Dr Tom Hover
October 9, 2022
I John 3:1-10
One Wonderful Love Authentic Christianity
One Wonderful Love
Authentic Christianity
Jump Off Verse: I John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
Text: I John 3:1-10 Introduction: I John 2:29
If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him. Here, John uses what I call a root/fruit argument, noting what we see before addressing why we see it. He tells us that the fruit of doing what is right reveals that in our roots, i.e., our hearts, we have been born again. The new birth precedes new behavior. Being born of God has definite and abiding results (“has been born” is a perfect-tense verb). Therefore, children of God will grow to look like God their Father. Our practice is proof of our parentage. The righteous Savior produces righteous saints. John carries this argument an additional step in 3:1, and what a step it is! He explains how the love of God the Father is the source of our privilege to be His children.
I. IN JESUS’ LOVE WE HAVE THE ASSURED ACCEPTANCE AS A SON! I John 3:1-3
a. THE LOVE IN THE ACCEPTANCE I John 3:1, John 3:16, Ephesians 1:6–7
1. The Character of The Love. “What manner of love” (1 John 3:1). “What manner of” is translated from a word that means “from what country, race or tribe” (Thayer).
2. The Continuousness of The Love. “Hath bestowed” (1 John 3:1). “Hath bestowed” is to give something to someone. The verb “hath bestowed” is in the perfect tense in the Greek and thus means continuous—that is the gift “becomes a permanent possession of the recipient” (Wuest). Romans 8:37–39
b. THE CALLING IN THE ACCEPTANCE I John 3:1 “We should be called the sons of God”.
c. THE COMPREHENDING OF THE ACCEPTANCE I John 3:1“The world knoweth us not, because it knew him not”.
1. The Ignorance in The Comprehending. “The World Knoweth Us Not.”
2. The Injustice in The Comprehending. “The World Knoweth Us Not.”
3. The Incitement for The Comprehending. “Because It Knew Him Not”
d. THE COUNTENANCE FROM THE ACCEPTANCE I John 3:2 “It doth not yet appear what we shall be”.
1. The Developing of The Countenance. “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be” (1 John 3:2).
2. The Defining of The Countenance. “Doth not yet appear what we shall be [like].” (1 John 3:2). The emphasis here is on the physical appearance not the spiritual nature. “This likeness [to Christ] in this context has to do with a physical likeness, not a spiritual one” (Wuest).
3. The Delay in The Countenance. “Doth not yet appear … when he shall appear.” (1 John 3:2). The Rapture will give us new bodies and our glorious countenance change: I Corinthians 15:52
4. The Description of The Countenance. “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (I John 3:2).
e. THE CONFIDENCE FROM THE ACCEPTANCE I John 3:3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.
1. The Clarifying of The Hope. “Hath this hope” (1 John 3:3). Titus 2:13
2. The Consequences of The Hope. “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself” (1 John 3:3).
3. The Comparison in The Hope. “Even as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
“He” refers to Jesus Christ. To be as righteous as Christ is the ultimate in righteousness.
II. IN JESUS’ LOVE WE HAVE THE ASSURED VICTORY OVER SIN! I John 3:4–10
A. JESUS CAME TO DELIVER US FROM SIN I John 3:4-6
1. Christ Appeared and Dealt with Sin (3:4–5).
a. THE DISOBEDIENCE OF SIN I John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law”.
b. THE DEFINING OF SIN I John 3:4 “Sin is the transgression of the law”.
c. THE DELIVERANCE FROM SIN I John 3:5 “He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin”.
1. The reason for the incarnation. “He was manifested to take away our sins.” I John 3:5, Matthew 1:21
2. The requirement in the incarnation. “In Him is no sin.” I John 3:5, II Corinthians 5:21
3. Christians abide in Christ and do not live in sin (3:6).
a. THE DEPARTURE FROM SIN I John 3:6 “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not”.
b. THE DARKNESS OF SIN I John 3:6 “Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known Him”.
B. JESUS CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL
1. The Devil Is a Deceiver, So Pursue Righteousness
a. THE DECEPTION OF SIN I John 3:7 “Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous”.
2. The Devil Is a Sinner Who Has Been Defeated
a. THE DEVILTRY OF SIN I John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning”.
C. JESUS CAME TO DEMARCATE THE CHILDREN OF GOD
de·mar·cate [d??mär?k?t, ?d?mär?k?t] VERB: set the boundaries or limits of: separate or distinguish from: I John 3:9-10
1. God’s Children Have Experienced a New Birth I John 3:9
2. God’s Children Do Not Practice Sin I John 3:9
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (Body, Soul, Spirit)
3. God’s Children Love One Another I John 3:10 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.
a. THE DEVILTRY OF SIN I John 3:8 “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning”.
b. THE DESTRUCTION OF SIN I John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”.
c. THE DISCONTINUING OF SIN I John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God”.
d. DISCLOSURE FROM SIN I John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifested, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother”.
Conclusion: Let me conclued this sermon with a song: It was written by Frances Jane “Fanny” Crosby (1820–1915). Its title: “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine.” In the context of 1 John 2:28–3:3, stanzas 1 and 3 really stand out.
