Your Father The...
Notes
Transcript
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
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.
As the storm clouds of World War II were approaching, German Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer preached a sermon on November 26, 1939, entitled “Death Is Swallowed Up in Victory.” He brought his message to a close with these words:
When dark hours and when the darkest hour comes over us, then we want to hear the voice of Jesus Christ calling in our ear: victory is won. Death is swallowed up in victory. Take comfort. And may God grant that then we will be able to say: I believe in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. It is in this faith that we want to live and die.
While his text on that occasion came from 1 Corinthians 15, his words surely resonate with these verses in 1 John, which remind us that Jesus Christ appeared in order both to take away our sins (3:5)
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
and to destroy the works of the Devil (v. 8).
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
We can indeed hear the voice of Jesus in this text calling in our ear: “Victory is won.”
John has informed us that we have been born of God and are now His children. He also taught us that the practice of righteousness provides evidence that one is a child of God. Now he proceeds to show how being a child of God is incompatible with the practice of sin. The two simply do not go together. They are enemies to the death.
John has challenged us to live a life of righteousness and purity grounded in the promise of the second coming of Christ. Now John gives the same challenge based on His first coming. John Stott puts it in proper 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.”
Thus, His “two comings” serve as theological and eschatological bookends to inspire and motivate us to “walk just as He walked”, to do what is right, to purify ourselves, and to love our brother as we abide in Him.
The apostle John addresses basically four different groups of people in his letters. They are: (1) fully assured Christians; (2) Christians struggling with assurance; (3) falsely assured non-Christians; and (4) known non-Christians. These verses are, of course, for all of us. But John especially has the third group in his sights here. His goal is to shock them and wake them up to their true spiritual status.
He Came to Deliver Us from Sin
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Christ Appeared and Dealt with Sin (1 John 3:4–5)
There is a universal truth John sets before us in verse 4: “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. In your practice of sin, you rebel against your rightful King and say, “I hate Your law.” Sin is nothing less than personal treason against the Sovereign of the universe.
Practice vs a mistake.
Football teams practice their offense.
Their practice is intentional dedication to operating a certain way during the game.
But sometimes in the game a player fumbles the ball or throws an interception. That is a mistake made that is in contrast to the game plan.
That’s the same thing as when we as believers fall short of God’s commands on our life and we sin. That’s not what John is talking about here.
Going back to the football analogy this lawlessness John is talking about would be like intentional practice to turn the ball over to the other team. Studying their positioning knowing that if they throw the ball over the middle the linebacker will be in place to intercept it. The other way this is similar is the treason aspect of it. The owner of this football team is paying them to win and they are intentionally going against that.
In this context he is not referring to you the believer who woke up this morning and for lack of better judgement sinned against him. He’s talking about the non believer who goes through each and everyday running the abortion clinic, or is in a ongoing sexual relationship behind the back of their spouse, or a multitude of other things. The intentional practice of sin.
So what’s a way to decipher between our sins we may have committed this morning and the practice he’s talking about here? The intention of the heart and remorse and repentance.
Because our predicament is so great, a great rescue is required. We know this is why Christ came in the incarnation: “He was revealed so that He might take away sins” (v. 5). Can’t you hear John the Baptist at the Jordan River, heralding to the top of his lungs, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)?
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
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.
And do not miss this: He could do what He did because He is who He is. “There is no sin in Him” (v. 5). Not even one! 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 (2:29) and the pure one (3:3). Now he explicitly identifies Jesus as the sinless one. And John isn’t the only one who shares this truth.
Paul agrees, for in 2 Corinthians 5:21 he writes,
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The author of Hebrews also agrees. In Hebrews 4:15 he tells us,
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Again in Hebrews 7:25–26 he says,
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Peter also agrees, because in 1 Peter 2:22 he writes,
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
Christ has indeed appeared, lived a sinless life, and dealt with our sin. All of Scripture testifies to this truth.
Christians Abide in Christ and Do Not Live in Sin (1 John 3:6)
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Verse 6 logically and necessarily flows from verse 5. Because there is no sin in Jesus, no one who abides in Him keeps on sinning. In fact, if one does continue in a pattern or practice of sin, another logical and necessary conclusion must be drawn: “everyone who sins [keeps on sinning] has not seen Him or known Him” in a personal, saving relationship. John’s theology is flawless. 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. It is impossible.
Because of the new birth, we have a new nature. Because Christ has taken away our sins, we have a new liberty and freedom. Sin no longer dominates us or enslaves us. Sin is no longer the character and conduct in our lives. Because we now abide in Christ and in the power of His person and work in the gospel, we may fall into sin, but we will not walk in sin. Sin will not be our habit; it will not be our normal practice. We no longer love sin; We hate sin. We no longer delight in sin; We despise sin.
In our union with Christ, which is another way of saying abiding in Christ, We have experienced a definite and decisive break with sin. It no longer rules us. Christ does! A life of living in sin and living in the Savior is an oxymoron. It does not make sense. It is spiritually absurd.
He Came to Destroy the Works of the Devil (1 John 3 7-8)
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
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. We now, in Christ, wage a titanic spiritual war on two fronts. But do not fear or be discouraged. The Warrior Lamb who defeated sin is also our champion who has defeated Satan. The Devil is doomed, even if he won’t admit it! False teachers are behind the lie that one can be born of God, born again, and still practice a lifestyle of sin. And behind the false teachers is the father of lies himself, the Devil.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The Devil Is a Deceiver, So Pursue Righteousness (1 John 3:7)
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Getting confused and wrongheaded about the seriousness of sin can be a serious spiritual problem, especially when satanic soldiers of our age try and convince us that sin is no big deal. John, therefore, with fatherly firmness (“Little children”), warns his spiritual children against being deceived. “Let no one deceive you” is a word of command calling for persistent vigilance. It echoes the prior warning of 2:26: “I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.”
Deception can take many forms. In particular, it can trap us both doctrinally and morally—believing wrongly about the Savior and living wrongly in a lifestyle of sin are two different traps we can fall into but both equally dangerous. It can also capture us socially when we fail to love others as we have been loved by God.
John provides a counter-argument to such deception that is quite simple and to the point: “The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.” Deception is defeated by a righteous life that gives tangible, visible evidence that we have been born again through faith in Christ. We will live out who we are. It is inevitable. Now, doing what is right is not what enables us to be righteous, but again, it is proof that we are righteous, just as Jesus, in whom we now abide, is righteous.
Christ is our righteousness positionally and experientially—determining what we are in the eyes of God and directing how we act here on earth. He is our redemption and our sanctification. Christ is our power for righteous living.
Galatians 2:19–20 explains this much better than my simple mind can:
For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Do not be deceived into thinking you can practice sin and be righteous before God. That is a great, big, satanic lie!
The Devil Is a Sinner Who Has Been Defeated (1 John 3:8)
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Verse 8 is one of the clearest statements in all of God’s Word telling us why Christ came. For the first time in the letter, John refers specifically and directly to our archenemy the Devil. The word “Devil” appears four times in verses 8–10 and means “accuser or slanderer.” “Satan,” the Hebrew counterpart, means “adversary.” These words well 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.”
In verse 8 Jesus is referred to as the “Son of God”. The Second Person of the triune God invaded enemy territory and took our enemy down in a complete and 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” (“The Son of God Appeared”). He came, searched out, and destroyed the works of Satan.
Seeing verse 8 in parallel with verse 5, we see that the works of the Devil, which our Savior came to destroy, are sins. By means of His atonement, sin’s penalty has been nullified for the child of God. By means of the new birth, sin’s power has been neutralized and dealt a death-blow. And, by virtue of His two appearings, sin’s presence will one day pass away forever. Jesus delivered a knockout punch to the Devil on the cross. An empty tomb is an eternal monument to His victory and to ours!
He Came to Set the Boundaries of the Children of God
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
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.
As we have seen, the false teachers of John’s day, as well as those of our own, will teach that it is possible—someway, somehow—to be righteous without doing what is right. God’s Word says, “No way!” Those abiding in Christ will not, indeed they cannot, go on living in sin as the consistent and prevailing pattern of their lives. “Impossible,” says the Bible. It simply is not in the realm of reality. Conversion changes everything. Regeneration does not produce invisible or rotten fruit.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
As John closes out this paragraph, he highlights three crystal clear and definite descriptions of the children of God.
God’s Children Have Experienced a New Birth (1 John 3:9)
Once more John draws attention to the new birth, to the doctrine of regeneration. One of the distinguishing marks of the Christian is the new birth. He has been converted, born again, regenerated. What is regeneration? What does being born of God mean?
Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace where believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Savior.
God’s Children Do Not Practice Sin (1 John 3:9)
Without the new birth it is impossible for us to live like new people. Sin will dominate us. Satan will have his way with us. Hate and not love will fill our hearts. However, as a result of the new birth, the Bible says we cannot make “a practice of sinning” and we “cannot keep on sinning because [we have] been born of God”.
These are words that should impart both comfort and humility to us. We are comforted to know sin cannot and will not win, ultimately, in our lives. We may stumble, even fall on occasion, but we know
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
These words also humble us because if it were not for Christ, His atonement, His advocacy, and His victory, we would forever be enslaved to Satan and sin. Any righteousness we do flows from the righteousness of Christ poured into our lives by means of the new birth.
God’s Children Love One Another (1 John 3:10)
Two simple and fundamental tests are set forth in verse 10 that distinguish 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 is that simple. “Show yourselves to be true children of God! Practice these two virtues!” 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.
This is what our God does. This is what His children will do. The child has the distinguishing marks of his parents. What he sees his Father do, that is what he will do. What he sees His Savior do, that is what he will do too.
But sadly, if the Devil is your spiritual father, you will reveal your lineage by practicing sin and hating others. I guess the question really is, “Who’s your daddy?!” Your life will provide a clear and undeniable answer to that question.
So in conclusion my hope is to bring some assurance to your faith. Because the reality is we all have a father and it’s either the father of lies of the Father of Life. When the world looks at us they can see who our father is.
So my question I’ll leave you with is when you look in the mirror which father do you see looking back at you?