It's been a long time since I've written anything. Partly because I got very busy and partly because I've had some computer problems. Anyway, I wanted to say that as I've been studying 1John 3:4-10 it has struck me that Assurance of being a member of God' s family is linked with righteous living. In fact, John tells us that Christ appeared--His first Advent (i.e. the incarnation) "...in order to take away sin" (1Jn.3:5). He came to carry the burden of sin (Is.53:4-6; 1Pet.2:24), satisfying God's wrath against sin (1Jn.2:2)and paying the penalty for sin through the shedding of His blood (Eph. 1:7. Christ came as a babe in a manger to eventually die on a cross so that He could free us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin (Ro.6:6).
What a wonderful gift God gave in sending Christ so that all who by faith accept His death as the payment for their own sins might be forgiven and receive eternal life (Jn.3:16).
Every child of God is then a new creature with the "divine seed" (1Jn.3:9) inside giving him/her power over sin. Believers don't persist in sinning because their very nature is incompatible with sin.
There is no sin in Christ (1Jn.3:5) and He came to take away sin, so it stands to reason that those who abide in Him do not sin.
This Christmas season may every believer truly reflect the character of his/her heavenly Father. May none of us be deceived into thinking that we are one of His Children when we are entrenched in willful rebellion--1Jn.3:7.
Have a Blessed Christmas.
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