1 John 3:1-10

content/bible_journal/1john/3:1-10.md

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+title = "1 John 3:1–10"
+date = "2024-08-07"
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+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1John3.1-10)
+
+The effect of our abiding in the Lord, and His abiding in us is a radical transformation, affecting the deepest parts of our being.
+God adopts us as His children, and we become as His begotten Son: holy, righteous, and glorified&emdash;eventually, when He returns.
+The end result has been fixed, and we are on the proper trajectory to reach it.
+This trajectory includes the practicing of righteousness and the avoidance of lawlessness.
+Those who do the opposite are going in the opposite direction.
+There is no in-between.
+There is no stasis.
+You are going to head in one direction or the other, and you will eventually reach eternal life or eternal death.
+
+Verse 6 has caused a lot of fear and doubt in many believers, because of course they still sin.
+While it is good to "examine yourself" ([_2 Corinthians 13:5_](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2Cor13.5) to make certain your life reflects the reality of God's salvation for you, they miss the context which describes the progressive nature of sanctification.
+"Practice of sin", "practices lawlessness" (_v. 4_), "practices righteousness" (_v. 7_), "practice of sinning" (_vv. 8&endash;9_), "keep on sinning" (_vv. 6,9_).
+To practice something is to do intentionally do it as often as you can so you can get better at it.
+"Keep on" is used as a synonym for "practice" here.
+As [1 John 1:8](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1John1.8) said, we all have sin in ourselves and must confess it.
+But as believers who abide in the Lord, we do not practice the things He hates so as to become better at them.
+We hate what we do in our flesh and seek to do it less and less, by His grace.
+And we love our Father and seek to do His will more and more, better and better.
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+* * *
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+Make us holy as You are holy.