Text:           1 John 3:1-10

By:               OGUMOR, SUNNY (BISHOP)

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We all are children of our parents.  Parenting is not just giving birth to a child but it entails the experiences, skills, qualities, and responsibilities involved in being a parent and in teaching and caring for a child, it requires training up the child the way he should go that when he grows up, he will not depart from it. Those who could not properly parent their children do suffer the consequences sooner or later.

Show love to your child but not the worldly love where you pamper the child with what is in vogue, because that is the way the child will go when he /she grew up. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1Jn 4:8, Eph 2:4-5.

The intensity of God’s Love: the strength, power, force, breadth, length, depth, and height of the Father’s love is unquantifiable. His love is so much that, even when we didn’t want Him, He accepted us and eventually won us over. This should be your love-attitude; this should be the character of your love; you must love others passionately and intensely as God does.  It means letting your love rise above the criticisms of others. It means that the bitterness of others can’t reduce it, the character of your love grows beyond human weakness. This love does not give room to hatred, backbiting and malice. As God love you if you keep this love, you will be amazed at the workings of God in your life.

1John 3:1-3

John is calling our attention to something special, he said “behold” what manner of love the father hath bestowed on us that we should be called his children. The devil has taken a strong grip on mankind and God said no it cannot continue like this because he so loves the world, he created He then sent his only begotten son to the world so that whosoever believed him will be loosed from the grip of the devil.

“Behold”, look at it the “love” properly, contemplate on it, wonder about it, take note of it, look at it critically what type of love the father have for you, that love in quality and quantity that will make you not to look outside. The devil is there waiting for those who will look outside, whom he will deceive.

It is important to understand what it means to be a child of God; everyone is not a child of God in the sense John meant it here. God’s love is expressed to all when he gave his son for the sins of the world but this does not make all of humanity the children of God in the sense John mean it here. Here he speaks of those who confess that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus is the son of God. Those who have received the love of Jesus in a life of fellowship and trust with Him. 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).

The world (unbelievers) does not know us because it did not know Him: believers know him as their Lord and Savior. But unbelievers did not, if they know him, they will not cry out crucify him, they know him then as the son of the carpenter and not as Christ (the Messiah). The same world people who flocked to Him looking for one miracle or the other, we must remember that it was the world people that cried out crucify Him! Then it was a terrible thing, they don’t want to recognize Him, the high priests don’t want to hear the name Jesus Christ. Acts 4:17, 5:28. Saul who was later Paul was a terror. Acts 9. As we speak some persons want to crucify Him the second time.

John is painting a picture of joy and success for us; he reveals that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Making yourself pure for the hope of seeing Christ is good and encouraging, but there is danger of pretending in doing so and living in sin. This is something each and every one of us need to understand. John is referring to the active role that a Christian play in the effort to overcome sin, and ultimate reliance on Christ. You cannot remain pure if you play double standard.

Counting yourself among the children of God is very good, claim it and hold onto it, but remember faith without work is dead, what have you done to earn this name. We shall see him as he is. Will you be among those that will see him, then purify yourself. When we will see our master, we will all be rejoicing, singing songs of happiness and so shall we abide with him, no more pain no more sorrow no more weeping, only songs of happiness, just as they sang songs of Moses and the Lamb. What a happy living John is presenting to us.

Born again; Our identity as a child of God means that we rely fully on God and trust in His plan for our lives. Just like a little child trusts their parents fully to guide them and protect them when they’re little, so should we trust God as we navigate our way through life with Him as our Father. To become children of God in the truest and fullest sense, we must be born again (Jn 3:1–14).

Sin is transgression and Lawlessness. 1 John 3:4-5

Sin is rejecting the Divine law, that is going against or deviating from what God expected from us. Anyone who have found Christ and remain with him does not continue in the practice of sinful act. Renouncing sin is the great proof of spiritual union with Christ. Look into the law of liberty and continue in it. Beware of self-deceit. Lawlessness is a sin, war against indiscipline is a correct policy.  John is saying that pursuing a life of sin is evidence of a rejection of God’s word.

He came to take away your sins. Somebody has worked and still working for you, we need to recognize this. John re-echoes the mission of Jesus Christ “to take away our sins”. Angel Gabriel promised Joseph regarding the ministry of Jesus: you shall call His name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21).

No sinner is a Christian: 1 John 3: 6-7

No one who lives in him (by faith, love and obedience) keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. To remain in Christ, you must renounce all sinful acts, purify yourself. Shedding of devilish character is very important.

In Jn 8:44 the devil is not relenting he was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Opposition to God gives evil room to operate. Do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Be careful even whom you fellowship with can lead you astray, your worldly lost leads you astray. Your quest for instant miracles can lead you astray. Beware of false teachers.

John observed that there are false teachers who did not believe that Jesus is the Christ. 1 Jn 2:18-26, 1Jn 4:3 He described these teachers as Ant-Christ which will come into existence, as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.

There are teachers and there are teacher: 2 Peter 2:1-3. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

What about false pastors who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. They help you build castle in the air, but waiting in vain when you will occupy it. By their fruits you should know them. Matt 7:15-20. Let no one deceive you that sin will do you no harm. 

Flee from Sin: 1 Jn 3:8-10.

Who is a child of God? He that works righteousness. Who is a child of the devil? He that commits sin.

There are hardened criminals whose activities on this earth is criminality all the way, they go from one evil deed to another. Some go to church they claim to know God, but by their actions they don’t know him. They are disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Some after church is hard drugs so that they can act boldly.

A man cannot act like the devil, and at the same time be a disciple of Jesus Christ. To be born of God is to be inwardly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. A man was a drunkard after baptism he continued in drunkenness such a man has not put on Christ, old things are not passed away. Neither is the fornicator, the liar, the thief that continue or went back is a Christian.

No one stays in a burning house; he will run out side quickly so that the fire will not consume him. So also, is sin, if you don’t flee it will consume you.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. 2 Timothy 2:22-23 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do generate strife.

CONCLUSION

God is Love. It is of great benefit to the Christian to take a good, intense look at the love of God that he bestowed on us.

• No child of God deliberately, knowingly, and habitually practices sin.
• The one who practices sin separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion is of the devil and takes his inner character and moral values from the devil, not God.
• John makes it clear that the person who sins is breaking the law so, lawlessness is sin.
• Whoever abides in Him does not sin: John’s message is plain and consistent with the rest of the Scriptures. It tells us that a life style of habitual sin is inconsistent with a life of abiding in Jesus Christ.
• Because believers have hope, and anticipate being with Jesus for eternity, they pursue a pure life. The goal of living a pure life is to be like Christ. He is pure, and believers seek to live like Him.
• John teaches that through obedience we can come to know God, have fellowship with Him, and become like Him. In the last days, antichrists will arise. Our attitudes and behaviors should not be that of anti-Christ.
• God Loves You.
• Hym 576: The Love of God will never fail nor lose its glory. Till we see him face to face.

May the Lord bless His words in our hearts in Jesus Name, Amen.

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