Which Practice are You In? Sinning without Christ, or Righteousness in Him?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Have you passed the tests? Light, love, knowing Jesus as God come to us in the flesh, God as our Mediator? Encouraging pathway to assurance, to joy and fellowship, partnership with living God and with brothers and sisters in Christ. But with that emotional climax of spiritual adoption - give us such confidence, like a poor lost child. But remember not just adoption as infants, - but like Ben Hur- remember heirs. Now John is going to circle back to those themes - purity, love knowing Jesus - but less with a goal of assurance, although that will be a result, but now more with a focus on the “how to”. He’s asking what is your practice? This is less teaching about Christ, which is important and at the core of our salvation and assurance, and more now about how to live with Christ, more about our sanctification. Think about it like a job - the professions. The regulated practice of medicine, law, dentistry - there’s getting your ticket, apprenticing - certain requirements, standards met, proficiency demonstrated - but you get this status - represented by a certified paper. But then every year, pay a fee if you actually are going to practice -registered - and John is not talking about how to become a Christian here, he’s talking about day by day by year by year - what does someone united to Jesus Christ -practice. what do they do? And John gets to the heart of the practice of a Christian's life, the heart of the practice of Jesus Christ Himself from heaven right now in your life and mine, what we are business partners with him in doing in
1 John 3:5a You know that he appeared in order to take away sins,
You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
Now John has already in the gospel and in chapter 2 spelled out How Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God propitiating the wrath of God, working complete and total forgiveness that gives you a new status with God. IN the last section - wonder of spiritual adoption Christ accomplishes … that’s what we are now children of God, eternal love, not conditioned on anything we do. How by faith become heirs with Christ. But this is different language here, isn’t it? It isn’t the language of justification - Christ removing the guilt and penalty of sin on our behalf. But when that is a settled issue in your life, regeneration, faith repentance; then John wants you to take a step back, a pause, -let this think - you know -What is it a Christain knows that the false religionist dont’? Holy Spirit revealed truth - Word of God certainty. The reason the invisible God of the universe, in Person of the Son, became visible, reason God of eternity enter time, the reason God whose holiness so great, came down into our suffering and contamination - is that the sinless one, not only forgives sin but that He would take sin away!! Christ bearing away sin in our lives!
Once someone is in Christ by faith, still struggle with sin. Behind your temptations and sins Satan is at work to divert, distort and spoil, life away from God and his glory. So John says:
1 John 3:8a Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil,
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.
Now think about the practice of a dentist trained in extraction of wisdom teeth - you know his status - but what is his practice. How about Christ what’s his practise? Sin remover - not just forgiver , but remover. One day, we shall see Him and be totally like Him (3:2), but even now already He is in the business of removing sin. And John is saying in this passage a Christian is one whom Jesus has brought into his businesses, into his practice And so this morning, even with the sign of baptism before us again, we are asking what does it mean to join Jesus in this practice, that is what baptism calls both to child of believer and adult convert - here’s the picture complete forgiveness, but also of union with Christ, not just adoption, but promise of the Holy Spirit, regeneration, the new birth to begin clearing out and bearing away sin, and actually living with Christ in a holy way!
Key Truth: Christians overcome sin by practicing righteousness, abiding in Jesus!
Does this mark how you are living inwardly. The promise that Christ will do this is signed and sealed for you by the Triune God, have you taken hold of that promise and live in. Not just adoption but promise of what happens when seed of new life in Christ deposited and can’t but help to grow. And each step of the way - can see whether in Jesus’ practice or not by asking asking two questions: 1. what is my practice with sin, and 2. what is my practice with Jesus.
A. The Categories are Not Despicable Bad-Guys, and Perfect-Good Guys, but Sinners who deal with sin on their own, and Sinners Who deal with their Sin in Jesus
This passage is structured around two categories of people. John keeps repeating there are two groups of people. The first is those whose profession, whose life-principle is made by the practice of sinning. This isn’t just falling into sin which all do. John says we are lying if think can be sinless. But this is about your ongoing, daily strategy with sin - and one group of people - keep on sinning. whether they do so willfully or just can’t live up to own standards - whether despicably or more respectful sins - they don’t get sin removed, thrown out of their lives. Some strategies - would be to minimize, to excuse, to judge others . So often to redefine sin as - a social convention - ie Mother horrified here’s son moved in with girlfirend… trying out before get serious married - everyone is doing it . The problem isn’t so much the sin - we all sin - examples of just about every heinous sin, and certainly the respectable ones that both believers and unbelievers fall into. But is what we do with our sin that matters - Satan’s strategy isn’t to get people to worship him, but to deceive them - so John says, this category of dealing sin on your own, - that group of people don’t even realize it but they are children of the devil, and they are stuck in the practice of sin. They are living in sin, habitually and there’s no action f Christ or them with the Holy Spirit to deal with it!
But as John keeps on saying, everyone and the one who, making a stark contrast between two groups of people on this planet. And remember the situation John is writing into - false teachers, group split off - looking into the very congregation and saying - these categories among us - not rocket science. We don’t have 20-20 vision about a persons eternal state, nor are we makig ultimate judgment that is for God - but you can tell those who united by Jesus by the principle the dynamic, the practice by which they deal with sin and are dealing with Jesus. John’s focus isn’t to discourage the church at Ephesus, but to encourage them to see yes, I have that new dynamic . I do know this. And I am encouraged to really progress in living by this new dynamic! And this is going to be really important to understand because if we read the problem verse by itself:
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.
you are going to do one of two spiritually dangerous and stupid things if you don’t get this. Danger of children growing-up in Christian homes especially. Look at the problem verse, but remember where the bush is thickest is usually where the game is hiding.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Either conclude: 1. This world is full of good guys and bad guys, I am a good guy - so I don’t really sin ; this verse does says Christians don’t continue to sin - well I am sinless - not a category I need to deal with. Kim and Jake already taken a vow that’s not how you view your children. Know they are sinners in need of a Saviour. But dangerous to think church member, adult believers can fall into this idea, I don’t have to deal with sin. But more common problem just as dangerous and just as stupid, is to think: Well, the longer I’m a Christian the more I know my sin. I am not going to deny, minimize redefine my sin away. - I do sin and a lot - sometimes the same sin sometimes whole bunch of different ones - and then to make the conclusion: I must not be a Christian, or I only have a hope-so salvation, fall into despair. And Satan fools us into giving up on the fight against sin and the devil! And here is where we have to do the hard work of digging into the surrounding verses. John has said - we are liars to say just because forgiven, just because anointed with the Spirit, just because alive to God, that I have no sin. We all sin say James to believers. Romans 7 struggle of a believer. Need to understand until heaven, though the sin principle of human life is defeated in Christ, it hasn’t been vanquished completely from your person. All Christians have to deal with indwelling sin until heaven!
Remember 1 JOhn 2:1-2a
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
The tense that John used for Christians needing to fight against particular one time sins here. The description of what to do when we do fall into particular one time completed action sin; that is different than the tense of sin through out this passage. And that is why it is not translate, whoever abides in Jesus does not sin. But look at how it it translated. The difference between believer and unbeliever, a child of God and child of deceived and owned by the devil, isn’t whether they sin or not, but whether they keep on sinning, whether they make sin there practice… look at 1 John 3:4 and v.8
1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know the original meaning of the word sin here, as in Romans 3, sin is missing the mark. Quite literally in classical Gk it was a military word not even so much for archery when arrow misses the mark. But used when a soldier lost the path, went off the road, took completely other route. Won’t arrive at the destination. Our text literally says a practice o the sinning. Sin is the lawlessness. God has a destination for your life and mine, for every relationships, for every endeavor and talents. He has a way of doing that - bring glory - and that will bring such blessing and goodness to other,s ourselves, whole creation. And sin isn’t just being a bad boy - it’s getting off that path to what God define and commands and wants - And the way the NT started use that word added, rebellion. Sin isn’t just breaking some arbitrary list of do and don’ts’. God’s law is His character, and it is cosmic rebellion against his character, saying I don’t want what you want God, I refuse to reflect your image in my life!
DO you get the heart of sin, whether despicable or respectable sins, its all the same, I will be a law to myself, and I reject God’s holy goodness and wisdom - I’ll define the destination and I will make my own path! And John is saying, the big issue is whether - you let that sin principle, even if remains as indwelling sin, the old self in you, whether you continue having that dominate your life - so that's the practice you engage in! Think about that pick up particular sin you struggle with, recognize not just the sin in your hand, but its the path that follows from it leads away from God, trick you to a destructive destination. Proverbs 4 says, first just sin, then, just walk, pretty soon step s path, cramped out of control. Psalm 1 first just walk, then stand in that way, then fall and stuck and seated in that!
But John says, no! There is another group of people in this world, and they practice something else. They keep on in there lives with another dynamic when sin rears its ugly head. John says, the first group is of the devil not because they are Satan worshippers and necessarily nasty people but because their practice of life plays right into a God-denying, push God away to safe distance. But listen at this other group: 1 John 3:7
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
This other group who are no longer of the devil, they are say v.9 now born of God. How do they practice life, even when stumble in sin? They hold up that partiuclar sin and say, no I can’t contiue practicing this. They practice righteousness. Not as self-righteousness , not just moralism - try really hard to keep God’s rules. But like a dentist who knows how to extract a tooth - new dentist dynamic that is in them so believers have new approach sin and to living. That new approach has to to with the second question, not only what is the attitude you have to sin but your attitude to Jesus!
B. Sinners who Deal with Sin with Jesus, practicing ‘Christ-righteousness’
I don’t know about you, but if self-righteousness were the standard, if this text meant - Christians are just going to live really good lives - not only would I be depressed disqualified and feel fraud and failure. But I’d have to say let’s fess up and shut these doors. And if this righteousness were just about living really moral lives in ourselves, I’m not sure I’d really like to be around people who are pretending and preforming. No there is something else that ought to make the church of Jesus Christ, this second group in the world - attractive to fellow sinner and suffreres and strugglers! Look at that verse 7 carefully again. The end of it has a new dynamic to practicing righteousness that changes everything. AS HE IS RIGHTEOUS., This will be the difference whether Joshua just raised to be good moral boy, or with the rest of this world a struggling sinner - but one who defeats sin and the devils work behind it, finds path of God - overcomes and achievves God’s purpose!
1 John 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
As he is righteous. That’s not just the pure holy righteousness of God in general, nor of God the Father who adopts us that reach up to his standard. That is the righteousness of the Son of God come to us in human nature. That is the righteousness of the one who in the flesh - knows and feels all the temptation we are subject too and pressed on back onto the path God designed for us. He sanctified your human life, every duty and calling you have from God - he perfected, and exemplifies, and here is the new dynamic, united to Him - he says I want to pair myself from heaven with you - for you to get on that path right now in the relationships and circumstances, the jobs and opportunities God’s designed.
Jake and Kim actually exciting part of Christian parenting when it comes to little toddlers and even teenagers. God’s entrusted them in your sphere of influence - so when sin rears its ugly head, not overwhelmed not pretend we don’t have real sin here. But iwth all seriousness, but hope - point to Jesus who not only forgives but way of escape from destructiveness of sin in their lives. So temper tantrum - why Christ’s way of dealing with anger. You have teen messing up sexually - God’s design . And in big and little areas - showing new principle of living in Christ's righteousness in getting back on the path - shooting for the bull eye of what God wants in life. Why did God appear - speaking of incantation - take away sin - Not first of all loneliness, self-worth, depression, … not the big deal important benefits, but the heart of Jesus purpose to take away sin and bend this life this world, and His people int it - back to
Don’t we all feel it - the devils work in sin destroys. What John wrote in the gospel John 10:10 theif comes to steal kill and destroy. Point that out to each other - this path COVID drinking, this rabbit hole of online gossip and attack, of escape into TV - destroying work of teh devil. Like John Owen said - we must get destroying sin, or sin will be destroying you.
And that leads us to the great secret of practicing Christ-righteousness a PAIRING.
C. The Secret to Practicing Righteousness is The Paring of Your Soul with Your Sinless Saviour!
I love the way a classmate of mine explained this. Think of fancy meal - our 24th anniversary on August 24 - surprised to see that our meal came with AMUSE BOUCHE… bit size before appetizer and main course. Really flavorful little thing - paired to the main course. Or a waiter may say oh that cut of steak - let me recommend this wine - bring out the flavour interact togehter. Well this is the hidden dynamic behind Christian living and dealing with sin, that results in real progress in overcoming and throwing it out in our lives, so that we do indeed little by little over the long haul - become like Jesus already in this life since you were born again!
1 John 3:9 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.
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.
Think of a sinful habit you struggle against, think of a temptation fallen to more than once, and it almost seems designed to make you fall in way deal with certain kid, or spouse, money …what is going to change way you deal with that - so get back on God’s path there. What’s going to make this not practicing sin, continuing int it , living in sin. That’s the mystery at the end of tat verse. A Christian isn’t just someone who belies right stuff, nor one who makes good decisions and has good behavior. Not even one who has just been adopted by God, so God has promised new relationship. A Christian is one whom God caused in our adoption, to have His spiritual DNA - his seed embedded at the core of who we are. Remember what John said earlier - you have an anointing - the Holy Spirit dwells within you, making Christ in the fulness of His character and the Father in all his character at home in your soul. Life of God in the life of man. John 1:13 When we believe in Christ, Spirit of God within us - gives us the right to be called Children of God, heirs of god, even partners in his life!
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
We are born of God by the Spirit, so that there can be a transformation of our inner nature! And this is why I can’t continue on sinning, walking that path, when I have this new birth of God’s seed at the core of my being. Lost sinners even without believing Satan, are trapped by Satan, because they are stuck sinning like Satan has from the beginning, from His Fall. But we who turn to Christ, have a new beginning in Him, Christ turned my whole human nature to God - and that seed can’t but help grow in me. 1 Peter 1:23b, 25b
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So I live abiding in Christ - wonder of wonders the waiters says - you what two things would be paired beautifully. Christ has looked at you and said -I am paired up wonderfully - and you live in that pairing. Path leads not to the values of world as a system ignoring God, but to Christ and HIs Kingdom, paired with values of the Beatutides, with the his character in God’s law, with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. NOW do you see the promise of that hardest problem verse? Remember the game is usually hiding where the bush is the thickest. Look at it again, this time with the wonder at the very beginning: Abiding Christ means I start walking by the divine nature or principle that he has panted in me!
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.
No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
John is saying, dear children adopted and born of God, You have seen Jesus Christ. You know Him. Not only does He abide in You, but listen You abide in Him. You remember how John recorded jesus words about branch and a vine - vital abiding, remain in - and John is syaing - so sin rears its ugly head, not just a one time occurence, not just about you being good boy or girl or bad body or girl. Every Sin comes from Satan - and you have a choice to make about what system am I going to live by in your dealing with sin. And John says, not that its an impossibility for a child of God to fall into sin, but then to remain/abide it it. Its impossible that I then habitually, defiantly, reject my heavenly Father - and decide fro rebellion without repentance! No, I decide for and do indeed abide in Christ.
Since 10 years of age, fantasized by that picture. Remain, abide as RSV of my first childhood Bible. Really think its John's favourite word. But not just for comfort also for challenge, destructive power of Satan deceiving and destroying in this world, and influencing God church even His children.
Satan desire to lead people away from God and believe THE LIE. Christ alone can reverse the LIE. Satan promotes sin, Christ righteousness. Satan delights in pride. Christ in humility. Satan says Believe in yourself. Christ says: Trust only in Me. Satan wants to bring destruction, decay, and death - even if that barbed hook is under temptation of big juicy worm. But Christ came that we may have life and life more abundantly. The devil has done untold damage by turning the creation and turning each one of us to miss God’s mark. But Christ has restored his people, and He will compete his work of Grace. But the secret that manner in which He does this - is not just follow me … learn my teaching and rules. But listen after saying follow me, Jesus commands is abide in me! Need to show Joshua the Jesus he must follow, and know. But never forget what matter is that you model what it means to live out this baptism, to abide in Christ, live in union with Him.
John says the secret is in the abiding - that’s how we practice righteousness. That’s the difference between just moralism, and legal-righteousness and obedience; and the obedience of true sons and daughter indwelt by the living Christ in the Spirit. Gospel-obedience, Christ-righteousness worked in our lives - is Jesus sacrificing us form with in. You’ve felt this when not actively abiding in Christ - little power to really do relationships and duties and purity with purpose and power, but when abiding in Christ and His Word.
Christians, you know what sin is and you know where it comes form. But Christian more importantly you really know Him, Christ, you know His Person, His work of destroying the works of the devil in you life and in this world. You have the twin graces of justification and sanctification from Christ. Being saved by faith isn’t a licence to continue in sin. We can’t say: I am Christian, and not receive the Christ who purifies us by His Spirit and Word. So something happens to our violent temper, our selfish attitudes our indulgence in unlawful desires, simmering resentments, and uncontrolled tongue.
This passage with everyone and no one is written for you and I to make a discovery. There are only two types of people in this world and they are made evident by their attitude to both sin and their attitude to Christ. 1 John 3:10
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.
Listen to Anglican Alfred Plummer explain it and discern for yourself: “Although the believer sometimes sins, yet not sin but opposition to sin, is the ruling principle of his life; for whenever he sins he confesses it, and winds forgiveness, and perseveres with is self-purification. But the habitual sinner does none of these things: sin is his ruling principle. And this could not be the case if he had ever really known Christ.”
This morning even with the picture of baptism before us again, we are called to consider - has Jesus Person and work as the one who takes away sin - become my life-principle, my identity and I have joined the practice. I know you are paired to Him as a member of His covenant. But can you say, I am paired to His very Person and Work by faith? John is saying this too is a necessary test for you and I to take. Robert Murray M’Cheyne in his day of cold formal religion: lamented: “More souls are lost through want of consideration than in any other way.” Think of the prodigal son. We are all prodigal daughter and wayward sons… perhaps some here are running with the wolves and supping with the swine. Need to know you can and must get up and walk home. Know all has been done by Christ, so ring on your finger, sandals, a feast - a pairing and partnering in the family practice. Repent, return , rejoice!
Think about sin. Think about Christ, think about your life - have you found the secret of abiding on Christ. Will you teach it and pray for it for those that aren’t there yet! And as you both abide in Christ for salvation but also depended on him FOR WALKING IN PURITY AND LIGHT AND LOVE - taking this test fill you with joy, fellowship. partnership with Jesus and His people. We are not a sinless people of selfirgihtouens judgmental do-gooders social club. We don’t pretend to be sinless Saviours to this world. But though we are not sinless Saviours. We we sin-hating, sin-fighting followers of our sinless Saviour. We are becoming more and more images of our immaculate Immnauel. Sinful patterns and habits are being killed; and new habits of holiness become our prevailing lifestyle. Real and radical change inwardly and outwardly, not only are possible but are happening.