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Live in the Light.

Live in the Light. The Epistles of John. Chapter 3. In Chapter 3 of 1 John … John is going to compel us to do specific things and to live a certain kind of way. However, before he explains exactly what it is that we should get busy doing…

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Live in the Light.

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  1. Live in the Light. The Epistles of John

  2. Chapter 3 .

  3. In Chapter 3 of 1 John… John is going to compel us to do specific things and to live a certain kind of way.

  4. However, before he explains exactly what it is that we should get busy doing… He gives us two reasons as to why we should do these things.

  5. (3:1) See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…

  6. (3:2) Beloved, we are God's children now…

  7. The 1st reason that John gives for the specific kind of lifestyle that we should embrace is…

  8. We are God’s children.

  9. John says that now, currently, in the present, we are considered to be God’s very own children.

  10. John says that we have a specialstandingwhich is to be called a child of God.

  11. Through the accomplishments of Christ and through belief in the gospel…we have now become the children of God…

  12. This is a staggering truth reiterated all throughout the New Testament…

  13. (John 1:12) But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—

  14. John says that the truth that God loved sinners like us and sent His Son to die for people like us …in order to adopt us as His own children…

  15. …should lead us to specific action!

  16. (3:2) Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared [been revealed]; but we know that when he appearswe shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

  17. The 2nd reason that John gives for the specific kind of lifestyle that we should embrace is…

  18. We will be like God.

  19. John says that one day in the future, we will have an even better statusand that is that we will sharein the very nature of God Himself.

  20. John says that another reason that we should be motivated to live a specific kind of life is because we have an incredible, future hope.

  21. This future hope is that one day we will be like God… that is, we will have shedour sinnature entirely and we will share in His Glory fully.

  22. This is a staggering truth reiterated all throughout the New Testament…

  23. (Romans 8:16-17) The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

  24. John says that the truth that we will one day be like God Himself, sharing in His glory, inheriting His kingdom…

  25. …should lead us to specific action!

  26. These are both mind blowing realities...

  27. …that we are the children of God and that one day we will be like God.

  28. One of the greatest weapons in Satan’s arsenal is to get Christians to treat the most mind blowing realities like a mundane peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

  29. When being ‘a child of God’ and when ‘being like God…forever’ becomes flavorless like peanut butter & jelly to us…

  30. We are in deep trouble. And we have lost almost all motivation for obedience.

  31. Because, according to John, those two stunning realities are the central motives to real and lasting obedience.

  32. Now we must ask the question…

  33. What kind of actions should these two realities lead us towards?

  34. John points out four specific things that the child of God who looks forward to being like God one day should do without ceasing.

  35. #1 Personal Sanctification

  36. (3:3) And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

  37. 1stJohn says that the hopeful children of God should purify themselves.

  38. “To cleanse oneself from pollution.”

  39. What has so polluted us that we must remove in order to be pure before the Lord?

  40. Wickedness (2) Worldliness

  41. The biblical cleansing process usually was twofold and consisted of both…

  42. (1) the putting off the old garment and washing ones hands/body… (2) the putting on the new robes and perfumes.

  43. Purification in the Old Testament and New Testament typically involved a putting off of the old and a putting on of the new.

  44. The process of personal sanctification involves the continual putting off of sin & worldliness and the putting on of purity & righteousness.

  45. ACTION STEPS

  46. #1 A daily, ongoing, moment by moment prayerful walkingin step with the Spirit.

  47. #2 An openness & willingnessto add or remove whateverthe Lord may request.

  48. #3 A friend or confidant who is able to be honest with us and help us see wrongdoingin our life.

  49. #2 Purging of Sin

  50. 2ndJohn says that the hopeful children of God should continually purge sin from their lives.

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