The Enemy of the Kingdom † 1 John 3:1-10

INTRODUCTION

IDENTIFYING THE KINGDOM’S ENEMY

The Works of the Devil

1 John 3:8 ESV

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 will not be ready to defend ourselves against an enemy that we fail to recognize or fail to understand.

Sin and Lawlessness

1 John 3:4–5 ESV

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Sin is: “Denial of the absoluteness of moral obligation that exists because of God’s good will.”

Do I recognize that the enemy exists and is trying to promote deceit, sin, and lawlessness to attack God’s good plan?

ATTACKING THE KINGDOM’S ENEMY

Hope and Abide in Jesus

1 John 3:3 (ESV)

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Kingdom victory comes when I set my focus on Christ and his victory.

“But Oh, no foe invades the bliss, when glory crowns the Christian’s head, One view of Jesus as he is, will strike all sin forever dead.” William Cowper

1 John 3:6 (ESV)

6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

Kingdom victory comes when I learn to dwell with Jesus as the source of my holiness.

Own Your Identity

1 John 3:1–2 ESV

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. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

1 John 3:9–10 ESV

9 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. 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.

John’s argument is not that we must stop sinning to earn God’s favor, but that those who have the love of the Father through the Son naturally live out what is our new nature. (Identity drives action.)

1 John 3:7 ESV

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

“Let no one deceive you.”

The enemy wants to minimize your spiritual activity by:

Convincing imposters that they are Christians.

Convincing Christians that they are imposters.

The answer to both problems: look to Christ! (Both positions are looking for self-affirmation rather than to the work of Jesus to overcome sin and lawlessness in us.

CONCLUSION