OAKRIDGE BIBLE CHAPEL

The Christian and Sin (1 John 3:1–9)

Most people today—and, unfortunately, many Christians and churches—treat sin more like empty calories than like cancer, something that can be enjoyed in moderation but not something to necessarily fear and fight. But even a cursory reading of the Bible reveals sin to be more the latter than the former. It’s pervasive and powerful, corrupting and consuming, and deceptive and damning.

Sin is not something with which God’s people should approach casually. Indeed, every Christian can echo the puritan prayer that says, “Eternal Father, thou art good beyond all thought, but I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind … I bring my soul to thee; break it, wound it, bend it, mould it. Unmask to me sin’s deformity, that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.” Summarily, sin is a big deal to God and should be to God’s people also. Why? Well, for starters, because sin prevents the enjoyment of Christ, the modelling of Christ, and the honouring Christ.

SERMON MANUSCRIPT 

When you think about sin, do you consider it more like a cancer or empty calories? Is it something to fear and fight or something to enjoy in moderation?

Many today lean toward the junk-food understanding. A recent U.S. survey reported that 69% of self-identified Christians agree that “everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.” About the same percentage (65%) disagree that “even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation.” Translation: about two-thirds of people who claim to belong to Jesus Christ think he died for decent people who may occasionally sin but certainly aren’t deserving of more than a slap on the wrist. So, sin is optional, minimal, largely unobjectionable, and easily excusable. Simply stated, it’s just not a big deal.

It seems few believers today would be comfortable with this puritan prayer: “Eternal Father, thou art good beyond all thought, but I am vile, wretched, miserable, blind … I bring my soul to thee; break it, wound it, bend it, mould it. Unmask to me sin’s deformity, that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it.” He thought sin was a big deal.

It seems few churches today would sing with agreement lyrics like “My heart is vile, my mind depraved, / my flesh rebels against Thy will; / I am polluted in Thy sight, / yet, Lord, have mercy on me still!” or “Alas! and did my Saviour bleed, / and did my Sovereign die! / Would he devote that sacred head / for sinners such as I?” Again, big deal.

The reality is that prayers and songs like that reflect the sentiments of the Bible (see, for example, Isa 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 3:10–18; Eph 2:1).

We need to understand that, in spite of what many think about the topic, sin is cancer and not empty calories. It is pervasive and powerful, corrupting and consuming, deceptive and damning. Sin is a big deal. And John calls us to treat it as such. Go ahead and read 1 John 3:1–9.

This is a complicated text about a complicated topic: the Christian and sin. In an attempt to bring some clarity, however, let’s break the passage into two categories. First, it tells us what Christians must do when it comes to sin and, second, it tells us how we can do it

What We Must Do: Avoid Sin!

And what we must do isn’t surprising: avoid sin! If we want to abide in Christ, to enjoy the relationship with have with him, the power we have through him, and the security we have in him, we must fear and fight sin. It’s a big deal.

Sin is anti-law

And it’s a big deal because, first, it’s anti-law (v. 4) Sin rejects all law and is in flagrant opposition to God. It is pro-chaos, pro-destruction, pro-death. Sin is anti-order, anti-creation, anti-life.

On October 7, 1969, the Montreal police department went on strike. On October 8, one newspaper reported what happened the previous day: “Fires, explosions, assaults and a full-pitched gun-battle kept Montrealers huddled indoors as the reign of terror brought the city to the edge of chaos and resulted in the call for the Army to help. … Hundreds of looters swept through downtown Montreal last night as the city suffered one of the worst outbreaks of lawlessness in its history. Hotels, banks, stores and restaurants … had their windows smashed by rock-tossing youths. Thousands of spectators looked on as looters casually picked goods out of store-front windows.” 

Despite what some believe today, lawlessness is never good. Humanity does not thrive under anarchy and God wants us to thrive. That’s why he gave us guidance. Sin destroys that because it is anti-law. Avoid sin!

Sin is anti-truth

Sin is also anti-truth (v. 7). John’s already highlighted the risk of false-teachers and antichrists that pull God’s people away from God’s light (John 14:6a; 16:13a; 17:17; cp. John 8:44). Sin opposes truth and, since God is truth, sin opposes God and stops us from enjoying him, growing in him, and being used by him. Sin is not only anti-law, it’s anti-truth. So, John says, avoid it!

Sin is anti-goodness

Third, sin is anti-goodness (v. 8; cp. Gen 1:31a; 3:1a). When Christians sin we are acting more like the Enemy of our souls than the Saviour of our souls. Sin mimics the devil. God is good, sin is anti-goodness. Avoid it.

Sin is anti-abiding

Finally, ultimately, and most fundamentally, John wants us to realize that Christians must avoid sin because it’s anti-abiding. Living in sin and abiding in Christ are opposite. In fact, the whole passage is set up to declare this truth. Notice the all-encompassing language (see vv. 3, 4, 6, 9). It’s the same phrase used five times to create a contrast between two opposing groups and, more specifically, the ideals of those groups.

We might do this also. For example: everyone who cheers for the Maple Leafs is optimistic. No one who cheers for them cheers for Montreal. Everyone who doubts Toronto supremacy is joyless and dead inside. No one who was born in Ontario loves the Canadians. 

I’ve created two contrasting groups by describing their ideals. You’re either a die-hard, always-optimistic, joyful and enlivened Leaf fan or loyal to the Canadians. Now, in reality, there’s grey area between the extremes as people grow in their fandom but the contrast is effective.

This is what John’s doing. He’s created a contrast between those who abide in Christ and those who sin, that which is anti-law, anti-truth, and anti-goodness. These are opposing realities.

Notice 3:6. It’s a strong contrast sitting atop what he’s already said in the first two chapters. Those who abide in Christ, who know the eternal life of Christ (1:3), who walk like Christ (2:6), who bask in Christ’s light and love (2:10), who obey Christ (2:11), who are controlled by the word of Christ (2:14), who love the gospel of Christ (2:24), who are taught by the Spirit of Christ (2:27), and who long for the coming of Christ (2:28), people like this do not sin. Why? Because sin is the opposite of those things. Sin is anti-abiding! The two are diametrically opposed to one another.

The contrast continues in verses 7 and 8. Christ is righteous: law-abiding, truth-speaking, and goodness-defining. The devil is none of those things. Each day, each moment we choose who to follow. We can’t turn right and left all at the same time. We can’t sit and run at the same time. And we can’t abide in Christ and sin at the same time.

Verse 9 is a tough verse but, in light of the context, it seems to be saying that, since a Christian is born again of a sinless Parent, born of God, we should live consistent with our holy DNA. 

His seed, which abides in us, could refer to God’s Spirit (1 Cor 3:16) or God’s word (Col 3:16) but, either way, it’s a divinely-given implantation that helps us walk sinlessly. And, if we lived lives consistent with the purity of our Father, his Spirit, or his word, modelling that new nature we were given at conversion, it would be impossible for us to sin. That’s an ideal picture of a Christ-abider.

But few of us are ideal, are we? Are there Leaf fans who aren’t optimistic? Yes. Are there Canadians fans from Toronto. Also, yes. It’s not ideal, but here we are. 

More seriously, do believers sin? Yes. (See 1:8–10.) Christians sin. Are there Christians who practice lawlessness, deception, and evil? Also, yes. (See 1 Cor 3:1–3; 5:1, 5.) John creates a contrast to highlight the tragedy of this inconsistency, to show what’s at stake, and to call believers away from it and toward the light. 

What must we do as Christians in order to enjoy our relationship with Christ and be most useful and pleasing to him? Avoid sin. Why? Because it’s anti-law, anti-truth, and anti-goodness, and anti-abiding.

If you and I want to walk with God closely, know Christ intimately, mature in him obviously, and be used by him mightily, we must think about sin biblically—what it is, how it works, and why it must be dealt with; no justification, no capitulation, no equivocation. It is a big deal. It is cancer not empty calories. It is an intimacy-killing, Christ-betraying reality that we must run from.

How We Can Do It: Look to Christ!

Here’s what we must do: avoid sin! That’s a big job. Which is why John now tells us how we can do it. And, again, the answer won’t be surprising: we need to look to Christ!

It’s Christ who has the power we need to avoid sin and, instead, enjoy intimacy with him. More specifically, John tells us to look to his comings—his first coming at the incarnation and his second coming that’s still future. Fill our minds with what Christ accomplished and will accomplish, and we’ll avoid sin and abide in him.

Look to Christ’s first coming

Are you battling with sin in your life, brother? Are there things keeping you from enjoying the abundant life Christ wants for you, sister? Then look to Christ and his first coming. What does it show us?

First, it shows God’s love for us (v. 1; John 3:16). That Christ came to earth is an indescribable demonstration of his incalculable love for you and me. How can I hate God’s law, God’s truth, and God’s goodness when I see how much he loves me? How can I partner with his enemy when I understand the love he’s shown me, while I was yet a sinner?

Second, Christ’s first coming confirmed our status (v. 1–2; John 1:12). When we placed our faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, we are called children of the Most High God. We are born of him, belonging to him, provided for by him. We’re given a status, a positional reality that we’re not owed and sometimes even fight against but which is secure.

Third, the first coming of Christ set us apart (v. 1; John 15:18). That God has set his love upon us and called us his children is something the world hates. It is special. It is divine. We’ve been given and invested the antidote to the poison the whole world drank. We’ve passed from death to life. Why would we act like we’re dying, flailing about in anxiousness, desperation, cowardice, and selfishness? When Christ came he set us apart.

He also removed our sin (v. 5; John 1:29). Jesus condescended to live among us, be rejected by us, abused by us, killed by us, so as to save us. How can we celebrate and live in the sins for which he’s already paid with his blood? It’s like a pardoned prisoner refusing freedom.

Fifth, Christ’s first coming showed us purity (v. 5). Not only did he pay for our sins but he modelled for us the sinlessness to which we are to aspire (see 2 Cor 5:21). We’re to want to live like Jesus lived.

Finally, Jesus’s first coming defeated the devil (v. 8; John 16:11). Yes, the enemy of our souls is powerful—far more than you or I—but he’s a defeated foe, out on bail as he awaits execution. The cross beat him. So why would we want to be like him?

John is saying here, “Look at all Christ accomplished when he was here last time!” If you want to avoid sin, set your mind on him and what did at his first coming. He showed God’s love for us, confirmed our status as children, set us apart from a dying world, removed our sin, showed us what purity looks like, and defeated the devil. That’s pretty good ammunition to use against temptation, no?

Look to Christ’s second coming

But John doesn’t stop there. He also points us to Christ’s second coming. Don’t just look back, look forward! 

It’s at his second coming that we’ll be like him (v. 2; Rom 8:29). Yes, we fight sin today. Is the battle worth it? Is it worth it to strive to abide with Christ? Yes, because one day we will actually be conformed to his image. When he comes again, we will be free from this battle. “Have hope,” says John. “We’re going to be like him.”

The second coming of Christ is also when we’ll see him (v. 2; John 17:24). There is coming a time when we will see Jesus face-to-face.

Finally, we look to his second coming because it’s that blessed hope that purifies us now (v. 3). If I’ve said it here once I’ve said it a hundred times: believers who are most heavenly minded are the most earthly good. Those who look for his coming, knowing that we’ll be like him and that we’ll see him, are most motivated to live purely now to please him, model him, show him, honour him.

As Christians, John is telling us that we must avoid sin if we want to abide in Christ. And, as daunting a task that is, we can experience victory by looking to Christ—his first coming and his second coming.

If you are wrestling with sin today, look to Christ. His love for you, your status with God because of him, the forgiveness you’ve been given, the purity you’re called to pursue and that you will have one day. Don’t play whack-a-mole with your sin. Look to Christ, abide in Christ. He is enough for our salvation, our security, our maturity, and our victory.



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Josiah has served the Oakridge Bible Chapel family as one of its elders and one of its pastoral staff members since September 2018, before which he ministered as an associate pastor to a local congregation in the Canadian prairies. Josiah's desire is to be used by God to help equip the church for ministry, both while gathered (edification) and while scattered (evangelization). He is married to Patricia, and together they have five children—Jonah, Henry, Nathaniel, Josephine, and Benjamin.

Josiah Boyd

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