We have many churches that are full of baptised pagans. A full church of empty people. They have culture but they don’t have Christ. They have religion but they don’t have righteousness.

1 – The rebellion that proves our sinfulness (vs. 4)

Sin is breaking God’s law. See James 4:17; 1 John 5:17. Sin is the transgression is lawlessness. God has built into this universe certain laws because he wanted order. Without law there is no order. Without order you have chaos. E.g. God made the law of gravity. The whole universe works to law. There are laws in the physical and moral universe. Sin is the transgression of the law. It makes you an outlaw. The laws are for your welfare. Sin is the transgression of the law. This transgression breaks God’s heart. There is no one who can say that they have not broken God’s commandments. Education is not going to stop sin. Psychology, legislation, prisons, etc. are not going to stop sin. The problem is not what we do but where it comes from. The heart of man is desperately wicked.

2 – The righteousness that proclaims our sonship (vs. 6)

There are too many people who have been saved and there has been no change in their life. The Christian is not as prone to sin. You are not saved by reforming your life. Jesus came to save us from our sin. We should be more and more like Jesus. It is a process of sanctification. There is no one with sinless perfection. When we abide with Christ you do not make sin your lifestyle. The Christian does not habitually sin. The Christian goes through a radical change due to the nature of God that is working within. The caterpillar becomes a butterfly! It is a metamorphosis. The word “keep” is a sailing term. The sailors would navigate by the stars – “keeping the stars”. If we know Christ we are going to “keep” his commandments. This does not mean that you won’t be blown off course or experience storms. Like Father, like son.

3 – The redemption that provides our salvation (vs. 7-9)

Paul was a true Israelite. If anyone could have been justified by the law it would have been Paul. God had to stop Paul on the Damascus road. Worship is primarily internal and secondarily external. (vs. 3). Worship is from the heart and not just a habit. (vs. 4-6).

• Redeem me from sin – Jesus is our scapegoat. Our sins are forgotten.
• Redeem me from Satan – Jesus came to make the work of the Devil ineffective. Jesus has come to destroy the destroyer. Jesus has taken my sin away and the power of Satan has been destroyed.
• Redeem me from self – Jesus has redeemed from the principle of self. Jesus died for ME. When you get saved you receive spiritual life. My spiritual parents are the Word of God and the Spirit of God. You have a new dynamic life. The spiritual will not continue in sin. If Jesus Christ is in you then you will have a new desire. The Christian who has been really saved does not want to sin. God’s life is in you. If you are born of God then you cannot habitually live in sin. You just can’t do it. The Holy Spirit will tear you up, God will discipline you until you confess and get yourself right.

Categories: 1 John