Jesus Came to Deliver Us From Sin

John has informed us that we have been born of God and are now His children (2:29–3:2). He also taught us that the practice of righteousness provides evidence that one is a child of God.

John has challenged us to live a life of righteousness (2:29) and purity (3:3) grounded in the promise of the second coming of Christ.

Now he proceeds to show how being a child of God is incompatible with the practice of sin. The two simply do not go together. They are enemies to the death.

So let us read together today’s text found in 1 John 3:4-9

1 John 3:4–9 NKJV

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

The first universal truth John shares in today's text is this:

Christ Appeared and Dealt with Sin (v.4-5)

There is a universal truth John sets before us in verse 4: “Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law.”

Sin is lawlessness, rebellion, a defiant disregard and rejection of God’s rightful rule as Lord over your life.

In your practice of sin, you rebel against your rightful King and say, “I hate Your law.” Sin is nothing less than personal treason against the Sovereign of the universe. And sin is not a one-time offense. It is the habitual and settled disposition of your heart and your life that makes you, as someone has once said, “an outlaw against God”

And because our problem with sin is so great, a great ransom must be paid. We know this is why Christ came in the incarnation: “He was revealed so that He might take away sins” (v. 5).

And do not miss this: He could do what He did because He is who He is. “There is no sin in Him” (v. 5). Not even one! His sinlessness is part of what qualified Him to provide the needed ransom, which is why His lack of sin is a consistent theme that resounds throughout the Bible. John himself has already taught us He is the righteous one (2:29) and the pure one (3:3). Now he explicitly identifies Jesus as the sinless one.

Paul agrees, for in 2 Corinthians 5:21 he writes,

2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The author of Hebrews also agrees. In Hebrews 4:15 he tells us,

Hebrews 4:15 NKJV

15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Again in Hebrews 7:25–26 he says,

Hebrews 7:25–26 NKJV

25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;

Peter also agrees, because in 1 Peter 2:22 he writes,

1 Peter 2:22 NKJV

22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

Christ has indeed appeared, lived a sinless life, and dealt with our sin. All of Scripture testifies to this truth.

The second universal truth John shares in today's text is this:

Christians Abide in Christ and Do Not Live in Sin (v. 6)

Verse 6 logically and necessarily flows from verse 5. Because there is no sin in Jesus, no one who abides in Him keeps on sinning. In fact, if one does continue in a pattern or practice of sin, another logical and necessary conclusion must be drawn: “everyone who sins [keeps on sinning] has not seen Him or known Him” in a personal, saving relationship.

John’s theology is flawless. If the sinless Son of God appeared in history to take away sin, how is it possible to abide in Him and sin at the same time? The answer is, you can’t. It is impossible.

Some have understood verses 6 and 9 to affirm sinless perfection in this life. This, however, would contradict what John said in 1:8, 10. So how do we reconcile this universal spiritual truth.

Because of the new birth, we have a new nature. Because Christ has taken away our sins, we have a new liberty and freedom. Sin no longer dominates us or enslaves us. Sin is no longer the character and conduct of my life.

What John is doing here is helping us to evaluate our spiritual condition. Whether or not we have this new nature that only Christ gave you.

What is Your Nature?

Webster’s defines nature as “the essential character of something; inborn character or disposition.” What is the essential, inborn character of the Christian? At the core of your life, at the spirit level, you have a disposition that hungers to glorify God.

Grace Walk: What You've Always Wanted in the Christian Life Chapter 4

Tony had come to talk about his relapse during his spring break from college. “I trusted Christ and was born again last year, but I’m still struggling at times with the temptation to smoke pot.” He explained how he “kind of fell backward” during his recent trip to Daytona Beach with some college buddies. “Sometimes wonder if I’ve really changed,” he said.

Grace Walk: What You've Always Wanted in the Christian Life Chapter 4

“Tony, how do you feel right now about having smoked marijuana?” I asked him.

“Miserable,” he quietly answered, his eyes staring at the floor.

“Did you feel bad about smoking pot before you became a Christian?” I continued.

“Not really,” he said. “I always said I wasn’t hurting anybody with it.”

“Do you know why you feel miserable now? It’s because you are a new man. It isn’t your nature to enjoy drugs anymore. The old Tony might have been a party animal who loved drugs. But that lifestyle contradicts the nature of the new Tony.”

Because I now abide in Christ and in the power of His person and work in the gospel, I may fall into sin, but I will not walk in sin. Sin will not be my habit; it will not be my normal practice. I no longer love sin; I hate sin. I no longer delight in sin; I despise sin.

Grace Walk: What You've Always Wanted in the Christian Life Chapter 4

The pleasure of sinning doesn’t disappear when a person trusts Christ. But after the short-lived pleasure is gone, sin leaves a Christian feeling empty and unfulfilled. Have you found that to be true when you sin? It isn’t your nature now to live a lifestyle of sin. If this weren’t true, you wouldn’t experience inner conflict when you sin. If your basic nature were a sin nature, it wouldn’t bother you to sin. It would be as comfortable for you as barking is for a dog or gobbling is for a turkey. However, you’re not comfortable with sin, because your nature is not what it used to be.

Paul often used the phrase “the old man” to describe the old sin nature that gave us our identity before we were saved.

Since we have only one nature now, the nature of Christ Jesus, the question arises as to what happened to our old man. Look again at 2 Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

So what happened to the old man? Paul says that the old has “passed away.” You know what it means when someone has “passed away.” To put it plain, they’re dead. That’s what happened to our old sin nature. It passed away and is never coming back.

Maybe you haven’t believed that your old sin nature is dead. But just for a moment, ask yourself this question: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if my sin nature was honestly dead? This is where things get exciting because the Bible shows that our sin nature is dead!

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

When Paul said that he had “been crucified with Christ,” he spoke of a past event. The form of the Greek word translated “crucified” indicates that it was a historical event that continues to have present implications.

He went on to say, “It is no longer I who live.” There is an unavoidable truth in this verse. We have been put to death with Jesus Christ on the cross and do not live anymore.

Who was Paul speaking about when he said, “I have been crucified and I no longer live?” He was referring to his sin nature. Our sin nature died with Jesus Christ on the cross almost 2,000 years ago.

If you have trouble accepting that fact, then consider this question: If it wasn’t our sin nature that died, what did die?

Paul teaches here that the old self is forever dead. Our sin nature won’t be coming back. The life we now possess is nothing less than the very life of Jesus Christ!

But I Don’t Feel Dead

You may not feel that your sin nature is dead, but God says that it is. This in no way means that you will live a life of sinless perfection.

It does mean that it is not your nature to live a life of habitual sin anymore. The conflict between flesh and spirit will exist as long as you are in this world.

However, saints have the freedom to choose to sin or not to sin. By the life of Christ the new you has the desire to resist sin and the power to live victoriously.