Prove It-Week 7

Introduction

Jesus Christ came to redeem and renew sinners by paying the penalty of sin and defeating the Devil.

John Stott “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.”

John addresses four different groups of people in his letters: fully assured Christians, Christians struggling with assurance, falsely assured non-Christians, and known non-Christians.

Christ came to deliver us from sin (v. 4-6)

Sin is the great enemy and problem of humanity, and God is the only one that can rescue us. Here is a little Bible study tool for you: Always ask these two questions when you’re beginning to read a passage 1)What does this text teach me about God (His character and ways)? and 2) What does this text teach me about fallen, sinful humanity (that requires the grace of God)? John addresses both of these questions in verses 4-6, though he will do it in reverse order. First he tells us the problem, then provides the solution.

Christ Appeared and Dealt with Sin

There is a universal truth John sets in front of us “Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law.” Sin is lawlessness, rebellion, a defiant disregard and rejection of God’s rightful rule as Lord over your life. Sin is nothing less than personal treason against the Lord of the universe. And sin is not a one-time offense. It’s the habitual and continual position of your heart and your life that makes you an outlaw against God.

Because our sin condition is so great, we need a great rescue. This is why Christ came in the flesh “He was revealed so that He might take away sins.” By His bloody death on the cross, Jesus lifted up, removed, and carried away our sins. The son of God came to provide full and everlasting forgiveness of sins to all who trust in Him.

DON’T MISS THIS: He could do what He did because He is who He is. (Say that again) “There is no sin in Him.” His sinlessness is part of what qualified Him to provide the needed rescue, which is why His lack of sin is a consistent theme that resounds throughout the Bible. John himself has already taught us He is the righteous one and pure one. Now he identifies Jesus as the sinless one. 2 Cor. 5:21 says “He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.”

Christians Abide in Christ and Do Not Live in Sin

Verse 6 flows from verse 5. Because there is no sin in Jesus, no one who abides in Him keeps on sinning. Again, remember that “keeps on sinning” means a posture of your heart. Unrepentant and unapologetic sin against God with no regard or fear of Him. Here is the question that John is posing and answering: If the sinless Son of God appeared in history to take away sin, how is it possible to abide in Him and sin at the same time? The answer is, you can’t. Does that mean that we never sin? NO, that would contradict what John said in 1:8 and 10.

Because we have new birth, we have a new nature. (Explain this) Because Christ has taken away our sins, we have a new liberty and freedom. Sin no longer dominates you or enslaves you. Sin is no longer the CHARACTER and CONDUCT of your life. Because I abide in Christ and in the power of His person and work, I may fall into sin, but I will not walk in sin. Sin will not be my HABIT; it won’t be my normal practice. You no longer love sin, you hate it. You no longer find joy in it, you despise it.

Christ Came with a Purpose (v. 7-8)

If sin is personal enemy number one, then Satan is public enemy number one. The flesh is our internal foe and the Devil is our external foe. The encouraging truth is this: Jesus, who defeated sin is also our champion who has defeated Satan!

The Devil is a Deceiver, So Pursue Righteousness

Getting confused and wrongheaded about the seriousness of sin can be a serious spiritual problem. John warns us “let no one deceive you” This is a command. It’s a word of command calling for PERSISTENT VIGILANCE. Always stay on guard.

Deception can take many forms. It can trap us doctrinally (believing wrongly about the Savior) and morally (living wrongly in a lifestyle of sin) and socially (we fail to love others as we have been loved) (SAY THAT AGAIN AND GIVE TIME TO WRITE IT DOWN). John provides a counter-argument to deception that is pretty simple: “The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.” Deception is defeated by a righteous life that gives tangible and visible evidence that we have been born again through faith in Christ. We live out who we are.

Christ is my righteousness in two ways: positionally (determining what I am in the eyes of God) and experientially (directing how I act here on earth). (SAY IT AGAIN AND GIVE TIME TO WRITE IT DOWN) Christ is my PATTERN and my POWER for righteous living. Galatians 2:19-20 is a great proof of this point here “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

The Devil is a Sinner Who Has Been Defeated

Verse 8 is SO CLEAR on telling us why Christ came. For the first time in the letter, John refers specifically and directly to the Devil. Devil means “accuser or slanderer.” Satan means “adversary.” These words describe the character and tactics of our Enemy. Jesus came on the scene to take away sin and also “to destroy the Devil’s works.”

The Son of God invaded enemy territory, took our enemy down, and won total victory. John Piper says “Christmas is because God aims to destroy something… it is God’s infiltration of rebel planet earth on a search and destroy mission.” He came, searched out, and destroyed the works of Satan. John tells us that the works of the Devil, which are sins, are what Jesus came to destroy.

Because of Christ’s atonement (repayment of debt of sin and purification of Christian), sin’s PENALTY has been nullified for the child of God. Because of the new birth, sin’s POWER has been neutralized and dealt a death blow. And because of Christ’s second coming, sin’s PRESENCE will soon pass away forever. The empty tomb and a risen Savior is the sign of Christ’s victory and ours!

Christ came to Set His People Apart

Again, those abiding in Christ will not and cannot go on living in sin as the CONSISTENT and PREVAILING pattern of their lives. It’s IMPOSSIBLE. Conversion changes EVERYTHING. Regeneration (New life in Christ) does not produce invisible or rotten fruit. John ends these verses with three clear descriptions of the children of God.

God’s Children have Experienced a New Birth

What is regeneration? It is the work of God’s grace on a person by the Holy Spirit that leads to a change in someone’s whole outlook. The new nature has been planted in a Christian and God will grow it. So we could say that by the work of Christ, revealed in the gospel message, the Holy Spirit gives a new nature into everyone who repents of sin and trusts in Christ.

God’s Children Do Not Practice Sin

Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people. Sin will dominate you. Satan will have his way. However, because of the new birth, the Bible says we cannot make “a practice of sinning”. We should be comforted to know sin cannot and will not win in our lives. We may stumble and fall, but we know that Jesus is greater than the Enemy. Christ will pick us up and get us moving again in the right direction. We are destined to be like Jesus and neither sin or Satan will have the last word.

We are humbled at the same time because without Christ, His death on the cross, His advocacy, and His victory, then we would be enslaved to our sin forever. Any righteousness we do flows from the righteousness of Christ poured into our lives by the new birth.

God’s Children Love One Another

Two important tests are here in this text that sets apart a child of God from a child of the Devil. First, do you do what is right? Second, do you love others? John says it’s that simple. John is saying “Show yourselves to be true children of God! Practice these two things! But the two intertwine together. “Love is righteousness in relation to others.” Those who hate sin, who have been set free from the Devil, and who are born of God will do what is right and love others.

A child has distinguishing marks of his parents. What he/she sees their Father do, that is what they will do. What they see their Savior do, they will do too.

Application

Let’s close with this. Hebrews 7:25-26 “Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” As a Christian we have been remade by a carpenter from Nazareth, the Son of God, Jesus Christ who redeemed you by His blood, regenerated you by the Spirit, and reconciled you with the Father. If you have salvation in Christ you can be glad, and if you don’t you can receive it tonight!