1 JOHN 3:1-9 GODS CHILDREN DO NOT PRACTICE SIN2010 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 John 3:1-9 Gods Children Do Not Practice Sin

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2010. I don't usually start off with just jokes in the morning, but this evening I got a call from a pastor who was sharing about a guy in his family who told him to do something and I just wanted to share it with you since it's Valentine's Day. Okay.

It was a guy who was sharing with the pastor that on the 25th wedding anniversary, his wife said something to him that was particularly unusual. She came up to him and said, 25 years ago, she said, you know, if I had shot you, I'd be getting out right about now. So, it depends. John chapter 3, the first chapter of John chapter 3, where the first sin, once again, we dealt with it looking at a healthy view of sin.

end of chapter wealthy view 1 and very early in chapter 2 but john continues to deal with the issue of sin it's a little bit of a different issue not just understanding about sin and forgiveness but really he's dealing with continuing to deal with sin and those who profess to know christ

in the last minute style of salvation. As we cover these things, I want to be careful and I would ask that you, as you meditate and pray on these things, would be careful as well to find the balance in what John is saying. We need to be careful not to let John water down what he is saying and making what he is saying meaningless. But we also need to be careful not to condemn those who believe in God is not condemning. There's a necessary force to hold fast to

of God's Word says, and not waver from it. It's often said that the job of the pastor or the preacher is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. And that's absolutely true as we look at this thing today. I hope to comfort those who are afflicted, those who are troubled by their sin, those who are in turmoil over their sin. God has some comfort for you today. But those who are comfortable

Child.

And so that's a quick snapshot of God, a preview of what God has in store for us this morning. But before we start, I want to jump back to verse 29 of chapter 2 and start there because it goes on to say in this one that there are particular points that we'll be able to carry through for the rest of the study this morning. First, John chapter 2 verse 29 says, If you know that he is righteous, he practices righteousness, righteousness is born of him.

John says, if you know that God is righteous, then you will also know that everyone who practices righteousness, everyone who does what is righteous is born of him. He's saying that God is righteous and those who practice righteousness do so not because of their own strength, not because they're good people, but because they were born again. They were born of God.

Now the word practices is the word I want to highlight in this verse because I have some important elements that we're going to see for the rest of the verses we'll be looking at today. The word practices, it just means to do or to make. It's a verb, of course. He says everyone who practices righteousness is born of him. The thing about this word practices is not so much the meaning of it but the tense of it. In all languages, it's a verb.

Thank you.

Righteous.

I'll give you a simple example.

the alternative to active is passive. And so, say the sentence hit the ball, the word hit is the verb, it's active when doing the hitting. I'm the one, whatever that sentence is, I'm not saying hard. Now, if I was to say, I was hit with the ball, that's passive. I'm not the one doing the hitting, I'm the one being hit, which is not likely to happen. Fine, I hit the ball.

So, when you're active versus passive, as active as you're involved in doing it, how is it done to you? So, just like what John is saying, it's present tense, continue, action, and action, so that it's you being involved. And so, yourselves, in continuing, continually doing righteousness, that person is born of God.

And that's important to remember. The present tense on the active voice was active. See that over and over active. Again, in chapter 3, verses 1 through 9. And so hold on to those thoughts. And hold on. I'll remind you of those as well. But remember, active. The present tense on the active voice. And what does that mean? Now, there's alternative actions. Of course, you can have the future tense. Future tense. Now, there's something that's going to be done. It's action that's going to be done in the future.

Past tense: There is action that was done in the past tense. There is also perfect tense: which is an emphasis that has been fully completed. Alright, so it's already done. It's finished. There's also another way to pronounce it: the aorist tense or aorist tense. And that's simple or simple or one time at a time action. And that's really the contrast word that's used in the present tense.

But it's not as opposed to continual repeated action, but it's one-time action. And so John chooses the text of the Ten Studies to teach us something about what he's trying to say. He's not talking about who does righteousness one time or occasionally here and there. In contrast to that, he says present tense, continually, repeatedly does righteousness. That person is born of God.

Look at verse 1.

Behold. Behold.

of love the father has bestowed on us stop us stop a moment and consider the love that god has given to us or bestowed on us or lavished on on us us what manner of love has god has god given to us given to us now this is a great verse to consider on valentine's day he's our ultimate valentine valentine he has given us love like no one else has no one else has must

He has loved us far beyond we have ever loved anyone else. How much does God love us? He loves us so much that we are called children of God. He gives us the opportunity to be called children of God. The greatness of God's love for us is shown in that we are called his children. You are a child of God as a believer in Jesus Christ. You are what we behold. Just so that we make sure to consider this, would you turn to your neighbor and let

Jesus

he gave to them he gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in his name as many as received Jesus in his name he gave to them the right to become the children of God not God a child of God in the sense that John is talking about here but there's a unique and special sense in that we have this as God's children that we get to relate to him and call upon him as Abba Father Father

He is our dad. We are his children. You are a child of God. Consider the great love which God has given in giving you the opportunity to be called a child of God. You know, it's one thing to save you. It's another thing entirely, on top of it, to offer you the rights of a child of God. The role and the privilege of being a child of God.

David Guzik puts it this way. We can picture someone helping or saving someone, but not going so far as to make them a part of the family. But that is what God has done for us. And so you come and you rescue someone, you rescue someone, you pull them off the railroad tracks, and you're a hero. Great. You bring them home and you make them come in your wheel, and you come in your wheel, and you come in a child, taking them off the railroad tracks, and off the railroad tracks is one thing, but then bringing them into your family, well, that's something, well, that's something.

and even greater. And that's what God has done for us. Not only has he offered us salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, but he's offered us the right to be his children. That's some of the significance of being called a child of God. You know, we're used to, in our society, we're used to people treating different kids in different ways. But we need to remember that God does not show partiality.

always the case always the case but but very often very often the case is that when this is that when the parent who has a child child and then also and then also a stepchild or stepchild or an adopted child an adopted child but there's a distinction there's a distinction made in the relationship in the relationship between the parent and the parent and that child child i remember i remember growing up as part of a big family and family and the history of the history of the complicated and so some of the kids some of the kids it was like the pretty bunch it was like the pretty bunch some of the kids were some like and then some of the kids and then some of the kids were from this couple together together

the friend was one of the older boys and boys and he was all of the kids were all of the kids were treated differently it was very clear and distinct and everybody knew it wasn't a secret but the children that were produced by the couple that was currently together they were favored highly favored among the other children who came from other previous relationships

God does not show partiality. God's not like that. He likes that. He gives children differently depending on who they came from.

He loves us. Loves us. As his children. As his children. He gives us the right to be his children. Children. Because of what Christ has done for us upon the cross. Good story that illustrates this recently. About two kids. Two kids. Who were registering for soccer. Two boys. Two boys. And they go up to the table where they're registering. And they're putting their names down. The guy on the other side of the coach, he's taking their names and their information. And so they let him know, yes, we're brothers. Yes, we're brothers. This is our names. He's...

He's collecting information. He asked for their dates of birth. And they give him their dates of birth in it. He said, hey, wait a minute. We're only six months apart. And they said, yeah, we're brothers. Six months. He's doing the math in his head. That's why we're six months apart. Which one of you is adopted? And he said, well, we don't know. And he said, what do you mean you don't know? We asked our dad once, and he said he couldn't remember. They loved him the same. In the same way, God relates to us.

He loves us. He loves us. If we ask him, hey, which one of us? Which one of us? I don't know. I love you all. I love you all. You're my children. You're my children. He loves us. He loves us. You are his child. You are his child. You're precious to him and dear to him and dear to him. The Father loves you. The Father loves you. And he does it so partially. And you know what that means? You know what that means? The Father loves you. He loves you. He loves Jesus. He loves Jesus Christ. Jesus. Jesus says that. Not just me. Not just me.

to be called to be called the children of God, the children of God.

that God has chosen to love us in the same way that he has loved Jesus. God loves you so dearly. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us. Wow! The love that God has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Don't come twice removed. You're his child. You can come to him at any time. With anything. Neat and special relationship to those who have received him.

And if you have a seed-kin, as many as a seed-kin, to them he gave the right to become children of God. You are a child of God. Behold, but none of love the Father's bestowed upon you. John says, we have this unique role with the children of God. He says, therefore, the Lord, because it did not know him. From the scene, cried on the Baptist, cried out, behold, behold, wow. He says, behold, the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. Pay attention, do not pay attention.

The world did not, the world did not behold, the world did not behold, the world did not care, consider, care, consider, or recognize that Jesus Christ is, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Son of God. They didn't recognize, they didn't recognize, if he walked into the crowd, they walked into the crowd, the crowd didn't say, the crowd didn't say, whoa, the Son of God, the Son of God is here, God is here. In the same way, in the same way, the world, the world will not stop, will not stop. As you walk, as you walk into the workplace, walk into the workplace and go, wow, wow, the child of God, the child of God is here, here. Know him, know him, and the world is not, and the world is not going to know you, going to know you. In the same, in the same way, way.

They rejected Jesus Christ in the same way that they took no notice of Jesus. The world takes no notice of the children of God. There's children of God. There's two. He says, beloved. Now, we are children of God. Again, 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. He says, we are children of God.

Behold, behold, what men have loved, what the fathers bestowed on us. You are a child of God. A child of the king of kings and Lord of lords. Amazing. And not only amazing, and not only is that enough to blow your mind and make all your hair fall out. It hasn't even yet been revealed. What he has in store for you. He says, it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. Amazing is that it is to us that we are God's children. It's not even fully revealed yet. You should know what God has in store for you.

The world, the world, no, no. The children of God, children of God. And the children of God, children of God, don't yet know, don't yet know fully, fully. But God hasn't stuck to that, God hasn't stuck to that. The world doesn't know us, doesn't know us. And we don't, we don't know fully, know fully. It's not yet been, it's not yet been revealed to us, revealed to us what we shall be, we shall be. 2 Corinthians chapter 12, he was caught up in the third heaven, he was caught up in the third heaven. He's describing the situation, he's describing the situation a little bit. But out there I heard inexpressible words, inexpressible words. I just, I cannot express capacity to, to, to.

to share, to share what I heard. Not only that, he says, things which would not be lawful for man to utter. If he was caught up in the heaven, he says, the things just that he heard, they were not possible of expressing them, expressing them, or passing them on, passing them on. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 9, where the eye is not seen, nor ear heard, nor is it of the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. What's your wildest dream? Can you dream of something?

something that would be awesome for the rest of eternity, even if you could. What God has in store is beyond that. It's better than that. It has not yet been revealed what we shall be. But here's what we do know. We don't know what we shall be. He says, but here's what we do know.

When he is revealed, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. Jesus Christ is coming back. He will be revealed as the Son of God. He came the first time as a servant. He humbled himself in the likeness of man. But he will be revealed as the Son of God. He's coming again. To be with him, when he's revealed, we will be like him. For we shall see him as he is.

God's plan and purpose for your life is to transform you to be like Jesus. In Romans 8, verse 29, it tells us, God's plan, God's will, God's purposes.

I thought Jesus would be the firstborn among many children. He, the Son of God, is the firstborn among many children of God. And God's plan is that you and I would be conformed into the image of his Son. His plan is to make us more like Jesus. And when he is revealed, we will be like him.

And we will see him as he is. And so John starts out this morning encouraging us, reminding us, saying, let yourself be wowed for a moment at the love that God has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God. He deals with the actions or the lifestyle of God's children and those who are not God's children. First of all, we see in verse 3, the second part,

That is that God's children purify themselves. Verse 3 says, And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. God's children purify themselves. What God's children look like. Here's what John is saying.

They purify themselves. Now, we need to make sure that we get the order right here. Because everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself. It's not the other way around. You don't purify yourself so you don't do a lot of good works and work really hard in order to have hope in Jesus. We have in him, as children of God, knowing who we are in Christ, this is in us, this is perfect.

this action of purifying ourselves. In order to have hope, you purify yourself because you have hope. It's not about works. It's not a legalistic relationship. He's saying, look, as you delve deeply into the relationship with God, recognizing who you are in Christ, the life that you purify yourself.

If you're struggling with purity, if you're wrestling with issues of purifying yourself, then you get the order right. That you don't try to compensate for your lack of purity by doing good deeds, but instead that you have hope in Him so that the result will be good.

that you purify yourself. In 1 Peter 1, verse 13, Peter says, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That's what we are to do. Rest our hope fully upon the revelation of Jesus Christ. He says, everyone who has this hope, what hope?

the hope the hope that we as children of god when jesus appears when jesus appears we'll be like him like him he's looking towards looking towards the end looking at the end looking as we appear before jesus christ christ we are to rest we are to rest our hope our hope at that time in those times in those days when we stand when we stand before him for him as we rest our hope for you that grace that is going to be brought to us to us the grace of god

He has lavished upon us, giving us the right to be called children of God. The result will be that we purify ourselves. The word purify means to consecrate, to purify, to sanctify, or to set apart. The one who has this hope, God's children, consecrate themselves. They purify themselves. They set themselves apart. That's setting ourselves apart from

The world, the flesh, sin. Let's send a devotion to him. As well as removing ourselves from sin. Now this word purify, remember I told you the tense in the voice would be significant and important today. The word purify is in the present tense. And so it means continuous or repeat purification. This hope in him is continually purifying himself.

Also in the active voice. Which means that the person is involved in this purification. It's not just sitting back, purify me, purify me. But they're involved in taking the tea that God has given to us. It's of purification. As this hope in Jesus is continuously, endlessly involving themselves, involving themselves in being set apart, setting themselves, dedicating themselves to God, and keeping themselves from sin.

The idea here is to take steps towards purity. Notice he does. The one who has this hope in him is perfect. That's not what he says. That's not the point. We're not perfect. Children of God. Yes, we have this incredible position as God's children, but we're not perfect. We sin and we fall short. We saw that back in chapter 3. We have no sin. We believe ourselves and the truth is not in us. No, we do sin. We fall short of the glory of God. Everyone does. Everyone does.

perfection, perfection, but he's talking about the pursuit, the pursuit of purity. That God's children chase after and commit themselves to and are continually, repeatedly, repeatedly setting themselves apart for God. Not perfection, but purity. What are you doing to purify yourself? What have you taken for purification? History, ancient history about when you first got healed. What have you done this week? Is there evidence of this

Thank you.

Again, it's in the active voice. God's children are actively, continually, continually taking steps towards purity. Point number three. God's children do not practice sin. Look at verse four. He says, whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness. And sin is lawlessness. Whoever commits sin. John is making sure in this passage that we understand that he's not sinning.

to everyone. He says, everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself. He says, whoever commits sin. In verse 6 we'll see he talks about whoever abides. And then in verse 9, whoever has been born of God. He's saying this is all inclusive. There's not exceptions to these principles. Not those who have this hope in him but do not purify themselves. Actively, continuously.

Take steps towards purity. And he says, whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness. The word commit, it means to do or to make. The same word that was used in verse 29, which is translated practice. Practice, commit, to do, aim, word. Can you guess what tense it's in? It's in the present tense. Which means it's continuous, repeated action. Action.

It's in the active voice, which means actively involved in the doing, the committing of sin. He says whoever commits sin, that is whoever is continuously committing sin, continuously, repeatedly, actively involved in sin. He's talking about a sinful lifestyle, someone who is comfortable in sin.

Now, in contrast to that, John says in 1 John 2, verse 1, My little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, sins with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. When he says that if anyone sins, sins, it's not the continuous repeated action. It's the passion. It's the AORS tense. It's the AORS tense. Which means if anyone sins, if anyone sins, once. Once.

If anyone has sin, not a sinful lifestyle of rebellion against God, but if anyone falls short, in a lifestyle of sin, and a succumbing to sin because of the weakness of our flesh. Whoever is actively and continually living in sin, John says, is also committing lawlessness. Or is also actively and continually committing lawlessness. The difference between sin and lawlessness is

I'm just, you know, I'm just, you know,

in this area, or that area, or that area. It's not as big of a deal as those other things. I'm not out breaking the law. I'm just wrestling with this issue and letting this happen in my life. John says, whoever's actively missing the mark, sin to continue, where you continue, you're missing out on God's best for you. That person's actively breaking the law. Repeated sin. Agreedious sin that we might in our estimation. It might not be that big of a deal we might think.

Because that's how we think. We are not looking at it the way that God sees it. We are not agreeing with God about our sin. We're minimizing it. It's something that's continual, continual, repeated, repeated. It's often referred to as this passage is taught. It's often referred to as habitual sin. Or we could call it a sinful lifestyle. Whatever you want to name it, it's the idea of actively, continually living in sin.

The word practice is a good word as well. To practice sin. To practice it. You know practice makes perfect. And you want to become a better sinner. So you practice sin. You keep it up. And you keep at it. That's the idea here. We do sin. As children of God we do sin. Because of the weakness of our flesh. But we are not to be actively pursuing a life of sin.

And John says, pursuing that life of sin is pursuing lawlessness, breaking the law of God. Verse 5. And he says, and you know that he was manifested to take away our sins. And in him there is no sin. Jesus Christ was manifested. He was revealed. He came on the scene in order to take away our sins. You know this, John says. That's the gospel message. That Jesus is my sin. That it would be cast away.

is

continue to pursue the things that Jesus came to get rid of, as we'll see in just a moment, we don't abide in him. John's sharing with us these contrasts throughout his book. Living and pursuing Jesus Christ, we're living in and pursuing sin. It's one or the other. Jesus takes away our sins. Hallelujah for that. Praise God. He came. That's why he was revealed. He lived in him who knew no sin.

we might become the righteousness of God in him. We get to know God by faith in Jesus Christ because of what he did for us. Verse 6. Whoever abides in him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen him nor known him. In Jesus, John says, does not sin. Because Jesus came to take away sin. I've been Jesus. He's not been Jesus. He's not going to take away the things that Jesus came to take away. He just came to take away.

They're going to take steps towards purity. They're going to take those things out of their life that Jesus came to do away with. They're going to be working on that pursuit of Jesus Christ. Abiding in him. Living in him. Having that relationship with him. Whoever does that. Whoever has that relationship. Whoever abides in him. Does not sin. Does not ever sin. Does not fall short at all. But it's

continual pursuit of sin. The word commit is there. It's not written in English, but it's there in the original. The practice, or the commit, to commit, to do, to make, in the present active tense. Whoever abides in him does not continually, actively pursue after sin.

does not continually actively involve themselves in sin. Whoever abides in Jesus cannot comfortably live in sin. Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand him or understand who he is. To live in him, to live in him, to keep on sinning, but you can't do both.

talking about perfection and perfection and we never fall short, but it's the pursuit. It's the lifestyle. It's what we are doing and continually doing in our life, the manner of life that we've chosen to live. God's children do not practice sin. They don't continue, repeatedly, actively involved in sin.

because jesus came to do away with sin this service seven we find the first point we find the first point fourth point and that is god's children practice children practice righteousness righteousness guys god's children practice children practice righteousness little children little children let no one deceive you he who practices righteousness righteousness is righteous is righteous just just as he as he is right is righteous he says hey guys he says hey guys i want to make sure that you're not gonna make sure that you're not deceived deceived don't be confused on this issue because it comes to this there is deception there is deception in this in this area oh yeah

Be careful not to be deceived. He who practices righteousness is righteous. Just as he is righteous. The one who practices righteousness, that person is righteous. The word practice. Same word as we've seen over and over again. To do or to make. Translated commit. Translated practice. Being actively involved in the doing of it. Continually practicing righteousness. Involving themselves in doing what is right.

following the way of God, that person is righteous. That person is practicing righteousness, but they're practicing righteousness because they have a relationship with God. They're practicing righteousness because they are God's children. God's children continually, continually, repeatedly, repeatedly, actively involve themselves in doing righteousness. This is important, and there is deception in this area, because often we try to make a distinction between

How we live our life and what we're doing at the moment. Often been said, how you live today is how you live your life. For the most part, the way that you live your life. Now we all make a distinction. I don't waste time in my life, but today I'm wasting time. Myself and this, you know, my whole life, I just am doing it today. If we'll be honest with ourselves and look at the reality of how we've lived,

For the most part, the way that we live today is how we live our life. A devotional life. But today I just don't have time. I'm going to challenge you to look at the rest of your life. Don't be deceived. Some people are confused. They think that they live a righteous life, even though in the moment they're practicing sin. Don't be deceived. Don't be confused. I'm just disobeying in this little area. It's not that big of a deal. Or sometimes, because we're so full of ourselves, I can always stop at any time. This is it, my life.

conflict don't be don't be deceived the one who practices righteousness righteousness that's the one who's right that's the one who's righteous if you are if you are a child of god out of god if you are a child of you are a child of a righteous and righteous and holy god and holy god you will be actively pursuing actively pursuing writing righteousness not actively pursuing sin that's what john is saying that's what john is saying don't be deceived don't be confused don't be confused on this verse 8 he who sins is of the devil the devil

For this purpose, the Son of God is manifest. He might destroy the works of the devil. John makes it so clear. Just bam, right on the table. Right on the table. Listen. He's of the devil. He who sins is of the devil. Again, the word sins. From the present. Continuous. Repeated action. Being personally involved in the doing of that action. The one who continues...

He was a murderer from the beginning.

He told them, he told them, you are of your father, the devil, the devil. That's a scary, a scary thought, thought, a fearful, a fearful statement, statement.

John says, he who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. That's his nature. And if we continue to live in sin, if we have a sinful lifestyle, we are following after the characteristics of, the nature of, he who sins continuously, continuously, repeatedly, actively, repeatedly, actively involved in sin.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The enemy has been conquered. As Jesus hung on the cross and said, it is finished. The work of the devil was destroyed. His power is gone. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone. He's gone.

continue sins, continually, actively, repeatedly, repeatedly, that person is of the devil. But Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, to set us free, to liberate us, and to give us the hope of eternity. You can switch families, and praise God for that. Because we all need that Savior. As Paul explains in Ephesians chapter 2, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We followed after the course of the world. We were under the influence of

Again, all inclusive.

Every person that is born of God, there's not exceptions to this. But I just have this sin that I continue to live in, and it's not a big deal. Whoever has been born of God does not sin. So we can see the clarity, where we stand. The one who is born again does not sin. Now again, this is not a one-time thing. Perfectly, we're perfect and we don't fall short. The word sin, it's in the present tense, it's in the active voice, it's continuous and repeated action.

Has been born of God. Has been born of God. Does not. Does not continue. Continue. For sharing a life of. For sharing a life of shame. Have you been. Have you been born of God. Born of God. Have you been born. Have you been born again. Again. John's. John's not talking about. He's not talking about physical birth. Physical birth. The idea. The thought that. Thought that.

People are either born good or they're born bad. You're born good, you can't change that. If you're born bad, you can't change that. That's not what John's talking about. That's not the kind of birth that he's talking about. No, he's talking about a new birth. That's what Jesus described in John chapter 3 to Nicodemus. When he told Nicodemus, you must be born again. The reality is that we're all born bad. And we must be born again.

we must have we must have new life new life in christ in christ we must be made made alive by his spirit we must be born we must be born again again and those who have those who have been born again have been born again john says john says they do not continue to not continue continue living in sin living in sin they don't continue in that simple lifestyle why why he says for his seed remains his seed remains in him because in him because they've been born again they've been born again god's seed remains in us

god god indwells us the word of god the word of god fills us fills us the spirit the spirit of god indwells us because he cannot say he cannot sing because he's been born because he's been born of god the word cannot the word cannot there is the opposite is the opposite of the word of the word for power power strength jesus is in that chapter one chapter one verse eight remember there when he said you remember there when he said you receive power receive power when the holy spirit comes in the holy spirit comes upon opposite of that word the child of god has no power has no power power in the life of sin the life of sin the child of god is not strong enough strong enough

to persist in a lifestyle of sin because the Holy Spirit comes upon us with power. So we no longer have the power to continuously, repeatedly, actively involve ourselves in sin because we've been born of God. John lays it all on the line here. He lays it all there. He makes it very clear. I should repeat that my job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. If you are afflicted, it's Romans chapter 7.

And the guides to your sin. The Apostle Paul, his heart, see, I want to do the things that are right. I desire to do them. I willed them. I wanted to do them. Oh man, I struggle with that. I'm doing the things that I don't want to do. And the things I do. And the things I don't want to define myself doing those things. He expresses it with frustration. Deliver me from the body of this death. If that's your heart, you're troubled by sin. Yes, you struggle with sin. If there's areas that you fall short, that you're not comfortable with, if you're afflicted,

You are a child of God. You have such a special and unique place in his kingdom. You have such a unique and special place in his heart. And he loves you so much that he's given you the right and the ability to be called a child of God. And you have this hope of eternity that is beyond your imagination and your wildest dreams. Be comforted. You are a child of God.

I can just

afterwards, you're comfortable with sin. You need to be afflicted. Because John is very clear. God's children, they purify themselves. They take steps to remove themselves from those areas of temptation, from those areas of sin. They take steps to be devoted to God and serve God and be used by God and bring Him glory. That's the natural response of a child of God. Continually, repeatedly involving themselves in.

If you're comfortable in sin, be afflicted. Because God's children do not practice sin. They do not practice sin. There's too many who look back and say, I went on a field and I said a sinner's prayer. I'm a child of God. I said that prayer. A sinful lifestyle. John says, listen, God's children do not practice sin. They don't continue in sin.

You don't have the strength of the power to. Because the seed of God, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, convicts us. And we cannot go very wrong. Without that conviction, bring forth repentance. We're not strong enough. God's children practice righteousness. And so if you're afflicted by sin, and if it bugs you, you're distressed by it, if you struggle with it, be comforted. You are a child of God.

If you're comfortable in sin, please, I beg you, be afflicted. Be freaked out so that you get right with God. Because it's one or the other. You're pursuing a life of Him. Pursuing purity. Pursuing holiness. Pursuing Jesus Christ. Pursuing Jesus Christ. Or you're filling your life with the things of this world, the flesh, and sin. It's one or the other. You can't have it the other. You can't have it both ways. If you're not a child of God.

It's clearly demonstrated by the way that you live. Let's pray. Lord, I pray. Lord, I pray. As we come before you as your children, God, thank you. Thank you for the great love that you've bestowed upon us. That we have been given the right to be called children of God. We don't deserve it. But thank you for it. Thank you, God, that we can come to you with anything. Thank you that

you have taken care of taking care of sin on our behalf lord that we have lord that we can approach you and should approach you and stand before you and stand before you as if we have never seen if we have never seen lord to have a relationship with that relationship with you by faith in jesus christ jesus christ lord i pray that i pray that we would be whole we would be hold or that we would be overwhelmed by the love by the love that you have for us that you have for us and what is we're overwhelmed by this love as we just love as we just marvel at who you are and what you've done for us lord would you would you fulfill your word fulfill your word

and cause purification to take place. Would you help us, God, to take steps towards purity, towards being like you, steps away from the things that are not of you and steps towards and into the things that are of you. Help us, Lord, to take steps of faith and to be bold and trust in you, knowing that we are your children. Lord, how amazing it is that you love us as you have loved Jesus.

And what for those who need to be afflicted this morning? God, I pray that you would allow the conviction to pierce through the hardness of heart. And I pray that you would break through. God, you sent your son to destroy the works of the devil. And so, Lord, I pray that you would remove blinders. Remove the veil that the enemy places on those who are deceived.

Amen.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.