Scripture: 1 John 3
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1)
Thrust: Every believer that are called Children of God must characterize the manner of life God the Father has commanded us to live.
God the Father says: I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. (2 Cor 6:18)
God the Son tells us: Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (Heb 2:11)
God the Holy Spirit affirms: The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Rom 8:16)
I. Live Righteously
But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa 64:6)
A. They Continue to Purify Themselves
And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. (1 Jn 2:28)
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone [believers] who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 Jn 3:2-3, NKJV)
B. They Understand What Sin Is
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. (1 Jn 3:4-6)
- i. Sin is lawlessness (v.4)
- ii. Jesus came to take away our sin (v.5)
- iii. Only Jesus Christ can take away our sin because he is sinless (v.5b)
- iv. No one who is in Christ keeps on sinning (v.6a)
- v. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him (v.6b)
- vi. He who keeps on sinning is of the devil (v.7)
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. (1 Jn 3:9)
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (1 Jn 2:1-2, NKJV)
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn 1:9, NKJV)
II. Love Tangibly
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12, NKJV)
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 Jn 3:18, NKJV)
A. Loving Sacrificially and Compassionately
By this we know love, because [Jesus Christ] laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 Jn 3:16, NKJV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Mt 25:31-40)
Challenge
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. (1 Jn 3:19-20, NKJV)
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (1 Jn 3:21-22, NKJV)
