Take time to highlight as you read these chapters all of John’s talk about what love really looks like. He is often called the apostle of love and these chapters are a big reason why.
Early in Chapter 3, John claims that Christians who “abide in Jesus” do not sin. He expounds on this a short time later stating that “he who sins is of the devil.” Can we reconcile this with the fact that we do sin as in James 3:2 “For we all stumble in many ways” ?
The answer is: John’s reference to sin is directed at a life style, not an act. Jesus forgives our daily failures be they a rash action or a bad thought or word. The question becomes patterns in our lives. Do we claim to be Christians but live in a worldly fashion? Can the world look as us and see we are different? The world looks at high profile Christians who fail and paint us with the same broad brush. We need to be aware that God and the world are aware of how we live, and behave accordingly.
One Comment
Early in Chapter 3, John claims that Christians who “abide in Jesus” do not sin. He expounds on this a short time later stating that “he who sins is of the devil.” Can we reconcile this with the fact that we do sin as in James 3:2 “For we all stumble in many ways” ?
The answer is: John’s reference to sin is directed at a life style, not an act. Jesus forgives our daily failures be they a rash action or a bad thought or word. The question becomes patterns in our lives. Do we claim to be Christians but live in a worldly fashion? Can the world look as us and see we are different? The world looks at high profile Christians who fail and paint us with the same broad brush. We need to be aware that God and the world are aware of how we live, and behave accordingly.