Daily Devotionals with Pastor Rod: I John 3:9

Friday, November 18, 2011

I John 3:8-9 (Part 4)

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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.

THE STUDY:

Yesterday, we looked at the aspect of being born of God and making a practice of sinning found in the first part of verse 9. As we read this verse, no believer of the faith would argue the statement by John “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning!” John could have ended this statement and moved on to other things but he decided to give two reasons why this statement is true!

First, John understands that whoever is born of God makes a practice of NOT sinning because God’s seed abides in that person. The word seed is defined as descendant, child, or offspring, but in this manner seed (Sperma) is referring to the very Nature of God. This goes with the previous statement, makes a practice (poieo – to do). John is stating the fact that someone who has been reborn of God, the very nature of God is in them. This is not to be the evidence of “once saved always saved,” but the idea that God’s faithfulness remains inside the believer. If the relationship with God is broken, it is a result of the person’s actions, not Gods.

The second reason is the person has been (born of God) radically changed. This phrase is almost identical to the one found at the beginning of this verse. But the reason John refers back to it is because of its significance. If you are given birth from God (9a) then from God we are given birth (9b). God created us (birthed us) and because of sin we are in need of a rebirth which is offered by God through Christ.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

We walk away this morning understanding that as a believer in Christ the very nature that dwells inside of us is that of God. With that seed we have the power (through the Holy Spirit) to NOT sin. This doesn’t mean we CANNOT sin but that we don’t have to.

CONCLUSION:

Let this be our prayer today:

“This the secret of the holy,

Not our holiness, but HIM:

Jesus! empty us and fill us

With Thy fullness to the brim.”^{^[1]}

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

^{^[1]} Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

I John 3:8-9 (Part 3)

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THE STUDY:

As we read verse 9, no believer of the faith would argue the statement by John “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning!” John could have ended this statement and moved on to other things but he decided to give two reasons why this statement is true! Before we look at those two reasons we need to understand what it means to be “born of God” and what John is referring to when he says “makes a practice!”

This is the second of ten references to be being “born of God” in 1 John.^{^[1]} Not sinning doesn’t mean it’s the consequence of being born of God but its proof of being born of God. The phrase born of God is characteristic of John, for he uses it repeatedly (2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). It signifies that a person has been born spiritually in the past and continues in the present as God’s child. That is, he finds his origin and existence in God. Whereas the person who practices sin has Satan as his father, the born-again believer knows that God is his Father. The words of Jesus are relevant: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:18).^{^[2]}

There are two theories about the significance of this statement “Makes a practice of sinning” (Poieo): (1) it relates to the gnostic false teachers, especially that faction that reduced salvation to intellectual concepts, thereby removing the necessity of a moral lifestyle or (2) the PRESENT TENSE verb emphasizes continual, habitual, sinful activity (cf. Rom. 6:1), not isolated acts of sins (cf. Rom. 6:15).^{^[3]} What we believe is to be the understanding of Christ and his power is that once we accept Him as our Lord and savior He becomes the very Nature that dwells within us. Our practice becomes that of Christ and not sin!

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

What we walk away with this morning is the understanding that the nature that dwells inside of us is the very nature that will be produced. John is letting the reader know you will no longer be bent toward sin but toward Christ!

CONCLUSION:

Have you ever said, “Why did I just do or say that?” You said this after all the smoke had settled and you were reflecting on your actions. As a sinner I would ask this question often. The reason I would do the things I did was due to the nature that dwells inside of me. It was not the Holy Spirit so, in turn, it was that of Satan. Now that I have accepted Christ, the question “Why did I just do or say that” is still there but I have a different answer today: JESUS CHRIST!

Let today be a day we practice Jesus and not sin! Let His nature transfer from our being so that others may see and receive His glory.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

^{^[1]} Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John. The Pillar New Testament commentary (124). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.

^{^[2]} Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (303). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

^{^[3]} Utley, R. J. D. (1999). Vol. Volume 4: The Beloved Disciple's Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John. Study Guide Commentary Series (221). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.