A Serious Word of Warning
I John 3:1-10
EVangelistic methods employed in evangelical Christianity over the last century and a half have given rise to equating salvation with a profession of faith in Christ. Many have obediently followed steps that supposedly adds up to salvation, and therefore assume themselves to possess eternal life.
However, the Bible provides ample cause for us to assert that multitudes of professing Christians will be cast into hell on Judgment Day. The most profound warning, issued by our Lord, is recorded in Matthew 7:21-23:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus declares unequivocally that in that day many will make their profession, declaring Him to be their Lord and even pointing to certain apparent spiritual achievements to substantiate their claim to salvation. He will nevertheless command their damnation! How that ought to stir each individual who professes faith in Christ!
Lawlessness. Why will such a tragedy occur? Answer: These professed Christians do not do the will of God; rather, they work iniquity. The phrase work iniquity means to live in disregard of God's holy law. In other words, all they have is a profession. Their daily lives are a contradiction of obedience. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, making once saved always saved a license for sin.
There are multitudes who readily admit that they have backslidden but who refuse to consider the possibility that they have never received the grace of God that brings salvation. Dearly beloved, I suggest that it behooves all who name Christ as Savior to carefully examine themselves to see if they are indeed in the faith.
The New Testament contains many passages that can be employed by the professing Christian in self-examination. For the sake of conciseness, however, this message will appeal to only one passage, I John 3:1-10, which I believe gives the most emphatic declaration to be found in Holy Writ of true Christian character. It's contention is that the child of God will strive after holiness and will in fact maintain a pattern of righteousness. This contention is based on three arguments:
1. The believer's keen anticipation of Christ's return.
The first three verses of I John 3 reads:
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. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
This alludes to our relationship with God in the inner man. The world knows us not that is, it does not recognize our true identity as the children of God because our likeness to God is spiritual not physical. Unbelievers are ignorant of spiritual truth; they surely do not know God.
However, our present appearance is by no means permanent. Christ will return and when He appears we shall appear like Him, conformed to His perfection both internally and externally. Every true believer has this hope within and longs to be perfect, even though he knows that perfection will not be realized until Christ returns.
This truth of grace is that which the Holy Spirit uses to move the Apostle John to declare with all confidence, every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Everyone who is born again is anxious for Christ to return so that he might attain to perfection. But till that happens, each one of the people of God strives to purify himself from all that is contrary to godliness. The child of grace hungers for experimental righteousness, and until his Lord returns he watches against the uprising of dormant lusts and every thought that exalts itself against God. Spiritual complacency is foreign to him.
2. The believer's practice of righteous living.
The second argument is given in verses 4-6:
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
That every true Christian practices righteousness is a direct result of Christ's work upon the cross. The Son of God was manifested to take away our sins. The Greek word translated "take away" also means to bear. This verse is thus a direct reference to the vicarious death of the Lord Jesus Christ in behalf of His people.
New master. Romans 6 teaches that God sent Christ not only to bear the penalty of our sin, but also to put away the strength of our sinful nature. Verse 6 there reads: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Consequently, the true believer can never again be under the dominion of sin! He may fall victim to temptation, but he will never again be under the tyranny of the Adamic nature.
This truth is reiterated in II Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The death and resurrection of Christ assures that upon conversion the Christian will have a new master and cannot be held captive by sin again, even though he will not attain perfection this side of eternity. Sanctification, not perfection, is the experience of life for every believer!
3. The believer's demonstration of Christ's victory.
The final argument begins in verse 7 with this clear warning against man-issued confidence of salvation: Little children, let no man deceive you. This warning should be heeded not only by those who profess salvation, but equally by ministers who practice the deplorable habit of telling inquirers that they have been saved. Assurance of salvation is a matter for the exclusive ministry of the Spirit of God!
The verse continues with the primary test of every profession, he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. A righteous standing before God is always demonstrated through the practice of righteousness. Righteousness is simply obedience to the law of God and the commands of Christ. While good works cannot bring justification, they always result from justification and regeneration.
Verse 8 then dogmatically asserts, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The word translated "commit" signifies doing or practicing. The apostle is here speaking of a man's habitual manner of living. Thus, the purpose of Christ's coming was to destroy the work of Satan, namely unrighteousness. Our Lord came to put away sin. For that reason alone the practice of righteousness, the obedience to the law, and the absence of habitual sin must be essential to any assurance of salvation.
An impossibility. However, the crux of our argument comes in verse 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.
When a person is born again, he is given a brand new soul, a soul that is united with Christ. Hence, we are spoken of in the Bible as being in Christ. This new soul simply cannot sin. For one to profess faith in Christ and remain in the practice of sensual appeasement and ungodliness is thus the epitome of contradiction.
True faith must produce good works. Thus verse 10 concludes, 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.
If a person continues in sin, even though he professes Christ as Saviour, he has not been born into the family of God. This is the clearest description of a Christian found in scripture; thus, it behooves every professor to examine himself thereby!
Conclusion
For those of you who have persevered thus far in reading, you have seen the uncompromising demand for holiness in each one who professes to be a child of God. Now I must inquire, how do you view yourself in light of I John Chapter Three? Remember, Gods demands do not bend for anyone! Without holiness no man will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14)!
My dear friend, does your heart pant after holiness or do you comfortably condone your sin? Are you content with open disobedience or do you mourn every passion which wars against the Spirit? No one can give you assurance and you had best not rely on anything other than the undeniable witness of the Spirit within your heart, a witness that craves righteousness and hates even the garment spotted by the flesh. Oh do not draw back from self-examination; rather ask God to reveal the true state of your soul!
Remember Hebrews 3:12: Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.