There’s a Difference

READ 1 John 3:7-10

PRAY

Introduction

*Apple and banana being the same illustration*

Just like y’all said, an apple and a banana are obviously different. The Bible says the same about believers and non-believers: they’re obviously different. That’s why the title of my sermon tonight is “There’s a Difference”.

Through these verses, by God’s grace, we’ll see the difference that is evident between believers and non-believers, between children of God and children of the devil. We’ll approach the text in 3 sections: the practice, the seed, and the impossibility.

The Practice

We pick up in verses 7 and 8 with this idea of the practice, what one does habitually or constantly. Keep in mind that we’re picking up in the middle of John making the case that righteousness and holy living is the necessary and constant fruit of the believer.

Remember what we’ve been covering in our last several meetings: you do not abide in Christ and continue on in habitual sin, God’s children live differently than the world, faith without works is dead. John is driving home this fact throughout this section of his letter.

Keep in mind that he’s doing this because this teaching and way of life was prevalent around the church during his time. He begins verse 7 with that term of endearment again, “little children”. He cares for these believers, he loves them deeply.

Therefore, he doesn’t want them deceived and led to believe in and walk in false teaching. His exhortation here is “let no one deceive you”. What the means is whatever is about to come next is what many around his audience, namely antichrists, are trying to get the believers to believe.

John makes it clear: whoever lives a habitual lifestyle of righteousness is righteous, whoever lives a habitual lifestyle of sin is not righteous. Specifically, they are of the devil because he’s the tempter and has been sinning ever since he first rebelled against God as one of His angels.

This may seem repetitive, but it must be restated. John saw it important enough to continually drive this idea home, so thats what I’m doing as well. Practice as John uses the word is communicating a habitual lifestyle. Over and over again.

You sinning one time is not in view. You struggling with sin throughout your whole life isn’t in view either. Rather, as we’ve talked about many times before, what John is stating here is a repeated habit that is constant.

The difference between a Christian and an unbeliever is not sinlessness but sin conscientiousness- Piper. Do you struggle? Does it grieve you when you fall? Do you care? Does it burden you? Do you hate your sin? Those are the marks of a believer.

Notice that term that John uses in verse 7, “as he is righteous”. You aren’t able to gain righteous standing before God. You must be MADE righteous. How? THE GOSPEL.

Through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, through being born again by the Holy Spirit of God!

Christ the Son of God appeared on earth, through the incarnation, taking on human flesh onto His divinity, whereas He is truly God and truly man, to make us righteous and destroy the works of the devil. Christ defeated death, therefore death no longer has any sting for the believer!

The devil no longer holds of captive with fear of death or condemnation because Jesus paid the penalty we owed and rose again in defeat of death forever!

Make no mistake friends, you’re either a child of God or a child of the devil. There’s no in between. And we live the way our father does.

Only those who place their faith in Christ are children of God. And that faith always produces obedience if it is genuine.

There’s a difference between sin and righteousness. That difference is seen in the practice of one’s life. Redeemed in Christ by faith, empowered by the Spirit of God, we as Christians fight everyday to live righteous, holy lives for the glory of God.

The Seed

Those who practice righteousness by faith do so because they’ve been born of God. As John describes, God’s seed now abides in them. It is impossible for born again Christians to keep on sinning because that is against the very nature of the Holy Spirit, who is holy, sanctifies us, and leads us into all truth.

The seed that abides in Christians, the new birth and life brought forth by God, produces faith and obedience together. Never one without the other. This fly’s right in the face of the false teachers and their deception.

Again, “keep on sinning” here has habitual, constant sin in view. The most explicit, true, clear description of a Christian is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

In Christ, you are a new creation because He has done that work in you! This regeneration changes your heart, your desires, your mind. It makes you completely new by Christ’s blood.

Sanctification is a process to be sure. It is life-long, it can look different for each believer as God fully knows all of His children, and produces hard work for those who are saved by faith.

The Evidence

We end with the evidence. What proves if you are a child of God or a child of the devil is if you practice, you live, righteously and love your brother. That is the difference.

How you constantly live is the evidence of the condition of your heart.

Conclusion

There are two camps, thats it. You’re either of the devil or of the Lord. Those who have been born again have a seed that abides in them forever because of the work of God in their heart and life. Faith produces good works. Believe in Christ tonight, be made righteous, and therefore pursue righteousness all the days of your life to exalt the Lord.

PRAY