It is very unfortunate that the chapter divisions of the Scriptures frequently are improperly placed. Chapter three of our epistle is separated from verse twenty-nine of the preceding chapter, upon which this passage is based: "If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him" (I John 2:29). The germinal thought is found in the expression "begotten of him." The child inherits the characteristics and the nature of the parents. God, who is our Father, is, says John, righteous. Everyone, therefore, who has been begotten of Him is likewise righteous, having inherited the characteristics of the Father. This new nature that is implanted in the soul of the one who is born again will ordinarily assert itself in the life and conduct of the individual.

The Children of God

Since we are children of God by virtue of having been begotten of Him and been born again, John is led to exclaim, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are." It seems almost impossible for mortal man, with his limited outlook, to comprehend the thought that the eternal Holy God can love us with such an intense love as He does. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God loved us and Christ died for us in order that we might have life, and that we should now be called the children of God. We accept the scriptural teaching by faith, because God has thus spoken. We believe Him and are convinced that we are at the present time—in this life—children of God in the scriptural sense of the term.

When Christ was here upon earth, the people of the world, though they saw Him and were intimately associated with Him, did not recognize him. Had the rulers of the world recognized Him, they would not have killed Him, the Lord of Glory. "We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought: 7 but we speak of God's wisdom in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: …" (I Cor. 2:6-8). Since the world did not recognize Jesus, we are not surprised that they do not recognize the children of God today.

"Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be." The joys of the new birth and the unlimited blessing which we have in Christ are far beyond human description. Our spiritual blessings are but a foretaste of what we shall receive when the Lord Jesus returns for His saints. When Christ was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, radiations of divine glory sparkled forth from His entire body; then this manifestation of His glory ceased. Since we shall be glorified with Him when He comes, it is quite reasonable to suppose that our immortal bodies will scintillate with His glory. This much, we may assume; but the extent of the glorification and the manner of it, do not yet appear. At the second coming of Christ we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. When Christ came to earth by miraculous conception and virgin birth, He took upon Himself the form of man and offered Himself for our redemption. He arose again with the same body, which had been glorified. When He ascended to Heaven, He did so in His glorified immortal body. When He returns, He will come back in that same glorified immortal body; then our bodies will be fashioned anew like His. Throughout Eternity we shall be associated with the glorified Son of God. Nothing is said in the Scriptures as to the special relationship which we shall sustain toward the Father and God the Holy Spirit, who did not assume human bodies, as Christ did.

Every person who has accepted Christ and has been born again has this hope of becoming like the glorified Saviour. Everyone, therefore, who has this hope set upon Christ, John asserts, "purifies himself, even as he is pure." Being born again into the family of God and having the hope of being like Christ, every Christian who takes his salvation seriously purifies himself—by availing himself of the spiritual means provided for such a holy life. On this point, read and study carefully 2 Peter 1:1-11.

Christ Free From Every Vestige of Sin

The Apostle Paul, in II Cor. 5:21, asserts that Christ "knew no sin"; that is, there was no sin in His flesh—the principle of sin, which is a diabolical force driving people to do wrong (Rom. 7:7-26). The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews asserted that Christ had been tempted in all points as we are "yet without sin." As is seen in John, chapter 8, Christ challenged His opponents to point to one sin of which He was guilty. They, of course, were unable to mention one single sin. Hence John asserts that Christ was pure and, therefore, urges those who are members of the body of Christ to purify themselves, even as Christ was pure—a very high standard of life.

Sin and Lawlessness

"Everyone that doeth sin doeth lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness." The word "sin" primarily means to miss the mark. Everyone who is missing the mark morally and spiritually is also guilty of lawlessness. Whenever one does wrong, regardless of what he does, he is violating some one or more principles of God's eternal government. The sinner, therefore, is a lawless character.

In verse 5, the Apostle asserts that Christ was "manifested to take away sins." Sins used in the plural number refer to separate acts. Christ died, therefore, to take away sins—all wrong acts and evil thoughts of all people. He tasted death for every man. In I John 2:2, the Apostle declares that Christ is "the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." Since Christ died for our sins and for those of the whole world, He died to remove or cancel all the sins of the people of the entire world—who in faith accept His atonement.

In John 1:29, John the Baptist, pointing to Christ, says: "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!" Here sin is used in the singular number and is a collective noun embracing all the sins of mankind.

Christ, who came to take away all sins—past, present, and future—had no sin in Him. Had there been sin in Him, He could not have made an offering acceptable to a Holy God.

Abiding in Christ

"Whosever abideth in him sinneth not: whosever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him" (verse 6). It is very unfortunate that the translators did not give the literal rendering of the verbs of this passage. The two participles rendered "abiding" and "sinning," and the finite verb rendered "sinneth" (keeps on sinning) of this verse—and of most of them appearing in this block of Scripture—are in the linear verb stem. An accurate rendering of the verse is "Whosoever keeps on abiding in him [Christ] does not keep on sinning: Whosoever keeps on sinning has not seen him neither hath known him." If one is really abiding in Christ, he does not keep on sinning. The one who has been begotten of God, and who is keeping on sinning, has not seen Him in the real, spiritual sense; neither has known Him in the same manner. That Christians do wrong at times is assumed in I John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." What John is emphasizing is that born again people inherit from God, their Father, a holy nature, which does not express itself in living a sinful life. On the contrary, this nature expresses itself in holy, clean living.

Following this statement, John warns believers against false teaching: "Little children, let no one keep on leading you astray" (v. 7). He again asserts, "He that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." Following this thought, the Apostle again asserts that the one who keeps on sinning is of the devil, for the "devil sinneth from the beginning." This statement shows that John is speaking about Christians living clean, holy lives seven days out of every week. To this end, the Son of God was manifested to "destroy the works of the devil." Some Christians excuse themselves by saying that we sin every day and that we have to—cannot do otherwise. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, the chief of which is to cause people to keep on sinning.

In making these statements, I am not advocating the doctrine of sinless perfection, for this teaching is contrary to the Scriptures. The Bible teaches that the born-again person can avail himself of the power of God and can keep on living a clean, holy life in fellowship with his Maker.

The One Begotten of God

"Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God" (verse 9). Properly and accurately translated, this verse reads, "Whosoever is begotten of God does not keep on sinning because his seed keeps on abiding in him and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been begotten of God." The reason the one who is begotten of God does not keep on sinning is that his seed—the new nature implanted in the soul at the time of regeneration—abides in him and enables him to live a pure, clean life.

Contrast Between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil

"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" (verse 10). Since the new nature manifests itself in holy living, and since the old nature likewise manifests itself in a wicked, ungodly life, one who has spiritual perception can detect which one is a child of God and which is not. One not doing righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who fails to love his brother.

The Message of Love

"For this is the message ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: 12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (verses 11 and 12). Cain's heart was not right with God. Stirred with jealously, he slew his brother. Envy and jealousy are horrible forces which spring forth in the lives of myriads of people; but those who are born again and are Spirit-filled are delivered from such lives. May God keep us in the center of His holy, directive will and may we glorify Him in our living.