A Study Of The Letter Of First John – Proving That You Are A Christian – Part 2 Series

Review

The Gnostics said they had no sin, blaming their sinful acts on their body. John was setting the record straight for his readers by presenting both bad news and good news.

The bad news is that we do sin. The good news is that if we confess our sin God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1:9).

John begins chapter two by addressing his readers as "my little children." "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin."

Pastoral Love and Concern

The church at Ephesus was founded by Paul but John served as her first pastor. His fatherly concern and pastoral affection shines through with the words, “My little children.” John wanted to refute the Gnostic heresy so that his "children" would not be led astray in sin.

He uses the word "children." It is the Greek word, teknia, literally meaning, "little born ones."

This verse reminds me of the many times I have as a father had to sit down with my children after a spanking or some discipline and share my reasons for disciplining them. I would say something like, "Daddy had to spank you in order that you would remember not to do that bad thing again."

This is the heart-attitude of the elderly John as he wrote the words, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin."

Let’s define the word “sin.” The word “sin” is hamartia (noun) hamartano (verb) and means "to miss the mark." Missing the mark is failing to meet God's holy standard for right living.

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

I used to do some preaching down at the Inner Harbor where I encouraged the crowd to whom I was speaking to imagine three men given the assignment of throwing a rock across the harbor waters.

The first man heaved his rock and it went about half way across before it plunked into the water and sank.

The second man thought that he could get a better throw by employing a running start. He took a few steps back and ran to the edge of the harbor almost falling in before he let his rock loose. His rock went further than the first man but it still came short of the goal of making it over to the other side of the dock.

The third man used to be a quarterback for the Colts when they were in Baltimore. He had the skill, the technique and much of the strength he had when he was in his prime. He threw his rock—which had a wonderful arch—but lo and behold—it sank into the murky waters of the Inner Harbor.

Each of these men tried their best but they still fell short of the goal of landing their stones on the other side of the harbor.

This is the way it is when it comes to sin. Each time you and I sin we “miss the mark” of the glory of God. When we try to reach God through our own efforts, we consistently fall short of the glory of God.

Man’s puny efforts to reach God include:

* Trying to be a good person in order to get to heaven

* Giving money to charitable causes in an attempt to please God

* Not doing bad things (like drinking, smoking, cussing) in order to earn God’s favor

When we sin we miss the mark—we miss the high holy standard of God.

Sin is also a transgression of the law. The word “transgression” means "A violation of a law, command, or duty." It also means "to overstep a line, boundary or limit." The New Testament uses the word "trespass."

When we steal, covet, lie or covet or are sexually immoral we trespass or crossover God’s standard into the realm of disobedience.

Because God is perfect, His standard for His people is absolute perfection. He would not be God if He said in 2:1, “these things I write to you, so that you may sin just as little as you can.”

God cannot condone sin in the least degree, and so He sets perfection before us as the goal. John didn't want his readers to willingly fall short of God's holy standard. He didn't want his readers to willingly cross over the line into disobedience so he begins chapter two with these words, "My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin."

If you are a true believer you’re not going to want to sin. Having a desire to avoid sinning is one of the proofs you are a child of God. We learned this past week in our LIFE Group that obedience to what God says is one of the proofs that you are in fellowship with God. It is one of the indicators that you are His child.