1 John 3:2 (ESV) 1 John 3:2 (ESV) 22 Beloved, we are Beloved, we are God’s children now, God’s children now, and what we will be and what we will be has not yet appeared; has not yet appeared; but we know that but we know that when he appears we when he appears we shall be like him, shall be like him, because we shall see because we shall see him as he is. him as he is.

1 John 3:3–4 1 John 3:3–4 3 And everyone who 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him thus hopes in him purifies himself as he purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice who makes a practice of sinning also of sinning also practices lawlessness; practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. sin is lawlessness.

1 John 3:5 1 John 3:5 5 You know that he 5 You know that he appeared in order to appeared in order to take away sins, and in take away sins, and in him there is no sin.him there is no sin.

6 No one who abides 6 No one who abides in him keeps on in him keeps on sinning; no one who sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has keeps on sinning has either seen him or either seen him or known him. known him.

1 John 3:71 John 3:77 Little children, let 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. no one deceive you. Whoever practices Whoever practices righteousness is righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous, as he is righteous. righteous.

1 John 3:81 John 3:88 Whoever makes a 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is practice of sinning is of the devil, for the of the devil, for the devil has been sinning devil has been sinning from the beginning. from the beginning. The reason the Son of The reason the Son of God appeared was to God appeared was to destroy the works of destroy the works of the devil. the devil.

1 John 3:91 John 3:99 No one born of God 9 No one born of God makes a practice of makes a practice of sinning, for God’s sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on and he cannot keep on sinning because he sinning because he has been born of God. has been born of God.

1 John 3:10 1 John 3:10 10 By this it is evident 10 By this it is evident who are the children who are the children of God, and who are of God, and who are the children of the the children of the devil: whoever does devil: whoever does not practice not practice righteousness is not righteousness is not of God, nor is the one of God, nor is the one who does not love his who does not love his brother. brother.

1 John 3:91 John 3:99 9 No one born of God No one born of God makes a practice of makes a practice of sinningsinning, for God’s , for God’s seed abides in him, seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on and he cannot keep on sinning because he sinning because he has been born of God.has been born of God.

At first you might conclude:At first you might conclude:

“ “Well John is saying that if I Well John is saying that if I struggle with persistent sin struggle with persistent sin or habitual sin or sin that or habitual sin or sin that just keeps tripping me up, just keeps tripping me up, that I haven’t really arrived, that I haven’t really arrived, or it shows that I really don’t or it shows that I really don’t have a relationship with have a relationship with Christ.”Christ.”

At the very beginning of his At the very beginning of his letter, John writes:letter, John writes:

1 John 1:8–101 John 1:8–108 8 If we say we have no sin, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in usthe truth is not in us. 9 If . 9 If we confess our sins, he is we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us our sins and to cleanse us from all us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his make him a liar, and his word is not in us. word is not in us.

1 John 3:6 (ESV) 1 John 3:6 (ESV) 6 No one who abides 6 No one who abides in him keeps on in him keeps on sinning; no one who sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has keeps on sinning has either seen him or either seen him or known him. known him.

A simple book introduction from bible.org

1 John: Introduction, Argument, and OutlineStudy By: Daniel B. WallaceFrom the Series: New Testament: Introductions and Outlines

D. OccasionThe immediate occasion for this epistle is that the false teachers had left the church (2.19), but were harassing the church and enticing it from a position outside.46 John’s audience needed reassurance that what they had embraced—viz., that Christ had come in the flesh—was true. John assures his audience of this truth—as well as the truth of the Gospel in general—on two grounds: (1) he was an eyewitness to Christ (1.1-3), and (2) the Spirit bore witness to their spirit that these things were true (2.20, 27).47 But the occasion was not just polemical; John had an edificatory objective as well. Thus the almost monotonous refrain “I have written to you in order that/because…” The purpose statement in 5.13, on the analogy of John’s Gospel, would seem to be the most encompassing one: “I have written these things to you in order that you—that is, to those who believe in the name of the Son of God—might know that you have eternal life.”48

John is writing to correct their erroneous view of this group who said that it didn’t matter what they did in their bodies because their

souls were saved. That is the first thing we must remember. This is a

letter written in a specific time to

correct this error.

It is also a letter for all time—a letter that has much to teach you and I in

our battle against habitual sin.

What John wants us to know is that God has selected us to be part of his family because we believe in his son Jesus

Christ.

1 John 3:21 John 3:2Beloved, we are Beloved, we are God’s children now, God’s children now, and what we will be and what we will be has not yet has not yet appeared; but we appeared; but we know that when he know that when he appears we shall be appears we shall be like him, because we like him, because we shall see him as he shall see him as he is. is.

God considers us God considers us His children.His children.

He says that being a He says that being a child of God carries with child of God carries with

it responsibility to act it responsibility to act as a family member.as a family member.

Here is what is also true:

Our conduct is the clue to our paternity

We have an importance responsibility that falls on being the Children of God.

We need to act like children of the

Father

A sample of Buckingham palace King Edward VII's Authentic Autographed

Letter on Stationery from 1907

We have an importance responsibility that falls on being the Children of God.

We need to act like children of the

Father

1 John 3:3 1 John 3:3 3 And everyone 3 And everyone who thus hopes in who thus hopes in him purifies him purifies himself as he is himself as he is pure. pure.

And with family privilege comes family responsibility.

1 John 3:4 1 John 3:4 4 Everyone who 4 Everyone who makes a practice makes a practice of sinning also of sinning also practices practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. lawlessness.

What John is imploring here is that we take a fearless look at our life, and if we find a habitual practice sin, to take action to put a stop to it.

1 John 3:5 (ESV) 1 John 3:5 (ESV) 5 You know that 5 You know that he appeared in he appeared in order to take order to take away sins, and in away sins, and in him there is no him there is no sin. sin.

Hebrews 4:15 (NIV84)

For we do not have a high priest who is

unable to sympathize with our

weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in

every way, just as we are—yet was without

sin.

1 John 3:6 1 John 3:6 6 No one who 6 No one who abides in him abides in him keeps on sinning; keeps on sinning; no one who keeps no one who keeps on sinning has on sinning has either seen him or either seen him or known him. known him.

Is the author teaching sinless perfection?

As one of God’s children, we need to be sure we are not in a settled state in our sin. In other words, that

our sin has not become a comfortable companion.

Look at your life and do whatever it takes to free

yourselves from sin!

Engage the Battle!