See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:1-10).
In these verses John sets forth, for the third time, the “moral” test of genuine gospel-belief. John speaks of true believers as “practicing righteousness” (v. 7) as opposed to “practicing sin” (vv. 4, 8). While we still sin as believers (cf. 1:8–2:1), a genuine believer does not “practice sinning” (i.e., have a life pattern of sinful pursuits without correction or remorse) because he has been “born of God” and therefore has a completely new identity (3:9; cf. Gal. 3:26; 2 Cor. 5:17). Anyone who does “practice sinning” not only has no grounds for assurance of being in a right relationship with God (1 John 3:10) but also is shown to be still in darkness and at enmity with God, being “of the devil” (v. 8).
The gospel holds out the only hope for those in such a condition. The good news is that Jesus “appeared in order to take away sins” (v. 5). He also “appeared . . . to destroy the works of the devil” (v. 8). As the gospel continues its transforming work in the lives of believers, they will increasingly bear resemblance to their heavenly Father (vv. 2–3; cf. Gen. 1:26). This is God’s very purpose, that we should be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). And the ultimate blessing of being conformed to the image of God’s Child is that we are also regarded as “children of God,” loved by him as much as Jesus is loved by him (1 John 3:1).
What a prospect the genuine gospel-believer and child of God has to look forward to—that one day God’s redemptive purpose will be brought to full completion and, seeing him, we shall completely and perfectly bear his likeness (v. 2). Such a hope motivates us all the more to “purify” ourselves through the “practice” of righteousness (vv. 3, 7).
Gospel Transformation Bible
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