Is there a way that our actions regularly may be brought into line with our desire to live a holy life? Very fortunately, Jesus Christ has given each of us a way to accomplish this most important goal. The fact is that, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.” (1 John 3:6 ASV)
Here is the secret for victory over sin! The one who abides in Christ does not continue sinning. This verse also makes it clear that the person who claims to be a child of God but who continues to sin has not even caught a significant glimpse of Christ. This clearly implies that the true child of God has, in some way, seen Jesus Christ. In view of 1 John 3:2, this seeing is to be understood in the sense of comprehending.
Anyone who continues in sin not only has not seen Christ, he also doesn’t even know him. This probably implies a deeper level of understanding than the level of comprehension implied by the words, “hath not seen him.”
Victory over sin manifests itself in one’s daily actions. “My little children let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:” (1 John 3:7 ASV)
The words, “let no man lead you astray” gives us one of the many indications in this epistle that false teachers were active among the followers of Christ Thus the epistle was written to protect them from that deception and error. “Evidently these teachers were suggesting that a man might be righteous even though he were doing what is wrong. With the words, “he that doeth righteousness is righteous,” “the Apostle cuts away vain pretenses by a sharp principle: a righteous character expresses itself in righteous conduct.” (David Smith, The Epistles of St. John, The Expositor’s Greek Testament, Volume V, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), pp. 184-185.) Just as Christ’s righteousness manifested itself in his manner of life, ours should, too. Thus we are to practice righteousness “even as he is righteous:”
The principle that life style reflects one’s spiritual commitment is true whether one is committed to Christ or to Satan. Thus we are told that, “he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8 ASV)
John has shown us that the followers of Christ demonstrate their paternity by following the life style of their elder brother, Jesus Christ, the righteous. We do this by living a life that is characterized by righteousness, as he did. But, the one who ‘doeth’ sin also reveals his paternity. Such a one is “of the devil.”
Satan, is not an eternal being. He did have a beginning. That is clearly implied in the statement that, “the devil sinneth from the beginning.” Obviously, God created him. However, God did not create a wicked being. He became evil by the misuse of free choice. He is often spoken of as fallen. (Please see Luke 10:17-20.) Had he always been evil he could not have fallen. Thus, the ‘beginning’ to which reference is made is the beginning of his rebellion against God.
Satan’s rebellion will not succeed because, “To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” John seems to summarize two statements which Jesus had made regarding his victory over Satan. The first statement is one which John himself had recorded in the fourth gospel. Jesus said, “the prince of this world hath been judged.” (John 16:8-10 ASV) The second statement is recorded by Mark. He quotes Jesus as saying, “But no one can enter into the house of the strong man, [a reference to Satan] and spoil his good except he first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” (Mark 3:27 ASV) Jesus taught clearly on many occasions that he had bound Satan and spoiled his house.
When God gives new life through Jesus Christ, he imparts it through a divine seed. Throughout the entire life of the follower of Jesus that seed continues to impart life and give strength for victory over sin. Scripture tells us, “Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.” ( I John 3:9 ASV)
One who has been begotten is not simply one who has only been exposed to the divine seed (The Greek here is sperma.), but one who has received the sperm and has permitted it to generate life. The seed or sperm is the word of God. The person who receives the word and allows it to generate new life in him reaps great moral and ethical benefits because, “Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin,” (1 John 3:9 ASV)
The moral and ethical benefits are generated, “because his seed abideth in him:” The power of the word, the divine sperm, is not demonstrated in the life of the casual hearer but in the life of the one who lets that life-giving word continue to abide, and thus do its work, in him.
The results brought about by the indwelling seed are permanent. The person in whom the seed resides, “cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.” The Apostle John, “is not teaching that a child of God is perfect or sinless, and so has no need to exercise care in his walk or to accept correction. The very word `child’ implies imperfect growth and experience, and the need of discipline. But what is yet blessedly true of God’s children is that they hate sin and do not willfully continue in it.” (A.J. Flack, The Touchstone, (Bombay: Gospel Literature Service, 1961), p. 62)
Our spiritual lineage cannot be hidden because, “In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:10 ASV)
We are either “children of God” or we are “children of the devil.” The reality will be ‘manifest.’ The underlying principle is, “whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God.” This principle is in complete harmony with Jesus’ discourse to the Jews in which he said, “Everyone that committeth sin is the bond servant of sin.” (John 8:34 ASV) Thus, a person who continues in sin is not even the servant of God, much less a child of God!