THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS 1 JOHN 3:4-12

 [4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

 [5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

 [6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

 [7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

 [8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

 [9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

 [10] 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.

 [11] For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

 [12] Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

[4] Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

 [5] And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

This is a brief summary of the Gospel of Grace. Sinners break the laws of God but Jesus came to earth as the sinless lamb of God. All of mankind are sinners but Jesus came to take our sin on Himself. This is the message of God’s grace.

John reminds us of this gospel fact to prevent confusion about what he is about to say for some might say that the following verses teach salvation through works rather than through the sacrifice of Christ.

 [6] Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

This has led to many different doctrines.

George King accepted Christ as an adolescent but he says that the pastor told him that he cannot sin or he will lose his salvation and can never get it back. It wasn’t long before teenager George realized he was a sinner he concluded had lost his salvation already so he might as well live for the devil because all was lost already. Later in life George came to understand that Christ is ready and faithful to forgive our sin whenever we come to Him and repent.

God forgives sins but he never excuses sin.

In order to understand what the Bible is saying in this and the next few verses we need to view it through the lens of all scripture.

For instance John has already told us what to do if we sin.

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (I John 2:1)

 [8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(I John 1:8-9)

The lens John has already given us in understanding the context of what is being taught is this:

All of us are sinners. If you claim you are not you are a liar and a sinner. So we must confess our sins to God and seek forgiveness

However, all through this epistle he warns us not to sin and in this selection of scripture he is making it clear that just because we are forgiven of our sins it does not give us open season to continue in sin.

If you see a person who claims to know Christ but lives like the devil that person clearly doesn’t know Christ.

Christ is on the side of Good and righteousness. If you abide in him you are standing on good and righteousness. To abide in Christ means DO NOT SIN. The person that pursues sin is not abiding in Christ. John describes that person who claims to know Christ but continues living a sinful life as a hypocrite who really does not know Jesus.

The apostle Paul describes the sort of person that John is talking about here as someone who pursues the “works of the flesh”.

 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

 [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

 [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

So 1 John 3:6 is making it clear that just because Christ has extended mercy and forgiven us of our sin it does not mean that we are given carte blanch to continue in sin. The command for us as forgiven believers is this. DO NOT SIN.

1 john 2:1 says “Sin not!” The Apostle Paul also says in Ephesians 4:26 “Sin not!” Paul also answers the question about if the Christian can continue to live in sin after being forgiven. He says,

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (Romans 6:15)

So the context of what 1 John 3:4-12 is teaching is that even though we are sinners, though saved by grace, we are not allowed to sin. Sin is still wrong. It is still sin and if the works of the flesh describe us we must conclude that we are hypocrites that do not know Christ. We didn’t lose our salvation, we never had it. We never knew Christ in the first place.

 [7] Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

 [8] He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus also taught, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” In other words we judge character by peoples actions. You do not trust a thief with your money or a drunk with your car. Such judgment is necessary. A person lacking in such reason is called foolish in Scripture. If you are a Christian, live like one!

THE SAVED SOUL VRS THE SINFUL FLESH

[9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

This verse seems to refer to that aspect of our spiritual being that has been “born again”. Our redeemed spirit and soul being kept pure in Christ until that day of redemption when our sinful flesh is cast off. That new born again entity within us cannot sin. Again, turning to the Apostle Paul he describes this

 [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

 [20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

 [21] I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

 [22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

 [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

 [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

 [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:19-25)

In this life the Christian has two natures. The old man and the new. The new man is preserved in the righteousness of Christ from the old sinful nature of the flesh.

   [22] That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

 [23] And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

 [24] And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.   (Ephesians 4:22-24)

That old sin nature remains in us even though God has given us a new spirit. One day we will drop this sinful flesh and rise in Christ’s perfection.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)

So our job as followers of Christ is to walk in the newness of life in Christ while putting down that old nature.

As followers of Christ we are to abide in that new nature in Christ. We are to avoid sin and practice love.