TRANSFORMING LOVE CHANGES US INWARDLY (Part 2)

We began our study of the third chapter of this epistle last week. We noticed that love transforms us, like a bachelor who lives in a pig sty is transformed by the love of his life.

When God loves us, we change. It is a natural by-product of the love of God, because God’s love changes us from children of wrath to children of God. John bases this truth on the love of God that transforms us.

Last week we saw that God’s love will make us like Christ, that one day we will see Jesus and be completely and forever changed into the image of Jesus Christ. The process of sanctification, daily becoming more like Jesus Christ, will be finished: we will be like Jesus. But John describes this as a future event, and as daily life reminds us, we have not arrived!

However, the knowledge that we are the children of God and that we will be like Jesus naturally results in us purifying ourselves. Like the Jewish people ritually cleansing themselves in Tabernacle and Temple, we too, in a spiritual way, cleanse ourselves through the process of sanctification. You will notice that I provided a graphic breaking down , the clearest passage of Scripture on the process of sanctification.

This week we look at . In this passage we will see the thoughts John presents in the first three verses in more detail. We are going to see how transformation begins inwardly. The first sermon addressed the foundation of this transformation: salvation and the ongoing process of sanctification.

In these seven verses we are going to see this process fleshed out in more detail, particularly contrasting the children of God and the children of the devil. Or, to put it another way, those who practice righteousness and those who practice sin.

Inward transformation has its root in the salvation by grace through faith. That is the dirt, if you will, of the flower of our salvation. Now we have the flower, and we want to see it grow. The first area of growth must take place inwardly. Were we to simply focus on the outward, we could legitimately have a fake flower that looks like the real thing, but is actually plastic and fabric. The term we use to describe this aspect of outward growth only is legalistic. However, true change, biblical change, Christ-initiated, Holy-Spirit-empowered, and God-glorifying change takes place inwardly and manifests itself outwardly.

Now something we notice at the beginning, in this portion of Scripture (as well as John’s entire epistle) is the repetition of words: sin, righteousness; practices (or, a derivative of this), and children of either God or the devil. It is simple, in the fact that there are two primary flows of thought concerning inward change, and yet at the same time it is profound in the implications.

These implications tell us what inward change looks like. Change begins on the inside, our natures are changed, which then results in the change of our actions. God changes our natures, and then our actions change.

I. OUTWARD ACTIONS REVEAL INWARD NATURES- ,

Please notice first: outward actions reveal inward natures. That is, what is on the inside will be revealed on the outward. John begins with the negative view of sin and lawlessness. Now, John already raised this point in 2:29 when he said that “everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.” But in our text this morning we see that “everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness.” We will get to what those words mean in a moment, but I want to build on our initial thought that outward actions reveal inward natures. Or, to give it the analogy our Lord gives, our roots produce our fruits. Consider His words in :17-20,

“17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

II. INWARD CHANGE BEGINS WITH A GOD-PRODUCED CHANGE OF NATURE- :

18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.” In this picture, the tree, whatever its nature, produces the fruit. If you walk up to a tree and see apples covering it, you can assume that it is an apple tree. The same would hold true to oranges, or any other fruit-bearing tree. The same applies to the spiritual realm: a good tree will produce good fruit; likewise a bad tree will produce bad fruit.

Now, John uses two terms: sin and lawlessness. Sin is a failure to do what God commands and a refusal to avoid what God prohibits. This word is common in the Bible as well as our own understanding of moral wrong in light of the holiness of God. Lawlessness, however, expresses that which is violated: God’s moral standard. This gives the understanding of what is sin and what is not. We must not think of this word in the Jewish sense of the Law (the OT, Law of Moses). It is a violation of the Law Giver’s perfect standard, or righteousness, as John describes.

Outward actions (in relation to God’s laws, i.e. sin or righteousness) reveal inward nature. Think about children. When they are angry, they reveal this by scowls and red faces. They stomp their feet, and those outward actions reveal their inward nature of anger. Or, take another example: when your wife is quiet and terse, those outward actions reveal the inward nature of your doom.

My question then is, What do your outward actions reveal about your nature? As we go through this passage you will notice the appearance of the word practice in many of the newer translations. Though the King James Version does not include the word “practice” it its translation, the thought certainly was. We mentioned near the beginning of our study that when John refers to sining or not sinning, it involves a habitualness, a practice. What does your walk show about your nature? Do your outwork actions reveal a God-born nature, or a devil-born nature? That thought will occupy out attention presently, but for now we must ask ourselves what our outward actions reveal about our natures. There are, then, two forms of action: sinful action and righteous action. The contrast, then, is not outward actions alone, but the contrast between natures: children of God or of the devil.

II. RIGHTEOUS, OUTWARD ACTIONS BEGIN WITH A GOD-PRODUCED CHANGE IN NATURE- , , ,

As we continue working our way through this interwoven passage of Scripture I immediately think of a weaved basket. When you have a weaved basket it is difficult to tell where one weave begins and where another weave ends. That is illustrative of our passage at hand.

Yet, we see secondly that righteous, outward actions begin with a God-produced change in nature. Now, since we learned more about this last week, we will breeze through this section. There are several important aspects we must realize.

A. This God-produced change is based on the sinless Son of God-

Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to take away sins. Other Scripture describes Jesus as “He who knew no sin,” “tempted like as we are, yet without sin,” and that “He committed no sin.” He was the sinless Lamb of God, pictured in all the Old Testament sacrifices. It is His sacrifice that allows us to be reborn. That was Paul’s point in . Jesus came to die for unrighteous men and women. We were, Paul says, dead in trespasses and sins ().

John says this, “You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.” Then John connects the Christian’s righteousness in the person and work of Jesus Christ (who He is and what He does).

B. This God-produced change reflects the holiness of God-

John says the outward fruits of righteousness reflect an inward change in righteousness, which reflects the righteousness of God. This is the thought John brings up in . The outward actions reflect an inward change in nature and this change reflects the holiness of God.

C. This God-produced change reveals a natural truth-

This inward transformation, this complete change from children of wrath to children of God, reveals an astounding truth about the child of God: the forsaking of sin in ever increasing measures.

Now, it is easy to read this verse and believe that John is referring to sinless perfection. In fact, there are some Christians who hold to a type of perfectionism. John is not saying that here, nor do the Scriptures as a whole teach that. In this very epistle John comments, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins...” and “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Additionally, John in this passage describes the differences between the child of God and the child of the devil as practices, that is, it is a lifestyle, a habitualness.

There is an old confession of faith that summarizes the teachings of Scripture quite well, “This Sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual, and irreconciliable war: the Flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh.” John is not saying we will enjoy spiritual perfection, but rather we will constantly grow in our victories over sin and increasing the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives. This is what John goes on to say in . When God changes us, our responses to Him and to others reflect His holy nature.

III. SINFUL, OUTWARD ACTIONS BEGAN WITH THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL- ,

John continues paralleling two states, or facts, or differences, this time with the children of God and the children of the devil. Sinful, outward actions, we see, began with the works of the devil.

A. Sin began in the beginning-

John frames the entrance of sin at the feet of the devil in the beginning. Now, the Scriptures do not reveal when the fall of Satan took place, it simply shows the results, particularly in the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (see ). After that point, everything changed. Summarizing these events, the older confession of faith I referenced earlier describes this situation, which has great implications for our present passage, “From this original corruption [Adam’s sin], whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.” That is, our natures were changed! And because our inward natures are sinful, our actions are sinful. We are sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. Just as it is in the nature of the dog to bark at every blessed thing, so too, it is in the nature of the child of the devil to sin. And all this has its origination in the works of the devil.

B. Sin reveals one’s sinful nature-

John says that the failure to engage in righteousness makes one’s sinful nature obvious, evident, or seen. That is, it is manifested, that same word John uses to describe the physical body of Jesus on earth. It is here, right in front of us. The outward actions of sin reveal an inward nature of sin.

C. Sin brings about deception of doctrinal and moral truth-

Now, I referenced this at the beginning, and before ending our time with some applicational thoughts I wanted to raise this verse. John, referring to his readers and us as little children (a term of endearment), cautions us against deception. John has previously warned us against being deceived (1:8, 2:26).

Sin has a way of deceiving us, whether we are Christian or not. It deceives us on false doctrines which typically manifests itself in deceived actions. For example, if I believe God will judge me for sins, my actions will be different as a result. My doctrine (belief, teaching) changes my practice (actions, lifestyle).

CONCLUSION

We ask the question then, So what? What does this all mean? And I want to answer that question with a few questions that I believe will help get more mileage out of this sermon.

What do our outward actions reveal about our inward natures?

If God has changed us inwardly (which is where transformation begins), how is this reflected outwardly? Am I more loving to my spouse/children, coworkers, friends and extended family? Do I show patience to those around me? Am I daily seeking God? A whole host of questions could be offered here. Spend time thinking through this. Ask a close (and honest) friend or loved one what they think your outward actions reveal.

What are you doing to develop your inward change?

We mentioned this in last week’s sermon, but inward change produces growing change. John puts it like this, “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him [Jesus] purifies himself, just as He is pure.” What are you engaging in to purify yourselves? This time of self-isolation can be a wonderful tool to grow in your knowledge of God and in outward change. I will link some helpful resources in the section below, but work at growing in purity. Be constantly about the work of tending the soil of your soul. Make it an effort to practice righteousness (manifested toward God and other people).

If your outward actions reflect that you are a child of the devil, then would you come to Jesus for a new nature?

Jesus, as John tell us, came to destroy the works of the devil. He came to offer life, abundant life to those who through repentance from sin and faith in His who He is (perfect, sinless Son of God) and what He did (gave His life in our place for our sins). Would you trust Him today?