1 John 3:4-6 says,...
Today's verses are 1 John 3:4-6 which read,
v.4 - Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
John continues to give his readers and us instruction in fact form. If you practice sin you are also practicing going against God's word as if there is no law. Going against God's word as if there is no law is sin. The key here is understanding the word "practice." Practice means "to make" with the emphasis on this being something you make a practice of doing. "Everyone who makes it a practice of sinning on a regular basis." We all sin but the genuine Christian should not be in the practice or looking for ways to sin but rather when they sin, they confess to go against the temptation to make it a practice.
"Lawlessness" means "the condition without the law." The person who makes it a practice to sin is also making it a practice to deny that God has a law of what is right and wrong. I think you could say this person also makes some kind of disconnect that what they are doing somehow doesn't pertain to God.
John lets us know that the condition of denying that God has a law or that what we are doing is beyond, above or not pertaining to that law is also sin (missing the mark set by God). We are to be holy. If you can imagine an archer's target or maybe the dart board with the center representing "holy." We aim for it but we will not hit it if sin is not taken care of (confession). We will not hit it if we make it a practice or habit of sinning. We will not hit it if we think there is not center of the target at all. We only hit the center of the target, what God has called us to be, if we accept and abide in God's way through salvation in Jesus Christ and continue to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
v.5 - You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
John gives us more facts. Jesus came (physically and visibly) to take away sins. God sent His Son to save sinners, that was our Christmas definition. There was no need of sending Jesus to die on the cross if this was not the mission or a possibility. The second fact is that Jesus was not just a good guy or a good teacher but He was without sin, blemish, or fault. I think John is wanting us to connect the dots here. If we are to abide in Christ and in Christ there is no sin and He came to take away sins then we who abide in Christ are to live not in the practice of sin or not even thinking it is necessary to follow God's way but to live in light of Jesus' mission as redeemed people from sin.
v.6 - No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
John gives another strong statement here to determine the genuine Christian. The person who abides in Jesus does not make it a practice or habit of sinning or even dismissing sin that it really isn't sin or not that bad. The person who makes it a practice or habit of sinning or even dismisses sin altogether has not "seen Him or knows Him." John is saying that the person described as such is not in a salvation relationship with Jesus. What is John basing this off of, Scripture and the fruit of that person's life in light of Scripture. To see and to know Christ is to behold and apply Jesus to your life and someone who makes it a practice and habit of sinning and ignoring that it is sin is denying why Jesus even came. A genuine Christian cannot deny that fact therefore the one who does this is not a genuine Christian.
"John is judging here and we are not suppose to judge" might be the cry of some but John is just giving facts from the Scripture and straight from Jesus' words. If someone is feeling judged by hearing the facts then I would say that the Word of God is doing something in their life to make them aware of the sin. Judgment from God's Word leads to conviction that leads to repentance and confession and that leads to a right relationship with God.
"I'm a Christian, I just make it a habit of going against what God says and downplaying that it is necessary to surrender it over to God." John says that person who has this attitude and action is not abiding in Christ and needs to know and see Christ, the sinless One who came to redeem us from sin.
"Lord, may I practice and make it a habit of following You who came to give me my redemption. May I live my life in reflection of that fact. When I am tempted to sin or when I sin, convict me that You did not come and die and rise again for me to go in that direction. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.4 - Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
John continues to give his readers and us instruction in fact form. If you practice sin you are also practicing going against God's word as if there is no law. Going against God's word as if there is no law is sin. The key here is understanding the word "practice." Practice means "to make" with the emphasis on this being something you make a practice of doing. "Everyone who makes it a practice of sinning on a regular basis." We all sin but the genuine Christian should not be in the practice or looking for ways to sin but rather when they sin, they confess to go against the temptation to make it a practice.
"Lawlessness" means "the condition without the law." The person who makes it a practice to sin is also making it a practice to deny that God has a law of what is right and wrong. I think you could say this person also makes some kind of disconnect that what they are doing somehow doesn't pertain to God.
John lets us know that the condition of denying that God has a law or that what we are doing is beyond, above or not pertaining to that law is also sin (missing the mark set by God). We are to be holy. If you can imagine an archer's target or maybe the dart board with the center representing "holy." We aim for it but we will not hit it if sin is not taken care of (confession). We will not hit it if we make it a practice or habit of sinning. We will not hit it if we think there is not center of the target at all. We only hit the center of the target, what God has called us to be, if we accept and abide in God's way through salvation in Jesus Christ and continue to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
v.5 - You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.
John gives us more facts. Jesus came (physically and visibly) to take away sins. God sent His Son to save sinners, that was our Christmas definition. There was no need of sending Jesus to die on the cross if this was not the mission or a possibility. The second fact is that Jesus was not just a good guy or a good teacher but He was without sin, blemish, or fault. I think John is wanting us to connect the dots here. If we are to abide in Christ and in Christ there is no sin and He came to take away sins then we who abide in Christ are to live not in the practice of sin or not even thinking it is necessary to follow God's way but to live in light of Jesus' mission as redeemed people from sin.
v.6 - No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
John gives another strong statement here to determine the genuine Christian. The person who abides in Jesus does not make it a practice or habit of sinning or even dismissing sin that it really isn't sin or not that bad. The person who makes it a practice or habit of sinning or even dismisses sin altogether has not "seen Him or knows Him." John is saying that the person described as such is not in a salvation relationship with Jesus. What is John basing this off of, Scripture and the fruit of that person's life in light of Scripture. To see and to know Christ is to behold and apply Jesus to your life and someone who makes it a practice and habit of sinning and ignoring that it is sin is denying why Jesus even came. A genuine Christian cannot deny that fact therefore the one who does this is not a genuine Christian.
"John is judging here and we are not suppose to judge" might be the cry of some but John is just giving facts from the Scripture and straight from Jesus' words. If someone is feeling judged by hearing the facts then I would say that the Word of God is doing something in their life to make them aware of the sin. Judgment from God's Word leads to conviction that leads to repentance and confession and that leads to a right relationship with God.
"I'm a Christian, I just make it a habit of going against what God says and downplaying that it is necessary to surrender it over to God." John says that person who has this attitude and action is not abiding in Christ and needs to know and see Christ, the sinless One who came to redeem us from sin.
"Lord, may I practice and make it a habit of following You who came to give me my redemption. May I live my life in reflection of that fact. When I am tempted to sin or when I sin, convict me that You did not come and die and rise again for me to go in that direction. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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