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1 John Chapter
Three
1 John 3
Now to say that we are born of Him is to say that we are
children of God. [1] What a love is that which the Father has
bestowed on us, that we should be called children! [2] Therefore the world knows us not, because it
knew Him not. The apostle returns here to His appearing and its effect on us.
We are children of God: this is our present sure and known position; we are
born of God. That which we shall be is not yet manifested; but we know
that--associated with Jesus as we are in the same relationship with the Father,
Himself being our life-we shall be like Him when He appears. For it is to this
we are predestined, to see Him as He now is with the Father, from which the
life came which was manifested in Him and imparted to us, and to appear in the
same glory.
Having then the hope of seeing Him as He is, and knowing that I shall
be perfectly like Him when He appears, I seek to be as like Him now as
possible, since I already possess this life-He being in me, my life.
This is the measure of our practical purification. We are
not pure as He is pure; but we take Christ, as He is in heaven, for the pattern
and measure of our purification, we purify ourselves according to His purity,
knowing that we shall be perfectly like Him when He is manifested. Before
marking the contrast between the principles of the divine life and of the
enemy, he sets before us the true measure of purity (he will give that of love
in a moment) for the children, inasmuch as they are partakers of His nature and
have the same relationship with God.
There are two remarks to be made here. First, "hope
in him" does not mean in the believer; but a hope that has Christ for its
object. Second, it is striking to see the way in which the apostle appears to
confound God and Christ together in this epistle; and uses the word
"Him" to signify Christ, when he had just been speaking of God, and
vice versa. We may see the principle of this at the end of chapter 5: "We
are in him that is true, [that is to say] in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the
true God and eternal life." In these few words we have the key to the epistle:
Christ is the life. It is evidently the Son; but it is God Himself who is
manifested, and the perfection of His nature, which is the source of life to us
also, as that life was found in Christ as man. Thus I can speak of God and say,
"Born of him;" but it is in Jesus that God was manifested, and from
Him that I derive life; so that "Jesus Christ" and "God"
are interchanged with each other. Thus "He shall appear" (chap. 2:28)
is Christ, He is righteous; the righteous one "is born of him" But in
chapter 3:1 it is " born of God," "children of God;" but
the world did not know Him: here it is Christ on earth; and "when he shall
appear," it is again Christ and we purify ourselves "even as He is
pure." There are many other examples.
It is said of the believer, "he purifies
himself:" this shews that he is not pure, as Christ is. He needed not to
purify Himself. Accordingly it is not said, he is pure as Christ is pure (for
in that case there would be no sin in us); but he purifies himself according to
the purity of Christ as He is in heaven, having the same life as the life of
Christ Himself.
Having set forth the positive aspect of christian purity, he goes on
to speak of it in other points of view, as one of the characteristic proofs of
the life of God in the soul.
He who commits sin (not transgresses the law, [3] but acts lawlessly. His conduct is without
the restraint, without the rule of law. He acts without curb; for sin is the
acting without the curb of law or restraint of another's authority, acting from
our own will. Christ came to do His Father's will, not His own. But Christ was
manifested that He might take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin; so
that he who commits sin acts against the object of the manifestation of Christ,
and in opposition to the nature of which, if Christ is our life, we are
partakers. Therefore he who abides in Christ does not practise sin; he who sins
has neither seen Him nor known Him. All depends, we see, on participation in
the life and nature of Christ. Let us not then deceive ourselves. He who
practises righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous: for, by partaking in
the life of Christ, one is before God according to the perfection of Him who is
there, the head and source of that life. But we are thus as Christ before God,
because He Himself is really our life. Our actual life is not the measure of
our acceptance; it is Christ who is so. But Christ is our life, if we are
accepted according to His excellence; for it is as living of His life that we
participate in this.
But the judgment is more than negative. He who practises
sin is of the devil, has morally the same nature as the devil; for he sinneth
from the beginning: it is his original character as the devil. Now Christ was
manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil; how then can one who
shares the character of this enemy of souls be with Christ?
On the other hand, he who is born of God does not
practise sin. The reason is evident; he is made a partaker of the nature of
God; he derives his life from Him. This principle of divine life is in him. the
seed of God remains in him; he cannot sin, because he is born of God. This new
nature had not in it the principle of sin, so as to commit it. How could it be
that the divine nature should sin?
Having thus designated the two families, the family of
God and that of the devil, the apostle adds the second mark, the absence of
which is a proof that one is not of God. He had already spoken of
righteousness; he adds the love of the brethren. For this is the message that
they had received from Christ Himself, that they should love one another. In
verse 12 he shews the connection between the two things: that hatred of a
brother is fed by the sense one has that his works are good, and one's own
evil. Moreover we are not to wonder that the world hates us: for we know that
we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. If this love
is an essential proof of being renewed, it is quite natural that it should not
be found in the men of the world.
But, this being the case, he who does not love his
brother (solemn thought!) abides in death. In addition to this, he who does not
love his brother is a murderer, and a murderer has not eternal life. There is
the absence of the divine nature, death; but more, the activity of the old man
in the opposite nature is there, he hates, and is in spirit the activity of
death-a murderer.
Further, as in the case of righteousness and of purity, we
have Christ as the measure of this love. We know love by this, that He laid
down His life for us; we ought to lay down ours for the brethren. Now, if our
brother has need, and we possess this world's good, but do not provide for his
necessity, is that the divine love which made Christ lay down His life for us?
It is by this real and practical love that we know we are in the truth, and
that our heart is confirmed and assured before God. For if there is nothing on
the conscience, we have confidence in His presence; but if our own heart
condemns us, God knows yet more.
It is not here the means of being assured of our
salvation, but of having confidence in the presence of God. We cannot have it
with a bad conscience in the practical sense of the word, for God is always
light and always holy.
We also receive all that we ask for, when we walk thus in
love before Him, doing that which is pleasing in His sight; for thus walking in
His presence with confidence, the heart and its desires respond to this blessed
influence, being formed by the enjoyment of communion with Him in the light of
His countenance. It is God who animates the heart; this life, and this divine
nature, of which the epistle speaks, being in full activity and enlightened and
moved by the divine presence in which it delights. Thus our requests are only
for the accomplishment of desires that arise when this life, when our thoughts,
are filled with the presence of God and with the communication of His nature.
And He lends His power to the fulfillment of these desires, of which He is the
source, and which are formed in the heart by the revelation of Himself.
(Compare John 15:7)
This is indeed the position of Christ Himself when here
below: only that He was perfect in it. (Compare John 8:29; 11:42)
And here it is the commandment of God which He desires us
to obey; namely, to believe on the name of His Son Jesus; and to love one
another, as He gave us commandment.
Now he who keeps His commandments dwells in Him; and He
dwells also in this obedient man. It will be asked whether God or Christ is
here meant? The apostle, as we have seen, confounds them together in his
thought. That is to say, the Holy Ghost unites them in our minds. We are in Him
who is true, that is, in His Son Jesus Christ. It is Christ, who is the
presentation of God to men in life in man; and to the believer He is the
communication of that life, so that God too dwells in him, in the revelation,
in its divine excellence and perfection, of the nature which the believer
shares in the power of the Holy Ghost who dwells in him, so that love is alike
enjoyed and exercised.
But what marvelous grace to have received a life, a
nature, by which we are enabled to enjoy God Himself, who dwells in us, and by
which, since it is in Christ, we are in fact in the enjoyment of this
communion, this relationship with God! He who has the Son has life; but God
then dwells in him as the portion, as well as the source of this life; and he
who has the Son has the Father.
What marvelous links of vital and living enjoyment
through the communication of the divine nature of Him who is its source; and
that according to its perfection in Christ! Such is the Christian according to
grace. Therefore also he is obedient, because this life in the man Christ (and
it is thus that it becomes ours) was obedience itself, the true relationship of
man to God.
Practical righteousness, then, is a proof that we are
born of Him who, in His nature, is its source. In presence also of the world's
hatred, we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the
brethren. Thus, having a good conscience, we have confidence in God, and we
receive from Him whatsoever we ask, walking in obedience and in a way that is
pleasing to Him. Thus walking, [4] and He in us.
A third proof of our christian privileges arises here.
The Spirit whom He has given us is the proof that He Himself dwells in us, the
manifestation of the presence of God in us. He does not here add that we abide
in Him, because the subject here is the manifestation of the presence of God.
The presence of the Spirit demonstrates it. But in abiding in Him there is, as
we shall see farther on, the enjoyment of that which He is, and consequently
moral communion with His nature. He who obeys enjoys this also, as we have
seen. Here the presence of the Holy Ghost in us is spoken of as demonstration
of one part only of this truth, namely, that God is in us. But the presence of
God in us according to grace, and according to the power of the Spirit,
involves also communion with that nature; we dwell also in Him from whom we
derive this grace, and all the spiritual forms of that nature, in communion and
practical life. It is in verses 12 and 16 of chapter 4. that our apostle speaks
of this.
Practical righteousness or obedience, the love of the
brethren, the manifestation of the Spirit of God, are the proofs of our
relationship to God. He who obeys the Lord's commandments in practical
righteousness dwells in Him, and He in him. The Spirit given is the proof that
He dwells in us.
[1] See
previous note
[2] John
uses habitually the word "children," not "sons," as the
more distinctly expressing that we are of the same family. We are as Christ
before God and in the world, and so will be when He appears.
[3] In
Romans 2:12, the word is used in contrast with law breaking, or sinning under
law. That is, the Greek word here used for what is translated
"transgression of the law" is that used for sinning without law, in
contrast with sinning under law, and being judged by it. I do not dissemble
that this changing what is a definition of sin is a very serious thing.
[4] Here
dwelling in Him comes first, because it is practical realisation in an obedient
heart. His dwelling in us is then pursued apart as known by the Spirit given to
us, to guard against being misled by evil spirits. In chapter 4:7, he resumes;
the indwelling in connection with the love of God.
── John Darby《Synopsis of 1 John》
1 John 3
Chapter Contents
The apostle admires the love of God in making believers
his children. (1,2) The purifying influence of the hope of seeing Christ, and
the danger of pretending to this, and living in sin. (3-10) Love to the
brethren is the character of real Christians. (11-15) That love described by
its actings. (16-21) The advantage of faith, love, and obedience. (22-24)
Commentary on 1 John 3:1,2
(Read 1 John 3:1,2)
Little does the world know of the happiness of the real
followers of Christ. Little does the world think that these poor, humble,
despised ones, are favourites of God, and will dwell in heaven. Let the followers
of Christ be content with hard fare here, since they are in a land of
strangers, where their Lord was so badly treated before them. The sons of God
must walk by faith, and live by hope. They may well wait in faith, hope, and
earnest desire, for the revelation of the Lord Jesus. The sons of God will be
known, and be made manifest by likeness to their Head. They shall be
transformed into the same image, by their view of him.
Commentary on 1 John 3:3-10
(Read 1 John 3:3-10)
The sons of God know that their Lord is of purer eyes
than to allow any thing unholy and impure to dwell with him. It is the hope of
hypocrites, not of the sons of God, that makes allowance for gratifying impure
desires and lusts. May we be followers of him as his dear children, thus show
our sense of his unspeakable mercy, and express that obedient, grateful, humble
mind which becomes us. Sin is the rejecting the Divine law. In him, that is, in
Christ, was no sin. All the sinless weaknesses that were consequences of the
fall, he took; that is, all those infirmities of mind or body which subject man
to suffering, and expose him to temptation. But our moral infirmities, our
proneness to sin, he had not. He that abides in Christ, continues not in the
practice of sin. Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with,
continuance in, and saving knowledge of the Lord Christ. Beware of self-deceit.
He that doeth righteousness is righteous, and to be a follower of Christ, shows
an interest by faith in his obedience and sufferings. But a man cannot act like
the devil, and at the same time be a disciple of Christ Jesus. Let us not serve
or indulge what the Son of God came to destroy. To be born of God is to be
inwardly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. Renewing grace is an
abiding principle. Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but
a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born
of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is that light in his
mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. There is that bias upon
his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. There is the spiritual
principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if
committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and
the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the
serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by their hating real Christians.
He only is righteous before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and
disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay
these truths to heart, and try themselves by them.
Commentary on 1 John 3:11-15
(Read 1 John 3:11-15)
We should love the Lord Jesus, value his love, and
therefore love all our brethren in Christ. This love is the special fruit of
our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again. But none who rightly
know the heart of man, can wonder at the contempt and enmity of ungodly people
against the children of God. We know that we are passed from death to life: we
may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which love to our
brethren is one. It is not zeal for a party in the common religion, or
affection for those who are of the same name and sentiments with ourselves. The
life of grace in the heart of a regenerate person, is the beginning and first
principle of a life of glory, whereof they must be destitute who hate their
brother in their hearts.
Commentary on 1 John 3:16-21
(Read 1 John 3:16-21)
Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of
Divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we
should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieved at
selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and full of darkness
and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a true sense of the love of
Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in his
heart by the Holy Spirit, if the love of the world and its good overcomes the
feelings of compassion to a perishing brother? Every instance of this
selfishness must weaken the evidences of a man's conversion; when habitual and
allowed, it must decide against him. If conscience condemn us in known sin, or
the neglect of known duty, God does so too. Let conscience therefore be
well-informed, be heard, and diligently attended to.
Commentary on 1 John 3:22-24
(Read 1 John 3:22-24)
When believers had confidence towards God, through the
Spirit of adoption, and by faith in the great High Priest, they might ask what
they would of their reconciled Father. They would receive it, if good for them.
And as good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men,
particularly to the brethren, must be in the hearts of those who go to God and
heaven. He who thus follows Christ, dwells in Him as his ark, refuge, and rest,
and in the Father through him. This union between Christ and the souls of believers,
is by the Spirit he has given them. A man may believe that God is gracious
before he knows it; yet when faith has laid hold on the promises, it sets
reason to work. This Spirit of God works a change; in all true Christians it
changes from the power of Satan to the power of God. Consider, believer, how it
changes thy heart. Dost not thou long for peace with God? Wouldst thou not
forego all the world for it? No profit, pleasure, or preferment shall hinder
thee from following Christ. This salvation is built upon Divine testimony, even
the Spirit of God.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 1 John》
1 John 3
Verse 1
[1]
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him
not.
That we should be called — That is, should be, the children of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not - They know not what to make of us. We are a mystery to them.
Verse 2
[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we
shall see him as he is.
It doth not yet appear — Even to ourselves.
What we shall be — It
is something ineffable, which will raise the children of God to be, in a
manner, as God himself. But we know, in general, that when he, the Son of God,
shall appear, we shall be like him - The glory of God penetrating our inmost
substance.
For we shall see him as he is — Manifestly, without a veil. And that sight will transform us into the
same likeness.
Verse 3
[3] And
every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
And every one that hath this hope in him — In God.
Verse 4
[4]
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law.
Whosoever committeth sin — Thereby transgresseth the holy, just, and good law of God, and so sets
his authority at nought; for this is implied in the very nature of sin.
Verse 5
[5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no
sin.
And ye know that he —
Christ.
Was manifested —
That he came into the world for this very purpose.
To take away our sins — To destroy them all, root and branch, and leave none remaining.
And in him is no sin — So that he could not suffer on his own account, but to make us as
himself.
Verse 6
[6]
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither known him.
Whosoever abideth in communion with him, by
loving faith, sinneth not - While he so abideth. Whosoever sinneth certainly
seeth him not - The loving eye of his soul is not then fixed upon God; neither
doth he then experimentally know him - Whatever he did in time past.
Verse 7
[7]
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous.
Let no one deceive you — Let none persuade you that any man is righteous but he that uniformly
practises righteousness; he alone is righteous, after the example of his Lord.
Verse 8
[8] He
that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil.
He that committeth sin is a child of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning - That is, was the first sinner
in the universe, and has continued to sin ever since.
The Son of God was manifested to destroy the
works of the devil — All sin. And will he not perform this in
all that trust in him?
Verse 9
[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.
Whosoever is born of God — By living faith, whereby God is continually breathing spiritual life
into his soul, and his soul is continually breathing out love and prayer to
God, doth not commit sin. For the divine seed of loving faith abideth in him;
and, so long as it doth, he cannot sin, because he is born of God - Is inwardly
and universally changed.
Verse 10
[10] 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.
Neither he that loveth not his brother — Here is the transition from the general proposition to one particular.
Verse 12
[12] Not
as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew
he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
Who was of the wicked one — Who showed he was a child of the devil by killing his brother.
And wherefore slew he him — For any fault? No, but just the reverse; for his goodness.
Verse 13
[13]
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
Marvel not if the world hate you — For the same cause.
Verse 14
[14] We
know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He
that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
We know — As
if he had said, We ourselves could not love our brethren, unless we were passed
from spiritual death to life, that is, born of God.
He that loveth not his brother abideth in
death — That is, is not born of God. And he that
is not born of God, cannot love his brother.
Verse 15
[15]
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him.
He, I say, abideth in spiritual death, is
void of the life of God. For whosoever hateth his brother, and there is no
medium between loving and hating him, is, in God's account, a murderer: every
degree of hatred being a degree of the same temper which moved Cain to murder
his brother.
And no murderer hath eternal life abiding in
him — But every loving believer hath. For love
is the beginning of eternal life. It is the same, in substance, with glory.
Verse 16
[16]
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
The word God is not in the original. It was
omitted by the apostle just as the particular name is omitted by Mary, when she
says to the gardener, "Sir, if thou hast borne him hence;" and by the
church, when she says, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,"
Song of Solomon 1:2; in both which places there
is a language, a very emphatical language, even in silence. It declares how
totally the thoughts were possessed by the blessed and glorious subject. It
expresses also the superlative dignity and amiableness of the person meant, as
though He, and He alone, was, or deserved to be, both known and admired by all.
Because he laid down his life — Not merely for sinners, but for us in particular. From this truth
believed, from this blessing enjoyed, the love of our brethren takes its rise,
which may very justly be admitted as an evidence that our faith is no delusion.
Verse 17
[17] But
whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up
his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
But whoso hath this world's good — Worldly substance, far less valuable than life.
And seeth his brother have need — The very sight of want knocks at the door of the spectator's heart.
And shutteth up —
Whether asked or not.
His bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him — Certainly not at all,
however he may talk, 1 John 3:18, of loving God.
Verse 18
[18] My
little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in
truth.
Not in word —
Only.
But in deed — In
action: not in tongue by empty professions, but in truth.
Verse 19
[19] And
hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before
him.
And hereby we know — We
have a farther proof by this real, operative love.
That we are of the truth — That we have true faith, that we are true children of God.
And shall assure our hearts before him — Shall enjoy the assurance of his favour, and the "testimony of a
good conscience toward God." The heart, in St. John's language, is the
conscience. The word conscience is not found in his writings.
Verse 20
[20] For
if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
For if we have not this testimony, if in
anything our heart, our own conscience, condemn us, much more does God, who is
greater than our heart - An infinitely holier and a more impartial Judge.
And knoweth all things — So that there is no hope of hiding it from him.
Verse 21
[21]
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
If our heart condemn us not — If our conscience, duly enlightened by the word and Spirit of God, and
comparing all our thoughts, words, and works with that word, pronounce that
they agree therewith.
Then have we confidence toward God — Not only our consciousness of his favour continues and increases, but we
have a full persuasion, that whatsoever we ask we shall receive of him.
Verse 23
[23] And
this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And this is his commandment — All his commandments in one word.
That we should believe and love — in the manner and degree which he hath taught. This is the greatest and
most important command that ever issued from the throne of glory. If this be
neglected, no other can be kept: if this be observed, all others are easy.
Verse 24
[24] And
he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
And he that keepeth his commandments — That thus believes and loves.
Abideth in him, and God in him: and hereby we
know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us — Which witnesses with our spirits that we are his children, and brings
forth his fruits of peace, love, holiness. This is the transition to the
treating of the Holy Spirit which immediately follows.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 1 John》
Chapter 3. The Virtue f Spiritual
Fellowship
Our Hearts Do
Not condemn Us
Have Confidence Before God
I. We Are His
Children
II. Destroy the
Devil's Work
III. How to
Love One Another
── Chih-Hsin
Chang《An Outline of
The New Testament》
The Children Of God (3:1-3)
INTRODUCTION
1. In 1 Jn 2:29, for the first time John speaks of Christians as those who are "born" of God... a. It is an expression that will be used time and again throughout the remainder of this epistle - 1 Jn 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18 b. It is a figurative expression, emphasizing that the Christian's spiritual life is a result of the redemptive work of God - cf. Co2:12-13; Ti 3:4-7
c. As a result of this working of God in our lives, we have been "born again", and can therefore be properly called God's "children" 2. That we can be called "children of God" was amazing to John, and in our text (1 Jn 3:1-3) he desires that we reflect... a. Upon the significance of being called the "children of God" b. Upon the implications of what it should mean in our lives [As we take the opportunity to reflect upon such things, we first notice that this passage reminds us of...] I. WHAT WE "ARE" AS CHILDREN OF GOD (1)
A. WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF GOD'S LOVE (1a ) 1. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" 2. It is through the love of God that we can even become His children - Jn 3:16; Ro 5:8; 1 Jn 4:9-10; Ti 3:3-7 3. It is an honor for God to even take notice of us as one of His creatures (cf. Ps 8:3-4), how much love God must have to allow us to become His children! B. WE ARE UNKNOWN BY THE WORLD (1b) 1. "...the world does not know us..." 2. That is, they do not truly recognize or appreciate what we have become in Christ 3. They may even deem us as religious fanatics, fools - cf. 1 Co4:9-13
4. But this is understandable... a. For the world did not (and still does not) really know Jesus - Jn 1:11 b. And for now, our lives are "hidden" in Jesus - Co 3:3-4 [Loved and honored by God, unknown and sometimes despised by the world;that is what we are today as the children of God. But as stated by Paul in Co 3:4, when Christ comes we will "appear with Him in glory"! This speaks of our condition in the future, and John also writes of our future condition...] II. WHAT WE "SHALL BE" AS CHILDREN OF GOD (2)
A. IT HAS NOT YET BEEN FULLY REVEALED... 1. Exactly what we shall be like has not yet been revealed 2. Which may be that due to our finite capability to comprehend 3. In general terms we have been promised a spiritual body and immortality - cf. 1 Co 15:42-44; 50-53 4. But there is something else, hinted at by both Paul and John... B. WE SHALL BE LIKE JESUS! 1. "...we know that we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." 2. Paul also says that we will be like Jesus when He comes... a. We shall bear the image of the "heavenly Man" - cf. 1 Co 15:49
b. Our lowly bodies will undergo a wonderful transformation to become like Jesus - Ph 3:20-21 3. Though we cannot fully know what we will be like, it must really be something, for as Christ is now, no man can really see Him and live! - cf. 1 Ti 6:13-16 [This wonderful hope of what we will be some day should encourage us to"stand fast in the Lord" (cf. Ph 3:20-4:1). John also has something to say as to how this hope ought to influence how we live, as he describes...] III. WHAT WE "SHOULD BE" AS CHILDREN OF GOD (3)
A. OUGHT TO BE MOTIVATED BY OUR HOPE... 1. "everyone who has this hope..." 2. The hope of which John writes, of course, is the earnest expectation that we will be like Jesus when He comes B. DILIGENTLY INVOLVED IN PURIFYING ONE'S SELF... 1. The Greek word for "purify" is hagnizo {hag-nid'-zo} which means "to make clean, i.e. (fig.) sanctify" a. It is closely related to the word for "holiness", which in Greek is hagiasmos, {hag-ee-as-mos'}, meaning "holiness, sanctification" b. It therefore involves the idea of being "set apart" for a holy purpose, which Christians are taught to pursue - cf. He 12:14 2. Properly motivated by the hope that Jesus will "transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body" (Ph 3:21), the true child of God will work toward the purity
(holiness) seen in the Lord Himself 3. How can Christians purify themselves? a. First and foremost by appropriating the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus! - cf. 1 Jn 1:9 b. Only then can we hope to be truly holy and without blemish - cf. Ep 5:25-27 c. But we also have an obligation to remove ourselves from things that would defile us - cf. 2 Co 6:16-7:1 CONCLUSION
1. By virtue of God's love for us, and His working in us, we can truly be called the "children of God"! 2. However, to become a child of God, and truly remain such, we must be willing to cooperate with God... a. When our faith joins with the working of God, we can become His children! - cf. Co 2:12-13; Ga 3:26-27 b. As long as our faith remains strong, we have the assurance of receiving the promises God has made - cf. He 3:12-14; 4:1-2; 10:35-39; Re 2:10
May the love our heavenly Father has shown in making us His children, serve to motivate us to remain faithful to Him!
Sin And The Child Of God (3:4-9)
INTRODUCTION
1. In our previous study ("The Children Of God"), we saw that the true child of God purifies himself because of the hope of seeing Jesus one day - cf. 1 Jn 3:2-3 2. In discussing "purity", the subject of "sin" naturally arises... a. Which may be why John moves right into a discussion of "Sin And The Child of God" - 1 Jn 3:4-9 (READ) b. It also fits into John's overall theme of combating the Gnostic- like influences that were teaching that sinning did not affect one's relationship with God 3. How shall the true child of God regard sin? Is it something to be taken lightly? Not if the apostle John has anything to say about it! [Using verses 4-9 as our text, then, let's consider what John has tosay about "Sin And The Child Of God". We begin by noticing...] I. THE "DEFINITION" OF SIN (4)
A. AS UNDERSTOOD BY SOME... 1. Sin is nothing more than a violation of human relationships 2. Which can be easily resolved by correcting relationship problems -- While SOME sins may be a violation of "human" relationships, the true meaning of sin goes much further than that B. THE LITERAL MEANING OF THE WORD "SIN" 1. The Greek word for "sin" is hamartia {ham-ar'-tee'-ah}, and it literally means "to miss the mark" 2. E.g., as when an archer fails to hit the center of the target 3. So "sin" is some kind of action (or lack of it) in which one fails to meet the goal intended by God - cf. Ro 3:23 C. AS DEFINED BY JOHN... 1. Sin is "lawlessness" (NKJV), or "transgression of the law" (KJV) 2. The word for lawlessness (transgression) is anomia {an-om-ee' -ah}, which means "illegality, i.e. violation of law" a. I.e., to break or violate a law, such as the law of God b. E.g., to steal when the law says "Thou shalt not steal" 3. So sin occurs when you DO WHAT IS FORBIDDEN (commonly called "a sin of commission") D. AS DEFINED BY JAMES... 1. James describes another kind of sin - cf. Ja 4:17 2. So sin is also committed when you FAIL TO DO WHAT IS GOOD OR COMMANDED (often called "a sin of omission") a. E.g., failing to love your brother b. While you may not do ill toward your brother, failure to do good is just as much a sin! E. IN BOTH OF THESE DEFINITIONS OF SIN... 1. One has failed to meet a certain standard (they have "missed the mark") 2. In this case, the standard is the "law of God" a. Which, when carefully noted, is designed to help us in our relationships with... 1) God 2) Other people 3) Even self b. Every command of God, both negative and positive, affect these relationships in one way or the other [Failure to understand the true nature of "sin" is one reason why thereis so much apathy toward it today. But every time we sin, we adverselyaffect our relationship with either God, others, or our own selves! Further insight into the terribleness of sin is gained by considering what John says about...]