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 A STUDY OF 1 JOHN (20)

 

A Major Contrast

1 John 3:4-10

Victor M. Eskew

 

            When a book of the Bible is not kept in its historical setting, it is easy to misinterpret passages of Scripture found within the book.  This can easily happen in the book of 1 John.  We must keep in mind that John is confronting a false teaching that will ultimately become Gnosticism.  Due to the Gnostic’s view regarding the flesh and spirit, they set themselves at odds with Jesus Christ and the righteousness He brought into the world. 

            In 1 John 3:4-10, John makes several contrasts:  those who sin not versus those who sin, those of the devil versus those born of God, those who do righteousness versus those who do not do righteousness, and the work of Satan versus the work of the Son of God.  John’s purpose in this section of Scripture is to clearly define sin and discuss the practice of sin in the lives of God’s children.  THE MEANING OF SIN is set forth in 1 John 3:4.  “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:  for sin is the transgression of the law.”  The New Testament of Jesus Christ is a law.  It is referred to as law in several places:  “the law of the Spirit of life” (Rom. 8:2); “the law of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2); “the perfect law of liberty” (James 1:25); and “the royal law” (James 2:8).  Those who transgress the law commit sin.  The word “transgress” means “to violate.”  If a person does what the law prohibits, he transgresses the law.  If a person fails to do what the law authorizes to be done, he transgresses the law.  NOTE:  There are some who teach that we are not under law today.  If that were true, no one could commit sin because sin is the transgression of the law.

            Sin is NEVER a good thing.  It stands in opposition to both the work and the person of Jesus Christ.  In 1 John 3:5, John reminds his readers of THE MISSION OF THE CHRIST.  “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”  Jesus was the sinless Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).  His death on Calvary enabled the sins of all men to be removed.  His blood paid the price for sin (Rev. 1:5).  Keep something in mind.  If anyone contends that sin is acceptable in the life of the Christian, he stands at odds with Jesus’ death which was designed to remove sins.  Too, he stands at odds with the Son of God who did no sin (See 1 Pet. 2:22).

            THE MONITION OF JOHN is contained in 1 John 3:7-9.  He begins by warning his readers with these words:  “Little children, let no man deceive you…” (1 John 3:7a).  Deception is the work of Satan.  He deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:4-5; 1 Tim. 2:14) and has sought to deceive man ever since.  The Gnostic teachers were deceiving some of the first century Christians.  They taught that since the flesh would be discarded at death, then individuals could sin without putting their spirits in danger.  John reveals that a righteous man does righteousness.  On the other hand, those who commit sin are of the devil.  “…he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning…” (1 John 3:7b-8a).  John does not have occasional sins committed by God’s children in mind.  He dealt with this issue earlier (See 1 John 1:8-2:2).  He is dealing with a lifestyle of sin.  The Gnostics saw no harm in committing all kinds of sin.  Why?  Because they believed their sins would perish with the body when it separated from the spirit at death (James 2:26).  John wanted his readers to know that the Christian life is not a life of sin.  Why would a Christian involve himself in the very thing Jesus came to destroy?  “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b). 

            In the next verse, John reveals two things about the Christian and sin.  First, “whosoever is born of God doeth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him…” (I John 3:9a).  A Christian is a person who seeks to live his life in harmony with the Word of God.  “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ…” (Phil. 1:27).  “Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom…” (Col. 3:16).  And again:  “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1:25).  As long as the child of God allows “the seed,” that is, the Word of God (Luke 8:11), to abide in him, he will not commit sin.  Second, “…and he cannot commit sin, because he is born of God.”  There are two ways the word “cannot” can be defined.  One definition is “impossible.”  We know this is not the definition here because of John’s discussion previously in this epistle.  He wrote;  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  Therefore, John must have another definition of “cannot” in mind.  A second definition of cannot is:  “that which is not permitted.”  The Christian cannot sin.  In other words, he is not permitted to sin.  Joseph is a prime illustration of this definition of the word “cannot.”  When Potipher’s wife continually propositioned Joseph to lie with her, he said:  “…how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9).  Joseph was telling this woman:  “I cannot do this.”  It wasn’t that it was impossible for him to do it.  It was that as a child of God it was not permissible for him to do it.  Thus, Joseph said:  “I cannot sin against my God.”

            John ends in verse 10 of 1 John 3, with a simple conclusion.  We refer to his conclusion as THE MEAT OF THE MATTER.  “In 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.”  John notes that it is easy to distinguish between the children of God and the children of the devil.  God’s children do righteousness.  They obey the Word of God.  Their lives are not filled with sin.  This is not true of the children of the devil.  The transgression of God’s Word is a normal part of their lives.  When they sin, they are not doing righteousness.  If a person is not practicing righteousness, he is “not of God.” 

            Notice John also declares that the children of the devil do not love their brethren.  Up to this point in the letter, he has not dealt with this issue as it relates to the Gnostics.  His statement at this time, leads into that topic in the next several verses.  We will examine brotherly love in articles to come.