1 John 3:4-7

“You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.” vss. 5-6

Just a few paragraphs earlier John had told his readers that anyone who said they did not sin was a liar, and we would heartily agree. That certainly fits our experience! But he doesn’t mean to imply that we should ever be content with the sins that mess up our lives. While confession does bring forgiveness, it doesn’t give us a license to keep on sinning. And that’s our biggest struggle as followers of Jesus! We’d love to believe that forgiveness is the last word, but it’s really the beginning of a new life. Having been cleansed from sin and guilt, and welcomed into unity with Christ, we are expected to bear fruit. There is to be a discernible difference in our words and actions as we begin walking in love. John even says that sin is incompatible with the presence of Christ. Of course that doesn’t mean that we will never sin again on our walk with Jesus–that’s ridiculous! What it does mean is that there is a paradoxical nature to life in Christ. We live in Christ as both saints and sinners–and sometimes it gets confusing. The good news is that forgiveness is a part of our daily diet as children of God–and by God’s grace, even in our sin, we can actually do some amazing good works. 

Thought for the Day: How long can I go without sinning?