1 John 3:3 “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John’s first epistle in a series titled Am I Born of God. This sermon, the sixth in the series, 1 John 3:3-19, teaches on the evils of sin and the benefits of love: “The glory and beauty of the Savior, first resides in the fact of His purity. It is not just that Jesus did not sin and was able to resist the sinful urges of His body, but rather that in Him is no sin. He was sinless, holy, and without defect or blemish. (Heb. 7:26) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; It is also this purity, cleanliness of heart and soul, that Christ passes on the those who believe on Him.
“If a man remains indifferent to his sin, and perceives no harm in breaking God’s commandments, then you can be sure that Jesus Christ is not his Lord. Practically speaking, those born of God and filled with His Spirit will be recognized by their obedience and subjection to the gospel, and not their rejection and breaking of it.
“While it is true that a person is saved by grace, through faith, it is equally true that neither grace nor faith, allows men to continue in sin and break divine law. Grace gives no man the right to sin, because if it did, it would totally negate the purpose of God imparting to men His Spirit, which infuses Its recipients with the strength, power, and ability to keep God’s will and statutes.
“It is always a lie that implies that a man can sin, not pursue a life of righteousness, and still be a true son of God.
How a man walks, and not what he says, reveals whom he is of. By continuing in sin, men show themselves to have aligned themselves with the very one who has sinned since the very beginning. The language is strong because the truth is certain, he that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil.
No one, not one person, not one man, woman, or child can continue in sin, if actually born of God. This is a biblical impossibility and the apostle seeks to make this very important revelation abundantly clear. That once someone is born of God, been filled with God’s Spirit, and made Jesus Christ their Lord, they cannot, and will not continue in sin. The reason therefore that true saints cannot continue in sin, is because God’s seed, the Holy Spirit, has changed their heart, and now God’s holy nature abides in them.
“For true Christians, continuing in sin is infeasible, undesirable, and loathsome. Sin cannot be continued in once God and Christ, make Their abode in a new son of God’s heart. Sin’s power has been broken, and a new holy energy now lives within, enabling a pursuit of union and communion with the Lord.
“Love, and specifically love for the brethren, ultimately reveals if a man has truly been saved by Christ, born of God, or just merely walks in the company of those who have been.
“In contrast to love is envy and hate, which are the devilish qualities that led Cain to kill his natural born brother, Abel. The evil spiritual influence also that led Cain to slay Abel, had for its origin, the devil.
There was no divine love in Cain, and this vacuum, left the door wide open for envy and hate. The lesson is, that even as love will prevent sin,(I Cor. 13:4-8) its absence allows full space for it. Thus, when men do not obey Christ’s command to love, there is no other path for them to follow, than that which is harmful not only to themselves but sadly, to others as well. Where love is not, the devil will gladly take its place.
The divine qualities of love, joy, and peace, as well as the other fruits of the Spirit, cannot exist in an unsaved man. They are fruits of the Spirit of God, and cannot be truly manufactured, nor properly imitated, by those who have not the Spirit. Love for the brethren proves a man has been acquitted of his sins, and now is declared righteous before God.
“In contrast to a world filled with hate, is the example of love found in Jesus Christ. Hence, where Cain’s hate took the life of his brother, Christ’s love, gave His own life as a sacrifice for others. The contrast is seen in the world’s first murderer, Cain, and this world’s Savior, Jesus Christ. Cain and Jesus Christ therefore are set as examples of what hate will end in, and what true love also will ultimately produce. By Christ’s love in laying down His life for the brethren, divine love became visible. In Jesus Christ we have the very essence of what true love is. Surprisingly, Christ did not reveal a higher form of love, which of course He could reveal no other, but only that in Him, is seen what true and divine love really is. This is why not until a man is willing to give his life to God, as Christ also first did, for the benefit of others, is Christ’s love possessed.
“One of the chief ways to determine if men love or not, is if they are willing to give up their own earthly resources when a brother is in need. All love gives, and there is not true love that can ignore and not come to the aid, of those in need. If the heart remains closed to the lack and necessities of those around us, especially our brethren, then it is certain God’s love has no true place in us.
“It is only by sincerely walking in love, that assures the believer that he is of the truth. Where a hypocrite has no inward assurance that he is of God, the man who genuinely loves, does. Teaching us that love does more for the conscience and soul, than any religious duty ever could. It is thus only by doing the Word and not merely hearing it, that the conscience is quieted, and assurance is given to ourselves, that we are indeed God’s children. Obedience to the gospel therefore has for its unsuspecting end, producing internal confidence in our own standing, of being the children of God.
Broadcast live on 03/05/2023