The Believer's Birthmarks 1 John3:1-12

                                      The Believer's Birthmarks

1Jn 3:1 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.

1Jn 3:2 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.

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

1Jn 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jn 3:8 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.

1Jn 3:9 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.

1Jn 3:10 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.

1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

We start out this week with 2 very familiar passages of scripture that deals with God's love and if you are hurting today or just want to know someone loves you these verses are especially for you. However the verses that follow reminds us of our sinful nature and that and that if we are not saved we are part of the devil's work and that is the reason Jesus came to the earth.

As we all have somewhere on our bodies we have distinguishing birthmarks that are unique between each us but yet we are also so different. For instance we do not look exactly like our parents but gereneally we have features that people will say he looks just like his dad or she has her mother's eyes or facial features. All of these are distinguishing marks. So as it should be when we get saved and born into the family of God.

1-The calling of God's Children VS 1-3

The writer John through out the epistle makes it clear that after we get saved that we are family with terms like sons or in other places children. It is an honor to be called the son or daughter of God.

As I preached on last week that John was already looking for the Lord's returning here again in VS. 2 about the Lord's returning but this time he talks about our regeneration or renewing of our bodies.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Now John does not tell us everything that is in our future but he does bring out three things #1 of course is Jesus' second coming for the rapture of the church. #2 We, that are saved, shall see Him and #3 We shall be like Him as our scripture from 1 Corinthians states.

By us being Christians, Children of God, The Bride of Christ and there are other terms to describe us we should have the desire to live a sinless life and be more like Christ. Hince the term Christian which means to be Christ like. John even goes as far as to say if VS. 3 we should purify ourselves because Christ is pure.

2-The Conduct of God's Children VS 4-12

Before Jhn wrote about how we are suppose to act as Christians he wrote about sin and that is the transgression of the law. In other words sin is lawlessness. Let's flip that around lawlessness is sin which is very true.

One of the reasons that Christ came to the earth which John tells us about in VS. 8 was to deal with our sin which we ALL have. Only Jesus can take care of our sin problem because the Bible even tells us in 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus is the only cure for our sin through His sinless Birth and then His crucifixtion and glorious resurrection on Easter morning.

Some people have misunderstood vs 6,8&9 thinking they can obtain a sinless perfection but that only happens in our death when we stand before Him or if He comes in the rapture to take His Bride out of here.

John is not talking about a single sin here in these verses but he is teaching us about habitual sin. When a person commits habitual sin that the devil is the source of his life and they belong to the family of satan rather than God. When we are born again our rebirth makes us a child of God.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

But if we refuse we reamain a child of satan and our eternal destination is Hell!!

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

John finishes up in VS 11&12 about our love for the brethren and this starts the moment we get saved and when a new Christian is born into the family it is our responsibility to be the big brother or sister and teach them and protect them becuase it is for satan to try to take them back to the old way of life even though their souls are sealed with Jesus. That is why also it is important for us to strive to live as pure a life as possible and we have to depend on the Holy Spirit to help us develope those Christlike characteristics and direct us to the perfect will of God in our lives.