1 João 3
William MacDonald · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 3:1
William MacDonald puts it "The thought of being born of God (1Jn 2:29) arrests John with wonder (Ed: Beloved, when was the last time thoughts of your own "new birth" "arrested" you with wonder? This should be our continual mindset!), and he calls on his readers to take a look at the wonderful love that brought us into the family of God. Love could have saved us without making us children of God. But the manner of God’s love is shown in that he brought us into His family as children. (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Hiebert entitles this next section "The dynamic reality of the new life (1Jn 3:1-2). Having become members of God's family through the new birth, believers find that their new life has deep present as well as future significance (Ed: Perhaps you are in a state of despair - you need to read that previous sentence again!). John calls upon his readers to contemplate the amazing reality of present membership in God's family (1Jn 3:1a), reminds them that this explains the reaction of the world toward them (1Jn 3:1b), and stresses that this new life as God's children has present and future implications (1Jn 3:2). (1 John 2:29-3:12) (Bolding added) LOVE: BEHOLD IT! MEDITATE ON IT! See (eido - aorist imperative) how great (potapos) a love (agape) the Father (pater) has bestowed (perfect tense - speaks of permanence of this love; NIV = "has lavished on us") on us, that (hina - term of purpose - purpose of this gift of His love) we would be called (kaleo) children (teknon - "born ones") of God; and such we are. For this reason (term of conclusion = therefore - because we are children of God) the world (kosmos) does (absolutely) not know (ginosko - intimately) us (as new creations in Christ), because (term of explanation - explains why world does not know us) it (absolutely) did not know (ginosko = intimate, experiential knowledge, they had no personal relationship with) Him - See (eido - aorist imperative) calls for his readers to "listen up!" Not just love but great love! John wants the children of God to take a supernatural (Spirit enabled) glimpse into the Father's supernatural love for us. The idea is something like this "Can you believe the kind of love the Father has given to us?" An unbeliever who sins is a creature sinning against his Creator. A Christian who sins is a child sinning against his Father. The unbeliever sins against law; the believer sins against love. --Warren Wiersbe THOUGHT - Beloved, have you ever asked Him to illumine this great truth in your mind and heart? What will happen to our thoughts, words and deeds when He answers affirmatively? (cp 1Jn 5:14,15+) Will not we "fall on our face" at having been shown to be unworthy benefactors of His ineffable, infinite, invaluable, never failing love? Will not this sense of His love poured out in our heart by His Spirit motivate us to live for Him rather than for ourselves?(See a related truth The Expulsive Power of a New Affection!) (Newsboys - Amazing Love) (Chris Tomlin - Amazing Love) Do you believe that? Do you each day realize that you’re a child of the heavenly King? -- Jerry Bridges And Can It Be That I Should Gain Charles Wesley And can it be that I should gain An interest in the Savior’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain— For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? This love God has not only ‘shown’ us, but actually lavished on us. For children of God is no mere title; it is a fact. -- John Stott In the following passage, note that one "result" of Paul's great prayer for the saints at Ephesus is a knowledge of the love of Christ which "surpasses knowledge" (talk about mystical and supernatural!)… For this reason (Why? see Ep 3:13), I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to (not a portion of but proportionate to) the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (What does God's love do for us here? Or how "foundational" is His love?) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ (cp 2Co 5:14) which surpasses knowledge, (And what is the purpose of this "surpassing knowledge" of Christ's love? Paul explains… ) that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God. (Can we be confident that God will answer this incredibly rich prayer? How does Paul address that question?) Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:14-21+) And again notice what Paul prays for the saints at the church at Philippi… And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge (i.e., based on truth like 1Jn 3:1, et al) and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ (Php 1:9, 10, 11+ cp 1Jn 3:2+, 1Jn 3:3+) THOUGHT - Notice how a discerning, knowledge of God's love is the wellspring from which flows an obedient, holy life, even until the day we see our Lord face to face!); having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Php 1:9, 10, 11+) (Are we beginning to see Paul's emphasis on the importance of a saint's deep understanding of God's love?) FIRST LOVE: REMEMBER IT! See the fearful exhortation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the church at Ephesus wherein He emphasizes the importance of believers continually recalling to their mind the love of God and conducting themselves in concord with this love (cp 2Co 5:14+)… To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But (Introduces a radical change of direction in His exhortation!) I have this against you, that you have left (left, not lost!) your first love. Remember (present imperative = command from our Lord to keep on remembering - we are all prone to forget, with the result that our heart and our love grows cold toward our Bridegroom Jesus and we begin to wonder and to wander! Ready recall reaps righteous "running" - cp He 12:1+) therefore from where you have fallen, and repent (aorist imperative = command from the Captain of the hosts [Jos 5:14,15+] demanding our urgent, immediate attention and obedience! Don't procrastinate! Don't delay! Delay is disobedience!) and do (aorist imperative = see previous note) the deeds you did at first (When He poured His love into your heart [Ro 5:5+, cp 1Jn 4:10] and you first fell in love with Jesus); or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place-- unless you repent. Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. (Rev 2:1-7+) Comment (Tony Garland's comments below on Rev 2:4+ are worth pondering): The disturbing reality is that it is possible to think one is actively “serving God,” but without a true relationship with Him (Ed: Reference is to Jesus' words in Mt 7:21, 22, 23+). Even in the case where we begin following after Him, time and circumstances often turn our hearts aside. (Ed: "Amen" or "Oh my!") When Solomon grew old… his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart (cp 1Sa 13:14+, Acts 13:22+) of his father David (1Ki 11:4). Our priority must ever be relationship over service (works). This is the essential message of the incident involving Mary and her sister Martha related by Luke. Martha‘s priority was serving whereas Mary… sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word (Lk 10:39+). Martha was so focused on serving that she missed a golden opportunity to listen to her Lord. Jesus summarized the actions of the two sisters: Martha, Martha, you are worried (merimnao [word study] from merizo = to divide - picture of a "divided" mind!) and troubled (turbazo = noise, uproar, disturbance - English "turbid"!) about many things. But one thing is needed (chreia [word study]), and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41, 42+). Time spent sitting at the Master’s feet will never be taken away from us. Although some fret that such time reduces our ability to serve, the result is actually the opposite. Our devotion, motivation, and understanding of God are deepened causing an increase in the fruit of God’s ministry through us. Our ministry and service must be grounded in and out of our love for Him (Heb 6:10+, He 6:11, 12+). We are “priests to His God,” our primary focus is God-ward, only then man-ward. Instead of waning, our love for Him is to be continually increasing (Php 1:9+). The Ephesian church had lost its focus. They had taken their eyes off of Jesus (cp He 12:2+) and were now focusing on their works done for His name. This is the essence of idolatry. The condition of the Ephesian church at the time of John appears considerably different to that when Paul wrote his epistle. “See the Ephesians’ first love, Eph 1:15+. This epistle (Revelation) was written under Domitian, when thirty years had elapsed since Paul had written his Epistle to them.” Lesson? Application? Beware of the deceptive delusion of doing rather than being. The first command was, is and always will be "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mk 12:30+) See (3708) (idete - verb = horao) means to discern clearly (physical or mental), and does not call for the reader to merely "see", but also to have an actual perception of the object. When horao is used of seeing God it also conveys the idea of knowing Him (i.e., horao is rendered "see" or "seen" and is coupled with knowing in the following = Jn 1:18; 14:7, 9; 1Jn 3:6; 4:20; 3Jn 1:11) and knowing His character as in the present context where believers are charged to "see and behold and know" His great attribute of amazing, "other worldly" love (see short summary of God's attribute of Love). See is in the aorist imperative which is a command calling for the reader to give immediate, effective, even urgent attention. Here's the idea…Stop everything else! Look at this! Think about it! Ponder its significance! See is in the plural which calls for all of his readers to take a "heart moving look at the the amazing love which gave them membership in God's family" (Hiebert) Click Alexander Maclaren's practical application of John's charge to "See"!
1 João 3:3
William MacDonald - It has long been recognized by Christians that the hope of the imminent return of Christ has a sanctifying influence in the life of the believer. He does not want to be doing anything that he would not want to be doing when Christ returns. (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Simon Kistemaker - The believer lives in the hope of becoming conformed to Jesus Christ, and the more he contemplates this truth the more he purifies himself of sin. He seeks to cleanse himself from sin that contaminates body and soul; constantly he strives for holiness in reverence to God (2 Cor. 7:1). Concealed as yet this honour lies, By this dark world unknown,— A world that knew not when he came, Even God’s eternal Son. High is the rank we now possess; But higher we shall rise; Though what we shall hereafter be Is hid from mortal eyes. Our souls, we know, when he appears, Shall bear his image bright; For all his glory, full disclosed, Shall open to our sight. A hope so great, and so divine, May trials well endure; And purge the soul from sense and sin, As Christ himself is pure Purifies (48) (hagnizo from hagnos = freedom from defilements or impurities; see also word study on related word hagios [word study] = holy, saint) in the literal sense refers to ceremonial washings and purifications undertaken to purify oneself from ritual defilement. In the context of this ceremonial purification the idea was withdrawal from the profane (common) and dedication to God, thereby making one ceremonially ready. This sense is seen in the OT uses in the Septuagint (LXX), where hagnizo was used of the the Nazirites who took upon themselves a temporary or a life-long vow to abstain from wine and all kinds of intoxicating drink, from every defilement and from shaving the head. Luke seems to make allusion to a similar Nazirite-like practice by Paul in Acts 21:24, 26, 24:18.
1 João 3:4
William MacDonald on practices - It is a matter of continual behavior, expressed by the present, continuous tense. (BORROW Believer's Bible Commentary) Simon Kistemaker - Although the believer seeks to live in obedience to the will of God, he knows that his deeds are tainted by sin. This does not mean that sin controls him. On the contrary, the Christian valiantly opposes sin, because he wants to do that which is right (1Jn 2:29+; 1Jn 3:7+). Should he stumble, then the child of God flees to Christ to plead for remission. However, the person who continues to live in sin ought to know that sin is the same as lawlessness. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. This epistle of John is marked by contrast. John first depicts the child of God who purifies himself (1Jn 3:3+) and then portrays the person who continues to live in sin and practices lawlessness. The child of God, therefore, cannot continue to sin; and the unbeliever who indulges in sin cannot be a child of God… The present tense of the participle denotes continuative action. (New Testament Commentary) (Bolding added) A T Robertson 1 Jn 3:4 "The present active participle means the habit of doing sin." THOUGHT - Sure, Christians still commit sins, but this is no longer the natural direction (or better "the supernatural direction") of our life! Paul wrote that "if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new (brand new) creature; the old things passed away; behold, new (brand new) things have come." (2 Cor 5:17+) Beloved, the point is that if you have (or know of someone who has) made a profession of Christ and this has made absolutely no difference in your (their) life, then you are not a believer! I am not sure why some seem to be so resistant to this sobering truth, although there is a false teaching in Christian circles that says if a person claims to have made a decision for Jesus they are saved forever, regardless of whether they live the rest of their life pursuing sin rather than the Savior (See "The Unusual and Troubling Teachings of Zane Hodges"). This is a deadly and deceptive teaching and one which passages like 1 John 3 strongly refute (if one let's the text simply say what it says!). John Stott gives us a wise perspective - If Christ appeared first both to "take away our sins" and to "destroy the devil's work," and if, when he appears a second time, "we shall see him" and, in consequence, "we shall be like him," how can we possibly go on living in sin? To do so would be to deny the purpose of both his "appearings." (BORROW The Letters of John, 132-33) No true Christian will deliberately and repeatedly defy God’s Word and disobey Him As respected Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe rightly remarks "Every Christian sins, perhaps without knowing it (Ps 19:12); but no true Christian will deliberately and repeatedly defy God’s Word and disobey Him." (Bolding added for emphasis) (Bible Exposition Commentary) W A Criswell writes that "In this section, the author focuses on three signs of authentic Christianity: righteousness (1Jn 3:4-10a), love (1Jn 3:10b-18), and orthodox doctrine (1Jn 4:1-6). These elements are sometimes called the moral test, the social test, and the doctrinal test, respectively. The failure of the false teachers in each of these areas indicates their true spiritual condition. (1Jn 3:4-10) As the author presents the moral test, he considers three major issues: (1) the people involved in sin -- they do "lawlessness" (1Jn 3:4) and are "of the devil" (1Jn 3:8); (2) the work of Christ -- He came to take away sin (1Jn 3:5) and destroy the work of the devil (1Jn 3:8); (3) the differing responses to sin -- those who sin do not know Him (1Jn 3:6); they are children of the devil (1Jn 3:10). By contrast, those who abide in Him do not sin (1Jn 3:6); they are children of God (1Jn 3:10). (The Believer's Study Bible:) Here is an example of a somewhat unusual interpretation by Dr. Grant Richison (CAVEAT EMPTOR with some of his comments on soteriological issues! Acts 17:11+) who writes "A Christian is still a Christian even though he disowns the Lord." My question would be why would such a one even want to be a Christian if he truly disowns Jesus? Richison goes on to say that says 2 Ti 2:12+ ["If we deny Him, He also will deny us"] means "He can deny us reward," but that is NOT what the text says (See warning of adding to Scripture in Pr 30:6). Ryrie writes "Those who deny are professing people who will in turn be disowned by Him." (Mt 10:33; 2Jn 1:9) In 1Jn 3:4 Grant Richison simply does not let the text say what it says, instead writing that "Lawlessness is another way to describe carnality. A carnal person is a believer dominated by his sin capacity. He walks out of phase with God. Sin characterizes the life of a lawless believer. He made a decision to go negative toward God and His Word at some point." Gotquestions.org (an excellent, bibliocentric resource I highly recommend) directly refutes Richison's specious teaching writing "The key thing to understand is that while a Christian can be, for a time, carnal, a true Christian will not remain carnal for a lifetime. Some have abused the idea of a “carnal Christian” by saying that it is possible for people to come to faith in Christ and then proceed to live the rest of their lives in a completely carnal manner, with no evidence of being born again or a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Such a concept is completely unbiblical. James 2 makes it abundantly clear that genuine faith will always result in good works. Ephesians 2:8-10 declares that while we are saved by grace alone through faith alone, that salvation will result in works. Can a Christian, in a time of failure and/or rebellion, appear to be carnal? Yes. Will a true Christian remain carnal? No." THOUGHT - Is Richison really what John is saying? John does not say that lawlessness is carnality but that it equates with sin. Furthermore as noted the way Richison uses "carnal" is highly questionable and potentially dangerously misleading! () And then Richison's sentence "Sin characterizes a lawless believer." O my what a misleading oxymoron! A "lawless believer" sounds like the Paul's description of a non-believer who professes to be a believer (cp Titus 1:16+)! A believer is not lawless, but in fact has the law of God written on his or her heart (Jer 31:33+, Heb 8:10+, Heb 10:16+). Does a genuine believe break the law? Of course, but not as the continual, habitual practice of his or her life and not with abandon and/or joy but with a pierced conscience and sadness and a desire to confess and repent! If you can continually sin and continually enjoy it without any regrets then you need to carefully heed Paul's words in 2Cor 13:5+ lest you hear Jesus' frightening words in Mt 7:21-23+ (for then it will be too late to do a self-examination!). Dear believer, think of those times you have willfully sinned against God. Did your sin bring joy and peace and satisfaction? Beloved, teaching of this type is deadly and deceptive for it gives an "out" (an "escape hatch") to the person who may have made a "profession" of faith at some point in the past and then spends the rest of their life (their habitual practice) committing sin and not being grieved by such sin. Such a one can claim they are simply "lawless believers" as Grant Richison calls them! Woe! Jesus addressed this genre of teaching and thinking head on in the Sermon on the Mount. Listen carefully to our Lord's somber words of warning and see if He classifies the (present tense) practice of lawlessness as a "lawless believer." "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does (present tense = as the general direction of their life) the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never (absolutely never at any point in time) knew you (speaking of the intimate relation of a believer being in Him, in covenant with Him, in oneness with Him - cp 1Jn 3:6 = Jesus did not know them because they never knew Him!); DEPART (present imperative = command) FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (present tense - habitually!) LAWLESSNESS (+ - identical to John's phrase, even the tense of the verb!).' (Mt 7:21-23+) (Bolding mine) (COMMENT - Chose who you will believe - Grant Richison or Jesus Christ!) The very fact that he is ‘comfortable’ about his sin is proof of the Spirit’s absence. His spiritual vital sign registers ‘no life.’ R. Gene Reynolds speaks to the deceptive danger of professing to be a Christian and yet failing to bear the fruit of love - 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") You be the judge -- What does Jesus say about the fate of one who practices lawlessness? Is he a "lawless believer" or is he a person who calls Jesus "Lord" but does not obey Him, and thus proves himself to be an unbeliever?" I will admit that I do not have a theological degree and so you could say that I am not accurately interpreting John's text because I have not taken a formal course in hermeneutics (which I have not). But is this not exactly what John was alluding to in the previous chapter when he said (all) believers have an "anointing (referring to the indwelling Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, our Teacher - 1Jn 2:20+) which (we) received from Him (and this anointing) abides in (us), and (we) have no need for anyone to teach (us)." (1Jn 2:27+)? Many people today are resting in false hopes. There are many who are deceived by the false professions that they make To quote the respected Bible teacher Chuck Smith (now with the Lord) "You cannot be living in sin and at the same time rightly claim to be a child of God… If you are living in sin, you have not seen Him nor known Him (as your Savior). It makes no difference what you may say or profess. Salvation is much more than saying the right things, it is doing the right things… Many people today are resting in false hopes. There are many who are deceived by the false professions that they make." (Sermon Notes) As Dr Martyn-Lloyd Jones said "We can put it this way: it is what we are and what we do that really proclaims our belief and our profession… the profession of faith is of no avail unless it leads to this particular practice. " (Children of God- Studies in First John) Pulpit Commentary - Once more the apostle turns from the positive to the negative. Having shown what birth from God involves, he goes on to show what it excludes. "Everyone that doeth sin" evidently balances "everyone that hath this hope" (1 John 3:3+), and "to do sin" is the exact opposite of "to do righteousness" (1 John 2:29+). Of course one of the clear truths from 1 Jn 3:4 is God's "definition" of sin is lawlessness. Webster says lawlessness describes one who is not restrained or controlled by the law. Jon Courson says practices "speaks of continual action. Thus, this verse does not refer to one who falters in sin, struggles with sin, or falls because of a struggle with a certain sin. It refers to one who blatantly, habitually, and continually practices sin. I used to watch my son Benny in the backyard with his baseball bat, practicing his swing over and over again. So, too, there are those who practice sin in order to get good at it. (See Jon Courson's Application Commentary: Volume 3) The Puritan Thomas Manton wrote that 1Jn 3:4 "speaks "of those who delight in sin, of those in whom sin reigns; of those who deliberately, voluntarily, easily, freely, frequently break God's laws." W E Vine - John’s use of the present tense of the verb poieo, “to do,” expresses the meaning of the alternative verb prasso, “to practice.” The manner of life which is marked by continuing to do sin is described by the phrase “practices lawlessness,” which is constant disregard of the law of God. As, then, doing righteousness is an evidence of the new birth, so doing lawlessness is an evidence of not being born of God. (Collected Writings) SIN DEFINED AS LAWLESSNESS Sin (266)(hamartia) originally conveyed the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow and missing the mark or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. See literal use of similar Hebrew word (Jdg 20:16). In Homer some hundred times hamartia is used of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe. Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." The law is like a ruler and sin is like a crooked line - Anyone can detect a crooked line (cp sin) when a perfectly straight line (cp law) is drawn next to it! Every crook in our life, and thought, and feeling, discovered by the straight rule of God's holy law is sin. -- James Smith
1 João 3:5
William MacDonald - This is one of the three key passages in the NT dealing with the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter tells us that He did no sin." Paul tells us that "He knew no sin." Now John, the disciple who knew the Lord in an especially intimate way, adds his testimony, "In Him is no sin." (BORROW Believer's Bible Commentary) A T Robertson on in Him is no sin - “And sin (the sinful principle) in Him is not.” As Jesus had claimed about himself (John 7:18; John 8:46) and as is repeatedly stated in the NT (2Co 5:21; Hebrews 4:15+; Hebrews 7:26+; Hebrews 9:13+). John Gill on no sin - neither original, nor actual; no sin inherent; there was sin imputed to Him, but none in Him, nor done by Him; and hence He became a fit person to be a sacrifice for the sins of others, and by His unblemished sacrifice to take the sin away; and answered the typical sacrifices under the law, which were to be without spot and blemish: and this shows that he did not offer Himself for any sins of His own, for there were none in Him, but for the sins of others; and which consideration, therefore, is a strong dissuasive from sinning, and as such is mentioned by the apostle; for, since sin is of such a nature that nothing could atone for it but the blood and sacrifice of Christ, an innocent, as well as a divine person, it should be abhorred by us; and since Christ has taken it away by the sacrifice of Himself, it should not be continued and encouraged by us; and since in Him is no sin, we ought to imitate him in purity of life and conversation; the end of Christ's bearing our sins was, that we might live to righteousness, and to purify to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good deeds (Titus 2:14+); and His love herein should constrain us to obedience to Him: so the Jews speak of a man after the image of God, and who is the mystery, of the name Jehovah; and in that man, they say, there is no sin, neither shall death rule over him; and this is that which is said, Ps 5:4; neither shall evil dwell with thee. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ll want to be like Him. Ligon Duncan summarizes 1Jn 3:5-6 - He reminds us there that Jesus came not only to forgive sin, but to take away sin, and that He Himself was pure, perfect, and without sin. ‘And so,’ (1Jn 3:6) he says, ‘the person who lives a life practicing sin, bent towards sin, a life characterized by a rejection of Christ’s norms and God’s word, a life characterized by deciding “we’re going to do it our own way” over against what God has said in His word—that person shows that they do not know Christ. You see, John is speaking to people who were teaching in the Christian church that they were Christians but that you didn’t have to follow God’s word. Friends of mine, yesterday, who were meeting to foster Christian publications were speaking about a person who had come up to speak to a major Christian speaker who you would know if I’d mention today. That Christian speaker had been speaking about what it meant to be a disciple of Christ. And this young couple came up to him fairly consternated after his message, and they said to him, “It seems to me that you’re saying that if we want to be disciples of Jesus, we have to follow Him.” They just didn’t think that that was very reasonable. And the speaker responded by saying, “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ll want to be like Him. You’ll want to do what He says in His word. You’ll want to love the things that He loves, and if we live a life that contradicts, that shows that we really don’t know Jesus, even if we claim to know Him. (1 John 2:29 - 3:10 The Test of Righteousness) Appeared (has been revealed) (5319)(phaneroo from phanerós = manifest, visible, conspicuous in turn from phaino = give light; become visible in turn from phos = light) is literally "to bring to light" and primarily means "to make visible" or to cause to become visible. The basic meaning of phaneroo then is to make known, to reveal clearly, to manifest, to cause to be seen or to make something clear. "While it (phaneroo) can mean simply to be evident or manifest, as in 1Jn 2:19 (cf. John 3:21; 7:4), it more often suggests divine revelatory activity apart from which a truth would not be redemptively appropriated and perhaps not even seen. Things “revealed” in 1 John include eternal life (1Jn 1:2) and God’s love in his Son (1Jn 4:9). In 1Jn 3:5 (and 1Jn 3:8) John uses the same verb to speak of the incarnation." (Yarbrough 1-3 John) PHANEROO IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:19; 1 Jn. 2:28; 1 Jn. 3:2; 1 Jn. 3:5; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Jn. 4:9 to describe the manifestation of Jesus in the Incarnation (1Jn 1:2; 3:5, 8), and at the parousia or Second Coming (1Jn 2:28; 3:2). Marvin Vincent on He appeared (was manifest) speaks of "Christ's whole life on earth and its consequences. The idea of manifestation here assumes the fact of a previous being. John uses various terms to describe the incarnation. He conceives it with reference to the Father, as a sending, a mission. Hence He that sent me (John 4:34; John 6:38; John 9:4; John 12:44, etc.): the Father that sent me (John 5:37; John 8:18; John 12:49, etc.): with the verb apostello = to send as an envoy, with a commission; God sent His Son (John 3:17; John 10:36; 1 John 4:10; compare John 6:57; John 7:29; John 17:18). With reference to the Son, as a coming, regarded as a historic fact and as an abiding fact. As a historic event, He came (John 1:11); this is He that came (1 John 5:6). Came forth (John 8:42; John 16:27, John 16:28; John 17:8). As something abiding in its effects, am come, hath come, is come, marked by the perfect tense: Light is come (John 3:19). Jesus Christ is come (1 John 4:2). Compare John 5:43; John 12:46; John 18:37). In two instances with eko (from) - I am come, John 8:42; 1 John 5:20. Or with the present tense, as describing a coming realized at the moment: whence I come (John 8:14); compare John 14:3, John 14:18, John 14:28; also Jesus Christ coming (2 John 1:7). With reference to the form: in flesh (sarx) see Jn 1:14; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7. With reference to men, Christ was manifested (1John 1:2; 1John 3:5, 1John 3:8; John 1:31; John 21:1, John 21:14). Know (1492)(eido - used only in the perfect tense = oida) means in general to know by perception. Literally eido/oida refers to perception by sight (perceive, see) as in Mt 2:2 (Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw (eido) His star in the east, and have come to worship Him.") Eido/oida suggests fullness of knowledge, intuitive knowledge, or absolute knowledge (that which is without a doubt), rather than a progress in knowledge (cp ginosko). Ultimately eido/oida is not so much that which is known by experience as a perception, an awareness of, an understanding, an intuitive knowledge which in the case of believers is given by the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers do not know this life-saving truth about Jesus for "a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." (1Cor 2:14+) Believers know beyond a shadow of the doubt the efficacious work of Jesus in taking away sins (penalty and power) EIDO/OIDA - JOHN'S REPEATED USES IN FIRST JOHN - ALL ARE IN THE PERFECT TENSE - 1 Jn. 2:11; 1 Jn. 2:20; 1 Jn. 2:21; 1 Jn. 2:29; 1 Jn. 3:2; 1 Jn. 3:5; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:15; 1 Jn. 5:18; 1 Jn. 5:19; 1 Jn. 5:20; Sins (266)(hamartia) originally conveyed the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow and missing the mark or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. See literal use of similar Hebrew word (Jdg 20:16). In Homer some hundred times hamartia is used of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe. Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." The law is like a ruler and sin is like a crooked line - Anyone can detect a crooked line (cp sin) when a perfectly straight line (cp law) is drawn next to it! Hiebert adds that "In classical Greek the word “sin” denoted “to miss, to fail, to fall short,” but in the New Testament this negative meaning is largely lost sight of and sin is viewed as positive and active, a deliberate deviation from the standard of right. It is a willful rebellion, arising from the deliberate choice of the sinner." GREEK WORD STUDY To take away (142)(airo) literally means to lift up something (Mt 17:27) and to carry it (Lxx - Ge 44:1, Ex 25:28 = the Ark). In the first Septuagint use of airo in Ge 35:2 Jacob told his household "Put away (airo) the foreign gods." Jesus used airo figuratively when He declared "Take (aorist imperative) My yoke" (Mt 11:29+) and again when he said "Take (aorist imperative) up (your) cross." (Mk 8:34) Figuratively in this passage airo speaks of the taking away of sins. John used this same verb (airo) in John 1:29 writing "The next day (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away (airo) the sin of the world! To take up, to lift up, to raise (Jn 8:59, Acts 27:3, Rev 10:5, "lift up My hand" = Dt 32:40, Isa 49:22); figuratively to raise one's eyes (Jn 11:41, Ps 121:1, 123:1), one's voice (cry out, sing - Lk 17:13, Acts 4:24, Jdg 21:2, 1Sa 11:4). "Keep (hold) us in suspense" (Jn 10:24) Friberg's summary of airo - (1) literally, as lifting up something take up, pick, raise (Mt 17.27; Rev 10.5); absolutely, of a ship weigh anchor, depart (Acts 27.13); hyperbolically, of a mountain arise (Mt 21.21); idiomatically literally raise one’s eyes, i.e. look up (Jn 11.41); literally take up the cross, i.e. be prepared to suffer to the point of death (Mt 16.24); literally lift up someone’s soul, i.e. keep someone in suspense without being able to come to a conclusion (Jn 10.24); (2) as lifting up and carrying something away remove, carry off, take away (Jn 11.39); idiomatically = literally take from, i.e. cause to no longer experience (Mt 21.43); (3) of removing by force; (a) do away with, kill, execute (Jn 19.15); (b) sweep away as with a flood (Mt 24.39); (c) destroy, do away with (Jn 11.48); (d) as a religious technical term, of the effect of Christ’s paying the complete penalty for sin remove, take away (Jn 1.29) Airo (summarized from BDAG) (1) To raise to a higher place or position = lift up, take up, pick up (a) Literally, of stones (Jn 8:59), Mt 17:27, hand (Rev 10:5), hands in prayer (1Clement 29:1); withdraw one’s hand from someone=renounce or withdraw from someone; pick up (your bed - Mt 9:6, your stretcher - Lk 5:24, your pallet Mk 2:9, 11-12, Jn 5:8); hoisted up (the boat) Act 27:17; Of a spirit that carries a person away; by faith say to a mountain "be taken up" (Mt 21:21, Mk 11:23); Eutychus "picked up dead" (Acts 20:9) (b) Figuratively, "raised his eyes" (in prayer) Jn 11:41, raise one's voice, cry out loudly (1Sa 11:4, 30:4, 2Sa 3:32, Lk 17:13, Acts 4:24). (2) to lift up and move from one place to another (a) Take/carry (along) - literally, take up one's cross - Mt 16:24; 27:32; Mk 8:34; 15:21; Lk 9:23, "take My yoke" (Mt 11:29), "bear You up" (Mt 4:6, Lk 4:11 - from Ps 91:12); Passive - "carried by" Mk 2:3; "should take nothing" Mk 6:8, Lk 9:3; "what each man should take" (of gambler's winnings) Mk 15:24; "you shall not claim (take) glory for yourself" Epistle of Barnabas 19:3. (b) Carry away, remove - literally - "take these things away" (to moneychangers) Jn 2:16, Crucified body of Jesus Jn 19:38; " took away the body" of John the Baptist Mt 14:12; Mk 6:29. "Remove the stone" from grave Jn 11:39, 41; "saw the stone take away" - Jn 20:1. "picked up what was left over" = Mt 14:20; 15:37; cp. Lk 9:17. Mk 8:8.; Mk 8:19f. "he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands" Acts 21:11; "Take what is yours and go your way" Mt 20:14; "get anything out of his house" Mk 13:15; taken away the body of Jesus from tomb Jn 20:2, 13, 15; “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil [one.]" Jn 17:15. (3) to take away, remove, or seize control without suggestion of lifting up, take away, remove. By force, even by killing: Jn 19:15 "Lift up your hands to Him" = La 2:19; "Away with this man" = Lk 23:18; cp. Acts 21:36; 22:22; sweep away = " the flood came and took them all away" = Mt 24:39; "whoever takes away your coat" = Lk 6:29; all his weapons Lk 11:22; "he takes away from him all his armor" = Mt 25:28; "Take the mina away from him" = Lk 19:24. Figuratively - "you have taken away the key of knowledge" = Lk 11:52. "he has shall be taken away from him" = Mt 13:12; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18; 19:26. Conquer, take over - "No one has taken it away from Me" = Jn 10:18; Passive "FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.” = Act 8:33b ("By oppression and judgment He was taken away;" = Isa 53:8). "the kingdom of God will be taken away from you" = Mt 21:43.—Of Satan - "Satan comes and takes away the word" = Mk 4:15; cp. Lk 8:12. "no one takes your joy away from you" = Jn 16:22. "might be removed from your midst" = 1 Cor 5:2; a bond, note, certificate of indebtedness destroy - "having canceled out the certificate of debt" = Col 2:14. Of branches cut off Jn 15:2. the patch takes something away from the garment - " for the patch pulls away from the garment" = Mt 9:16; cp. Mk 2:21. Remove, take away, - "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" = Jn 1:29.; "take away sins" 1Jn 3:5 (Is 53:12 Aq., s. PKatz, VetusT 8, ’58, 272; cp. "please pardon (take away, remove) my sin" 1Sa 15:25; 25:28). Passive - "IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY" = Acts 8:33a; "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." = Eph 4:31. Figuratively - take, in order to make something out of the object - "Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot?" 1Cor 6:15. (4) to make a withdrawal in a commercial sense, withdraw, take, Lk 19:21-22 - in banking this was a technical term (5) to keep in a state of uncertainty about an outcome, keep someone in suspense, " keep us in suspense" Jn 10:24 (6) to raise a ship’s anchor for departure, weigh anchor, depart, Acts 27:13 Airo in NAS Usage: away(5), bear(4), carried(1), carry(1), get(4), hoisted(1), keep(1), lifted(2), pick(9), picked(11), pulls away(2), put away(1), raised(2), remove(1), removed(3), suspense*(1), take(13), take away(5), take… away(4), taken(3), taken… away(1), taken away(12), takes away(7), taking(1), took(2), took… away(1), took away(3), weighed anchor(1). Airo - 101x in 97v - Matt 4:6; 9:6, 16; 11:29; 13:12; 14:12, 20; 15:37; 16:24; 17:27; 20:14; 21:21, 43; 24:17f, 39; 25:28f; 27:32; Mark 2:3, 9, 11f, 21; 4:15, 25; 6:8, 29, 43; 8:8, 19f, 34; 11:23; 13:15f; 15:21, 24; 16:18; Luke 4:11; 5:24f; 6:29f; 8:12, 18; 9:3, 17, 23; 11:22, 52; 17:13, 31; 19:21f, 24, 26; 22:36; 23:18; John 1:29; 2:16; 5:8ff; 8:59; 10:18, 24; 11:39, 41, 48; 15:2; 16:22; 17:15; 19:15, 31, 38; 20:1f, 13, 15; Acts 4:24; 8:33; 20:9; 21:11, 36; 22:22; 27:13, 17; 1 Cor 5:2; 6:15; Eph 4:31; Col 2:14; 1 John 3:5; Rev 10:5; 18:21 Airo - 230v in the Septuagint - Gen 35:2; 40:16; 43:34; 44:1; 45:23; 46:5; 47:30; Exod 25:14, 27f; 27:7; 30:4; 37:4, 13; 38:4; Lev 10:4f; 11:25, 28, 40; 15:10; Num 1:50; 2:17; 4:15, 24f, 31f, 47, 49; 7:9; 10:17, 21; 11:12; 13:23; Deut 10:8; 31:9, 25; 32:40; Josh 3:3, 6, 8, 13ff, 17; 4:5, 9f, 16, 18; 6:12; 8:30; Jdg 8:28; 9:48, 54; 19:17; 21:2; Ruth 2:18; 1Sa 2:28; 4:4; 6:13; 10:3; 11:4; 14:1, 3, 6f, 12ff, 17f; 15:25; 16:21; 17:7; 22:18; 24:16; 25:28; 30:4; 31:4ff; 2Sa 2:22, 32; 3:32; 4:4; 6:3, 13; 13:34; 15:24; 18:15; 19:42; 23:37; 24:12; 1Kgs 2:26, 35; 4:27; 5:9, 15, 17; 8:3; 10:2, 11; 13:29; 14:28; 15:22; 18:12; 2Kgs 2:16; 4:4, 19f; 5:23; 7:8; 9:26; 14:20; 19:22; 23:16; 25:13; 1Chr 5:18; 10:4f; 11:39; 12:8; 15:2, 26f; 21:10; 23:26; 2Chr 9:1; 14:8; 35:3; Neh 4:17; 13:19; Esther 4:1; 5:1f; Job 6:2; 15:25; 21:3; Ps 24:7, 9; 25:1; 28:2; 63:4; 83:2; 86:4; Ps 91:12; 96:8; 119:48; 121:1; 123:1; 126:6; 143:8; Pr 1:12; Song 5:7; Isa 5:23, 26; 8:8; 10:14f; 11:12; 13:2; 15:9; 16:4, 10; 17:1; 18:3; 26:10, 14; 30:14; 32:13; 33:8, 23; 37:23; 45:20; 46:1, 3, 7; 48:14; 49:18, 22; 51:6, 13; 53:8; 57:1f, 14; 58:13; 59:15; 60:4; 66:12; Jer 3:2; 6:1; 10:5; 17:21, 27; 31:24; 43:10; 51:12, 27; Lam 2:19; 3:27f; Ezek 10:15; 12:12; 20:28, 42; 23:27; 36:7; 44:12; 47:14; Dan 6:16; 7:4, 14, 17; 8:3, 13; 9:25, 27; 10:5; Jonah 1:12; Mic 2:1, 3; Zech 1:18, 21; 2:1; 5:1, 9; 6:1 ILLUSTRATION - Warren
1 João 3:6
William MacDonald - This verse contrasts the true believer with one who has never been born again. It can definitely be said of the true believer that he does not go on sinning. John is not here speaking about isolated acts of sin, but rather continued, habitual, characteristic behavior. This verse does not imply that when a Christian commits an act of sin, he loses his salvation. Rather it says that when a person sins habitually, it is conclusive that he was never regenerated. The question naturally arises, "When does sin become habitual? How often does a person have to commit it for it to become characteristic behavior?" John does not answer this. Rather he puts each believer on guard, and leaves the burden of proof on the Christian himself. (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Undisturbed persistence in sin exposes the individual as one who has neither seen (with the eye of faith) nor heard him Sam Storms - If Christ was sinless and came to remove sin, how can one abide both in him and in it simultaneously? The one who abides in Christ does not sin as a prevailing habit. Conversely, an undisturbed persistence in sin exposes the individual as one who has neither seen (with the eye of faith) nor heard him. (1 John 3:4-10 Sermon Notes) Do you keep on sinning? David Jackman - The important question, in the light of the cross, then becomes, ‘Have my sins been taken away?’ 1Jn 3:6 tells us that the answer lies in our present experience. Do I keep on sinning, or is my life distinctively different? ‘Look at your lifestyle,’ is John’s message. There may be key moments of change to look back to, in a response at an evangelistic meeting, the signing of a commitment card, or events such as baptism or being received as a member of a local church, which all have their place in our spiritual pilgrimages. (ED: THIS IS A CRITICAL POINT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE SAY "I ACCEPTED CHRIST" IN THE PAST AT SO AND SO EVENT, AND YET THEIR LIFE TODAY FAILS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ACCEPTANCE WAS REAL BUT WAS MORE EMOTIONAL AND TRANSIENT) Nevertheless John does not ask us about those; he simply says, ‘Do you keep on sinning?’ The person who does has not yet seen or known Christ, in that personal way that is described in verse 6 as ‘living in him’. If Jesus was sinless and came to this world expressly to take away our sins, how can sin be cherished by anyone who is really living in Christ?… The implications for us are clear. Fellowship with a sinless Saviour and continuance in our sins (keeping on sinning) are mutually contradictory. No compromise is possible. And the logical conclusion we are to draw is that we cannot expect to be confident on that day when we see Christ (1jN 2:28+), if we are complacent about sin in our lives here and now. (See The Message of John's Letters) If you are obeying you are abiding, and if you are abiding you are obeying. Lehman Strauss - The Prohibition of Sin - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not… . (1 John 2:1) We have just seen that the principle of sin in the believer makes it possible for him to commit sin. And yet he is told to "sin not." The principle and possibility of sin is present, but the practice of sins is prohibited. This is a strange paradox to some, and it becomes even more confusing to those already confused when they read a verse such as the following: Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. (1 John 3:6) In this verse there are two present tenses not to be overlooked. The first verb in the present tense is "abideth" To abide means to obey (John 15:10). If you are obeying you are abiding, and if you are abiding you are obeying. The second verb in the present tense is "sinneth not." The tense of both verbs means a continuous, habitual action. Every one who continuously and habitually abides in Him will not continuously and habitually keep on sinning. The text does not deny that a Christian ever commits an act of sin, but it does deny that a Christian sins habitually. Whosoever keeps on continually sinning has neither seen Him with the eye of faith nor known Him in experiential salvation. What is implied here is a ruling principle of life. To continue to abide in Christ and to continue to practice sin are incongruous. The practice of sin excludes any professed knowledge of Christ (Matthew 7:21-22). (Borrow The Epistles of John). PROFESSION is an act of declaring that one has a particular feeling or quality, especially when this is not the case! Phil Newton gives a testimony apropos to this passage in 1 John - Deception has been part of human existence since the serpent asked, “Has God said?” With that catastrophic deception in the Garden through which humanity fell into sin, deception continues in every generation. The devil has not changed his tactics. Paul warned the Corinthians about the devil’s deception that would lead them away “from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor 11:3). He also warned them about the deception that sin is not that big of a deal regarding one’s eternity (1 Cor 6:9). John declares the devil as the arch-deceiver of all who rebel against God (Rev 20:10). So deception can ensnare any of us. I can trace points of deception that affected me. In my early Christian life, thinking that a profession of Christ guaranteed heaven (ED: MANY THINK THEY HAVE A "FIRE INSURANCE POLICY" WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE ACTUALLY INSURED OF EXPERIENCING ETERNAL FIRE!) rather than the certainty of the new birth, kept me from the joy of perseverance in Christ. Deception led me down a path of legalism by which I thought that I found favor with God by my rigid practice. Hearing various theological ideas without anchoring them in the Word deceived me into wrong doctrine that led to sloppy Christian living. By failing to grasp the power of the redemptive work of Christ, deception snared me in long periods of doubt and unbelief. I could go on but simply want to reinforce, deception continues its attempts to blind us to the fullness of Christ. That’s why John wrote this epistle. Some deceived themselves by thinking they had no sin (1 John 1:8). Others listened to the allurement of false teaching and seemed to be heading down the path of deception (1 John 2:26). Now he warns of deception a third time, using one of the rare imperatives in the letter, “Little children, make sure no one deceives you” (3:7). He calls for action in three areas of deception. But we can only act if we understand to some degree how we’re being deceived. We must guard against deception concerning Christ’s work and the Christian walk. John set the stage for teaching on this painfully difficult subject by lifting us into the stratosphere of God’s love for us. He ends that doxology by contemplating how it affects us, “And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”.... But union with Christ—abiding in Him —alters the practice of sinning Union with Christ affects practice (1Jn 3:6) John writes, “No one who abides in Him sins” [or better, ‘goes on in the practice of sin’]. The ESV translates, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning.” If he means sinless perfection then we’re all excluded from seeing Christ through the eyes of faith and knowing Him intimately. “No one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.” Again, the present tense implies the ongoing practice of sinning, the disposition of lawlessness that offers no restraint by the law against sin. But union with Christ—abiding in Him—alters the practice of sinning. Now, the danger in consoling ourselves with the present tense verbs is to go light on sin. That’s not what John does. He’s insistent that everyone who fixes his eternal hope on Christ “purifies himself, just as He is pure.” So knowing Christ, being united to Him by faith means that your disposition toward sinning has changed. You may sin but the pattern of sinning is different than when Christ saved you. You sin but you sin less. You sin with grief and regret and the desire to turn from it. Sin feels odd when it used to feel normal. You abide in Him—that is, you live in reliance upon Jesus as your life. You cannot, with the life of Christ dwelling in you, feel comfortable going on in sin. (ED: READ THAT SENTENCE AGAIN!) Otherwise, if that’s not the case, then it’s because you have never known Him. John Stott adds, “Sin and Christ are irreconcilably at enmity with each other. Christ in His sinless Person and saving work is fundamentally opposed to it” [Borrow TNTC: The Epistles of John, 123]. So that means, with abiding in Him, the root of our new disposition is to oppose sin and practice righteousness. Phil Newton Abides (continues, endures, remains, stays) (3306) meno in simple terms means to remain in the same place or position over a period of time. It means to reside, stay, live, lodge, tarry or dwell. Menō describes something that remains where it is, continues in a fixed state, or endures. Meno can mean "to take up permanent residence" or "to make yourself at home." Meno is the root of the Greek noun mone which means mansion or habitation (Jn 14:2, 23). More than one half of the uses of meno are by John in his Gospel and letters. MENO IN JOHN'S LETTERS - 1 Jn. 2:6; 1 Jn. 2:10; 1 Jn. 2:14; 1 Jn. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:19; 1 Jn. 2:24; 1 Jn. 2:27; 1 Jn. 2:28; 1 Jn. 3:6; 1 Jn. 3:9; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 3:17; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 4:12; 1 Jn. 4:13; 1 Jn. 4:15; 1 Jn. 4:16; 2 Jn. 1:2; 2 Jn. 1:9 Here is a summary of some of the nuances of meno related specifically to dwelling or abiding in Christ - (1) to dwell in God (or Christ) means that we walk as Christ walked (1Jn 2:6, Php 2:5, Jn 13:15); (2) to dwell in Christ means that we don’t habitually live in sin (1Jn 3:6); (3) to dwell in Christ means that we continue in His Word (Jn 8:31, 1Jn 2:17); (4) to dwell in Christ means that we bear fruit (Jn 15:5, Heb 13:5, Col 1:10, Ro 6:22, Php 4:7, 1Co 16:5, Jn 4:36) THOUGHT - This short list describing abiding in Christ begs the simple question - How is your daily abiding in Christ going beloved? Are you walking like He walked, in the power of the Spirit? Are you daily fighting off temptations to sin against God? Are you daily in His living Word and even more important is it truly in (being assimilated into your inner man - cf 2Co 3:18+), or is it in one ear in the morning and out the other by noon (cf Jas 1:22+)? Is the Spirit bearing fruit in your life, fruit that will endure throughout eternity (Jn 15:16+)? Let me encourage you, by God's Spirit and Word, to redeem the short time you have left, doing all for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:16KJV+). Amen. Sins (264) hamartano literally means to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize). Hamartano means to act contrary to the will and law of God. To commit a wrong. To be in error. Hamartano emphasizes loss which always results from missing God's mark or target, His good and acceptable and perfect will (Ro 12:2). Gary Hill adds that "hamartánō ("choosing sin") asserts the agenda of self, by (for) self, over God's loving plan. Ironically, this insists on bringing self-made condemnation (cf. Titus 3:11 = "and is sinning, being self-condemned."). In sum, hamartánō always results in loss of reward for believers, and everlasting condemnation for unbelievers. Hamartano means to err (err is from Latin errare = to wander or to stray!) which means to wander from the right way, to deviate from the true course or purpose and so to violate an accepted standard of conduct. To err is to miss the right way. To err means to deviate from the path or line of duty. To stray by design or mistake. To err is to stray from God and/or His commandments. Hamartano means to swerve from the truth, to turn aside from the straight course charted by the Word of Truth. To swerve means to wander from any line prescribed, or from a rule of duty; to depart from what is established by law, duty or custom. In short hamartano means to miss the mark of God's perfect standard of righteousness, a mark which in the final analysis was "hit" every time by only one Person in all of human history, the God-Man Christ Jesus, the sinless Son of God and personification of righteousness. (cf Jer 23:5,6, 1 Cor 1:30) HAMARTANO -37V (7X IN FIRST JOHN) - Matt. 18:15; Matt. 18:21; Matt. 27:4; Lk. 15:18; Lk. 15:21; Lk. 17:3; Lk. 17:4; Jn. 5:14; Jn. 8:11; Jn. 9:2; Jn. 9:3; Acts 25:8; Rom. 2:12; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 5:14; Rom. 5:16; Rom. 6:15; 1 Co. 6:18; 1 Co. 7:28; 1 Co. 7:36; 1 Co. 8:12; 1 Co. 15:34; Eph. 4:26; 1 Tim. 5:20; Tit. 3:11; Heb. 3:17; Heb. 10:26; 1 Pet. 2:20; 2 Pet. 2:4; 1 Jn. 1:10; 1 Jn. 2:1; 1 Jn. 3:6; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Jn. 3:9; 1 Jn. 5:16; 1 Jn. 5:18 Webster's 1828 Dictionary has a "bibliocentric" definition of sin as "The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not actions only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law." Now compare with the 2024 Webster's definition of sin - "1a: an offense against religious or moral law (b) an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible it's a sin to waste food (c) an often serious shortcoming : FAULT 2a : transgression of the law of God b : a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God." No (3756)(ou, ouk, ouch) expresses negation absolutely (Click here for more detailed discussion of "ou" in Zodhiates - borrow for full definition). Ou/ouk/ouch means not or no and expresses direct and full negation, independently and absolutely, and hence, objectively. This differs from me (See Zodiates discussion of me = G3361) which implies a conditional and hypothetical neg., and is, thus, subjective. Before consonants the form is ou, before unaspirated vowels it is ouk, and before aspirated vowels it appears as ouch, only for phonetic reasons with no change in meaning. Ou is a marker introducing a negative statement in contradiction of discourse that precedes, not at all, by no means. Ou/ouk/ouch is found 6715 times in the Septuagint and the New Testament. The combination of ou, ouk, ouch + me signifies very strong negation as in Hebrews 13:5+ "I will never (ou me) desert you!" Gingrich (page 1070) - ou (before consonants), ouk (before a vowel with smooth breathing), ouch (before a vowel with rough breathing) negative adverb— 1. ou; with an accent means no Mt 5:37; Mk 12:14; Lk 14:3; J 1:21; 7:12; 21:5; 2 Cor 1:17–19; Js 5:12; cf. Ro 7:18.— 2. ou as an enclitic means not in a wide variety of uses, examples of which may be found in the following passages: Mt 1:25; 7:21; Mk 4:25; Ac 12:9; 13:10; 17:4, 12; Ro 7:7; 1 Cor 15:51; 2 Cor 2:11; Heb 12:25.—ou is regularly used with the indicative, but it is found with the participle in the following passages Mt 22:11; Lk 6:42; Gal 4:8, 27; Heb 11:1, 35; 1 Pet 2:10.— 3. ou is used in direct questions when an affirmative answer is expected ouk akoueis you hear, do you not? Mt 27:13. Cf. Mt 6:26, 30; 17:24; Mk 6:3; Lk 11:40; Jn 6:70; Ac 9:21.— 4. in combination with other negatives— a. strengthening the negation Mt 22:16; Mk 5:37; esp. Lk 23:53; Jn 6:63; 15:5; Ac 8:39; 2 Cor 11:9. For ou me, see me, b. destroying the force of the negation. In questions, if the verb is already negatived (by ouv, the negation can be invalidated by me, used as an interrogative particle (see me G3361); the stage is thus set for an affirmative answer: me ouk ekousan surely they have heard, have they not? Ro 10:18, cf. me okias ouk echete you have houses, do you not? 1 Cor 11:22; cf. 9:4f. [pg 142] No (3361) me (For detailed discussion click Zodhiates) - In classical Greek this negative particle is used for the negative of thought, i.e., negation that depends on a condition that is understood. It is distinct from ou (3620) which denies, while mē rejects. When one thinks a thing is not, mē is used. It is subjective, involving will and thought, not fact and statement (Liddell-Scott). The Septuagint generally uses ou for negative thought, particularly in Daniel where it occurs 36 times, while mē occurs 4 times (2:24; 4:19; 5:10; 9:19) and only in petition (e.g., in the formula “let not”). The Hebrew terms for ou and mē are lō and ’al, respectively. Emphatic negation is indicated when the objective ou is combined with the subjective mē: “By no means ye will complete the cities of Israel” (Matthew 10:23, literal translation); “By no means may ye enter into the Kingdom” (Matthew 18:3, literal translation). Me occurs 602 times in the NT. The combination of ou, ouk, ouch + me signifies very strong negation as in Hebrews 13:5+ "I will never (ou me) desert you!" Wish is expressed by mē: “God forbid,” literally, “May it not be”—mē genoito (Lxx = Ge 44:7; Jos. 22:29; Jos. 24:16; NT uses - used especially by Paul - Lk. 20:16; Ro 3:4; Ro 3:6; Ro 3:31; Ro 6:2; Ro 6:15; Ro 7:7; Ro 7:13; Ro 9:14; Ro 11:1; Ro 11:11; 1Co. 6:15; Gal. 2:17; Gal. 3:21; Gal. 6:14). Mē is also used in hesitant questions where a negative answer is expected: “(Not) a stone he will give him?” (Matthew 7:9, literal sense). When mē introduces the question and ou negates the verb, however, the double negative calls for an affirmative answer. THE WAR IS OVER For many months after the close of World War II, Japanese troops were discovered hidden in the caves and jungles of the Pacific islands. Some of these stragglers were living like frightened savages; they didn't know the war was over. Once they understood that it was no longer necessary for them to fight, they surrendered. Christians may rest in the truth that Satan is a defeated enemy. He may still win a few battles here and there, but he has already lost the war! Sentence has been pronounced on him, but it will be a while before the punishment is meted out. A person who knows Christ, and who has been delivered from the bondage of sin through Christ's death on the cross, has no desire to obey Satan and live like a rebel. Counterfeit Christians were trying to convince true believers that a person could be "saved" and still practice sin. John does not deny that Christians sin, but he does deny that Christians can live in sin. A person who can enjoy deliberate sin and who does not feel convicted or experience God's chastening had better examine himself to see whether or not he is really born of God. Be Real (1 John): Turning from Hypocrisy to Truth - Page 112 Applying God's Truth: 1. In what ways do you live in celebration of the fact that the war with Satan is over and that he has lost? 2. Would any of your actions or attitudes indicate that your victory is in doubt? 3. What would you tell a friend who professed to be a Christian, yet claimed to enjoy indulging in a particular sin on a regular basis Henry Mahan - . 1 John 3:6 - Those who know Christ and abide in him hate sin in themselves, and they hate sin about them. They do not deliberately practice a life of sin because, to continue in sin, is to give clear evidence that one has not truly seen his glory or ever known him for "if any man be in Christ he is a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17). Lawrence Richards - Toward the Light (1 John 3:4–10) I remember when I was in grade school I had to do an experiment growing a lima bean. I guess education hasn’t advanced all that much, because now, 50 years later, the nine-year-old in our house has grown a lima been too. But what’s interesting is that, the sprouting plant will always grow toward the sun. Somehow the life of the bean is drawn toward the light. You can turn the plant around, even lay it on its side. Whatever you do, the sprout will orient toward the sun. That’s what John was saying about us when he wrote, “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning” (v. 6). The NIV captures the vital tense of the verb. It’s not that a Christian never sins. It’s that believers will not “keep on sinning.” John said the reason is that God’s seed—the principle of divine life —has been planted in our personalities. God’s life within us grows in the direction of godliness. His life is oriented toward purity. And if God’s life really is in us, there will be a definite tilt toward what is right, and away from sin. Anyone may sin at times, and in all likelihood will. But you can still tell the DIRECTION in which a person is growing. And so can everyone else! DANGER! OUT OF BOUNDS! A RESORT in Breckenridge, Colorado, posted signs warning skiers to keep off a certain slope. The signs, large and distinct, warned, Danger! Out of Bounds! In spite of the warnings, however, several skiers went into the area. The result? A half-mile-wide avalanche buried four of the trespassers beneath tons of snow and rock. This tragedy never would have happened if the signs had been heeded. God has posted clear warning signs in the Bible to tell us what kinds of behavior and attitudes are off limits. The Lord loves us and wants us to avoid tragedy. He warned us about lying, stealing, blasphemy, filthy language, adultery, murder, drunkenness, and a host of other sins. Yet many times we ignore His warnings and intentionally wander into a forbidden area. We convince our-selves that nothing bad will happen to us or that we can turn back if we sense danger. But God is not kidding. Sinning guarantees His disapproval and opens the door to remorse and tragedy. People who repeatedly commit these sins may be giving evidence that they have never really been saved (1John 3:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). William MacDonald - Truths to Live By “Whosoever abideih in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” (1 John 3:6) Yesterday we considered a passage that often proves distressing to sincere Christians. Today we will look at three verses in John’s first epistle that also disturb believers who are all too aware of their sinfulness. There is the verse already quoted at the top of the page. Then there is 1 John 3:9: “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.” And 1 John 5:18: “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.” Taken as is, these verses might very well make any one of us question whether he is a true believer. And yet other verses in this same letter recognize that the believer does sin, for example 1:8-10; 2:1b. The problem is largely one of translation. In the original language of the New Testament, there is a difference between committing occasional acts of sin and practicing sin as a way of life. The Christian does commit acts of sin, but sin is not what characterizes his life. He has been freed from sin as his master. The New International Version shows that the verbs in these verses are in what we might call the present continuous tense, as follows: “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.”(3:6). “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God” (3:9). “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one does not touch him” (5:18). Any Christian who says he does not sin has imperfect views of what sin is. He apparently doesn’t realize that anything that falls short of God’s perfect standard is sin. The fact is that we do commit acts of sin every day in thought, word and deed. But John makes a distinction between what is exceptional and what is habitual. With the true saint, sin is alien and righteousness is characteristic. When we see this, there is no need to torture ourselves with these verses that make us doubt our salvation. The simple facts are these: God’s will is that we should not sin. Unfortunately we do sin. But sin is no longer the dominating power in our lives. We no longer practice sin as we did before we were saved. If we do sin, we find forgiveness through confessing and forsaking our sin. No Sin Experiencing God Day by Day - Page 26 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.—1 John 3:6 The Bible makes two things clear about sin. First, living a lifestyle of sin indicates that you are not walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, regardless of what you say about your spiritual condition. You cannot regularly spend time studying and meditating on God's word, praying and walking in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and persist in sin. Second, if you do not hate sin the way God does, then you do not truly know Him. There are those who continue in their sin yet insist that they love God and belong to Him. John makes it clear: If you have a lifestyle of sin, you have not seen Him and do not know Him. You may have prayed a “sinner's prayer,” or made a commitment in your church, or been baptized, but the evidence of the Holy Spirit's presence in your life is that you are defeating sin. This does not mean that you will never sin, but it does mean that you refuse to make sin a lifestyle and you immediately seek forgiveness when you sin (1 John 1:10). It means that you are opposed to sin, as God is, and you allow the Holy Spirit to eradicate every trace of sin in your life. It means that when you sin, you immediately confess it and repent of it and do whatever is necessary to avoid repeating your sin. If you find yourself falling into sinful habits or not grieving over your sin as you once did, this indicates that you are not abiding in Christ. Return to Him in repentance; restore your fellowship with Him, and you will once again experience victory over your sin.\ Johnny Sanders - II. HE WHO REMAINS IN CHRIST DOES NOT SIN, 1Jn 3:6. A. There Is no Contradiction in the Scripture. We are not going to gloss over what may seem to some to be a contradiction here. It is a fact that in 1Jn 1:8, John says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” It is also a fact that he says in 1Jn 1:10 that, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” And now, he is saying that “He who abides in Christ does not sin.” Is he not saying here right the opposite of what he has said in chapter one? Absolutely not. Let me explain. In 1Jn 1:8 and 1Jn 1:10, John is dealing with the principle of sin that remains active in the heart even after one has received a judicial pardon for his sins. Justification is a metaphor of the court room. When you believe in Jesus Christ, God, the eternal and omniscient Judge, pronounces you just. When you sin from that time forward - and you will sin (“come short of the glory of God,” Ro 3:23b) - we “have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (Ro 2:1b). When the lost person sins, he is in rebellion against the law of God and God will deal with him as his Judge. When the Christian sins, God will deal with him as Father, as a father dealing with a child. Chapter one teaches that even after we are saved, there is a sin principle (some call it the old sin nature) which remains in operation until we are glorified. Because of the sinful nature, the believer will commit acts of sin, and at times those acts may be shocking, not only to others, but also to the individual who commits them. Paul, in the section of Romans dealing with Sanctification, shares his personal testimony with us: “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man” (Rom. 7:19-22). Christians do, and will continue to commit acts of sin. There is never a day that we do not need to confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). Now, John is going to make a statement that may seem to contradict 1Jn 1:8 and 1Jn 1:10, but in fact, there is no contradiction at all. B. “Whoever abides in Him does not sin,” 1Jn 3:6. “Well,” one may say, “that certainly sounds like a contradiction! Just read 1Jn 1:8-10; 2:1-21; and 1Jn 3:9 and see if you do not see a problem.” Let us begin by admitting that this is not easy for one who is reading this in the English. However, in this text the key that unlocks the mystery to the truth is in the meaning of the Greek tenses. This verse does not claim that Christians will never commit any acts of sin (which would contradict 1Jn 1:8). The verb here denotes continuous action. This passage does not teach that a Christian never sins at all after his conversion. Those who claim that they can reach sinless perfection in this life cannot point to this verse as a proof text. The note in the Believer’s Study Bible states, “The present tense, in this context, indicates the breaking of the perpetual hold of sin in the life of the disciple.” C. Whoever Abides in Him Does not Continually and Habitually Sin. In Justification, we are delivered from the eternal penalty of sin. In Sanctification, we are being delivered from the power of sin. In Glorification, we will be delivered from the very presence of sin - for ever! The lost person, because he is a slave to sin and Satan, is presently under a sentence of death (John 3:18). His only hope is in receiving Jesus Christ by grace through faith. The Christian is one who has been born again, and is being nurtured and developed by the Holy Spirit. As you are being conformed to the image of Christ, there are many sins that should no longer be a problem for you. That does not mean that we do not sin, for we do (1 John 1:8). We must confess our sins and seek God’s forgiveness (1Jn 1:9). There is no contradiction here. What John is saying here is that the born again believer in Jesus Christ will not continue in sin so as to make it his lifestyle. He will not sin habitually. That does not mean that we have some magic formula we can use to determine whether or not our neighbor is really a born again believer. The Believer’s Study Bible Notes may help us: “The power to overcome habitual sin is based on the invulnerability of the believer to the ravages of satanic influence (1Jn 5:18), and on "His seed" remaining in him (1Jn 3:9). The expression "His seed" is a reference to the divine principle of life that abides in a man after regeneration in Christ. This principle prevents slavery to Satan and sin.” D. “Whoever Sins Has Neither Seen Him nor Known Him.” The person who continually sins so as to make it his lifestyle demonstrates that he has never known Jesus. Sadly, some have taught that one sin will condemn the believer to hell. A friend told me of the sermon he heard in his youth that troubled him for years. An evangelist stated a hypothetical situation in which the pastor of his church might be called on to visit a dying church member. He went on to say that if his buggy wheel hit a stump and he was thrown out of the buggy and hit his head on another stump and was killed, the pastor would spend his eternity in hell if he uttered a profane word before his head hit the stump. This is not what John is teaching. He says that when a person continues in sin, that is, sins habitually, he is demonstrating that he has never known Jesus Christ. He has no saving relationship with Him. You either abide in Christ or you abide in sin. Now, I would suggest that before we apply that to all the other members of our church, we apply it to ourselves first. If I can continue in sin, I must ask myself if I really know Jesus Christ. (1 John 1-3 Commentary 123 pages) 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.
1 João 3:7
William MacDonald - There should be no confusion on this point—a man cannot have spiritual life and go on living in sin. On the other hand, a man can only practice righteousness through having the nature of Him Who is righteous ("just as He is righteous."). (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) Newness of life is testified by good works John
1 João 3:9
William MacDonald writes that John "is contrasting the regenerate man with the unregenerate, and is speaking of constant or habitual behavior. The believer does not have the sin habit. He does not defiantly continue in sin." (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary) God’s nature and the grace of the Spirit abide in him and he cannot practice a life of sin; he is born of God! A life of sin is distasteful to him who pants after holiness and desire to be like Christ Henry Mahan - He that is regenerated by the Spirit of God, in whom Christ is formed, who is a new creature in Christ, does not make sin his practice and course of his life. He is not without the motions of sin within, nor free from thoughts, words and deeds of sin in his life, but he does not give himself up to sin, excuse it, nor continue in it as a servant of sin. God’s nature and the grace of the Spirit abide in him and he cannot practice a life of sin; he is born of God! A life of sin is distasteful to him who pants after holiness and desire to be like Christ. (1 John 3 Commentary) 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin; it means that if we obey the life of God in us, we need not sin. Oswald Chambers - “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin” (1 John 3:9). Do I seek to stop sinning or have I stopped sinning? To be born of God means that I have the supernatural power of God to stop sinning. In the Bible it is never — Should a Christian sin? The Bible puts it emphatically — A Christian must not sin. The effective working of the new birth life in us is that we do not commit sin, not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have stopped sinning. 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin; it means that if we obey the life of God in us, we need not sin. (Signs Of The New Birth) THE NEW BIRTH: ITS EVIDENCES AND RESULTS 1 JOHN James Smith - Handfuls on Purpose The Apostle John does not point out in this Epistle how regeneration can take place, because that he had already done in his Gospel, particularly John 1:12, 13+, and the whole of chapter 3. Here in his Epistle he points out the proofs whereby we may know we are born from above. I. Faith is both the condition and the proof of regeneration. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1+). II. Love. “Every one that loveth is born of God” (1 John 4:7+). III. Life. “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (margin, “practice”) sin; or as W., “No one who is a child of God is habitually guilty of sin” (1 John 3:9+). This is to say, one of the clearest proofs of the new birth is to be found in the fact that a new life is begun. Not a life of sin as before, but a life of victory—there may be, there usually is, especially in the early days, lapses into sin, but not a life of sin. By and by we learn the secret of full victory. IV. Overcomes. “For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world” (1 John 5:4+). V. Kept. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but He that was begotten of God (i.e., the Lord Jesus) keepeth him” (1 John 5:18+, R.V.). The begotten one is kept by the only Begotten of the Father. And the result? VI. Holiness. Personal holiness. “Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29+) LIKE FRUIT TREES BEARING FRUIT AFTER THEIR KIND (Ge 1:11) Because - Another term of explanation. What is John explaining? Clearly, he is explaining why a believer cannot habitually practice sin, not because they have an inherent ability of their own, but because they have been born of God's seed and have His indwelling Spirit Who is continually working in them giving them the desire and the power to work out their salvation in fear and trembling, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects. (Php 2:13NLT+, Php 2:12+, Col 1:10+) His seed (sperma) abides (meno) in him and he cannot sin, because he is born of God - Seeds bear fruit trees after their kind and if the seed of the tree is holy, the fruit of the tree cannot be unholy. Sinners with God's seed, cannot continually commit sins and still claim to be born of God! As Jesus taught "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit." (Mt 7:18+) Abides (meno) describes something that remains where it is, continues in a fixed state, or endures. John uses the present tense which in the context of God's seed abiding in us would serve to emphasize the assurance of our salvation. Indeed, John's description conveys the picture of the permanence of our new birth, a regeneration which cannot be reversed. In short, he is eternally secure! This is not an excuse to wantonly commit sins. Rather it is a guarantee that he will not go on habitually sinning. As
1 João 3:10
William MacDonald - “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother/’ (1 John 3:10) Years ago almost every home had a large family album in the living room. It had a stuffed leather cover embossed in gold. A leather strap with clasp extended from the right edge of the back cover over to the right side of the top cover where the clasp latched securely into its socket. The pages were of stiff, glossy paper-board, ornamented with floral patterns and gilt edges. On each side of a page were cut-out sections where photographs were inserted. When visitors looked through the album, they would often remark that “Josh looks just like his grandpa” or that “Sarah surely has the family likeness.” John’s first epistle reminds me of that old family album because it pictures those who are members of God’s family and who have the family likeness. However, here it is a matter of spiritual and moral resemblance rather than physical. There are at least eight ways in which Christians are spiritual “look-alikes.” The first is that they all say the same tiling about Jesus. They confess that He is the Christ, that is, the Messiah or Anointed One (1 Jn. 4:2; 5:1). To them Jesus and Christ are one and the same Person. All Christians love God (1Jn 5:2). Even though that love may often be weak and vacillating, there is never a time when a believer cannot look up into the face of God and say, “You know that I love You.” All Christians love the brethren (1Jn 2:10; 3:10, 14; 4:7, 12). This is the hallmark of all who have passed from death to life. Because they love God, they love those who are born of God. Those who love God characteristically keep His commandments (1Jn 3:24). Their obedience is motivated, not by fear of punishment, but by love to Him who gave His all. Christians do not practice sin (1Jn 3:6, 9; 5:18). True, they commit acts of sin, but sin is not the dominating power in their lives. They are not sinless but they do sin less. Members of God’s family practice righteousness (1Jn 2:29; 3:7). It is not just that they do not habitually sin—that could be negative and passive. They reach out to others with deeds of righteousness—that is positive and active. The seventh characteristic of members of God’s family is that they do not love the world (1Jn 2:15). They realize that the world is a system that man has built up in opposition to God, and that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. Finally Christians overcome the world by faith (1Jn 5:4). They see beyond the sham of passing things to those things that are eternal. They live for the things that are not seen. Lehman Strauss - (1 John 3:10) The Epistles of John The verb committeth in chapter 3:8 implies continued action. It is poieō, a present tense participle, denoting one who makes it his business to practice sin. His sinful propensities and practices, issuing from his depraved nature, and controlled by Satan, proves him to be “of the devil.” His actions proceed out of the devil as their source. The children of the devil are known by the fact that they “doeth not righteousness.” In our Lord’s parable of the sower, the seed, and the soils, He said that an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat (Matthew 13:25). And then in His interpretation of the parable, He added, “The tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil” (Matthew 13:38–39). In language much stronger He told some Jews, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:44). The Apostle Paul said to Elymas, “O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10) Later when writing to believers about their preconverted days, he said, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2); “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” (Colossians 3:6). Taking these passages into consideration, we cannot deny that Satan has his people, men and women under his influence, who indulge those evil passions prompted by him. Apart from a personal devil, it would be impossible to account for the multiplied efforts of wicked men and women to corrupt others. When men sin, and entice others to indulge in their unholy passions, they are but carrying out the purposes of him under whose control they are held sway Men are divided into two classes, the children of God and the children of the devil, and our text tells us that this distinction is “manifest.” The children of the devil are known by virtue of the fact that they do the devil’s bidding. And if they continue to remain under his dominion, they must of necessity share his doom. A tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:15–20). By our actions we bear the characteristic marks of our relationship. We are either the children of God or the children of the devil. The world is divided into two classes only, wheat and tares, the born ones of God and the born ones of Satan. 1 John 3:10 Moral Behavior of Christians A study conducted by The Roper Organization for High Adventure Ministries in 1990 found that the moral behavior of born again Christians actually worsened after their conversions. Examined were incidences of illegal drug use, driving while intoxicated and marital infidelity. The problem can be solved, says one researcher, with a new commitment to accountability and discipleship. New Man, November/December, 1994, p. 13 A W Tozer - Sad But True: Many Know God Only by Hearsay In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.… 1 John 3:10 Do you realize that there are many, many in the churches of our day who talk some of the Christian language but who know God only by hearsay? Most of them have read some book about God. They have seen some reflection of the light of God. They may have heard some faint echo of the voice of God, but their own personal knowledge of God is very slight. Many Christians are staking their reputations on church attendance, religious activity, social fellowship, sessions of singing—because in all of these things they are able to lean upon one another. They spend a lot of time serving as religious props for one another in Christian circles! Let us look at the example of Jesus. When He was here upon earth, the record shows that He had work to do and He also knew the necessity for activity as He preached and healed, taught and answered questions and blessed the people. He also knew the fellowship of His brethren, those who followed Him and loved Him. But those were the incidental things in Jesus’ life compared to His fellowship with and personal knowledge of the Father. When Jesus went into the mountain to pray and to wait on God all night, He was not alone, for He knew the conscious presence of the Father with Him! Strong Words - The book titled UnChristian lists reasons why some non-Christians don’t like people who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Their major complaints have to do with the way some Christians act toward unbelievers. The unbelievers in the study tended to view Christians as being hypocritical, judgmental, harsh, and unloving toward people not like themselves. I’m sure you dislike hearing their view of Christians as I do. Sometimes there’s more truth in their perceptions than we wish there was. In 1 John 3, which begins with the words, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (v.1), John introduces a sharp contrast: Believers love righteousness, keep themselves from sin, and love one another; nonbelievers practice sin, hate others, and abide in death. O help us, Lord, to live our lives So unsaved people clearly see Reflections of Your loving heart, Your kindness, and Your purity. —Sper Following Christ has two requirements: Believing, and acting like you do. Say No And Yes - Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. —1 John 3:10 - When we wash our hands to clean off the grime and germs, do we actually clean them ourselves? No and yes. To be precise, the soap and water does the job—not us. But we make the choice to use the soap and water to clean our hands. In 2 Timothy 2, the apostle Paul tells us, “Therefore if anyone cleanses himself … he will be a vessel for honor” (v.21). This does not mean that we on our own have the power to cleanse ourselves from sin. Rather, we use the cleansing provided by Jesus Christ, who died for us on the cross. Philippians 3:9 tells us that we are “found in Him, not having [our] own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.” When we receive Christ, His death and resurrection sets us free from the penalty and the power of sin, thus enabling us to say no and yes in everyday life. We can say no to the desires of the flesh, or “youthful lusts” that Paul mentioned (2Ti 2:22). And we can say yes to “righteousness” (right behavior), “faith” (right belief), “love” (right response), and “peace” (right focus). Lord, help us to think of the right and the true, The pure and the noble—it all points to You; For if we consider what’s worthy of praise, We’ll then want to live for You all of our days. —Fitzhugh Right thinking leads to right living. 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.
1 João 3:15
William MacDonald - When John says that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him, he does not mean that a murderer cannot be saved. He simply means that a man who characteristically hates his fellows is a potential murderer and is not saved. (Borrow Believer's Bible Commentary page 2318) John Gill on no murderer has eternal life abiding in him - he has not the grace of life, or the beginning of eternal life in him; he has no meetness for it, being unregenerate; and no right unto it, being unrighteous; nor has he the earnest and pledge of it, being destitute of the Spirit of God; all which a regenerate man has, and has them abiding in him: not but that the sin of murder may be forgiven; a man guilty of it may truly repent, and have pardoning grace applied unto him, and enjoy eternal life, through the grace of the Spirit, and the blood and righteousness of Christ; but without these he is so far from having eternal life, that he is not only punishable with a corporeal death, according to the laws of God and man; but he is exposed unto, and will die the second, or an eternal death. David
1 João 3:17
William MacDonald - “But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in htm?” (1 John 3:17 RV) (Source: Truths to Live By) In medical circles, it would be unthinkable to have a cure for cancer and not share it with cancer patients throughout the world. To withhold the cure would betray a callous and inhumane lack of compassion. The Apostle John paints a parallel picture in the spiritual realm. Here is a man, a professing believer, who has accumulated a fair amount of wealth. He lives in luxury, comfort and ease. All around him is a world of enormous spiritual and physical need. Millions throughout the world have never heard the Gospel. They live in darkness, superstition and hopelessness. Many of them are suffering the ravages of famine, war and natural disaster. The man of wealth is oblivious to all this need. He is able to block out the moans of a sobbing, suffering humanity. He could help if he wanted to, but he prefers to hold on to his money. It is at this point that John drops his bomb. He asks, “How does the love of God abide in him?” The question implies of course, that the love of God does not dwell in him. And if the love of God does not dwell in him, there is valid reason for doubting that he is a true believer. This is very serious. The church today exalts the man of wealth, appoints him to the board of elders, and points him out to visitors. The sentiment prevails, “It’s nice to see rich Christians.” But John asks, “If he is a real Christian, how can he hold on to all that surplus wealth when so many are starving for bread?” It seems to me that this verse forces us to one of two courses of action. On the one hand we can reject the plain meaning of John’s words, stifle the voice of conscience and condemn the man who dares preach the message. Or we can receive the word with meekness, use our wealth to meet our brother’s need, and have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. The believer who is satisfied with a modest standard of living so that everything above that can go into the work of the Lord can live at peace with God and with his needy brother. John
1 João 3:20
William MacDonald - “God…knoweth all things.” (1 John 3:20) The omniscience of God means that He has perfect knowledge of everything. He has never learned and can never learn. One of the great passages on the subject is Psalm 139:1-6, where David wrote: “O Lord, thou has searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” In Psalm 147:4, we learn that God counts the number of the stars and calls them all by name. The wonder of this increases when Sir James Jeans tells us that “the total number of stars in the universe is probably something like the total number of grains of sand on all the sea shores of the world.” Our Lord reminded His disciples that not a sparrow falls to the ground unnoticed by our Father. And in the same passage He said that the very hairs of our head are all numbered (Matt. 10:29, 30). It is clear then that “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13), causing us to join with Paul in saying “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33). The omniscience of God is filled with practical meaning for every one of us. There is warning. God sees everything we do. We can’t keep anything secret from Him. There is comfort. He knows what we are going through. As Job said, “He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10). He counts our tossings and numbers our tears in His bottle (Psa. 56:8 RSV). There is encouragement. He knew all about us and yet He saved us anyway. He knows what we feel in worship and prayer but cannot express. There is wonder. Although God is omniscient, yet He can forget the sins He has forgiven. As David Seamands said, “I don’t know how divine omniscience can forget but it does.” John Knox Pleads Guilty Fiery reformer John Knox was keenly aware of his own shortcomings: Although I never lack the presence and plain image of my own wretched infirmity, yet seeing sin so manifestly abounds in all estates, I am compelled to thunder out the threatenings of God against the obstinate rebels. In doing whereof (albeit, as God knoweth, I am no malicious nor obstinate sinner), I sometimes am wounded knowing myself to be criminal and guilty in many, yea, in all things that I reprehend in others. Judge not, mother, that I write these things, debasing myself otherwise than I am—no, I am worse than my pen can express. In body you think I am no adulterer. Let so be, but the heart is infected with foul lusts, and it will lust although I lament ever so much. Externally I commit no idolatry, but my wicked heart loveth itself and cannot be refrained from vain imaginations, yea, not from such as were the fountain of all idolatry. I am no man-killer with my hands, but I help not my needy brother so liberally as I may and ought. I steal not horse, money, or clothes from my neighbor, but that small portion of worldly substance I bestow not as rightly as his holy law requires. I bear no false witness against my neighbor in judgment or otherwise before men, but I speak not the truth of God so boldly as it becomes his true messenger to do. And thus in conclusion, there is no vice repugning to God's holy will expressed in his law, wherewith my heart is not infected. —Letter to his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Bowes, June 1553. "John Knox—The Thundering Scot," Christian History, no. 46. See: Psalms 38:3; Psalms 51:3; 1 John 3:20. Two Faces No man can for any considerable time wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which is the true one. —Nathaniel Hawthorne, Leadership, Vol. 7, no. 1. See: Mark 7:6; 1 John 3:20; 2 Corinthians 10:12 The Telltale Heart Read:1 John 3:16-24 If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. — 1 John 3:20 Recently I read about a private investigator in the US who would knock on a door, show his badge to whoever answered, and say, “I guess we don’t have to tell you why we’re here.” Many times, the person would look stunned and say, “How did you find out?” then go on to describe an undiscovered criminal act committed long ago. Writing in Smithsonian magazine, Ron Rosenbaum described the reaction as “an opening for the primal force of conscience, the telltale heart’s internal monologue.” We all know things about ourselves that no one else knows—failures, faults, sins—that although confessed to God and forgiven by Him may come back to accuse us again and again. John, one of Jesus’ close followers, wrote about God’s love for us and the call to follow His commands, saying: “By this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:19-20). Our confidence toward God grows out of His love and forgiveness in Christ, not our performance in life. “We know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (v.24). No condemnation now I dread, I am my Lord’s and He is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine. — Wesley The one who receives Christ will never receive God’s condemnation ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - Illustrations - be a Berean - An illustration of 1 John 3:20 could depict a person with a troubled conscience, represented by a dark cloud or heavy weight on their chest, while a bright light emanating from above signifies God's presence, signifying that even when our hearts condemn us, God is greater and knows all things, offering reassurance and forgiveness. Key elements to include in the illustration: A human figure: Depict the person with a worried expression, possibly looking down, symbolizing internal struggle and self-condemnation. Dark imagery: Use shadows or dark colors around the figure to represent the weight of guilt or a troubled conscience. A bright light source: A shining light from above, symbolizing God's presence and knowledge, could be depicted as a radiant beam or a divine figure. Symbolic elements: Scales: Could represent the weighing of our actions and thoughts, with God's judgment being the ultimate measure. Open book: Could represent the Bible, signifying God's knowledge of our hearts. A heart: A visible heart could be drawn with cracks or darkness to portray the guilt and condemnation we might feel. Possible interpretations of the illustration: Overcoming guilt: The light shining down could represent the power of God's forgiveness, allowing us to overcome our internal struggles and find peace. God's omniscience: The bright light could highlight that God knows everything about us, including our deepest thoughts and feelings. Hope and reassurance: Even when our conscience condemns us, the illustration could convey that God is greater and offers hope for redemption. 1 John 3:20 Says Simply "He Knows Everything." ... God's Omniscience 1 John 3:20 says simply "He knows everything." Does that describe you? Do you know everything? I’ve known people that thought they did. ILLUS - It’s kind of like the little boy that asked his mom, he said "momma, how come the idiots only come out when daddy’s driving." And the answer is because daddy thinks he knows it all and everybody else is an idiot. I’ve known people like that. I’ve been people like that. And some people really do think they know it all. They think it all centers around them. ILLUS - It’s like the woodpecker that was pecking away at a tree. Suddenly lighting hit the tree and split it right in half. The woodpecker flew off saying, “Look what I did” Or the true Survey – Guys were asked to rate themselves in intellectual ability. Here’s the thing, 90% of guys rate themselves in the top 50%, and roughly 40% put themselves in the top 5% of all guys when it comes to intelligence. We really do think we know it all. But you know what, there’s only one person that really does know it all, one person that it all does center around, and that’s God. God knows everything. My Heart Condemns Me - Read: If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. —1 John 3:20 Do you sometimes feel guilty and unworthy because of something you did years ago? You have confessed it and asked God to forgive you, but the memory of it still haunts you. I empathize with you. Feelings of guilt still sweep over me when I recall how I failed an elderly, childless woman while I was training for the ministry. She was a regular customer in a store where I worked part-time. After a while, I became a friend and spiritual counselor to her and her husband. I even conducted his funeral. When I moved to a nearby town to become a student pastor, I lost touch with her. I intended to contact her but kept procrastinating. One day I saw her obituary notice. I was overwhelmed with grief and confessed my sin to God. More than 30 years after Paul’s conversion, he referred to the time when he had been “a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man” (1 Tim. 1:13). He even called himself the “chief” of sinners (v.15). Yet he repeatedly exulted in the certainty that he was a forgiven sinner. Come now to the fountain of cleansing, Plunge deep in its lifegiving flow. His mercy and grace are sufficient, His pardon He longs to bestow. —Robinson Confession to God always brings His cleansing. GodAware - Read: Psalm 139:1-10 | On the FlightAware website, Kathy checked the progress of the small plane her husband Chuck was piloting to Chicago. With a few clicks, she could track when he took off, where his flight was at any moment, and exactly when he would land. A few decades earlier when Chuck was a pilot in West Africa, Kathy’s only contact had been a high-frequency radio. She recalls one occasion when 3 days had passed before she was able to reach him. She had no way of knowing that he was safe but unable to fly because the airplane had been damaged. But God was always aware of exactly where Chuck was and what he was doing, just as He is with us (Job 34:21). Nothing is hidden from His sight (Heb. 4:13). He knows our thoughts and our words (1 Chron. 28:9; Ps. 139:4). And He knows what will happen in the future (Isa. 46:10). God knows everything (1 John 3:20), and He knows you and me intimately (Ps. 139:1-10). He is aware of each temptation, each broken heart, each illness, each worry, each sorrow we face. Beneath His watchful eye His saints securely dwell; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guard His children well. —Doddridge We can trust our all-knowing God. SERMON NOTES C H SPURGEON 1 John 3:20, 21—“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” The fault of many is that they will not lay spiritual things to heart at all, but treat them in a superficial manner. This is foolish, sinful, deadly. We ought to put our case upon serious trial in the court of our own conscience. Certain of a better class are satisfied with the verdict of their hearts, and do not remember the higher courts; and therefore either become presumptuous, or are needlessly distressed. We are about to consider the judgments of this lower court. Here we may have— I. A CORRECT VERDICT AGAINST OURSELVES. Let us sum up the process. 1. The court sits under the King’s arms, to judge by royal authority. The charge against the prisoner is read. Conscience accuses, and quotes the law as applicable to the points alleged. 2. Memory gives evidence. As to the fact of sin in years past, and of sin more lately committed. Items mentioned. Sabbath sins. Transgressions of each one of the ten commandments. Rejection of the gospel. Omissions in a thousand ways. Failure in motive, spirit, temper, etc. 3. Knowledge gives evidence that the present state of mind and heart and will is not according to the Word. 4. Self-love and pride urge good intents and pious acts in stay of proceedings. Hear the defence! But alas! it is not worth hearing. The defence is but one of “the refuges of lies.” 5. The heart, judging by the law, condemns. Henceforth the man lives as in a condemned cell under fear of death and hell. If even our partial, half-enlightened heart condemns, we may well tremble at the thought of appearing before the Lord God. The higher court is more strictly just, better informed, more authoritative, and more able to punish. God knows all. Forgotten sin, sins of ignorance, sins half seen are all before the Lord. What a terrible case is this! Condemned in the, lower court, and sure to be condemned in the higher! II. AN INCORRECT VERDICT AGAINST OURSELVES. The case as before. The sentence apparently most clear. But when revised by the higher court it is reversed, for good reasons. 1. The debt has been discharged by the man’s glorious Surety. 2. The man is not the same man; though he sinned he has died to sin, and he now lives as one born from above. 3. The evidences in his favour, such as the atonement and the new birth, were forgotten, undervalued, or misjudged in the lower court; hence he was condemned. Sentence of condemnation does not stand when these matters are duly noted. 4. The evidence looked for by a sickly conscience was what it could not find, for it did not exist, namely, natural goodness, perfection, unbroken joy, etc. The judge was ignorant, and legally inclined. The verdict was therefore a mistaken one. An appeal clears the case: “God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” III. A CORRECT VERDICT OF ACQUITTAL. Our heart sometimes justly “condemns us not.” The argument for non-condemnation is good: the following are the chief items of evidence in proof of our being gracious— 1. We are sincere in our profession of love to God. 2. We are filled with love to the brethren. 3. We are resting upon Christ, and on him alone. 4. We are longing after holiness. The result of this happy verdict of the heart is that we have— Confidence towards God that we are really his. Confidence as to our reconciliation with God by Jesus Christ. Confidence that he will not harm us, but will bless us. Confidence in prayer that he will accept and answer. Confidence as to future judgment that we shall receive the gracious reward at the last great day. IV. AN INCORRECT VERDICT OF ACQUITTAL. 1. A deceived heart may refuse to condemn, but God will judge us all the same. He will not allow self-conceit to stand. 2. A false heart may acquit, but this gives no confidence Godward. 3. A deceitful heart pretends to acquit while in its centre it condemns. If we shrink now, what shall we do in judgment? What a waking, to find ourselves condemned at the last! QUOTATIONS When Sir Walter Raleigh had laid his head upon the block, says an eloquent divine, he was asked by the executioner whether it lay aright. Whereupon, with the calmness of a hero and the faith of a Christian, he returned an answer, the power of which we all shall feel when our head is tossing and turning on death’s uneasy pillow—“It matters little, my friend, how the head lies, providing the heart be right.”—Steele. As Luther says: “Though conscience weigh us down, and tell us God is angry, yet God is greater than our heart. The conscience is but one drop; the reconciled God is an ocean of consolation.” Critical English Testament. A seared conscience thinks better of itself, a wounded worse than it ought: the former may account all sin a sport, the latter all sport a sin; melancholy men, when sick, are ready to conceive any cold to be the cough of the lungs, and an ordinary pustule to be no less than a plague-sore. So wounded consciences conceive sins of infirmity to be sins of presumption, sins of ignorance to be sins of knowledge, apprehending their case to be far more dangerous than it is indeed.—Thomas Fuller. Conscience works after the manner so beautifully set forth in the ring that a great magician, according to an Eastern tale, presented to his prince. The gift was of inestimable value, not for the diamonds and rubies and pearls that gemmed it, but for a rare and mystic property in the metal. It sat easily enough on the finger in ordinary circumstances, but as soon as its wearer formed a bad thought, designed or committed a bad action, the ring became a monitor. Suddenly contracting, it pressed painfully on his finger, warning him of sin. Such a ring, thank God, is not the peculiar property of kings; the poorest of us, those that wear none other, may possess and wear this inestimable jewel; for the ring of the fable is just that conscience which is the voice of God within us, which is his law, engraven by the finger of God, not on Sinai’s granite tables, but on the fleshy tablets of the heart, which, enthroned as a sovereign in every bosom, commends us when we do right, and condemns us when we do wrong.—Dr. Guthrie. The spirit of man, that candle of the Lord, often gives but a faint and glimmering light; but the Spirit of God snuffs it, that it may burn brighter.—Benjamin Beddome.