1 John 3:4-6 NIV 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.

Dear Fellowship of the Burning Heart:

In this epistle, John has already dealt with the issue of sin extensively at the beginning. Putting it in a new perspective, he now deals with sin in the light of the coming of Christ and the need to pursue purity in order to please Christ at his coming.

SIN IS LAWLESSNESS – From the very first sin in the Garden of Eden to those today, we see that sin is rebellion against the commands of God. God had forbidden the eating of fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The sinning couple took the fruit from the tree and ate against his will. Sin is not accidentally doing something that you later find out is wrong. It is a conscious choice. It is a wilful opposition to God’s will. Of course, the opposition doesn’t have to be flagrant, hostile, or open. Rebellion can seethe within, like with the little boy who was told repeatedly to sit down. Finally, he conceded to his father’s will, but proudly proclaimed, “I may be sitting on the outside, but I’m standing on the inside.” Many rebels are standing on the inside, while seeking to appease God by sitting on the outside. Rebellion is an attitude as much as an action.

HE APPEARED TO TAKE AWAY SIN – He didn’t sacrifice himself on the cross so that we might continue in our sin without guilt or remorse. The purpose of Christ’s work on the cross is to deal with sin decisively and conclusively. His death not only provided for our pardon and redemption, but it also provides a supply of grace to live victoriously in the present. By continuing to live in sin as before, we show that we do not understand the purpose for Christ’s atonement.

KEEP ON SINNING OR KEEP FROM SINNING – John paints these in black and white as polar opposites. You can’t live in Christ and keep on sinning. If you keep on sinning, you show that you have neither seen nor known him. The Bible clearly identifies the main problem with the human race – SIN! Jesus’ work stands in opposition to this ENEMY and strikes the lethal blow to it that will be fully realized at his appearing. So, where do you stand – with Christ or with sin. You can’t stand with both!