1st JOHN LESSON 3
SONSHIP AND HOLY LIVING
Lesson: 1st John 3:1-24
Introduction:
Remember that I John falls into two divisions:
1. Fellowship: Walking in the Light, chapters 1-2;
2. Sonship: God is Love, chapters 3-5.
Here the Apostle magnifies the love of God in what He has done for us. He argues for holiness and against sin. He emphasizes love among the brethren and the blessings of obedience to the Lord.
I. RIGHTEOUS LIVING: THE EVIDENCE OF SONSHIP. vs. 1-10
A. God’s Love, An Incentive to Righteous Living. v. l
1. This section (vs. 1-10) is an expanded emphasis of 2:29, which speaks of doing righteousness.
2. God’s past work of bestowing His love. v. 1
3. It is pure grace that we are the sons of God. v. 1
4. “What manner” comes from a Greek adjective that expresses astonishment and admiration.
5. Sonship separates us from the unbelieving world.
B. The Second Coming an Incentive to Righteous Living. vs. 2-3
1. Our present standing–Sons of God. v. 2a
2. The uncertainty of our future standing. v. 2b. Some hints are given.
a. When Christ shall appear, Colossians 3:4, When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
b. Then shall the righteous shine, Matthew 13: 43, Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
c. I will that they also be with me where I am, John 17:24, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
d. Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, Romans 8:17, And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
e. They shall see his face, Revelation 22:4, And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
3. The certainty of our FUTURE STANDING, we shall be LIKE HIM. v. 2c.
a. Verse 1 tells us what we ARE.
b. Verse 2 tells us what we SHALL BE.
c. Verse 3 tells us what we SHOULD BE.
4. His coming and our change, a purifying hope. v. 3. Philippians 3:20-21, For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
a. For our citizenship is in heaven, Ephesians 2:19, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”
b. The Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
c. It will be fashioned like unto his glorious body, 1 Corinthians 15:53, “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
C. Salvation’s Intent Is Holy Living. vs. 4-5
1. Sin is the transgression of the law. v. 4. Let us look at the Bible definitions of sin….
a. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
b. The thought of foolishness is sin, Proverbs 24:9a, “The thought of foolishness is sin:”
c. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
d. All unrighteousness is sin, 1 John 5:17).
e. Sin is a defilement (to make filthy or impure), I John 1:9-2:2.
2. Christ manifested to take away our sins. v. 5. This is the reason He died for our sins.
D. Sonship and Righteous Living. vs. 6-10
1. Abiding in Christ and the absence of sin. v. 6
a. Abiding in Him is the secret of righteous living. v. 6a. See John 15:4-10. (See notes on v. 9). See Romans 6:1-23
b. Sinning is the proof of non-abiding. v. 6b
2. Righteous living is the proof of sonship. v. 7a
3. Such righteousness is the family likeness. v. 7b
4. Such sinfulness is the family likeness. v. 8a
5. Sin is the continual mark of Satan’s character. v. 8b
6. Since Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, how can the sons of God do such works? v. 8c
7. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. v. 9. In 1:8 and 2:1 we find that the child of God may sin. These verses are not in conflict with v. 9. There can only be two possible interpretations of v. 9.
a. The spiritual man that is born again cannot sin but the fleshly man can sin. John 3:6; I Peter 1:23, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
b. The child of God cannot habitually sin. We believe that both interpretations are true. The born again nature cannot sin, but the flesh can, John 3:6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Romans 7:14-25. While the new nature cannot sin, the old nature can.
1) If the new nature is nurtured and followed, then it will overcome the old nature, Romans 7:17, “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.” To overcome sin, we must feed the new man (the spiritual man), with the Word of God.
2) We must also exercise the new man. I Timothy 4:7, But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
3) At the same time we must starve the old man, (the fleshly man), by not feeding him on the sinful things of this world, James 1:13-15, Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
8. How to distinguish the family of God from the family of the devil. v. 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.”
a. “Keepeth not His commandments,” 1 John 2:4, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
b. A living sacrifice, Romans 12:1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
c. He takes heed thereto [ His Life] according to the Word of God, Psalm 119:9-11, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
II. BROTHERLY LOVE AND SONSHIP. vs. 11-18
A. Sonship and Love. vs. 11-15
1. We are to love our spiritual brothers. v. 11
2. Cain is an example of the devil’s children. v. 12;
a. Abel’s acceptance by God for the correct offering started this, Hebrews 11:4, By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
b. Cain chose to follow his own will instead of God’s Word, John 8:44, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Cain was not an atheist, but he pretended to be a believer by bringing an offering. His bloodless sacrifice and his hatred of his brother, both prove that he was a liar and a child of the devil.
3. God’s children are hated by the world IF they serve God, v. 13, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” John 15:18, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
4. Love gives evidence of sonship. v. 14.
5. Hate gives evidence of relationship to Satan. v. 15, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” Matthew 5:21-26
B. The Evidence of Love. vs. 16-18
1. His love is an example of how our love should be. v. 16.
a. What God did for us, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
b. What we ought to do for our brethren, I John 3:16
2. The practical evidence of our love. v. 17. Galatians 6:10, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
3. Our love is to be in deed, not in word only. v. 18. James 2:15-16, If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Some love in tongue, but they do not love in deed and in truth.
III. SONSHIP AND ASSURANCE. vs. 19-24
A. The Nature of Assurance. vs. 19-21
1. Assurance depends on the practice of love.
a. Our heart persuades us, v. 19, “And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.”
b. Before you offer your best to the Lord, “be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:23-24, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
2. Love brings assurance to our hearts. v. 20; Romans 2:14-15, “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”
3. If our heart condemns us not, we have assurance from God. v. 21; 1 John 2:28, “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”
B. The Realization of Sonship. vs. 22-24
1. Answered prayer gives evidence of sonship. v. 22. Psalm 37:4, ”Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
2. We are to believe on His name. v. 23; John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” This means to believe all that His name implies His deity, His Saviourhood, etc.
3. Keeping His word gives evidence of sonship. v. 24a; John 14:20-23, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
4. His indwelling Spirit gives evidence of sonship. v. 24b; 1 John 4:13, “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Romans 8:14-16, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”