1 John 3:1-10

1 John 3:1-10 … We’ve been talking about the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the privilege we have of abiding in Christ and of Him taking up residence in our mortal bodies. In our contemporary language the thought of all this ought to “blow our minds,” because it is too wonderful for words. Think of it! The sinless Christ residing in you!

We learn next that it’s all enabled by the love of God adopting us into His family. That’s 1 John 3:1, which is a great memory verse and has been used to compose at least one Scripture song. Verse 3:2 is also a great memory verse that is frequently quoted in relation to the rapture of the Church when Christ comes again in the air. The hope of His coming, from our perspective of the indwelling Christ, is wonderful to contemplate. But the hope of His coming ought to also have a purifying effect on us. He is sinless and it’s unlikely, no, impossible, that a person who is abiding in Him will continue to live in a lifestyle of sin. That’s the unapologetic message in 3:6.  One of the affirming evidences (verses 7,9) of a child of God is that he or she chooses to practice righteousness instead of a life of sin.