AF-S68-050105 1 John G
Alêtheia Christian Fellowship (Sermon 68, 05-01-05
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1 John 3:1-3
1See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are (omitted, KJV). For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. (NLT the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children.) 2Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Remember who you are! The demonstration of how great His love is....
KJV- Older mss omitted two words kai< ejsme>n, that translate literally “and we are.” The verb is indicative so it is actually, "and indeed we are," a fact, not a possibility. Restated in verse two.
The world lovers are self-lovers and they don’t even know who they are let alone who we are! Jesus said, " If the World hates you, keep in mind it hated me first." God says the same thing through Isaiah in the Old Covenant. If you do what is right, those who do what is wrong resent you because your very lifestyle convicts them!
Verse two is amazing because after it reaffirms that we are God's kids it then says is no one has perfect theology! Even the Beloved Disciple who rested his head upon Jesus and cared for his fleshly mother and led the church into the second century didn’t know what to expect as to the details.
Verse 3, tells us what John did know. That is that we would be like He really is someday, but in the meantime we who have this faith in this hope will conform ourselves to that tiny bit we do understand.
This is not the common verb to purify in the New Testament it carries more of an idea of sacrafice. We will do what is difficult not what is easy.
It is not an option it is a fact if that's who you are. You do who you are. You act out your deepest desire. An alcoholic drinks because they want to drink more than they want to quit.
If you behave in a way contrary to the Spirit you must seek God's assistance in overcomming the negative desire.
In theory we have already conquered sin through Jesus who said it is finished, but we are still involved in realizing the victory. It is a life-long process to allow more of God in us to conform us to, not our desire but, His desire.
Finally, we are children of God and we will be like Him. Who is Him?
1 John 3:4-6 ~
KJV: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
NASB: Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and 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 sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
NLT: Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him. So if we continue to live in him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is.
Whosoever as opposed to everyone, kind of like anyone as opposed to everyone, a passive versus a positive.
Committeth sin, those who sin, practices sin? The word is an active participle in the present tense. Something you do presently, something you do actively not as a passive bystander, and as a participle it qualifies the noun, "sin." So the activity going on presently is the normal state of affairs. "Practice sin," captures the idea perfectly, The Bible is talking about people who, for whatever reason, don't think sin is that big of a deal so they are relatively unconcerned about it and therefore behave as sinners.
Sin is a huge deal, if you don't think so why did Jesus die?
What is sin? Sin is violating the Law. What is the Law? It is the Law of Love!
Clearly, there are only two commands. Jesus splits the second command into two parts for Christians. The first is to Love each other and the second is to love those who are not in right relationship enough to spread the Gospel.
People who do not love God and their neighbor are lawless.
Jesus was manifested for the very reason to take away sin and it is all of the sin of the world past, present and future therefore all people throughout time are completely forgiven. It is finished!
God in His infinite wisdom has chosen to enable universal salvation through Jesus and so it is a free gift, but like all genuine gifts it must be accepted.
He takes sin away because there is no sin in Him. This is more to do with the fact of His sinless nature than His earthly sinlessness although that's obviously part of it. The focus is that there has never been nor will there ever be any sin in Jesus, so if we cling to Him we will be the same. i.e. we will not sin either and as a matter of logical consequence if we do continue to sin we have never known Him. Additionally, we haven't got a clue as to who He is.
1 John 3:7-10 ~
KJV7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In 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.
NASB7Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
NLT7Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. 9Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians does not belong to God.
Duh! if you are right before God you will act like you are right before God.
The Work of sin is division, the work of righteousness is unity, the work of the devil is division from the beginning.
Turn man against God and brother against brother.
Genesis 3:2-6 ~
NKJV: And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 4:7-8 ~
NKJV: If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Ephesians 4:26-27 & 31&32
And “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.