Sin and the Child of God
Do not lie to yourself Vs. 4-6
those who had left the church thought themselves to be above accountability, John emphasizes that no one is excluded
This truth is universal. There are no exceptions.
But lawlessness is more than the absence of God’s law for John. It is a willful rejection and an active disobedience against God’s moral standard, which is a characteristic of the child of the devil
with individuals who are indifferent to sin. They believed that they could engage in any and all kinds of sinful activities and still be in fellowship with God
Implicit in this appeal to his hearers’ basic Christian knowledge is an encouragement for them to conform their lives to the truth they already know
Christ came to “take away” individual sins. This verb (airō) can mean “to lift up,” “to bear,” or “to remove.” While all three meanings have some connotation in the translation, the context seems to point to the expiatory nature of Christ’s sacrifice.
The apostle does not say, however, that Jesus “was born” but that he “appeared,” “was manifested” (KJV) or made visible (ephanerōthē; cf. 1:2; 2:19, 28; 3:2), which implies his preexistence even before the incarnation.
Christ is sinless—past, present, and future. Sinlessness is essential to his very personhood.
Literally, the phrase could be translated, “And sin in him there is not,” with the emphasis falling on sin. John’s statement is more than the fact that Christ did not commit sin. He argues that Christ does not possess a sinful nature.
John is describing a way of life, a character, a prevailing lifestyle. Here the present tense verb contextually depicts linear, continual action. In other words, the believer will not live a life characterized by sin.
The one who sees Christ for who he is and embraces his redemptive work is the one who abides in him.
While the unbeliever lives in sin and has not seen or known Christ, the believer has terminated a life of sin for a life of abiding in him. The child of God has experienced a decisive break with sin.
Do not Deceive Yourself Vs. 7-10
The one who practices righteousness does so because he has been granted the righteousness of God. In this sense John’s regeneration language parallels the New Testament concept of justification. The believer does right because he possesses the imputed righteousness of Christ.
both reflect the nature of their masters.
As before, the writer’s use of the present active participle (ho poiōn tēn hamartian, “the one who practices sin” [NASB]) indicates a continual state of sin.
The name means “slanderer” or “accuser.” He instigates sin, and those who live in sin are his children. He stands as the direct opponent of God and righteousness.
The further comment, “for the devil has been sinning from the beginning,” identifies the devil as the originator of sin. The progressive present tense of the verb hamartanei depicts sin as continuous and ongoing. For the devil and his children, sin is a ceaseless way of life.
A part of Christ’s redemptive mission was to destroy the works of the devil. The verb “destroy” naturally looks to Christ’s decisive victory over Satan on Calvary’s cross (John 12:31; Heb 2:14). Satan is a defeated foe.
Everything the devil has done or will do was destroyed on the cross, and it will be on the basis of Christ’s finished work that all of the devil’s works will be ultimately destroyed at the final judgment (Rev 20:10–15).
Here the indicated source of power over sin is the regenerating power of God. John’s point is clear: there is not a single regenerated person who lives a life of habitual sin
John is not suggesting the believer is completely free from sin, but that the Christian’s life is not characterized by sin, which is the mark of the follower of Satan, who has been sinning from the beginning (v. 8).
The child of God does not live a life of habitual sin because (1) the seed of God remains in him, and (2) he has been born of God. Although the Christian still falls prey to sinful acts, John insists that it is impossible for sin to become a believer’s pattern of life.
What is crucial to John’s transition is the identification of the members of two opposing families: the children of God and the children of the devil.
John knows of no intermediate group. Sharp lines are drawn between those who practice sin and those who practice righteousness. One is fathered by the devil, and the other is fathered by God.
Two of the apostle’s major themes (righteousness and love) are joined together as evidence of the new birth. Those who fail to practice righteousness and/or neglect to love other Christians are not of the same spiritual heritage as the child of God. The family of God is marked by the practice of righteousness and love.
