Children of God pt. 1

Intro

When I travel for Harvest, usually no matter where I end up, I end up getting identified. No, it isn’t because of my height or loud demeanor. It isn’t because of my personality, or even my smell (thank God). No, usually, I am easily identified as Martha Stone’s (fill in the blank). Now, the assumption as to which relative I am to my granny varies from church to church. Usually it is “Oh, you must be Martha’s grandson or son!” However, at times, as I have told before, I have been perceived to be her … you guessed it, BROTHER!

I don’t take offense to any of those claims … even to the one that makes me seem a little older than I am; rather, I take some pride in being known as a Stone.

Now, the only reason I am known easily as a Stone is because, well, granny and I share many traits. From our looks to our personalities, we aren’t exactly strangers.

As Christians, we should want to be easily identifiable as such, followers or disciples of Jesus Christ. For the next two weeks I want to look at this chapter in Scripture with you and see how we can be identified as Children of God.

We want to be able to look at our lives, look at Scripture and in a world of sin, see some easily identifiable traits that connect us with our Savior.

Turn with me to 1 John 3:1–3

Before we can dive any deeper into the traits mentioned in this passage, we have to have some assurances. I love the way this can be translated in that first verse 1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him

In order to have traits of a disciple, obviously you must first be a disciple. John refers to us here as Children of God. SEE what kind of wonderful love our sinless God and Father has given to us, the sinner. That we should be called children of God, and SO WE ARE.

It is the least deserving title you will ever carry, yet we can carry it with full assurance that God means what He says and we can surely be known as children of our God.

As this verse continues and verses 2 and 3 confirm, we ought to be known as Children of God. This is our purpose, this is our goal, this is what we strive for. For one day, we shall be like Christ, yet today we ought to strive to be as close to that image as we possibly can.

The language John uses here is beautiful. He is saying “Folks, we are God’s children now, so we ought to act like it and expect His coming with a sure hope and actions that prove it.”

It’s the same type of language we used when we became Freshmen in High School. “Ok guys, we are high schoolers now, we have to act like it.”

A great change has taken place, and we ought to show it off to as many as we can! LOOK what God has done in me, and look what He continues to do.

read with me 1 John 3:4-10

Practice Sinning

When we think of our lives, one of two things is happening: we are either practicing sinning or practicing righteousness. Now, of course we know that even as Christians we are going to sin, we are sinful by nature. And aren’t you so thankful for the grace of God that covers us when we do sin?

However, this is not what John is referring to in this passage. He isn’t saying “the one who slips up” or “the one who is struggling to beat the addiction” no, when you look at this passage as a whole, it is talking about practicing sin. What does it take to practice sin? To do it over and over and over again.

This verse actually stands in contrast to verses 3 and 7 as it talks about purity and righteousness.

In other words, the one who lives a lifestyle of sin. The one who makes sin a practice. The one who chooses sin over God. This is the one who the Scripture calls, of the devil, the one who knows NOT God.

When you practice a sinful lifestyle, you are not a child of God.

When we think of sin, we have to understand what it means. The word in the NT used for sin literally means “missing the mark.” When we rebel against God, we miss the mark. What is the mark? The mark is God’s will for His creation. God’s will for His creation is perfection which, as this passage reminds us, won’t be reached until we are in heaven and are made to be like Him.

However, in the meantime, as we strive to overcome sin, we must practically understand sin. In Scripture, some things are marked very obviously as sin. We know murder, adultery, sexual immorality, homosexuality, lying, stealing, and a list of other actions are defined as sin. However, there are some things we will encounter in our life that are not “black and white” in Scripture, these are gray areas.

And, in gray areas, we must rely on the conviction of the Spirit of God.

James 4:17 (KJV 1900)

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

To some, watching certain things on TV is sinful, why? Because the Spirit of God convicts that individual. To some, being around certain things or environments is sinful, but to other Christians who do not have conviction from the Holy Spirit upon them, it is not sin.

You see, we have freedom in Christ, not to sin, but to live without fear that every little decision we make is going to send us to eternal Hell.

I think of those first century Christians. Both Jew and Gentile. Remember, these folks came from very different backgrounds, and because of their backgrounds they carried over things into their new life that the other person may not.

When we look at sin, we must consult the Word of God first, and if God says it is a sin, avoid! However, if the Scripture is mute on a topic, look to the Spirit of God in your life.

Romans 14:1–9 (KJV 1900)

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

What this passage says is simple: to some, certain things are sinful, and to others they are not. Many converted Jews couldn’t get past the Festival and Fasting days of their prior belief system. Some, gentiles and Jews alike, realized those days weren’t to be valued above other days anymore. Both, in doing what they were doing, and being fully convicted in one way or the other, were giving honor to God. In these gray areas, whichever way we feel convicted, be fully convinced that the Spirit is guiding you to one side or another, and do it for the Lord, not our of fear or legalism.

John makes it clear though, in 1 John 3, that we are to beware of sinful practice, yet, know that in some of those gray areas you ought not get in between a Christian and the conviction of the Holy Spirit in His life.

Sin is sin, we know that. We believe that. Sin is to be avoided at all times. So, rely on the Word of God and the Spirit of God in your life to recognize sin and avoid it; for to him who knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin.

Practice Righteousness

If we are called to avoid practicing righteousness, then we must do the opposite. Make righteousness a practice in our lives.

The average adult makes between 33 and 35 thousand decisions a day! If we are awake 16 hours a day, that averages out to over 2,000 decisions every hour. How many of those decisions are righteous?

In our gray areas, how many times do we truly seek God’s will and understanding through HS conviction? Or, do we just wing it and hope for the best?

As we practice righteousness, the Scriptures make it clear, as we discussed last week, that we then begin to abide in righteousness and in God.

And, as verse 6 so boldly declares, no one who abides in God practices sin. No one. If you make sin a constant habit in your life and you aren’t choosing righteousness, you have either never accepted God’s salvation through grace and faith, or you are in a back slidden state and you need to do some rededication.

If you desire God and you desire purity and righteousness, the Bible says that we can rest in the fact that we are children of God. And, it paints this beautiful picture of the Garden of Eden. When God put enmity between Satan and humanity, this is what he was referring to. The seed of Eve led to Christ and the Church, we know in Genesis God is referring to some end-of-time battle where Satan loses; however, in 1 John, we see that we are now grafted into God’s plan of salvation as His seed. We are grafted in as family. We are grafted in as descendants of Abraham, although physically we aren’t.

We see the beautiful picture of being grafted in as children of God. When we accept God’s gift of salvation, we no longer are considered part of this world, we are no longer defined by our sin. No, we are grafted into the promise of eternal life and we are grafted into the family of God; therefore, we must be defined by our new status: A child of God clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

But, as you begin a life as a child of God, are you living proof of your new position? Does the world know that you are a child of God by the way you interact with them and treat them?

1 John 3:10 “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.”

Another way to put that is, 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother”

You are known by your fruits. Are you practicing righteousness or sinfulness? When people see you, interact with you, eat with you, go into public with you, or come over to your home, what fruit are they seeing?

We must remember that any righteous fruit which we bear is not of our own doing, for we are all sinful. Rather, it is the fruit of a holy God, our Holy God. This is where our righteousness comes from. So, we ought to model our Savior. Read about Him in the Gospels, study His truths in all of Scripture, and model His love, not the love of broken people. Rely on the Jesus for truth, not sinful humanity. Practice righteousness.

In this life, you are known. You are seen. You are not invisible. And like a city on a hill we ought to shine the light of our one and only Savior and God Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, anything less is subpar.

What are you practicing this morning? Are you practicing sin? Making it a lifestyle and idol? or are you practicing true righteousness, the righteousness that has been imparted on you through the sacrifice and spilled blood of Jesus Christ?

SONG

Conclusion

This morning, you need to ask yourself, if I have truly been born again, am I living that way? Does the world see me as a child of God or a child of satan? Does the world see Christ through me or just … me?

Be proud of your Savior. Be easily identifiable as a child of God. Practice the traits of Jesus. Behave in a way that prepares you and those around you for His second coming.

We make over 30,000 decisions a day, what decision are you going to make right now, this morning? Are you going to finally surrender to Christ Jesus? Are you going to allow the conviction of the Holy Spirit have its proper work in your life so that you recommit your life to Christ?

Practice righteousness child of God. Stop practicing sin.

Being born again isn’t just an emotional response to guilt, it is a decision to follow Christ Jesus for the rest of your life. A decision to lay down your sin, burdens, addictions, and idols at the feet of an Almighty God and be forgiven. It is a chance as a brand new life.

Become a child of God today. *salvation plea*