Scripture: I John 3: 1 – 7
Year B
Third Sunday of Easter
April 17, 2015
Cross~Wind UMC
Title: Character of the Children of God
Going deeper
I John 3:1-7
I John
2:28-3:10 has the theme of the children of God versus the children of devil.
There is an inclusion at 2:28-29 and 3:9-10, meaning that these two verses
intentionally mark off a section. Nine statements begin “Everyone who …” Here,
the theme is that of contrasting the children of God with the children of the
Devil based on their behavior, whether their behavior is just or sinful, which
is adding to the previous Christological covering.
In
this segment, a very clear dualism between purity and lawlessness, salvation
and sin, arises. Those who remain in Christ fulfill the law, become pure and do
not sin. Those who remain in the realm of the devil are lawless and impure and
will be punished. Those who are pure are self-evidently part of Christ and his
beloved community. They are righteous because they do "what is right"
(3:7). Those who sin are self-evidently, according to John, not part of Christ
and his community. One may assume in these verses that by "sin" John
means the willful and re-occurring acts of wrongdoing. However, John is not
entirely clear on this point: Something cosmic is at stake in this passage.
Obviously, the sin that John identifies was manifested when certain individuals
left the community (2:19).
By
the time the reader comes to chapter 3, he or she might think this passage has
already been read. It contains some of the same ideas — the future, sin, and
righteous conduct — and the same words — o kosmoV, hamartia, and o menwn that appear in the previous chapters. Nevertheless, this
passage has something unique to say about being a child of God and the effect
that will have on one’s life.
In this
letter, the enemy for John is no longer the unbelieving whether Jew or Gentile,
but rather those who have abandoned the community. One cannot ascertain with
complete certainty from the text the reason for the split; however, it is
likely that the division occurred over the understanding of the true
significance of Jesus (5:1).
Despite
its ominous tone, the grace and power of the gospel is revealed in the promise
that God's love is a gift given to us through Jesus Christ. Moreover, God's
love forms community and orders the relationships between believers. It does
reaffirm the promise that more is to be revealed to the believer who keeps the
faith. Perhaps the most suggestive issue in the text for postmodern Christians
is this: At what price community?
I John
3:1-3 has the theme of an exclamatory interruption. 1 See [John
hopes to grab their attention with an imperative, 'Idete.] what love the Father has given us, that we should be
called children of God; (tekna qeou) [They are children of God — not because of anything they have done,
but because of God’s love for them.] [The
secessionists may have argued that the insistence of the author on the unity of
faith and works lowers the status of believers as children of God. He gets
emotional about this declaring he would not deny the love of God or the dignity
of the children of God. The assertion that through the love of God revealed in
Jesus Christ the believer is called, and in fact becomes, a beloved child (3:1,
2) is a primary emphasis in the letters of Paul as well. This love of parent
for child and child for parent bespeaks of intimacy, dependence and trust.] and that is what we are. The reason the world does not
know us is that it did not know him [the Father].
2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet
been revealed. [It will not be a
revelation of them as the children of God, but a new manifestation of the love
that accomplished this. In reality, John turns to a reflection on time.
Pannenberg offers this passage as an example of his point that on the path of
their history in time objects and people exist only in anticipation of that
which they will be in the light of their final future, the advent of God. The
future of consummation is the entry of eternity into time. For it has the
content that characterizes eternity but that is lost in the disintegration of
time, namely, the totality of life and therefore also its true and definitive
identity. For this reason, the eschatological future is the basis for the
lasting essence of each creature that finds manifestation already in the
allotted duration of its life and yet will achieve its full manifestation only
in the eschatological future.[1] Pannenberg points out that
now (nun) they are children of God. This might be a subtle reminder
that prior to their conversion and entrance into the community; they were
children of the world. If they have undergone a change from their previous life
to their present existence, how much more will they change when Christ is
revealed and they see him just as he is? This is an interesting assertion, in
light of John’s account in chapter 1 that he tangibly experienced Jesus,
presumably during his ministry. Now, he looks forward to seeing Jesus, “kaqwV estin,” just as he is, in the fullness of his glory.] What we do know [This suggests
this is knowledge his adherents already possess. They know that in the time of
revelation, they will be like God. They will see who God is.] is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him,[ Living as reflections of God’s love illumines another theme
of this passage — that of being like Jesus and God.] for we will see him as he is. [One
cannot help but be reminded of Paul’s metaphor of the dim glass compared with
viewing face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Though the referent to what is
revealed is ambiguous (it could be ti, esomeqa, what John and his
readers will be), it seems most likely that it refers to Christ. Even though
John cannot postulate the details, when Christ is revealed, John is sure that
they will become like him. How will they be like Christ? Is John talking about
a resurrected body or a deified state?] 3
And all who have this hope [“Hope” and
using Christ as a pattern is part of initiation terminology.] in him purify [The call to purity
is not new for God’s people. The “Holiness Code” (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2;
20:26; 21:8) calls the people to be holy just as God is holy. Jesus took this
teaching and transformed it. Rather than imitating God’s holiness, we should be
merciful as God is merciful (Matthew 18:24ff; Luke 6:35-36). If we belong to
God, if we are children of God, then we are to be like the one whose children
we are. To purify ourselves means we rid ourselves of actions and attitudes
inappropriate for ones who have such an intimate relationship with Christ.]themselves, just as he is pure. The
belief expressed here is shaped by the Johannine belief that the presence of
God creates a new divine family among humans (2:29). The relation between
present status and future revelation is subtle. Believers live in the love of
God. The author states strongly that believers exist in the love of God and
have the firm hope of a glorious future. Barth says the epiphany of Jesus
Christ, the appearing of what has been done for us through Christ, the
disclosure of our life with Him as eternal life, the appearing of what we are,
has not yet taken place.[2] This suggests the
resemblance between the believer and Christ will be in the realm of
righteousness. To be a child of God is to begin a journey in the faith that
will lead to a more profound knowledge of who Christ is, in his fullness.
Furthermore, this journey will lead to a deeper, personal, moral purity; the
believer will become like Jesus.
Verses 4-6 have the
theme of Parousia and sin. The author makes a strong contrast between the Son
of God and the effects of his work in people, and the Devil and his work in
people. Christ has no sin, of course, and the whole purpose of his coming is in
taking away sin and destroying the work of the devil. The work of the devil is
sin, defined as lawlessness and rebellion against God. Each person has a
choice. Each person can do what is right, which means love, or sin and keep on
sinning, without regard to its denial of the command of God to love. The
greatest obstacle to meeting the Parousia with confidence is sin. The main
point is that the person who sins and keeps on sinning, with no desire to
confess or no sensitivity to the need for forgiveness. 4 Everyone
who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. [The reference
to purity in verse 3 leads John to a discussion of its opposite, sin. In this
instance, he defines sin as lawlessness (anomia). It is possible that the
community had too narrow a view of sin, and, though it is difficult to
ascertain what John meant by the term anomia because
he uses it nowhere else in the letter, it seems that he wants to assert that
sin and lawlessness cannot be separated. One ought not to interpret John's
use of the word "lawless" through the lens of the Pauline vocabulary.
John does not seem to be talking here about the Jewish law. The lawlessness of
which John speaks refers to the anarchy of which the devil and his followers -
his "children" – partake. What the elder means by “sin” is unclear.
In the gospel, sin is described as unbelief. In this verse, “lawlessness” (anomia),
doing what is not right. The writer will note in verse 10 that sin is the
failure to love one another. What is clear is that those who are righteous,
those who are born of God, have no choice but to act in the way God acts, which
means living lives that reflect God’s love..] 5 You know that he was
revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. [A textual addition present in some early (Sinaiticus and
Ephraemi Syri Rescriptus) and most late manuscripts adds that Jesus came to
take away our sins, but because of the textual evidence against it and John’s
earlier assertion that Jesus came to take away the sin of the world (2:2), many
think it seems an unnecessary limiting addition. The statement shows how this
seemingly new topic is actually closely related to the previous discussion
about the revelation of Christ. John reminds them of what they already know,
namely that when Christ was revealed the first time he came to take away (airw)
sin. He who was free of sin’s pollution came to remove it. It seems likely that
the writer of the epistle takes up this term (airw) from the gospel of
John (1:29, “the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”). Another
theme in this passage, then, is one of revelation. Revelation is past, present
and future. In the past, Christ was revealed to take away sins (v. 5). In the
letters of John, this is the only use of airein (to
take away) in reference to the removal of sins.]6 No one
who abides in him sins [and keeps
on sinning]; no one who sins [and
keeps on sinning] has either seen him or
known him. [The interpreter must be
careful to notice, however, that John does not depart into an esoteric and
theoretical discussion of atonement motifs. Instead, the direct result of the
removal of sin is behavioral, namely that those who are in him do not sin. It
is here that John’s writing seems to enter a war of contradiction with itself.
In the first two chapters, John clearly states that if the readers deny they
have sin, they deceive themselves. If they do sin (the assumption seems to be
that they will), they can confess to God and trust Jesus as their advocate.
Here, however, in chapter 3, John’s statement seems to be a direct rejection of
the assurances of chapters 1 and 2. Not only do those in Christ not sin, but
also those who do sin cannot have seen or known Christ. Scholars have
postulated that John is trying to maintain a tight balance between some who
claim to be perfect and some who continue to remain in sin. It might even be
the same group of people — because they are perfect in Christ, their behavior
is irrelevant. John asserts that Christians are not perfect, but they should
strive to live as purely as possible. Linguistically, when John talks about sin
as a mutually exclusive entity excluding one from being in Christ, he uses the
present tense verb. Real Christians will make mistakes, but they will not live
in a continual pattern of sin. Although John's vocabulary is a bit odd, his
insistence, that those who abide in Jesus are saved from lawlessness, echoes
other passages describing the new life in Christ which frees the believer from
sin. Likewise, John warns that some so-called believers will backslide
returning to their pre-grace sinfulness. They will reveal themselves to be
"child of the devil" (3:8).]
Verses
7-10 have the theme of revelation of the children of God and the children of
Devil. The Gospel of John has statements suggesting sin was for
non-believers and Jesus was the believer’s model. For secessionists, the divine
begetting is a once and for all gift. For the author, it must be expressed in
behavior.7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who
does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He reminds the readers that behavior is not a mystery. It
is not the case that once a person has been joined to Christ all behavior, no
matter what it looks like, is pure. He suggests quite the opposite. The one who
does righteous acts shows him - or herself to be righteous, just as Jesus is
righteous. Furthermore, this righteousness is not esoteric, but manifests
itself in the love of the community. The author knows full well that folks who
were once trusted can be the source of division.
Introduction
I have been reflecting upon how notions of sin are
changing.
The Middle Ages developed a list of seven sins that
it classed as the worst possible kinds of sin.
These the seven deadly sins were Pride, Greed, Anger, Envy, Gluttony,
Sloth (laziness), Unfaithfulness (adultery). Such a list makes us focus on attitude
and ways of thinking, and not just actions.
Martin Luther yielded to our sinful nature and sighed,
"Trust God and sin on bravely."
Augustine seemed to say something similar in an "anything
goes" remark when he said a Christian should "love, and do what he
wants."
A traditional hymn is,
"The King of Love my Shepherd is."
I particularly love the verse that says,
Perverse
and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me,
And on
His shoulder gently laid, And home, rejoicing brought me.
Perhaps--like me--you have a past that
includes sins of thought and action that you have come to realize were
wrong. And--also like me--you have found
that God does willingly lay us on His shoulder and carry us home to the
consciousness of His redeeming love.
Application
All of this brings us to two
essential, take-away ideas.
First, people who are loved behave differently from those who
are not.
As I have reflected upon this, I might
word this a bit differently. John 3:16 lets us know that God loves every person
in the world, but the issue here is that all people do not know this. John
reminds us that God loves us. We begin life loved by God. Therefore, God calls us to love. This affects our relationship with God and
the community. We are to live by a different set of rules as followers of Jesus
Christ than the rules by which we lived before we became Christians. We are to
love our neighbors, listen to the voice of God, consider ourselves subject to
each other, practice kindness and charity, bear the burdens of each other, and forgive.
In summing up the Old Testament law in terms of loving God above all things and
loving our neighbors as ourselves, Jesus clarified proper behavior and manners
for us.
Love is the
message we have heard from the beginning. This is the message of Jesus — that we should love one another as God loves
us. (3:11) Civility is an important quality for us to develop. In what happened
in Indiana lately with the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, I was not surprised
at the behavior of many people in society. I was surprised that Christians would
be uncivil to each other. Following the golden rule — treating others as we
wish to be treated, would not be a bad guide. What could be more Christian
than,
“In
everything do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12 ).
You want your political opinions respect, so it might be good
to respect the opinion of others. If you want people to be kind to you, be kind
to them. If you do not want to be cut off in traffic, do not be the person who
cuts off other drivers. If you want others to let you out into traffic, let
others out. If you want civil treatment at the grocery store, or in your
kitchen, treat others with civility and respect. Even if you do not get
civility in return, keep your cool, and let the civility flow.
Secondly, people often express the qualities and
tendencies of their parents.
When I am with the “Plasterer” family, they will say that I have the “Plasterer
nose.” I do not know if that is a good or a bad. In any case, if you look
closely at us, and indeed the rest of the family, you will see a family
resemblance. Do you see a similarity between my son David and
me? Some do, some do not. That is my grandson, Henry and granddaughter Nia, as well
as Carrie. Probably too early to tell for the kids.
Being part of a family can have its
benefits.
When I was growing up,
my surname was Rothschild. My grandfather used to say that we were the “Brooklyn branch” of the fabulously wealthy European
bankers. If there is a family connection, we never found it, but people
nonetheless made a lot of assumptions because of the name. I learned that it
was useful for making restaurant reservations.[3]
God carries your picture in his
wallet.[4]
John is
talking about our spiritual parentage when he refers to the difference between
those who persist in their sin and those who earnestly seek to put it behind
them.
John writes much about us being
children of God. He makes it clear that we are not to be childish. I came
across a list of The Toddler Property Laws that, I hope, communicates the
point:
1. If I
like it, it is mine.
2. If it is
in my hand, it is mine.
3. If I can
take it from you, it is mine.
4. If I had
it a little while ago, it is mine.
5. If it is
mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I am
doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it
looks just like mine, it is mine.
8. If I
think it is mine, it is mine.
9. If it is
yours and I steal it, it is mine
10. If I
saw it first, or last, makes no difference, it is still mine.
The Bible has many ways of talking about this. It refers to
our sinfulness. It refers to our preference for darkness rather than light. In
I John 3:10, John refers to being children of God or children of the devil. We
need to take this matter of sin seriously. As children of God, we need to make
a commitment to express the loving qualities and tendencies of God! That is
what John is getting at with all this
talk about sinning, and about the devil. These are tough verses, but if you
have been listening, you will know I hear them.
“No
one who abides in him [persists in] sins;
no one who [continually and as a matter of planning] sins has either seen him or known him .… Everyone who commits sin [as
a matter of one’s pattern of life] is a
child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning [as a matter of
commitment] from the beginning .… Those
who have been born of God do not [commit themselves to a pattern of life
committed to] sin, because God’s seed
abides in them; they cannot [continue in a lifestyle committed to] sin, because they have been born of God. The
children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who
do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their
brothers and sisters” (I John 3:6, 8, 9-10).
Conclusion
You know
that we sin. You know that the church is sinful. Yet, John wants to ask us an
important question. Who is your daddy? If we consistently behave in a typically
non-loving, non-forgiving, non-merciful manner, we call into question our
spiritual parentage. People who know God, who are God’s children, do not
consistently live this way.
“Little children, let us love, not in word or
speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the
truth and will reassure our hearts before him” (I John 3:18 -19).
[1] Systematic Theology Volume 3, 531, 603.
[2] Church Dogmatics II.2 [37.3] 608.
[3] —Nina Utne, “What’s in a
name?” Utne, November-December 2002, 12.Used by permission.
[4] —Sociology professor Tony Campolo, quoted by Jeanette
Clift George, “Dad meets the messy baby,” Men of Integrity, January 18, 2000 ,
ChristianityToday.com.
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