Down an Unfamiliar Road

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XLV) 09/14/21

^3:9 The person who has been born into God’s family does not make a practice of sinning because now God’s life is in them; so, they can’t keep on sinning, for this new life controls them – they have been born again.

Calvin also mentions how the alleged arguments supporting free will are disproven. For example, he says, we are often commanded to get rid of all our impurities, although the Spirit claims this as His ministry. In fact, what belongs to God, He allows us to have. In the Apostle John’s words, “We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely.”[1] The advocates of free will emphasize that we are maintained partly by the power of God and partly by our efforts. But, states John, it begins in heaven. That’s why the Anointed One prayed to His Father, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.”[2] Thereby we know that believers, in their warfare against Satan, owe their victory to the strong arm of God. Accordingly, after saying, “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth,” Apostle Peter immediately adds by way of correction, “through the Spirit.”[3] As a matter of fact, the ineffectiveness of human strength in our human spirit’s contest with sinful tendencies is shown by John here in verse nine.[4]

It may be the case with some to dismiss all that Calvin says here about God being in complete control of our being chosen for salvation because of his stance on predestination and against free will. But, in reality, it pertains to the end of our journey with the Anointed One, not the beginning. No one can claim they redeemed themselves from sin’s bondage. It took God sending His Holy Spirit to call us to repentance by convicting us of our sins and our lost and hopeless condition. Therefore, God doesn’t turn it over to us to maintain that new creation, but, as Jesus said, stay in Me, and I will help you make it through to final salvation. In that light, everything the Reformer said is true and amen.

William Perkins (1558-1602), an influential English cleric and Cambridge theologian, examined the doctrine of Predestination. He was a firm proponent of Reformed theology, particularly that God chose who would be saved before the beginning of the world, [5] as promoted by Theodore Beza and John Calvin. With this in mind, there arose a belief that God voluntarily permits sins to those predestined because nothing is done without God’s permission. They based this on what John says here in verse nine. However, putting that concept beside what John said about believers sinning calls it into question.

Nevertheless, Dutch theologian Jakob Arminius (1560-1609) answers that the Apostle John says in verse nine that only those referred to are called according to the divine purpose and regenerated according to the decree of the divine predestination. Suppose you say that all born of God cannot sin because God’s seed remains in them. In that case, the word “remain” signifies habitation, but not a permanent one. So long as God’s source of truth and life is in a person, they do not sin to the point of dying spiritually. Still, by their fault and negligence, Adam and Eve removed the seed from their heart and lost their first creation in the image of God. So, it is with those of the second creation that may be lost.[6]

In verse nine, John Flavel (1627-1691) notes that this life with which regenerate believers are made alive is everlasting. “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”^[7]  This principle of life is the seed of God, and that remains in the soul forever. It is not transient, but a fixed, permanent focus, which abides in the soul forever. A person may lose their gifts, but grace remains; the soul may and must be detached from the body, but grace cannot be separated from the soul: when all else forsakes us, this will not leave us. Therefore, this principle implanted by the Spirit is vastly different, both from the extraordinary gift of prophecy wherein the Spirit was sometimes said to come upon people under the First Covenant^[8] and from the spiritual effects He sometimes produces in the Final Covenant.^[9] It is one thing for the Spirit to visit a person for momentary influence and assistance, and another thing to dwell in a person as in His temple.^[10]

William Burkitt (1662-1703) says this is what we should learn: Although sinful tendencies remain in those born of God, those born of God do not stay in sin.  That means, either being in a sinful state or a sinful lifestyle, God’s Word and Spirit, by which they were regenerated, still dwells in them. And, so far as they are under their ruling power and governing influences, they cannot sin, much less willfully live in sin.^[11] Thus, in these views of great Reformation theologians, we can see how the argument concerning how “once saved always saved” and “saved only by remaining in the true vine of our free will” was such a hot topic.

John Gill (1697-1771) makes a critical point in one breath. “Blessed are those who are born of God in a figurative and spiritual sense; who are regenerated, or born from above; who are made spiritually alive by the grace of God, and have the Anointed One formed in them; who are made partakers of the divine nature, and new creatures in the Anointed One; whose spiritual birth is not owed to mankind, nor to the power and will of other people, but to the grace of God; and give credit to the Father, who of His will and abundant mercy gives souls a rebirth to a lively hope, and saves them by washing them with the regenerating blood of the Lamb; and to the Anointed One, who makes spiritually alive whom He chooses, who implants His grace in the soul, and stamps His image on their heart, and by whose resurrection from the dead humankind can be raised to new life; and chiefly, to the Spirit of God, who is the author of regeneration, and sanctification to those made spiritually alive through Him, and live for God and in union with the Anointed One, and breathe in divine and spiritual things, by a holy sense of discernment given to them.”[12]

According to Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), writing about grace’s efficiency says it was necessary because an ungodly person has none of that principle that a godly person possesses, as is evident here in verse nine. The natural importance of such a figure of speech shows that the germination of a seed is meant. It may be as small as a grain of mustard. Yet, such a tiny seed may be buried and hid when it is planted in the earth. At first, it may seem to be dead, as such sources often do, till quickened by the sun and rain. But in any degree, such a principle in the seed is called on by nature to perform. And it is further evident that this seed, or this inward spiritual principle, is peculiar to the saints; for they that have that seed, cannot sin; therefore, they who sin do not have such a dynamic force.[13]

In his sermon, using verse nine, on the great privilege of those that are born again of God, John Wesley (1703-1791) notes that some believe that being born again and justification are the same thing. To them, the new birth and justification are only different expressions of the same action. To this, Wesley said, it is inevitable, on the one hand, that whoever is justified is also born of God. Thus, we can also state that whoever is born of God is also justified; yes, God gives both of these gifts to every believer at the exact moment. The process cannot be reversed, since the first is completed in heaven and the second is done on earth.

Furthermore, says Wesley, you cannot separate them by time. Justification allows the change to occur, and the new birth is the change that takes place. As the Apostle John said, it involves a total break from sin and sinning. As an example, the instant a child is conceived in the womb, it is sustained by water. But the moment it is birthed, it is kept alive by air. No child continues ingesting water as its only source of oxygen. In fact, when a person is submerged back into the water, unless they can find air, they will drown. The same is true of a born-again child of God. Like the womb of the woman’s body, the womb of sin becomes a forbidden place to a growing new believer.[14]

In one of his letters to a Miss Hardy on Wednesday, April 5, 1758, John Wesley (1703-1791) begins by saying that he writes with great reluctance because he dislikes disputing with someone. It seems that Miss Hardy has been perplexed by the doctrine of complete sanctification. But, says Wesley, I doubt whether this perfection can be proven by what Jesus said: “How can a student know more than his teacher? But if he works hard, he may learn as much.”[15] I never attempted to prove it, but from John says here in verse nine, (which belongs to all the children of God); I still think it is clearly described in those words, “As He is, so are we in this world.” And yet, it does not now appear “what we will be,” when this vile body is “fashioned like His glorious body;” when we will see Him, not through a dark window pane, but face to face, and transformed into His likeness.

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[1] 1 John 5:18

[2] John 17:15

[3] The words “through the Spirit” are not found in the best Greek manuscripts, yet, it is an appropriate remark made in the margin by the copiest. (See Exposition of verse 22 in the Pulpit Commentary).

[4] John Calvin: Institutes, Bk. 2, Ch. 5, p. 349

[5] These were advocated by John Calvin and Theodore Beza

[6] The Works of Jacobus Arminius: Vol. 3, An Examination of the Treatise of William Perkins, Part 2, p. 439

[7] See 1 John 5:11

[8] 1 Samuel 10:6, 10

[9] Hebrews 6:4; John 5:35

[10] John Flavel: The Method of Grace, pp. 92-93

[11] William Burkitt: First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 768

[12] John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, op. cit., (Kindle Location 340873)

[13] Works of Jonathan Edwards: Vol. 6, Ch. 4, Miscellaneous Observations on Important Theological Subjects, p. 347

[14] Works of John Wesley: Vol. 5, Sermons on Several Occasions, Sermon 19, pp. 291-293

[15] Luke 6:40

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XLIV) 09/13/21

^3:9 The person who has been born into God’s family does not make a practice of sinning because now God’s life is in them; so they can’t keep on sinning, for this new life controls them – they have been born again.

A fish does not fly around in the air, and a bird does not live underwater. In the case of believers, they are not two different species, but they have two different characteristics – a fish and a bird’s personality. All the time they sin, they live according to their fallen nature and are out of fellowship with the Lord. However, whenever they allow the Holy Spirit to control their life, their divine nature is in charge. They cannot sin while guided by the Holy Spirit. Each Christian possesses a character that can do wrong and a personality that cannot sin as long as they stay intimately connected with the Anointed One. It all revolves around their choice.  In practice, they have the capacity to do wrong. There is no such thing as “partial” spirituality. Either we are spiritual, or we are not. So, spiritual living is an either/or issue. Everyone has two options, but they must let go of one to get the other.

For instance, if you find yourself hanging at the end of a rope over a raging river, either you must hold on until rescued or let go and risk death. You can’t have both. During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI’s wife, Marie-Antionette, was heard to say about the people, “they can’t have cake and eat it too.”[1] In other words, a cake will not remain whole once you start eating it. In the same sense, a believer cannot maintain healthy minds, hearts, and bodies while eating the unhealthy food of the world that will cause their spiritual death.

COMMENTARY

Didymus the Blind (313-398) says that heretics are deceived in everything by anything. They object to the idea of holy living because all things brought into existence by this world’s Creator are sinful from the start. In contrast, any birth which comes from the God of the Final Covenant is not the same. They base this idea on the supposition that sinners and the righteous must have different Creators, but this notion rests on a misunderstanding of the Scriptures. The Bible does not say that whoever is born of God is sinless. Instead, that such persons will not sin as long as they walk on the path of holiness. If they do turn aside from that way, they sin. Indeed, those who do sin have departed from the Creator and the course provided by Him. The ability not to sin is guaranteed by the presence of God’s seed in us. This seed is His power and the spirit of adoption, which cannot sin.[2]

Severus of Antioch (459-512) comments on what the Apostle John says here about those born again who do not sin. He states that John did not say this with respect to the existence of sin in our lives, as if our nature was not susceptible to sin. Instead, he means that insofar as someone born of God retains the grace of their new birth, they cannot behave sinfully. And the reason for this is that God’s seed dwells in them. What is this seed of God which dwells in believers? What else but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by which we have been born again? This presence never leaves us.[3]

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was asked if the fruit of the spirit the Apostle Paul enumerates in Galatians are, in fact, deeds? For them, it appears that the virtues listed by Paul were not fruit. Therefore, that which bears fruit should not itself be called fruit. But our actions bear fruit: for it is written: “For the fruit of good labors is glorious.”[4] The Apostle John tells us that Jesus said, “Even now, the people who harvest the crop are being rewarded. They are gathering crops for eternal life.”[5] Therefore, our positive responses to those around us are not to be called fruit.

Then someone quoted Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), who said, “the mind that loves eagerly is to be praised.” Since then, we speak of these three factors — ability, knowledge, and use. Use lies in the will, which handles those things contained in the memory and understanding, whether it refers them to anything further or rest satisfied with them as an end.[6] But our will should not rest in our actions for their sake. Therefore, our efforts should not be called fruit; furthermore, among the fruit of the reborn spirit, the Apostle identifies particular virtues, love, humility, faith, and self-control. Now, these virtues are not actions but habits; therefore, the fruit in Galatians are deeds.

On the contrary, says Aquinas, it is written: “By the fruit, the tree is known;”[7] that is to say, their product identifies them. Therefore, human actions are called fruit. Thus, the word “fruit” is transferred from the material to the spiritual world. Now fruit, among material things, is the product of a plant when it comes to fruition the fruit has a particular taste. This fruit has a twofold relation: first, to the tree that produces it, and second, to the person who gathers it. Accordingly, in spiritual matters, we may interpret the word “fruit” in two ways: first, the fruit of believers is what they produce; and secondly, Christians can collect and use this fruit.[8]

Speaking of Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), he used verses nine through eighteen here as a text for his sermon about how a believer must deal with sin. So, when the Apostle John says that those born of God do not sin (after saying earlier, we have no sin), what can anyone do when caught between these two truths? If a person admits that they have sinned since becoming a child of God, they open themselves up to accusations of not being born again. But if they deny having done anything considered a sin, they might be charged with deceiving themselves.

When placed in this situation, says Augustine, what can a person confess or profess to satisfy the question, are you or are you not a true child of God? The answer is hard to find. Claiming to live a sinless life is full of peril as well as error. Who will believe such a person? If this is true, then they have nothing to fear on the Day of Judgment? However, confessing that we have sinned despite being chosen by God as one of His elect is also risky and may ruin our reputation as faithful servants of the Almighty. Remember, the Apostle John is the one who laid his head on the Master’s chest. That would have been impossible had he not been born again of the Spirit.^[9] So, it is not up to us to answer that question, but God alone. What we do know is that there is forgiveness of any sin committed by God’s children as long as they confess it and repent of it to receive forgiveness and go on living for the One who loved them and redeemed them.

Isho‘dad of Merv (circa 800-900 AD) states that the person who has once denied Satan and confessed God, and who has been born again and discarded all the oldness of Adam, is not guilty of sin because they are God’s seed. The teaching of God remains in them, for the Apostle John calls this teaching “seed.”[10] We must take this statement to imply that as long as the believer is following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will not lead them into temptation.[11] But once that connection is severed, then sin is a strong possibility.

In his writing about everything that proceeds from our corrupt human nature, John Calvin (1509-1564) addresses an individual’s free will and the false concept that a person can either obey or resist. But, instead, it affects us very deeply. We must, therefore, repudiate the oft-repeated sentiment of Chrysostom, “Whom He draws, He draws willingly,”[12] insinuating that the Lord only stretches out His hand and waits to see whether we will be pleased to take His aid. But, of course, we agree that they could incline to either side as humans. But since the Apostle John taught us by his example how miserable a thing free will is if God is not in us to do His will, what use then is the grace imparted to us in such short measure? No, by our ingratitude, we obscure and impair divine grace.   

People need to learn that God freely offers His favor, says Calvin, without exception, to all who ask for it. After all, it is the privilege of the chosen ones to be regenerated by God’s Spirit and placed under His guidance and government. Listen to Jesus’ words in the Apostle John’s Gospel, says Calvin, “For no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them to Me.”^[13] Therefore, it is undeniable that the hearts of believers are so effectively governed from above that they follow with unswerving affection. That is why John says here in verse nine, “Whosoever is born of God does not sin; for His seed remains in them.” Thus, that in-between movement which the religious intellegencia imagines, a movement by which everyone is free to obey or to reject, is excluded by the doctrine of practical faithfulness.^[14]

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[1] The fact is, at some point around 1789, when being told that her French people had no bread, Marie-Antoinette (bride of France’s King Louis XVI) supposedly sniffed, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche”— “Let them eat cake.” With that callous remark, the queen became a hated symbol of the decadent monarchy and fueled the revolution that would cause her to (literally) lose her head several years later.

[2] Didymus the Blind, Bray, G. (Ed.), James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, op. cit., p. 199

[3] Serverus of Antioch, Bray, G. (Ed.), James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, p. 200

[4] Wisdom of Solomon 3:15

[5] John 4::36

[6] Augustine: De Trinitate Bk. 10; Ch. 11:17

[7] Matthew 12:33

[8] Aquinas, Thomas: Summa Theologica, Vol. 2 – The First  Part of the Second Part, pp.760-761

[9] Augustine of Hippo (354-430) AD: Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 5, pp. 966-967

[10] Isho’dad of Merv, Bray, G. (Ed.), James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, p. 200

[11] Matthew 6:13

[12] Chrysostom, Father’s of the Church, Homilies on Romans,  Homily 16 on Romans 9:1, verese 13

[13] John 6:44

[14] John Calvin: Institutes, Bk. 2, Ch. 3, p. 321

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THE DANGERS OF SELF-DECEIT

Among the problems Bishop François Fénelon saw in his parishioners was an overwhelming abundance of dedication to giving alms and doing good deeds for the poor and needy. But that’s not all he spotted; they were feeding their self-conceit by believing that their devotion was void of any self-interests. That meant they felt quite free from self-love and always generously devoted to their neighbors.

But all this devotion that seemed to be for others is really for themselves. Sometimes, self-love reaches the point of endless self-congratulation in the mistaken belief that you are free from self-love itself. All your anxiety grows out of the fear that you might not be delighted with your performance. It then becomes the root of your ethics and principles.

Now, if you thought of nothing but giving God all the glory, you would be as intense and sensitive to the losses of others as to your own. But it is self that makes you become deeply involved and thoughtful. You want God and others to be satisfied with you, and you want to be content with yourself in all your dealings with God.

You are not used to being gratified with a simple act of goodwill. On the contrary, your self-love wants a lively feeling, a reassuring pleasure, some charm or excitement. You are guided too much by imagination, and you suppose that your mind and will are inactive unless you are conscious of their involvement. So, you depend on the same excitement and applause that performers receive for an outstanding performance on the theater stage.

Because of your excessive tampering, you go to the opposite extreme – a stubborn, hardheaded imagination. Naturally, therefore, nothing is more opposed to the life of faith and true wisdom.

There is no more dangerous invitation to delusion than the wrong ways people try to avoid misconception. It is imagination that leads us astray. The certainty we seek through vision, feeling, and taste is one of the most dangerous sources from which fanaticism springs.

It forms the divide of vanity and corruption with God’s will. It is something He would have us discover in our heart: we must look on it with the calm and simplicity that belong to true humility. Furthermore, it is self-love that makes us so brokenhearted upon seeing our many imperfections. To stand face to face with them, however, not pounding our fists or keeping our hands over our mouth, but seeking to correct ourselves without becoming irritable. It means to desire what is suitable for its own sake and God’s sake, rather than something we want to see. So, turn against this useless search of yours for the self-satisfaction you crave by doing things your way, even though they are right.

Written over 450 years ago

Vocabulary redacted by Dr. Robert R Seyda

Although conditions have change in the church from what it was back in the 1500s, this principle of doing things to promote God or ourselves is still prevalent. Did we choose our style of preaching to draw attention to us or to God’s Word? Are we in the choir or praise and worship team to show off our talent and singing ability to the beat of the music or the heartbeat of the lyrics? Have we gotten involved in different church ministries to show how loving and caring God is, or how dedicated and sympathetic we are? As François Fénelon said, are we operating on the motivation of self-love, or the energy of God’s love for others through us?

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XLIII) 09/10/21

^3:9 The person who has been born into God’s family does not make a practice of sinning because now God’s life is in them; so they can’t keep on sinning, for this new life controls them – they have been born again.

There are sins which to a reasonable person are by God’s grace quite unthinkable. We find that in the meaning of “abide.” Since it is uncertain, it can either mean, (1) “Their seed abides in Him,” that is, those who are born of God abide in God; or (2) “His seed abides in them,” namely, the new principle which they have received from God continues to operate in them; or (3) God’s quickening gift of eternal life continues to operate in the person.[1] But this last one is the least probable of the three interpretations; John would probably have written in this sense. “His seed abides in them.” Note the tense of the concluding verbs, gennaó (“be born”) gennaō (“was born”), showing that their birth from God continues still, not one that is past and gone.

Now, some teach that Christians can reach a point of sinless perfection where they do not sin again. It is possible from this view not to commit even one act of sin.  John already argued against this view.[2] Others teach that this verse refers to only willful sins. Therefore, it does not apply to real Christians. They might slide into sin unintentionally, but they cannot reasonably go into sin intentionally. Neither of these two interpretations is harmonizing with this text. John uses the term “born” metaphorically of God conferring His nature upon believers. He imparts spiritual life at the moment of conversion.[3] We can translate “has been born” to “beget,” “engender,” “bring forth,” “produce.”[4] The words “has been born” are in the Greek perfect tense and indicate that spiritual birth occurred in the past, with the results continuing to be in effect. We receive a divine nature at the point of salvation that continues until we go to glory.

The principle behind this is that God imparts the attribute of eternal life to us at the point of salvation. Thus, Christians are the spiritual offspring of God[5] by promise.[6] Consequentially, we believe that the spiritual life imparted to believers abides in them forever, without the possibility of extinction. God’s “seed” is God’s nature or capacity implanted into the believer at salvation.[7]  It is the fundamental truth that God imparted this component of life at redemption.[8] The Greek indicates a universal negative in the phrase “does not sin.”  No one with a divine nature can sin. The new core is a perfect creation[9] by God at the point of salvation.

Let’s look at it this way: Children share the nature of their parents. When a child begins to demonstrate specific features of their parents, it manifests the character of their parents. In the same way, we get our spiritual nature from God in its entirety. This unique nature is sinless. We cannot alter or lose the old nature or the new nature, for that matter. Thus, we have the “seed” of eternal life in us. Once God gives it, it is unalterable, unforfeitable, and inextinguishable. But there’s more. The old nature can do nothing but sin; the new nature cannot sin.  So, it makes for a gigantic tug of war between these two natures. There is no peaceful coexistence between them. They cannot get along together because they are opposites.[10]

The Greek word for “seed” is semen. “Seed” carries the idea of descendants, children, posterity. The idea in this verse is the germination of a new life planted by the Holy Spirit through regeneration. Since the sperm carries the hereditary characteristic and life principles of the parents, God’s seed resides continuously in His children. In other words, it “remains” in us, which conveys the idea of permanence. The believer will never lose God’s nature that resides in them once they become a Christian. The promise of eternal life to the believer can never be reversed. As we cannot cease existing as humans and become cows, neither can we lose our new nature nor trade it in for another one. But that begs the question.

Can a Christian lose their promised salvation? Once we receive the Anointed One as Savior, we cannot lose our salvation because we hold to the same status quo before the Father as Jesus does. Positionally, we are perfect before the Father with the Anointed One’s righteousness and eternal life.  These are permanent and can never be lost for any reason.[11]

In fact, a Christian is still a Christian even though they disown the Lord. Just like the Apostle Peter, he was still a disciple even after denying he knew Jesus. Therefore, the Bible assumes the possibility that a Christian might discard the Lord at some point in their life. But although they disavow Him, He will not reject them. The Lord will not go back on His promises. He can withhold our reward,[12] but He cannot refuse our claim to salvation any more than He can reverse the new birth.

We stay in the family in which we were born during our journey on earth. We belong to that family whether we ever see them again or not. But, once we believe in Jesus the Anointed One, God puts us into His family forever. He gives us an eternal inheritance[13] as part of His family. Thus, God sovereignly keeps our salvation for us:[14] The Holy Spirit seals the salvation for every Christian so that no one can break that closure. He encloses us until we meet the Lord face to face.[15]

There is nothing you can do, nor anyone else can do to lose your salvation. The responsibility is upon God to save our soul once we believe in the Anointed One. Why try keeping something you cannot lose? Doing so distorts your walk with the Lord. This inability of the Christian sinning is from the source of their divine capacity, not their human capacity or “flesh.”  God’s nature that resides in the believer cannot sin one iota. That is, our new nature cannot sin because it has been born of God. Sounds good so far, doesn’t it? But that’s not yet the whole story.

To reiterate, just as a child shares the nature of their parent, so the child of God shares God’s character. Thus, the idea of “practicing sin” is entirely alien to the Apostle John’s thought in this verse.[16] John loves stark contrasts. For instance, all sin finds its origin in the devil[17] and not from the new nature. Another, the divine nature of God’s child cannot sin. His Parent is sinless, so the divine nature is sinless. The old nature or capacity to sin is nothing but satanic.  It springs from an unregenerate heart with room for more.[18]

Finally, we must acknowledge that being spiritually alive is a necessity. The filling of the Holy Spirit or control of the Holy Spirit over our lives is absolute. The pretend Christian walks in darkness, but the spiritual believer walks in the Light [God’s absolute perfection.][19] Our sinful tendencies do nothing but persuade us to sin.  It cannot profit the Christian in any way. The flesh is a dynamic entity.  It will not lay dormant.[20] The rebirthed spirit loves, forgives, is full of compassion and mercy, and is kind. The old nature may be refined and cultured, but it is full of self. It cannot be converted, cured, or saved on its own. All of us have Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in us.[21] If we can label the differences between the sin capacity and the divine capacity, we are on our way to conquest in the Christian life. Our desire to stick up for ourselves or to have things our way is the operation of the flesh. It is not easy to lead these things to the cross because we want to be the center of everything.

A spiritually alive Christian labels these things as sin. They maintain tender feelings toward the Lord. They can detect right and wrong, good and bad. Our spiritual emotions become calloused when we step out of fellowship with the Lord and allow our capacity to sin to dominate us. Both a pig and a sheep can fall into a mud puddle. The pig remains perfectly content in such filth because part of its character is to roll in the dirty sludge. The sheep are not pleased to squirm around in miry clay because it is contrary to their temperament. They want out as quickly as possible. If believers genuinely possess a holy mind and soul, they will be uncomfortable in sin because it is contrary to their new creation.

Keep in mind, sin can enslave a genuine Christian, but they will never be comfortable under the domination of sin. In principle, Jesus brought an end to sin’s reign. That became the believer’s privilege and power. They have a new ruling mindset that motivates and inspires them. The needle in the compass may turn from its magnetic marker for a moment, but it always comes back to the right pole.^[22] No Christian is sinlessly perfect. They have a faultless nature at their spiritual birth, but they cannot sin with that divine quality. While they abide in the Anointed One through His divine nature, they cannot cause Him to sin. The moment they sin, it is from their old self, not the new.

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[1] See Isaiah 53:10

[2] See 1 John 1:6, 8, 10; 2:1-2

[3] 1 John 3:3, 5-7; 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:4, 18

[4] See 1 John 5:1

[5] See Romans 4:16, 18; 9:8

[6] Galatians 3:29

[7] Cf. 1 John 2:29; 4:7; 5:1, 14, 18

[8] John 1:12-13; cf. 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:4

[9] Ephesians 2:24; Colossians 3:10

[10] Romans 7:18-19; Galatians 5:17

[11] Ibid. 8:31-39; John 10:28-29

[12] 1 Timothy 2:12-13

[13] 1 Peter 1:4-5

[14] Jude 1:24-25

[15] Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30

[16] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[17] 1 John 3:8

[18] Romans 7:17

[19] 1 John 1:5-7

[20] Romans 13:14

[21] The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a novella (a short, concise story with a simple plot) by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886. The names of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the two alter egos of the main character, have become shorthand for the exhibition of wildly contradictory behavior, especially between private and public selves.

[22] Genesis 39:9

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XLII) 09/09/21

^3:8 But when people habitually sin, it shows that they belong lucifer, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the devil’ empire.

Nevertheless, there is a cure for sin because the Son of God came to destroy the evil serpent’s empire.^[1] The Greek verb lyō “destroy” does not mean to annihilate; instead, it means “to break down,”[2] “to undo,” “to render ineffective.” Though it would have made more sense, humanly speaking, for the Anointed One to have obliterated Satan, He didn’t. Instead, He came to undo Satan’s work and thereby free people from sin and all its awful consequences. John was therefore arguing that Christians cannot stay involved in something the Anointed One came to destroy.^[3]

Daniel L. Akin (1957) states that verse eight is one of the most straightforward statements in all of God’s Word by telling us why the Anointed One originally came. For the first time in his letter, the Apostle John refers specifically and directly to our main enemy, the prince of darkness.[4] The Greek word for “devil” is diabolos and appears four times in verses eight through ten and means “accuser” or “slanderer.” The Hebrew counterpart, śaṭan, means “adversary.” These words well describe the character and tactics of our ancient foe. Jesus came on the scene to take away sin and “to tear down what God’s adversary put together.” Here in verse eight, Jesus is referred to as the “Son of God,” the first of seven occurrences in First John.[5] That means the Second Person of the triune Godhead invaded enemy territory and put our enemy down in a complete and total victory.

Akin then quotes theologian John Piper (1946), who said, “Christmas is because God aims to destroy something.”[6]  God infiltrated the rebel planet earth on a search and destroy mission. He came, searched out, and destroyed the works of Satan. He blew him up! Seeing verse eight in parallel with verse five, we see that the lies and schemes of the evil one, which our Savior came to destroy, are sins. His atonement nullified sin’s penalty for the child of God. That means the new birth neutralizes sin’s power and deals a death blow on Calvary’s hill. And, by virtue of His two appearing’s, sin’s presence will soon pass away forever. Jesus delivered a knockout punch on the cross. An empty tomb is an eternal monument to His victory and ours!^[7]

Peter Pett (1966) notes that the Apostle John wants to make sure that no one leads his “little children” astray and deceives them about the truth. Each person, says John, has one of two primary aims, either to practice living right in every aspect of their lives, that is, by seeking to live as God has revealed in order to do His will, (including obedience to His Instruction or Law in the Scriptures), or to go on practicing sin and thus demonstrating that they are careless about God’s will for their lives. People are either for God or against Him. The one puts righteous living into practice because they seek to please and be like the Righteous One. After all, there are rightful tendencies implanted within them. Such people are aiming to be like Him because they are His. The other is of the old liar of Eden himself. Such people are lawless, just like Satan has been, right from the beginning. They do not want God’s laws or seek His will. “From the beginning” is probably a reference to Genesis 3-4. They set themselves against God’s will just as he did.

To this end was the Son of God manifested, says Pett, that He might destroy the works of God’s main enemy. Indeed, this was why Jesus came into the world. He came as the Light so that what the evil beast fashioned was exposed and to nullify its penalty. Rebellion and lawlessness are the devil’s work. First of all, the lying serpent tricked mankind into rebelling against God in the Garden of Eden, who stirred up Cain to kill Abel, and he has been doing it ever since. So, Jesus came to restrain him and to bring humanity back under the Kingly Rule of God. That was the purpose of His coming.^[8]

David Legge (1969) explains that he believes that the language of this doctrine of sinless perfectionism has been a curse on the church and Christianity. That’s because, on the one hand, it advocates the distinct possibility of being perfect, yet when pressing its proponents, they admit it has eluded them. To put it another way, eventually, not sinning in the biblical sense means sinning only at intervals, as exceptions rather than the rule. So, even they define this “not sinning” in the Bible as “not sinning in a lifestyle of sinful existence.” Therefore, notes Legge, this is precisely what John means.

For instance, when we look at this word “sins” that we find in verse eight, we see that this Greek verb poieō, for “commit” literally means “to make” or “to do,” which implies continues sinning, in the present continuous tense. That means it is someone who is doing sin now and continues to sin. So, it is speaking of repeated behavior. It means a sinful lifestyle, so whenever you find this in First John, when it talks about sinning, it speaks of a profane existence, habitual practice of sin. As the NIV puts it: “No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning, no one who continues to sin has neither met Him nor gotten to know Him.”^.[9]

Douglas Sean O’Donnell (1972) agrees that by Jesus’ incarnation, he appeared in order “to destroy the works of the devil.” How interesting to think of Jesus’ human embodiment as something destructive. Jesus conquered sin and hell. Christus Victor! On the cross, the offspring of Eve crushed the serpent’s head.[10] That means Satan – who sinned before the creation of the world and is the source of sin in the world[11] – was defeated in the death of the Messiah. The second appearance is the second coming, referenced by the phrase “when He appears.” [12] That coming will be constructive. We will become like Jesus.^[13]

^3:9 Those who are God’s children do not continue to sin because of the new life God gave stays in them. Therefore, they cannot keep sinning because they have become God’s children.

EXPOSITION

As the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptizer, known as the “Lamp,” publicly announced that He who was coming to take his place would be known as the “Light”[14] so they could believe in God’s plan of salvation. Then the Apostle John expounded on this by saying that some people did accept Him. They believed in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God, and He gave them the right to become children of God. But they did not become God’s children in the way babies are usually born. It was not because of any human desire or plan. Instead, they were born when God breathed spiritual life into them.^[15]

The Apostle Peter gave testimony to this same truth when he said that all believers are born again, and this new life does not come from a limited source but from something that cannot die. They are born again through God’s living message that continues forever.^[16] As every orchard manager knows, a healthy tree does not produce inedible fruit, nor does an infected tree produce edible fruit.^[17] That’s why the Apostle Paul warned the Galatians that, just like Eve, the devil tempts us to eat from the tree of forbidden fruit even when we know it’s harmful to us and can ruin us. It creates a real internal war in our hearts and minds.^[18] So, any help that we can depend on to help us comes from God and His Spirit dwelling in us to help strengthen our resolve to conform to the image of the Anointed One.

Having stated that “those who do sin are of the devil,” the Apostle John now tells the truth from the other side; not “those who do not sin are of God.” It hardly needs repeating, but everyone born of God does not sin, which is startling. Who, then, can be born sinless by God? But the statement is similar to that in verse six and is to be understood the same way. It means, if any believer sins, their regeneration is incomplete. If the new birth from God were perfect, sin would be morally impossible. The new principle of life abides and grows in them, and, under ideal conditions, it entirely prevents the old unregenerate nature from rebelling. Note that John does not say “cannot commit sin,” but “cannot continue sinning.” It is an ideal to which every Christian is bound to aspire—inability to sin. But to some extent, conforming to this model is every faithful Christian’s prayer.

---

[1] “Devil” is from the Greek adjective diabolos. It means someone who slanders, accuses falsely. Metaphorically it is applied to a person who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him. But the Jews do not believe in the devil of Christian theology. They do believe in Satan as introduced in Genesis. Some Bible scholars believe that Christian play the “devil’s advocate” themselves to interrogate their beliefs for any possible doubts. Cf. Psalm 139:24

[2] See Ephesians 2:4

[3] Burton, Bruce B., 1, 2, & 3 John (Life Application Bible Commentary). op. cit., pp. 68-69

[4] Cf. 1 John 3:12; also 2:13-14; 5:18-19

[5] See 1 John 3:8; 4:15; 5:5,10,12,13,20

[6] Spiritual Warfare: Knowing the Conqueror, Article: The Son of God Appeared to Destroy the Works of the Devil, p. 9

[7] Akin, Dr. Daniel L., Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[8] Pett, Peter: Truth According to Scripture Commentary, op. cit., loc. cit.

[9] Legge, David: Preach the Word, 1,2,3, John, op. cit., Part 9

[10] Genesis 3:15

[11] See John 8:44

[12] 1 John 2:28; 3:2

[13] O’Donnell, Douglas Sean, 1–3 John (Reformed Expository Commentaries), op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[14] John 5:35

[15] Ibid. 1:13

[16] 1 Peter 1:23

[17] Matthew 7:18

[18] Galatians 5:17

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XLI) 09/08/21

^3:8 But when people habitually sin, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Mrs. Lewis continues: We must face the fact that the Scriptures declare these things to be true concerning all humanity, be they high or low, rich or poor, cultured or ignorant. There is no space given for neutral ground. “But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone so that God’s promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus the Anointed One,”[1] and the Law says, “stop anyone from making excuses and let God show that the whole world is guilty.”[2] The Divine Life, which comes from God, and implanted in the child of God, does not sin, for healthy trees bear good fruit. However, the fallen life will also produce its sinful products. To a greater or lesser degree, sin is still sinning; that’s why God calls all lawbreaking “sin.” We are children of the One by whose life we live. Remember, with His life imparted to us; we are God’s children. But if we live under the control of sin, we are the children of the devil.^[3]

G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) continues his dissertation on the purposes of the incarnation of the Anointed One. The Apostle John says that destroying the enemy’s works was not a decision made after the Anointed One arrived, but before He left heaven. The enemy is described here by John as the devil. These are his schemes: He is a murderer. It consists fundamentally in the destruction of life on its highest level, which is spiritual. Alienation from God is the devil’s goal. It also hardens the conscience. Any vision which fails to include God is practical blindness. On the physical plane, all disease and pain are ultimately results of sin. These things all lie within the realm of Satan’s tricks as a murderer, destroyer of human life. Yet, he is even more. He is the liar, and he is the cause for extinguishing the light of truth so that people blunder along their way. All ignorance, despair, and wandering over the trackless deserts of life are due to this extinction of spiritual light in mankind’s mind. All lack of knowledge about God is the result of the devil clouding the human’s spiritual vision.^[4]

William Barclay (1907-1978) points out that the Apostle John begins by insisting that no one is above moral law. No one can say that it is quite safe to indulge in certain things, although they may be dangerous for others. That’s why John spends time explaining what sin is all about:

• He tells us what sin is: It involves the deliberate breaking of the divine laws people are well aware of. Sin is to obey oneself rather than to obey God,
• He tells us what sin does: It undoes the work of the Anointed One, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.[5] To sin is to bring back what Jesus came into the world to abolish.
• He tells us why sin is: It comes from the failure to abide in the Anointed One. We need not think that this is a truth only for advanced believers. It simply means this: as long as we remember the continual presence of Jesus, we will not sin; but when we forget that sin is always present, we break God’s law of love.
• He tells us where sin comes from: It comes from the one who sins, as it were, on principle. That is probably the meaning of the phrase from the beginning of verse eight. We sin for the pleasure that we think it will bring to us; the devil sins as a matter of principle. The Final Covenant does not try to explain the devil and his origin, but it is quite convinced – and it is a fact of universal experience – that there is a power hostile to God in the world, and to sin is to obey that power instead of God.
• He tells us how sin is conquered: We overcome sin because Jesus the Anointed One destroyed the devil’s works. The Final Covenant often dwells on the Anointed One who faced and eliminated evil’s authority.[6] He has broken the power of wrongdoing, and with His help, that same victory can be ours.[7]

Daniel C. Snaddon (1915-2009) points out that the Gnostics made extraordinary claims about their knowledge, but were careless about remembering their sinful habits. There should be no confusion on this point. A person cannot have a spiritual life and go on living as a sinner. But, on the other hand, a believer can only live a spiritual life because they have the ethical nature of the Anointed One empowering them.[8]

Stanley L. Derickson (1940), in addressing the incarnation of the Anointed One, says that in so doing, God set up Jesus’ victory over Satan. Trying to get even with someone is a human trait and troubling to many Christians. They want to lash out when someone does something mean or says something nasty. It is not the case in God’s dealings with the devil. He was not looking to pay back Satan for his actions in the garden of Eden, nor telling Satan to make things right for the multiplied millions of things that he has done wrong throughout time. God was simply preparing the way for the removal of all fallen angelic beings. God has scheduled their judgment according to Revelation 19 and 20, and their end will be in the Lake of Fire. Yet, God has postponed the execution of that judgment for a time. In the end, when the Anointed One brings together all those He wants to collect, He will deliver Satan to his final, eternal damnation. The devil had to be conquered on his turf. He is the god of this world and needed to be met in mankind’s world. As a result, the Anointed One was victorious!^[9]

Robert W. Yarbrough (1948) notes that the Apostle John’s affection for his readers softens his harsh appeal. Nevertheless, he issues this imperative: “let no one deceive you.” Each of his imperatives needs looking at, since there are only ten of them.[10] The one in verse eight is essential because it is understood in connection with similar language in 2:26 about deceivers. Thus, it confirms that throughout this section thus far, stretching back to the mention of antichrists and the divisions they caused.[11] John has had in mind the threat to his readers posed by those of unorthodox faith or ethics.[12] He battles a spirit of deceit[13] that works within “many deceivers” who “have gone out into the world.[14]” The subversion of God’s people by idolatry[15] or evil angelic beings is a recurrent theme of both the First Covenant and later Jewish literature.[16] The Testament of Levi, in warning of end-time transgression, uses a word related to John’s phrase, “lead astray.[17] John is warning of missteps that could have consequences of prophetic proportions.[18]

Colin G. Kruse (1950) believes that the Apostle John wants to reinforce his appeal to the readers not to allow themselves to be led astray by those who advocated breaking the connection between doing what is right and being righteous. This is the devil’s idea. To put it in other words, a person can know God while continuing in sinful behavior. Once again, the present tense of the verb “to do” [what is sinful] indicates that John continues to present it as an ongoing action. Therefore, he says that those involved in persistent sinning are being devilish.

It is the reason, says Kruse, the Son of God appeared in the flesh to destroy the devil’s work. Satan’s efforts are essentially trying to undo God’s work by turning people aside from doing God’s will, that is, causing them to sin. The Apostle John does not say how Jesus destroyed the work of the devil, only that He did so. He says elsewhere that the Anointed One appeared to take away sins, [19] something He accomplished by offering Himself as an atoning sacrifice.[20] He also says that Jesus’ blood (sacrifice) cleanses His people from all their sins.[21] Thus, we can safely infer that through His atoning death, Jesus dealt with the problem of humanity’s sin and, in so doing, destroyed the devil’s schemes. In light of all this, John urges his readers not to be led astray by those who claim that sinful behavior doesn’t matter because it won’t keep you out of heaven. But it must matter, for the Son of God appeared to destroy the devil’s tricks and temptation, leading people into ungodly living.[22]

Bruce B. Barton (1954) recalls that the devil, in the form of the serpent, was the first recorded liar and rebel against God.^[23] As Satan, he is the founder of the lawless rebellion against God. Therefore, when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil. The wicked serpent cannot create or produce children, but people become part of his brood by imitating him. The devil has been sinning from the beginning – even before the creation of the world. Since then, as the prince of this world, he has been lying and causing people to sin. The false teachers who spoke lies and sinned without remorse showed that they belonged to this wicked one.^[24] Those who followed these teachers were aligning themselves with Satan and thus fighting against the Anointed One.

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[1] Galatians 3:22

[2] Romans 3:19; cf. 1 John 3:8

[3] Penn-Lewis, Mrs. Jessie: Fundamentals Torrey Satan & His Kingdom, Vol. 4, Ch. 13, p. 163

[4] Torrey, R. A. The Fundamentals: Editor, Vol. 3, Ch. 25, p. 296

[5] John 1:29

[6] Matthew I2:25-29; Luke 10:18; Colossians 2:15; 1 Peter 3:22; John    12:31

[7] Barclay, William: The New Daily Study Bible, op. cit., pp. 86-87

[8] Snaddon, Daniel C., Plymouth Brethren Writings, 1 John, op. cit., loc. cit.

[9] Stanley L. Derickson: Notes on Theology, p. 349

[10] Cf. imperatives at 1 John 2:24, 27, 28; 3:1

[11] 1 John 2:18-19

[12] Ibid. 2:22; 3:4-6

[13] Ibid. 4:6

[14] Cf. 2 John 1:7

[15] Cf. Deuternomy 13:6; 2 Kings 21:9

[16] See 1 Enoch 6-10; Jubilees 5:1-10

[17] Testament of Levi, 10:2; 16:1

[18] Yarbrough, Robert W., 1-3 John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), op. cit., pp. 186-189

[19] 1 John 3:5

[20] Ibid. 2:2; 4:10

[21] Ibid. 1:7, 9

[22] Kruse, Colin G., The Letters of John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary, op. cit., Kindle Edition.

[23] See Genesis 3:1

[24] See 1 John 2:22

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XL) 09/07/21

^3:8 But when people habitually sin, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Samuel E. Pierce (1746-1829) says that the Apostle John makes a bold assertion that anyone who sins is working for the devil. It is an eye-opening expression designed by John to deter believers from breaking God’s law. There is undoubtedly enough truth in it to put us all on alert against sin: it is the devil’s work and shows we are in union with him. So, why would anyone who calls the Anointed One, Savior, even think about sinning under any circumstances? It sure does give us something to contemplate about.[1]

I like how Robert Candlish (1806-1873) expresses his understanding of Jesus’ mission to destroy the devil’s works as “the Son of God revealing Himself to undo what the devil had done,” in particular, his instilling in us the germ or seed of insubordination to the authority and law of God.[2]

William Graham (1810-1883) points out that the intention of our Lord in assuming human nature is that He might bring law and order to the chaos caused by Satan.[3] It supports the assertion that the incarnation and Jesus dying were intended to seize the power of death away from the devil. Everything in the form of evil is challenged and neutralized, or nullified, in our Redeemer’s crucifixion. Sin is carried away, the works of Satan are demolished, by the life, and death, and resurrection of the Anointed One: death is reduced to a shadow, deprived it of its sting, yes, abolished, [4] and the author, Satan, destroyed. Look how often, in this epistle, the Apostle John directs our thoughts to the appearance of the incarnate Son of God! John presents this incredible act of unspeakable love for our admiration as the fountainhead of Yahweh’s love, from which the hungry and thirsty creation may draw all needful supplies. He connects our triumphs over sin, our resistance to the devil’s temptations, and our final possession of everlasting life.[5]

Philip Schaff (1819-1893) writes about the development of Catholic theology in conflict with heresy. He tells us that we can find all the essential elements of the later church doctrine of redemption, either expressed or implied, before the close of the second century. The negative part of the doctrine, subjection to the devil, the Monarch of sin and death, was naturally most commented on in the early church era, due to the existing conflict of Christianity with heathenism, regarded as wholly ruled by Satan and demons. In the Final Covenant, the victory over the devil is an integral part of the work of the Anointed One.[6]

Schaff says the early church carried on this view in a very peculiar and, to some extent, mythical way. In this form, Satan’s control continued until the satisfaction theory[7] of philosopher and theologian Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) gave a new twist to the development of the dogma. Satan is supposed to have a legal claim of ownership upon humanity by the disobedience of our first parents and held them bound in the chains of sin and death.[8] The Anointed One came to our rescue. Consequently, the Anointed One’s victory over Satan was now conceived as a legal ransom instead of grace, payable by the Anointed One’s sacrifice as the Lamb of God. It supposedly cheated the devil out of his claim of authority over death, either intentional and deserved, or due to his infatuation.[9]

Aaron M. Hills (1848-1931) is focusing on the evidence that holy living is attainable. Hills says that we may envision the possibility of complete salvation from sin – entire sanctification – from the revealed purpose of the life and death of the Anointed One. The Scriptures declare, “He came to put an end to sin, atone for wickedness, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and prophecy, and anoint the Most Holy Place;[10] that He might “grant us the privilege of serving God fearlessly, freed from our enemies, and by making us holy and acceptable, ready to stand in His presence forever.”[11] Here is deliverance from all spiritual enemies and sanctification, not at death, nor after death, but “all the days of our life.”

Hills goes on to say that Jesus not only saved us by His blood, but also sanctified ^[12] and purified us with the same blood.^[13] Not only that, but He left us an example to follow.^[14] All of this was to complete the whole purpose of His incarnation, which was the destruction of the devil’s tactic here in verse eight.  That demonic strategy involved sin and sinning, the corruption of our hearts, and the ruin of our outward lives. Jesus came to rectify all this and make us pure and holy. “The Anointed One carried the burden of our sins. He was nailed to the cross so that we would stop sinning and start living right. By His stripes and wounds, you are morally and spiritually healed.”[15] [16]

James Morgan (1859-1942) offers two passages in the divine Word that furnish all the information needed on sinners being the devil’s property. The first is that “God did not pity the angels that sinned. On the contrary, He had them tied up and thrown into the dark pits of hell until the Day of Judgment.”[17] This irreverent abandonment from God was accomplished before forming the present everyday system and undoubtedly included Satan’s fall as a leading agent in this dire catastrophe. You also know about “the angels who didn’t do their work and left their proper places. God chained them with everlasting chains and is now keeping them in the dark pits until the great day of judgment.”[18] Their first estate, it is clearly implied, was one of holiness and happiness, and in contrast to it, they fell into one of sin and suffering. In this sad reversal of fortune, the devil occupied a glaring position. He became the enemy of God, and in the true spirit of his fatal apostasy, he devoted himself to extend the reign of sin in the creation of God. Thus, looking back to that period and dating from it, it may be said, “The devil has sinned from the beginning.”[19]

William Emery Barnes (1859-1939) talks about the devil’s existence and the origin of evil; – (A) Refute the three theories which contain devil-denying doctrines. [i] The philosophy that two principles, of good and evil, eternally existed and that the devil is only the evil principle personified. [ii] The theory that the devil, specified in the Bible, is the personification of fallen human nature. [iii] The concept that the Bible guards us against sinful actions is of the devil. (B) Explain the origin of evil, and exhibit the actual existence of Satan, as established by reason and revelation.

Robert Law (1860-1919) says that the Apostle John proves the incompatibility of sin with the life of God’s children, first from its nature (verse four). So then, the Anointed One’s character and the purpose of His mission (verses five and six) are reinforced by considering that sin’s source of sin’s nature is sure. And we must recognize the terrific emphasis on the point to which the Apostle brings. Those who tolerate wrongdoing have no kinship with the Anointed One. But are they fatherless?

No! They have a spiritual father – the Devil – who was “sinning from the beginning.” And “to this end,” the Apostle adds, “was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.” Thus, with expectant force, the majestic title “the Son of God” (used for the first time in this Epistle) marks the true character of the works of the Devil. “Judge ye what they are,” the Apostle would say. “It was no other than the Son of God whose task it was to destroy them.” So detestable to God are the works of the Devil that it was worth His involvement. His Holiness and Love necessitated Him to send even His Son into the deadly fight for their complete undoing.[20]

Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927) wrote a treatise on Satan and his plantation. Mrs. Lewis notes that we must draw attention to the difference between counterfeit seeds and genuine seeds planted in worldly fields as Satan’s servants. The fake seeds continue to look like wheat until the time of harvest. Then, as God looks on, He calls for their gathering.^[21] So, we have the Lord’s wheat, and the devil’s weeds; the true and the counterfeit; are always found side by side throughout the earth. The rapture and the resurrection will reveal which is which.

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[1] Pierce, S. E., An Exposition of the First Epistle of John, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 375

[2] Candlish, R. S., The First Epistle of John Expounded in a Series of Lectures, op. cit., p. 286

[3] See this use of the word in John 2:19; Ephesians 2:14; 2 Petter 3:10-12

[4] 2 Timothy 1:10

[5] Graham, W. (1857), The Spirit of Love, op. cit., pp. 204-205

[6] See Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8

[7] Anselm’s “satisfaction” theory of atonement proposes that the Anointed One’s death on the cross served as a gift to God the Father on behalf of humanity to restore the order of justice subverted by sin. This theory has been criticized for obscuring God’s grace and mercy.

[8] Cf. Hebrews 2:14-15

[9] Schaff, Philip: History of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, Ch. 12, p. 462

[10] Daniel 9:24

[11] Luke 1:74-75

[12] Hebrews 13:12

[13] Titus 2:14

[14] 1 Peter 2:21, 22

[15] Ibid. 2:24

[16] Hills, A. M. Holiness and Power, Ch. 5, p. 88

[17] 2 Peter 2:4

[18] Jude 1:6

[19] Morgan, James: (1865), An Exposition of the First Epistle of John, op. cit., pp. 193-194

[20] Law, R. (1909), The Tests of Life: A Study of the First Epistle of St. John, op. cit., pp. 220-221

[21] Matthew 13:30

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XXXIX) 09/06/21

^3:8 But when people habitually sin, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

John Calvin tells us that the only true God is easily distinguished from many fictitious gods by specific features. Since these idols are the subject of Satanic cults, Calvin feels that the one thing which ought to get our attention is to keep our eyes open for the devil, who is everywhere. He is called both our adversary and the enemy of God. If the glory of God is precious to us, as it should be, we ought to struggle with all our might against him who aims to extinguish all that glory. But, on the other hand, if we are motivated with proper zeal to maintain the Kingdom of the Anointed One, we must continuously wage war against him who conspires its ruin.

The devil knows that human minds are prone to errors and trouble, says Calvin; so, he manipulates them to stir up hatred, inflame strife, and war so that he may overthrow the Kingdom of God and confine humanity to the eternal pit of punishment with himself. Hence, it is evident that his whole nature is malicious, mischievous, and malignant. Therefore, there must be extreme corruption in a mind bent on assailing the glory of God and the salvation of humanity. So, the Apostle John hits the nail on the head here in verse eight when he says that Satan is “sinning from the beginning,” thus implying that he is the author, leader, and planner of all malice and mischief.[1]

John Trapp (1601-1669) shares his view on the Messiah’s mission to destroy the devil’s works. Satan tries to establish a desire for his schemes even in the hearts of the chosen, for whose cause the Anointed One came into the world, that He might undo the evil serpent’s works by crushing his head.[2] That is why the Son of man, our Savior, with His triumph over the devil on the cross, stepped on the evil serpent’s head, crushing his first work against humankind. Thus, it also helps us trample him under our feet. In contrast to what Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, said that “He shall bruise your head,”[3] it meant no more than that every descendant of Eve, whenever they encounter a serpent, is to strike it on the head which is full of venom and harmful to humans.^[4]

Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) says that the occasional illnesses of believers should not be called “discipline” but “punishment” for sins. To say that the Anointed One provided satisfaction only for eternal punishment is an outrageous lie. Arminius is of the opinion that the Anointed One as our Redeemer and Savior from sin affects both our bodily and spiritual death. In that way, He keeps us not only from eternal death, but delays earthly death through healing. The scriptures expressly declare, “Jesus did this so that, by dying, He could destroy the one who has the power of death – the devil.”[5] We must understand the term “death” as either “the death of the body alone” or “in conjunction with eternal death.” The Apostle John could not have made it more direct than the way he explains in verse eight.[6]

Arminius was a clear proponent of a person’s free will to accept God’s offer of salvation and serve Him out of love because, even as a sinner, they could feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit drawing them to the cross. So, he was opposed to Predestination as some were teaching it in his day. It is indeed suitable for men and women to say with entire confidence that there can be no redemption so grand and no method of recovery so glorious as that received from the Anointed One. Therefore, for the sake of what one has done wrong, however small, is to be willfully committed to complete renewal, for the Redeemer “was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Therefore, they are to be dedicated so that the Son of God, the Redeemer, might forgive them. That circular form of reasoning: “sins were committed so that God’s Son might destroy them” is entirely contrary to the Scriptures and hostile to the truth, leading many astray.[7]

Matthew Poole (1624-1679) states that what the Apostle John says may be interpreted by some to call believers sinners.[8] Ridiculous; first, he identifies doers of evil, and consequently, workers of injustice as sinners. Second, it does not implicate everyone who commits any single act of sin.[9] Instead, John focuses on those who habitually sin with great skill to their enjoyment. Not only do they sin, but they do so deliberately. Therefore, finding themselves involved with evil deeds is never a surprise; it’s their goal in life. Sadly, says Poole, it prevents them from repenting and turning to God for salvation and delivery from the curse of habitual sinning. Perhaps it’s because they know they then must refrain from returning to sin for any reason. Thus, any wrongdoing is not excusable because of its convenience. These sinful tendencies must be put to death on the cross with the Anointed One. That is how John views sinning and sinners.[10] [11]

On the subject of covenanting,^[12] Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) refers to the words of the Psalmist, where he asks those still living in sin why they keep repeating God’s commandments under the covenant when they are not practicing them.[13] He calls them the “wicked.” Edwards explains that “wicked,” as used in the Scriptures, is applied to those who practice ungodly and graceless acts without it bothering their conscience. They are under the reigning power of sin and are the objects of God’s disfavor that exposes them to His eternal punishment. This is made clear by the number of times it is mentioned throughout God’s Word, where they are called “workers of iniquity,” the “children of the wicked one.”[14] All such people are of the devil, says John.[15]

In many places in the Scriptures, notes Edwards, the righteous and the wicked are opposed to each other and distinguished as saints or sinners, holy or unholy, those who reverence the Lord or have no respect for Him at all, those that love Him or those that hate Him. All humanity is divided by these distinctions because the Bible knows of no neutral ground or third sort.[16]

Edwards speaks of God putting all enemies under His feet, so His goodness may triumph over all evil. In Redemption, God’s grand design was to subdue those enemies.[17] He planned to dishearten, confound, and triumph over Satan and that he might be crushed under Jesus’ feet.[18] He promised that Eve’s seed should bruise the serpent’s head. God’s original work design was to destroy the devil’s schemes and bring chaos to all of his plans. The purpose was to defeat sin and the corruptions of humanity and root them out of people’s hearts by conforming them to Himself. He also predestined that His grace should be victorious over mankind’s guilt and sin’s endless condemnation, calculated to conquer over death, the last enemy to be destroyed. Thus, God appears glorious above all evil and victorious over all His enemies by the work of redemption.[19]

John Wesley (1703-1791), in his sermon on the purpose of the Anointed One’s coming, uses 1 John 3:8 as his text to emphasize that the whole purpose for the Son of God coming to earth was not only to deliver but to save by destroying the dominion and stronghold of the devil. One of those idols in Satan’s kingdom was the statue of “Human Morality.” Thus, says Wesley, they did the best job they could in painting the beauty of virtue. But, at the same time, they employed their most exemplary efforts to describe the deformity of vice in the brightest colors.

However, states Wesley, absolute necessity required that should we ever conquer evil or persevere in virtue, we needed something more significant than these feeble attempts. Otherwise, we may see what is right but not attain it because they sought it where it never was and never will be found, namely, in themselves. Nor were they successful when they sought virtue partly from God and partly from themselves, or sought it from those gods who were indeed but devils and so not likely that their devotion would make them better. Thus, says Wesley, the Light remained dim in the wisest of men “until life and immortality were brought to light by the Gospel;” and until “the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil!”[20]

Wesley also answered inquiries about the doctrine of sanctification. First, “What does it mean to be sanctified?” Wesley replied, “to be renewed in the image of God in righteousness and true holiness.” Later on, “How much time should be allowed for those who do not believe in entire sanctification?” and, “is there any clear Scripture that promises that God will save us from all sin?”^[21] Furthermore, “is this asserted in the Final Covenant?” Wesley answered: “It does, and explains it in the plainest terms.” Again, listen to the Apostle Paul: “The Anointed One loved the Church and gave His life for it. The Anointed One did this so that He would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.”^{[22] [23]}

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[1] Calvin, John: Institutes, Bk. 1, Ch. 14, pp. 190-191

[2] Genesis 3:15

[3] Josephus, Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, op. cit., Bk. 1, Ch. 1:4

[4] Trapp, John: On Epistles of John, op. cit., p. 729

[5] Hebrews 2:14

[6] Arminius, James, The Works of: Vol. 1, The Apology or Defense of Jacobus Arminius, Article 9, pp. 260-262

[7] Ibid. Vol. 3, An Examination of the Treatise of William Perkins, Part 1, p. 269

[8] Cf. 3 John 1:11

[9] 1 John 3:7; 3 John 1:11

[10] Ibid. 3:6, 9

[11] Poole, Matthew, Commentary on the Holy Bible, op. cit., Kindle Location 762

[12] “Covenanting” simply means to enter into a covenant or agreement

[13] Psalm 50:16

[14] Luke 13:27; Matthew 13:38

[15] 1 John 3:8, 10

[16] Edwards, Jonathan, The Works of: Vol. 3, A Humble Inquiry into the Rules of the Word of God Concerning the Qualification Requisite to a Complete Standing and Full Communion in the Visible Christian Church, Part 2, Sec. 3, p. 243

[17] 1 Corinthians 15:25

[18] Genesis 3:15

[19] Edwards, Jonathan, The Works of: Vol. 4, A History of the Work of Redemption, p. 10

[20] Wesley, John, The Works of: Vol. 6, Sermon 62, pp. 287-288

[21] See Psalm 130:8; Ezekiel 36:25, 29; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Deuteronomy 30:6

[22] Ephesians 5:15, 27

[23] Wesley, John, The Works of: Vol. 11, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, pp. 451-454

• 

THE STRUGGLE OF SELF-WILL

We see a lot of conflict today between governmental rights, constitutional rights, civil rights, legal rights, human rights, and individual rights. But we also are aware of the conflict between God’s rights [His Word and Will], and believer’s rights [their wants and wishes].  Bishop François Fénelon saw this in his congregation, and this is what he had to say:

The Spirit of God never inspires us with self-conceit, and far from creating a disturbance, the Spirit always fills the heart with peace. What could be a more certain proof of temptation than to be in a kind of despair, rebelling against everything that God gives you to lead you to Himself? Such rebellion is not natural, but God allows temptation to drive us to such an extremity so that we may more easily recognize that it is temptation.

In the same way, He allows us in the presence of others to fall into specific faults, which are altogether contrary to our excessive sensitivity and discretion, in order to humiliate our desires and choices that we cherish so jealously, He causes the ground under us to give way so that we may not find any conscious support, either in ourselves or in anyone else. Further, He allows us to imagine that our neighbors judge us quite differently than they really do so that our self-conceit may lose any flattering support from that direction.

The remedy is severe, but nothing less is needed to free us from ourselves and storm the defensive walls of our pride. We want to die, but to die without any pain and in full health. We want to be tested, but only while looking on with conscious superiority to the trial. It is a saying of the old lawyers with respect to donations: “You cannot both give and keep. We must give all or nothing when God asks it. If we do not have the courage to share, at least we can let him take it.”

Written over 450 years ago

Vocabulary redacted by Dr. Robert R Seyda

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER THREE (Lesson XXXVIII) 09/03/21

^3:8 But when people habitually sin, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Satan is in the business of slandering the saints.[1] We know that defamation sows’ suspicion and puts a question mark in people’s minds about someone or something. There are always those who welcome gossip. Both those who spread rumors and those who listen to them do the devil’s work.[2] For this purpose, the Son of God revealed Himself. Thus, we find the first purpose for His first coming in verse five.  He came to deal with the sin question.

The second purpose of the coming of the Son of God to earth was to destroy the wicked one’s works. It is one of the purposes of the incarnation. Jesus came to free us from the bondage of Satan, our capacity to sin, and individual sinful acts. The devil is a powerful foe. It took the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross to defeat him. People love to dismiss Jesus the Messiah as a fictitious person, the figment of someone’s imagination. But, again, listen to the Apostle Paul and what he told Timothy: “The Anointed One was shown to us in human form; the Spirit proved that He was right; angels saw Him. The message about Him was told to the nations in the world who believed in Him; He was taken up to heaven in glory.”[3]

The reason the devil is the slanderer of God’s children is that, that is what his name means. Jesus destroyed his works so that believers might escape his tyranny. The word “works” indicates the apparent accomplishments and achievements of the world system, the false achievements of a known blasphemer. The devil’s works are diverse. He is the motivator of “evil deeds,”[4] “unfruitful works of darkness,”[5] “wicked works,”[6] and “dead works.”[7]

The word “destroy” conveys the concept of dissolving and disintegrating. The goal is to reduce something to ruin by tearing it down or breaking it into pieces. The devil accuses Christians before the Father, but Jesus came to put a stop to this work of blaming Christians. When we slander others, we do Satan’s work. The Anointed One will destroy that work. The ultimate end of the Anointed One’s assignment is the complete destruction of all that the devil did and is. His past work against the devil destroyed his theory of a world system. However, Satan is not permanently defeated yet. The last book of the Bible gives the doom of the devil. That is why he hates the book of Revelation. It tells of the defeat of Satan, how it will all end for him and his followers. That is why he spreads the propaganda that you cannot understand the book of Revelation.[8]

We all know that a child will inevitably be like their parents. In the same way, devoted to God will be like Him, and unbelievers will be like Satan. A vital relationship with the Anointed One provides a new nature that counteracts sin in our lives. The divine nature in of Jesus’ followers inspires them to please the Lord because their new birth gave them a new orientation for living. This inner, renewed entity cannot knowingly sin. It is contrary to its very nature.

Our life in the Anointed One does not come from religion or morality. The devil attempts to calm his followers’ fears about trying to live right by saying it’s not necessary—however, true holy living springs from a redeemed life. Therefore, the unique nature cannot commit an act of sin. Inhibition to sin comes from a fresh awareness implanted in the faithful by God. This essential principle orients us to an entirely different sphere than sinful living. Since our old nature can sin, that is why we must confess sin as Christians.[9] 

COMMENTARY

Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) preached a sermon on verses eighteen to twenty-seven about the antichrists. He urges God’s children to grow spiritually because “it is the last hour.” Our age or physique is not created according to our wishes. No individual can grow in line with their will any more than they were born at the time of their choosing. Where and when a person is born is their parents’ decision. What they grow up to be is generated by their will. However, no one is “spiritually born of water and the spirit” unless they are willing. Consequently, if someone wants to, they can grow spiritually or stay where they are. What does it mean to “grow?” It implies that you advance to being more proficient in your chosen field. What is it to “decrease?” To go backward by deficiency.

When a person knows that they are born again, says Augustine, let them realize that they are infants; let them eagerly cling to the breasts of their spiritual mother, so they can grow at the right pace. Now their mother is the Church, and her breasts are the two Testaments of the Divine Scriptures. Therefore, let them receive nourishment from all the spiritual truths done in time for their eternal salvation. By being nourished and strengthened, they may begin eating solid meat, which is, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Our milk is the Anointed One in His humility; our meat, is the Anointed One equal with the Father. So, he starts us out on milk in order to feed us with bread: with our heart spiritually in touch with the Anointed One, we know that He is equal with the Father.^[10]

Bede the Venerable (672-725 AD) makes the point that we were not born demonic. We do not resemble the devil because of how we were created, as the Manichaeans blasphemously assert.[11] Instead, it was because we followed Satan in his sinful ways. John describes the devil’s sinfulness in the present tense because he is just the same now as he was in the beginning when he first fell into sin. This verse also implies that the devil existed before anything else. There is no reason to doubt that God made the angels before the creatures on earth. Also, the one who was the highest among them became proud and rebelled against his Maker. By pride, he sinned from the beginning and transformed from an archangel of God into an arch-enemy of God.[12]

Thomas Aquinas deals with whether the devil is the head of all the wicked. Some resist this idea by saying the devil is not the head of the wicked. For it belongs to the head to distribute sense and movement into the members. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says: “God put all things under the power of the Anointed One, and for the good of the church, He has made Him the head of everything.” Thus, the devil has no power to spread the evil of sin, which proceeds from the sinner’s will. Therefore, the resisters say the devil cannot be called the head of the wicked.

On the contrary, says Aquinas, the head influences the internal and external activities of the body, directing them to an end. Hence, one could say that anyone can be the head of a group regarding their actions and attitude. In the same way, the Anointed One is the spiritual Head of the Church. As such, every pastor, priest, or prince is subject to Him. And in the same way, the devil is the head of all the wicked. For, as is written: “He is king over all the children of pride.”[13]

Aquinas explains that a governor does not always demand that his subjects obey his will, but tells how it will benefit them. As a consequence, some may comply with an incentive, and others of their free will. The same is true of an army leader, whose standard all the soldiers follow. However, no one needs to persuade them; they see it as their duty. Hence, the first sin of the devil, who sinned from the beginning, is held out for all to follow. Some are intimidated into doing what he said, while others need no encouragement, it’s their choice. Since the devil is the head of all the wicked with or without temptation, they follow his example. As King Solomon stated: “By the envy of the devil, death came into the world. And they follow him that are on his side.”[14] ^[15]

But Aquinas sees another question connected to what the Apostle John says here in verse eight. And that is: Whether it was fitting that the Anointed One be tempted? It would seem, some say, that it was not fair for the Anointed One to be tempted, for to tempt is to do an experiment, which is not done except to discover something unknown. But even the demons knew about the Anointed One’s power.[16] Therefore, these doubters say, it seems that it was improper for any temptation to be applied to the Anointed One.

On the contrary, says Aquinas, it is written: “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”[17] The Anointed One wished to be tempted that He might strengthen us against temptations. Hence, Gregory of Nyssa (540-604 AD) says in his sermon on Matthew 4:1-11, “It was not unworthy of our Redeemer to wish to be tempted, who also came to be slain; in order that by His temptations He might conquer our temptations, just as by His death He overcame our death.”^[18]

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[1] Revelation 12:9-10

[2] James 4:7

[3] 1 Timothy 3:16; Many Bible scholars believe this was one of the first creeds in the Apostolic Church. Cf. 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14-15

[4] John 3:19

[5] Ephesians 5:11

[6] Colossians 1:21

[7] Hebrews 9:14

[8] Revelation 12:7-11

[9] 1 John 1:9

[10] Augustine of Hippo (354-430) AD: Homilies on the First, Epistle of John, Homily 3, p. 945

[11] At its core, Manichaeism was a type of Gnosticism—a dualistic religion that offered salvation through special knowledge (gnosis) of spiritual truth. Like all forms of Gnosticism, Manichaeism taught that life in this world is unbearably painful and radically evil.

[12] Bede the Venerable: Bray, G. (Ed.), James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude, p. 199

[13] Job 41:25

[14] Wisdom of Solomon, Ch. 2:24-25

[15] Aquinas, Thomas: Summa Theologica, Vol. 5, pp. 142-143

[16] Luke 4:41

[17] Matthew 4:1

[18] Ibid. pp. 543-544