LESSON 6 1 John 3 1 10 Introduction

LESSON 6 (1 John 3: 1 -10)

Introduction • The quest for significance pervades our culture. • “Thankfully, this need to be somebody is satisfied when a person comes to know Jesus and is born of God” (page 27). • “Through the gospel of Christ, we learn the good news that we are somebody, in the sense, that we have enough value to God that the Father would send His Son to give His life for our redemption” (page 27).

I. A New Birth (1 John 3: 1) A. “Our new birth into God’s family means that we have both a new identity and new destiny” (page 28). B. We are born again into God’s family, when we accept Christ by faith and baptism (John 3: 3 -5; Galatians 3: 26 -27). C. Therefore, we are children of God (Romans 8: 14). D. As sons and daughters of God, we have access and assurance.

E. As sons and daughters of God, we are: 1. children of life 2. children of light 3. children of love

II. A New Body (1 John 3: 2) A. When John says, “we will be like Him, ” it means that we will have a new body. B. Our body will be like Jesus’s body (Philippians 3: 20). C. Jesus was raised never to die again (Romans 6: 9). D. Therefore, our Christ-like body will be:

1. incorruptible body a. Untainted by sin b. (Revelation 21: 4) 2. indestructible body a. Untouched by disease b. Unharmed by sickness

E. “We live until then in this tension of being children of God now, but awaiting the fullness of our transformation” (page 28).

III. A New Behavior (1 John 3: 3 -10) A. Because we have hope beyond the grave, Christians should have a new walk, new behavior. B. What should our behavior consist of? 1. purity 2. avoid lawlessness

a. “…Jesus came to take away sin, not help people walk in them” (page 29). b. “The apostle is addressing the defiant and rebellious person, not the Christian who sins and seeks forgiveness” (page 29). 3. practice righteousness

Conclusion • Why did Jesus come to the world? • To take away sin (1 John 3: 5) • To destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3: 8) • “His seed abides in Him” (1 John 3: 9). • What is the seed? = The Word of God (Luke 8: 11)

• How do we distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil? • Practice righteousness (1 John 3: 10) • See also 1 Samuel 15: 22