I John 3:4-6
I John 3:3 And indeed everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
4 Everyone who practices sin
also practices lawlessness;
indeed, sin is lawlessness.
5 And you know that He appeared in order to remove 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 seen Him or knows Him.
Introduction
Our text this morning continues our study of John’s first epistle.
Now remember the false teachers who are troubling John’s flock are doing so by their living as well as by their teaching. That is, in addition to denying Christ, they claim that it does not matter how you live outwardly in the body. Instead, for them salvation is a purely inward spiritual matter.
Therefore, John has reminded his readers that faithful living is an essential part of abiding in Christ because it is an essential part of what grace and salvation are doing in each believer.
In our text this morning John contrasts the new life that is ours in Christ with a life untouched by grace. Listen.
Verse 4
Notice at once the contrast: if verse 3 just told us that everyone who hopes in Christ bears the growing fruit of righteous living, then verse 4 tells us that everyone (without exception) who practices sin does not belong to God. Importance: notice at once the clarification in the verb tense: the verb “practices” is a customary present tense verb. As such, it points to a standard, regular, normative practice. Not only that, notice sin is singular. In other words, both the verb tense and the singularity of what is practiced underscore the fact that John is not talking about people who struggle, stumble and thus commit sins (plural). Instead, John is talking about people who are given over to the condition/power of sin (singular). As such, sin is the underlying nature that defines all they do.
Next, notice what the practice of sin tells us about these folks: John says that everyone who practices sin also by default practices lawlessness. However, please note: John is not simply telling us that these folks transgress the law each time they do wrong (such is true but would be tutelage). Instead, John says that their unchecked sinfulness exposes the fact that they are governed/directed by a fundamental principle of lawlessness. In other words, they are completely uniformed by God, God’s law, or God’s will. As such, they have no regard for God or man’s obligation to God. In turn, they reject God’s ways and dismiss the righteousness set forth by those ways. Instead, they are a law unto themselves. That is, their desires, self-interest, and cravings are the only factors that guide their living. Notice then John’s point: while the false teachers claim to have the true path to God and spiritual enlightenment, their persistent atheos living (no regard/ reference) exposes the fact that they do not know God nor are they on any path that comes from God.
Finally, notice John ends verse 4 with an equivocal relationship: John tells us that sin by nature is lawlessness. That is, sin is always a turning away from God and God’s ways. Notice then John’s point: John says that those who persistently, egregiously, and systemically disregard God in the way they live are not to be followed. At the same time, we are not to selectively adopt any of their practices because we find them popular, convenient or appealing. Why? Sin is always lawlessness. That is, sin is always inconsistent with who we are in Christ; it will always lead us away from God; and it will always bring us nothing but misery. Therefore, the ways of the lawless are to be rejected not toyed with or embraced.
Verse 5
Notice at once, every detail of verse 5 turns our eyes to Jesus (the source of our salvation) in order to verify the very nature of our salvation. Notice then John reminds us that we know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins FN#1. In other words, the whole point of the Gospel is that sin does in fact matter and therefore God sent His Son to remove it. Not only that, John says you also know that there is absolutely no sin in Jesus FN#2. Instead, He is perfectly pure and righteous. Notice then the point: John underscores the fact that there is absolutely nothing about Christ or the salvation He accomplished that is in any way compatible with sin. Rather, the entire direction of grace and the Gospel is away from sin and towards healing, renewal, and righteousness. Therefore, the claim that sin and the way you live do not matter is utterly false. Instead, deliverance from sin and the restoration of righteous living are essential parts of the new life that a righteous Christ has given FN#3.
Verse 6
Notice at once the result of the specific salvation that this righteous Christ has given: John says that no one who abides in Him keeps on sinning FN#4. That is, no one who has received the salvation described in verse 5 persists in sin. Importance: notice again the clarification in the verb tense: the verb “sinning” is a Customary/Habitual Present tense verb. As such, it points to a standard, regular, normative practice. In other words, just as in verse 4, verse 6 does not describe someone who struggles, stumbles, and thus commits sins. Instead, it describes someone whose rebellion against God is unchecked and normative. As such, they persist in sin and the specific sins of their life without thought, struggle, or any but a superficial correction. Notice then the point: John says that no one who abides in Christ continues in unchecked sin. Why? The grace that Christ provides is a grace that both forgives our sins and heals our sinfulness. Not only that, because grace is already at work in the believer, he has a growing desire to please God. As such, the way he lives matters to him more and more. Therefore, when he stubbles (and he will), he turns back to God for forgiveness and change. Simply put: those who belong to Christ have a grace and new life that opposes sin. Therefore, even though they struggle with sin, they are not abandoned to sin. Instead, God is already redeeming, delivering, and changing them from the inside out.
Next, notice the contrast: John says that the one who keeps on sinning has not seen Christ nor do they know Christ. Importance: apparently the false teachers in John’s day claim to have had a true vision of Christ. Therefore, just as false teachers today, they claim to have the true version of Christ. That is, they claim to know Christ as He really is. Therefore, John responds by saying that anyone who persists in sin has never seen or known God as He is. Indeed, simply to see the holy, righteous living God would be enough to know definitively that sin has no place with God, His salvation, or His Kingdom.
Bottom line: John underscores the centrality of righteous living to the Christian walk. Thus, because forgiveness and renewal are what grace is doing in your life, they are to be the very things that you are seeking with your life. In turn, anything that dismisses the righteous character of Christ, His salvation, or the Christian walk is not from Christ and therefore will never lead you to Christ. As such, it is to be avoided not embraced.
Footnotes
1] Note: John switches from sin (singular – v4) to sins (plural). The reason is that John has changed his focus from the singularity of the unbeliever’s normative practice (sin) to the comprehensiveness of Christ’s response to sin. Jesus has come to remove our sins completely. As such, He has removed both the brokenness of our condition as well as every misdeed that brokenness produces. Notice the result: John’s emphasis on the comprehensive nature of Christ’s deliverance underscores the fact that Jesus did not come to excuse sins or make certain categories of sin OK/irrelevant. Instead, He came to remove all sins from us as well as the death that these sins have brought.
2] Notice once again John switches number, this time from plural (sins) to singular (sin- In Him there is no sin). However, John has not returned to his discussion about the principle of sin (verse 4). Instead, the singular here underscores the fact that there is not one single sin in Jesus (there is no principle of sin, there is no process of healing, there is no aspect of life where righteousness does not apply. In fact, there is not even the occasional mistake). For John the singular of sin points in the strongest manner possible to the absolute and comprehensive righteousness of Christ.
3] A righteous Savior provides a righteous grace that results in righteous children.
4] Importance: remember the entire point of this section of John’s epistle is about abiding in (remaining faithful to) Christ. Notice then to abide simply means to remain with. However, notice at once the Gospel inherent in the notion of abiding: Where? Remember in every aspect of the Christin walk God and His grace always go first (and abiding is no exception). Notice then the believer does not seek to gain or keep God’s favor by abiding. Instead, abiding is how we respond to what God has already provided. Think about it: to abide/remain presupposes by its very nature an already existing condition from which we are not to depart (abiding does not mean trying to reach somewhere. Instead, it means staying where you already are). In other words, our endeavors to live faithfully (to abide in Christ and His Gospel) are based on the fact that Christ and His salvation already abide in and with us.