorous incident, but it is actually a spiritual parable. Not until we have allowed our old selves to be crucified with Christ can our new selves emerge to display the marvelous fruit that is characteristic of the life of Jesus Christ. And only the Holy Spirit can make possible the out-living of the in-living Christ. Our Father and our God, purge my heart and mind with the truth of Your Word. Find the unfruitful parts and eliminate them from my life. Prune my attitudes and my actions, Lord, until they are healthy and wholly in service to You. Give me the heart of my Savior Jesus Christ, through whom I pray. Amen. A W Tozer - Spiritual Radiance Comes from an Inner Witness Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings - Page 132 … And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3:24 One distinguishing mark of the earliest Christians was their radiance, for the sun had come up in their hearts and its warmth and light made unnecessary any secondary sources of assurance. They had the inner witness! Great power and great grace marked their lives, enabling them to rejoice to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. It is obvious in our day that the average evangelical Christian is without this radiance. The efforts of some of our teachers to cheer our drooping spirits are futile because those same teachers reject the very phenomenon that would naturally produce joy, namely, the inner witness. Instead of the inner witness we now substitute logical conclusions drawn from texts. There is no witness, no immediacy of knowledge, no encounter with God, no awareness of inner change. Where there is a divine act within the soul there will always be a corresponding awareness. This act of God is self-validating. It is its own evidence and addresses itself directly to the religious consciousness. Charles Wesley in a triumphant hymn wrote: “His Spirit answers to the blood, And tells me I am born of God!” To the salvation-by-logical-conclusion devotees such language is plain heresy. If it is heresy, I run to join such a glorious heretic, and may God send us many more! Tony Evans - Walking in the Spirit A Moment for Your Soul: Devotions to Lift You Up We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 JOHN 3:24 We all live in the flesh, so we will struggle with the desires of the flesh until we get to heaven. But we can bring these desires under the Holy Spirit’s influence. “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Notice that the apostle Paul doesn’t say we won’t have the desires of the flesh when we walk in the Spirit, but that we won’t carry out those fleshly desires. Walking in the Spirit is similar to being filled with the Holy Spirit. Walking implies that the Spirit is going somewhere—there’s a destination. He always goes to the same place, to that which brings God glory. In contrast, the flesh is always moving to that which will please itself. Walking is continuous. Like the filling of the Holy Spirit, our walk in the Spirit is ongoing, so we must maintain our dedication. To walk is to continue taking one step after another. A third aspect of walking includes dependency. The key to walking in the Spirit is to look to Him to give us the ability to do what we know we can’t do on our own. The moment we try to do it on our own, we reject the work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our source to true power and victory. EXPERIENCING GOD ISAIAH 6:1–8; JOHN 1:1–18; 1 JOHN 1:1–3; 3:24 Experiencing God; Faith; Holy Spirit; Incarnation; Knowing God; Perception and Reality; Spirituality There is a splendid moment in the movie Jurassic Park, when world-class paleontologist Allen Grant, who has devoted his life to the study of dinosaurs, suddenly comes face-to-face with real, live prehistoric creatures. He falls to the ground, dumbstruck. The reason is obvious. It is one thing to piece together an informed but nonetheless imperfect image of dinosaurs by picking through fossils and bones. But to encounter an actual dinosaur—well, there can be no comparison. For many people, spirituality amounts to picking through the artifacts of faith that survive from long ago and far away. In that bygone era, humans saw God, heard his voice, and experienced his awesome, at times terrible, power. But that was then. Today, those kinds of gripping encounters with God—with a God who wasn’t an illusion, but Someone who was real, Someone you could see, and touch, and feel—well, there could be no comparison. Citation: William D. Hendricks, Exit Interviews (Chicago: Moody, 1993) Billy Graham - Kept by the Spirit Hope for Each Day Morning and Evening Devotions - Page 536 We know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 JOHN 3:24 A boat doesn’t sink because it is in the water; it sinks because the water gets into it. In the same way, Christians don’t fail to live as they should because they are in the world; they fail because the world gets into them. We don’t fail to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit because we live in a sea of corruption; we fail because the sea of corruption has gotten into us. It can happen almost without our realizing it. At one time we were dedicated to Christ, surrendered to the will of God. But little by little, the chilling waters of the world crept in. We became preoccupied with the things of this world rather than the things of Christ. Most oceangoing ships have pumps running constantly, sucking out any water that might have leaked into the hull. Similarly, we need to keep the pumps of repentance running. We need to plug the holes with the truth of God’s Word. Don’t let the world sink your ship! Jay Adams - Day by Day Along the Way Whoever keeps His commandments remains in Him. 1 John 3:24 As we learned from II John, one may lose the reward for which he worked hard by helping false teachers to flourish in the community. One may “go beyond” the message that the apostles taught by helping these teachers and by becoming enamored with their teaching. Gnostic teachers were abroad who claimed to have additional “knowledge.” That claim can be tempting for those who are dissatisfied with their Christian life. Siren voices can be heard today on every hand. But the key is to “remain” in the truth of Scripture. When there is dissatisfaction, the key to discovering why is not to question the truth, but to reexamine your life. Almost always such dissatisfaction is self-induced by failure to learn and then practice “His commandments.” Be sure you never trade them for some other teacher. How faithfully are you walking in the truth? What is missing from your life? How can you be more faithful, walk more earnestly, live more fully for the truth? Yes, you must go beyond your own efforts, but never beyond the truth! Discovering God's Daily Agenda: 365 Devotions to Live in ... - Page 1 He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. 1 JOHN 3 : 24 A FRESH BEGINNING Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth… I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. God uses events in our lives to shape us, to teach us, to grow us—and some of the key events are those sparked by sin (our own or someone sinning against us), by our missteps, by our confusion. Memories of the past, therefore, can too easily feel like shackles holding us to failures, regrets, ignorance, foolishness, and sin. However, God doesn’t want us bound to our past. When God saves us from the death we deserve for our sin, He frees us from the guilt and shame of our former life as well. He gives us a fresh beginning. He frees us to receive every good thing He wants to give us. If your past feels like a wilderness, know that God wants to make a road through it, perhaps to help you navigate the difficult years and salvage the good. If your past feels like a desertland of death, know that God will make rivers of redemption flow as He brings beauty out of ashes. Embrace the fresh beginning God wants to give you. The Comforting Dove Gordon Brownville's Symbols of the Holy Spirit tells about the great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to discover the magnetic meridian of the North Pole and to discover the South Pole. On one of his trips, Amundsen took a homing pigeon with him. When he had finally reached the top of the world, he opened the bird's cage and set it free. Imagine the delight of Amundsen's wife, back in Norway, when she looked up from the doorway of her home and saw the pigeon circling in the sky above. No doubt she exclaimed, "He's alive! My husband is still alive!" So it was when Jesus ascended. He was gone, but the disciples clung to his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. What joy, then, when the dovelike Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples had with them the continual reminder that Jesus was alive and victorious at the right hand of the Father. This continues to be the Spirit's message. —Thomas Lindberg, Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Leadership, Vol. 7, no. 3. See: Luke 24:49; Matthew 3:16; 1 John 3:24 Robert Neighbour - We Know the Son of God Abideth in Us "And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit, whom He hath given us" (I John 3:24). 1. We have before us a doctrine emphasized by Christ. Christ's mission is set forth in John's Gospel, chapter 15, under the parable of The True Vine. "Abiding" is the key of fruitbearing. The branch must abide in the vine; cannot bear fruit of itself. The believer must abide in Christ, for apart from Him he can do nothing. There is a great deal of effort in the service for the Lord, wrought through the energy of the flesh, apart from abiding. There is a great deal of effort to be loving, gentle, kind, happy, and peaceful, in the energy of the flesh, apart from abiding in Christ. The keynote of all true Christian fruitfulness, however, whether in service or in life, must be from "abiding" in Christ and He in us. 2. We have before us a doctrine set forth by Paul. The Apostle tells us that the saints are "an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph. 2:22). The Apostle again tells us that Christ must be formed in us "the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). Once more the Apostle says that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost Who is in us (see I Cor. 6:19). In the above we have a threefold abiding. The abiding of God the Father, the abiding of Christ the Son, and the abiding of the Holy Spirit. Bless God! the Trinity dwells within the children of God. 3. We have before us a doctrine sealed in John's Epistle. (1) THE FACT OF THE ABIDING. "And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us" (I John 3:24). The Lord Jesus does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor does he dwell now between the cherubim: the heart of the believer is God's Holy of Holies — it is there that He dwells. (2) THE PROOF OF THE ABIDING. "Hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us" (I John 3:24, l. c.). We know that Christ is within us because the Holy Spirit is continually taking of Christ, and of the things of Christ, and showing them unto us. He does not say that Christ is in the desert; He does tell us that He is in the heart. (3) THE RESULT OF THE ABIDING. "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ" (I John 1:3). What advantageth it us if Christ dwells within our hearts, if we cannot walk with Him, and talk with Him, and fellowship Him? John, in his Gospel, after he tells us of the indwelling Christ, says: "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11). John, in his Epistle, after setting forth our fellowship with the Father, and with the Son, says: "These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full" (I John 1:4). The supreme joy of the believer's earthly walk is the fellowship resulting from the indwelling, abiding Christ. (4) THE CALL OF THE ABIDING. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked" (I John 2:6). If we have Christ in, we should have Christ out; that is, the outflow of our life should be Christ. It is not a mere matter of walking as He walked; nor is it a matter of "imitation," nor even of conformity — it is a matter of Jesus Christ, dwelling within us, and becoming manifested through us. (5) THE CONFIDENCE OF THE ABIDING. "And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (I John 2:28). If Christ has been dwelling in the heart, it will be gladness to go to dwell with Him. If we have not had fellowship with Him down here, and walked with Him as Enoch walked, our hearts will draw back from Him, when He appears in resplendent glory. We should remember that we are destined to be "forever with the Lord" (see I Thess. 4:17), therefore we should now be cultivating that fellowship which shall be ours for evermore. Mysterious Invisibility - Across the United States and around the world, we often experience the dramatic effect of something no one can see. In 2011, for instance, several US cities were devastated by tornadoes that blew apart neighborhoods and business districts. And during each hurricane season, we are shocked as winds of more than 100 miles an hour threaten to destroy what we have built. All of this is the result of an unseen force. Sure, we see the wind’s effects (flags flapping, debris flying), but we cannot see the wind itself. It works in mysterious invisibility. Silently now I wait for Thee, Ready, my God, Thy will to see; Open my heart—illumine me, Spirit divine. —Scott The Holy Spirit works powerfully, though invisibly.