Read 1 Jn 2.28-3.24
Verses chosen for reflection
1 John 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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.
Reflect
In this part of 1 John, the Apostle warned that those who "keep on sinning" do not know God. To put it into contemporary terms, those who keep on sinning do not have salvation in Christ.
Now this is a serious matter to think about. As Christians, we do not expect one another to be "sinless" until Jesus comes back again. However, there will be times when we stumble. So does that mean we fall into the Apostle's category of "keep on sinning"?
Apparently, not.
To "keep on sinning", the person must be in the "practice of sinning" where there is not even room for righteousness. For the Apostle said that righteousness can only be found in Christ. So to keep on sinning means that the person, even when after professing Christ, is no different that he or she once was before knowing Christ. Nothing is changing. He or she is still the old self or could even be in a worse position.
The Apostle was referring to self-professed Christians who does not make the effort to seek righteousness. They deliberately keep on sinning and make a mockery of the faith. These, the Apostle concluded are "of the devil". Probably, when the so called Christian professed Christ, he or she had done it without conviction or sincerity.
Relate
While most of us reading this devotion might breathe a sign of relief that the Apostle was not referring to "us"; we do well to remind ourselves on the incompatibility of sin and righteousness. Even as we are a people who does not "keep on sinning"; we are reminded that unless for Christ's redemption; sin has no place in God's holiness. We cannot for a second, stand before God without the blood of Christ.
Hence, as a people of God, we ought to practise righteousness more and more. We ought to grow in the new man that is now in us. We ought to sin less and less and strive towards what John Wesley mentioned as "Christian perfection". Christian perfection is not sinless living. Rather, it is a way of consistent Christ-like living that embodies loving God and neighbour.
I have been reminded in my younger Christian life that we cannot take the gift of salvation for granted. We cannot be prideful on how we have been "saved". For once we do so, we forget about the real reason for Jesus' work on the Cross. And that is mighty dangerous for the faith. There is no pride or boasting on how we come to the feet of Jesus. Rather, the boasting belongs to the Name of Christ. Paul said that if we must boast, we boast only in the Lord. In what Christ has done. In that way, we keep remind ourselves that we seek righteousness not because of how great we are; but how merciful, sacrificial and agape God is. Our daily living is to be lived out of God's agape; nothing more, nothing less. That, John said, is someone truly born of God.
Rest
Yet Not I But Christ In Me By CityAlight
Jason
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