1 John 3:3 - Hope and Sanctification.
1 John 3:3 (KJV) And every man that hath
this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is
pure.
CONTEXT AND OVERVIEW
Deliberate sin is a serious thing. When
you deliberately sin, you grieve the heart of
the Father who loves you and has a wonderful
future planned for you (vv. 1-3). You grieve the
Savior who died for you and delivered you from the
power of Satan (vv. 4-8).
Deliberate sin grieves the Holy Spirit
who lives in you and gave you new birth (vv.
9-15). You have a new nature and a new Father;
therefore, you should live a new life. To John, lack of
love is the same as hatred; and hatred is the
moral equivalent of murder (Matt. 5:21-26).
Deliberate sin also grieves God's people
(vv. 16-24) because we cannot minister to them as
we should if we are not walking in love and in
the light. Strive to have a heart that is right
before God and men (Acts 24:16). Ask God to use you
to be an encouragement and help to others
(James 2). Love is more than a matter of words (v.
18). [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by
Warren Wiersbe]
INTRODUCTION
Does this text mean that the human agent
can remove one stain of sin from his soul? No.
Then what does it mean to purify himself? It
means to look upon the Lord's great moral standard
of righteousness, the holy law of God, and see
that he is a sinner in the light of that law
It is through faith in Jesus Christ that
the truth is accepted in the heart, and the
human agent is purified and cleansed He has an
abiding principle in the soul, that enables him to
overcome temptation. "Whosoever abideth in him
sinneth not." God has power to keep the soul that is
in Christ who is under temptation
A mere profession of godliness is
worthless. It is he that abideth in Christ that is a
Christian 7BC950,1
COMMENTARY PEARL
The world is full of false religious
impulses - disciplines that change behavior without
changing the heart, self-inflicted punishments as
signs of penance, superficially imposed attitudes
that only mask deeper flaws, and many more. At
the root of many of these impulses is a desire
to be pure. That's a good desire that reflects
the truth of our impure condition, but human
beings seem to be woefully ignorant of how to
fulfill that desire. Most attempts are full of
self-effort, and a corrupt self can never make itself
pure. That would be like a fire trying to put
itself out with fire, or a mud puddle trying to
cleanse itself with more mud. It won't happen. When
the source is the same as the subject, nothing
is going to change.
So how can this God-given desire for
purity be fulfilled? By looking to the source. John
introduces this thought by directing our attention to
the Father's love (1 John 3:1), and emphasizes
that we will be changed simply by seeing Jesus
(3:2). Or as is often said, we become what we
behold.
We always grow in the direction of our
loves, don't we? It's natural. Whatever we love,
whatever we gaze at affectionately, whatever we truly
long for tends to shape us. Boys don't try to act
like their favorite athlete; they just do. Young
musicians don't work at emulating their favorite star;
they just do. Lovers don't impose painful
disciplines in order to draw close to each other; they
just do. So if we see divine love and gaze at the
One who embodies it, we are filled with
reciprocating love and become like Him. [The One Year
Heaven On Earth Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
COMMENTARY
It is true that there may be an outward
correctness of deportment without the renewing power of
Christ. The love of influence and the desire for the
esteem of others may produce a well-ordered life.
Self-respect may lead us to avoid the appearance of evil.
A selfish heart may perform generous actions.
By what means, then, shall we determine whose
side we are on?
Who has the heart? With whom are our
thoughts? Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our
warmest affections and our best energies? If we are
Christ's, our thoughts are with Him, and our sweetest
thoughts are of Him. All we have and are is
consecrated to Him. We long to bear His image, breathe
His spirit, do His will, and please Him in all
things.
Those who become new creatures in Christ
Jesus will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit,
"love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Galatians
5:22, 23. They will no longer fashion themselves
according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the
Son of God they will follow in His steps,
reflect His character, and purify themselves even as
He is pure. The things they once hated they now
love, and the things they once loved they hate.
The proud and self-assertive become meek and
lowly in heart. The vain and supercilious become
serious and unobtrusive. The drunken become sober,
and the profligate pure. The vain customs and
fashions of the world are laid aside. Christians will
seek not the "outward adorning," but "the hidden
man of the heart, in that which is not
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet
spirit." 1 Peter 3: 3, 4. SC58,9
CLOSING THOUGHT
Such transformation of character as is seen
in the life of John is ever the result of
communion with Christ. There may be marked defects in
the character of an individual, yet when he
becomes a true disciple of Christ, the power of
divine grace transforms and sanctifies him.
Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, he is
changed from glory to glory, until he is like Him
whom he adores. AA259
ONE LINER
God can be honored by those who profess to
believe in Him, only as they are conformed to His
image and controlled by His Spirit. AA259
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
John 17:17 - Holiness from God's Word.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201007-1438.html
1 Corinthians 2:14 - Spiritual Discernment
Necessary for Biblical Understanding.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230103-0953.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
