1 John 3:4-10
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and in Him there is no sin.
No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (ESV)
1. The Nature of Sin (v. 4)
2. The Nature of the Children of God
2.1 They have been born of God (v. 9)
2.2 They abide in Christ (v. 6)
2.3 They have seen and known Christ (v. 6)
2.4 They do not persist in sin (vv. 4, 6)
2.5 They practice Righteousness (v. 7)
• Christ appeared to take away their sin (v. 5)
• Christ appeared to destroy the works of the devil (v. 8)
2.6 They love their brother (v. 10)
3. The Nature of the Children of the Devil
3.1 They make a practice of sinning (vv. 4, 8)
3.2 They have not seen or known Christ (v. 6)
3.3 They do not practice righteousness (v. 7)
3.4 They have not been born of God (v. 9)
3.5 They do not love their brothers (v. 10)
Conclusion
• Don’t present this as suggesting that Christians never sin.
• Avoid making this about moral performance as the basis of salvation.
• Be careful not to create a works-based assurance that undermines justification by faith alone.