“Sin is the transgression of God’s law” v.4Waiting for response for 1 John 3:4 and, although all men and women transgress, Jesus takes away the sins of the faithful so that they can be accounted righteous.v.5Waiting for response for 1 John 3:5 Nevertheless, they are still required to cease from sin v.6Waiting for response for 1 John 3:6 and to do righteousness.v.7Waiting for response for 1 John 3:7 Sin was introduced into the world in the beginning by the first man but God promised that it would be destroyed by the seed of the woman. Genesis 3:16Waiting for response for Genesis 3:16 The Saviour is also the Son of God and he was manifested to destroy all the works of the devil,v.8Waiting for response for 1 John 3:8 and we manifest whether we are the children of the devil or the children of God by our actions - whether we continue in sin or do righteousnes.vs.8-10Waiting for response for 1 John 3:8-10 In particular, the children of God love their brethren and sisters in Christ.vs.10-19Waiting for response for 1 John 3:10-19 We can show the same love that God showed in sacrificing his Son and that Jesus manifested by willingly laying down his life.v.16Waiting for response for 1 John 3:16 By doing so in deed v.18Waiting for response for 1 John 3:18 we can assure our hearts before him v.19Waiting for response for 1 John 3:19 and we can have confidence in God v.21Waiting for response for 1 John 3:21 if we “believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.v.23Waiting for response for 1 John 3:23
Having declared that they that do righteousness are born of God, the apostle extols the love of God in making the disciples of Christ his children.v.1Waiting for response for 1 John 3:1 The world did not acknowledge Jesus as God’s Son when he lived among them, so neither does it recognise the true sons of God now. Furthermore, the world does not know what the saints will be like when Jesus returns, but faithful disciples do know - they will be like him and partakers of the divine nature, for they will see him in his full glory.v.2Waiting for response for 1 John 3:2 This is the marvellous hope of Christ’s disciples who are exhorted to be morally like Jesus, pure as he is pure,v.3Waiting for response for 1 John 3:3 so they can have their hope realised at his coming. They are also exhorted to live as the children of God now, and the rest of the chapter contrasts the children of God with the children of the devil, i.e. sin.vs.7-8Waiting for response for 1 John 3:7-8