I John – La Vista Church of Christ

The Testimony of the Three Witnesses

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:29:22 +0000

by Kenny Chumbley
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 20 No. 3, September 1994

"This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood, And it is the Spirit that beareth witness... there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one" (I John 5:6-8).

I John 5.6-8 is commonly labeled the most perplexing passage in the epistle. The object of the text is clearly Jesus. But what is meant by the prepositional phrases that relate Jesus to water and blood, and how does the Spirit fit into the picture?

Let us first examine water and blood.

Luther and Calvin saw in them a reference to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. There is Scriptural precedent to think “water" might refer to baptism (cf. John 3:5; Titus 3:5), but to make “blood” a symbol for the Lord's Supper is unprecedented. Blood is not a sign in the Supper, but is one of the things signified.
Augustine linked these nouns to the effusion of blood and water from Jesus side when pierced by the Roman spear (John 19:34-35). The difficulty with this view is two-fold. First, the action of the verbs does not agree. I John 5.6 states that Jesus came by (i.e., through) water and blood, but in John 19:34, blood and water came out of Jesus. Second, in the Gospel, John bears witness to the blood and water, whereas in the Epistle, water and blood bear witness to Jesus (I John 5:8).

In interpreting the phrase water and blood, we should look for historical events “through’ which Jesus passed (I John 5:6) that in some way testify (I John 5:8) that He is the Son of God (I John 5:5). Two incidents meet these criteria. At Jesus’ baptism (water), both the Father and Spirit attested to His divine nature (see Matthew 3:17; John 1:32-34). And at His death (blood) supernatural phenomena declared His death to be supernatural (see Matthew 27:50-54; John 12:28). It seems best, therefore, to understand water and blood as referring to the baptism and death of Jesus—identifying with sinners in His baptism, taking away sin by His death (I John 1:7). (Note that John's use of Christ’s baptism and death was a direct challenge to the heretics who denied the incarnation |cf. John 4:2]. If Jesus did not take upon Himself the nature of sinners and then take upon Himself our sins in His death, the foundation of Christianity is undermined, and we are robbed of our salvation in Christ.)

Not only was Jesus’divine identity׳ testified to in His baptism and death, but “the Spirit beareth witness.” Surely this means that the Holy Spirit also testified to Christ's nature. But how did the Spirit do this? Most likely, John is referring to the Spirit's work through Christ's apostles (cf. John 16:13-14). Thus, Christ’s baptism, death, and the Holy Spirit are three witnesses that corroborate Christ’s claim to be the Son of God.

"If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son" (I John 5:9).

The three witnesses constitute a single divine testimony of Jesus, the aim of which is to lead men to believe that Jesus is God's Son. If we believe Jesus is the Son of God, God's testimony is within us—“in our heart״ (NIV). If we do not believe, we reject God’s testimony and label God a liar. “Unbelief is not a misfortune to be pitied: it is a sin to be deplored" (Stott). Unbelief contradicts the truth God has revealed about Jesus.

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John 5:11-12).

Life is the blessing that comes to those who believe the testimony God has given about Jesus: life now (I John 5:13), and in the age to come (Titus 1:2). Note that in this paragraph (I John 5:6-12), John merely amplifies what he said in two verses at the end of his Gospel. "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:30-31). Testimony (signs)—Belief— Life. The purpose of testimony is to produce belief; the result of belief is life. John's sequence of thought is the same. God has borne witness of His Son, and if we believe in Him, we can pass from death to life.

They Went Out from Us

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 17:16:26 +0000

by Terry Wane Benton

Sometimes it is a hidden blessing to the local church when we lose some people and numbers. John spoke of some who ceased in heart to be “of us” (I John 2:18f). They “went out” because, in heart, they had been secretly drifting away from the truth being preached and could no longer “endure sound doctrine” and as a result lost commonality with the local group.

They went out to manifest that the disconnect had already been brewing in them for some time and discussing with knowledgeable leaders their issue was not an option for them since they knew they could not defend their attitudes or issues on a sound scriptural basis.

As their attitude and disconnect continued they were not a good influence on the church or for the church. It was better for the local church to lose that number than to try to cater to them just to appease them and keep the number. A little leaven of that kind would not be good for the church. So, it was a cancer, a drag on the church. It was better if they could not or would not repent, for them to leave than remain a drag on the church.

While ideally, we want people to be of one mind (I Corinthians 1:10), we find the reality to be that divisions must occur to reveal the truth (I Corinthians 11:19) that some members are not really dedicating themselves to God's word. That is unfortunate, but a reality we must acknowledge in local churches from time to time, which means we must all diligently examine ourselves regularly whether we are in the faith (II Corinthians 13:4) and truly abiding in Christ (John 15:4).

Walking in the Light

Jeffrey Hamilton — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 22:49:16 +0000

by Perry Hall

What does walking in the light mean? On one side proponents claim walking in darkness happens when the Christian commits even one sin; "sin is darkness, after all." The opposing side counters, walking in light describes a life-style, not each punctiliar action - "its a walk, not one step."

Contextually, "walking in light" is defined and restricted by "if we confess our sins" (I John 1:9). Likewise walking in darkness simply and only means if we say that we have not sinned (I John 1:10).

Therefore, contextually, walking in light is accomplished, not because we habitually walk with God, obeying Him; but we walk in the light when we admit Christians sin - when we admit all our actions are not in the light. Ironic, isn't it?

Similarly, contextually, walking in darkness is accomplished, not because we habitually/continuously/periodically/singularly (you choose your position) sin, but we walk in the darkness when we confess Christians do not sin -- when we claim none of our actions are in the dark.

Again, note the irony.

Contextually (there's that word again), walking in the light means we admit we sin. Walking in darkness means we believe we do not sin - or at least that our sinful actions do not soil our soul making us sinless.

Instead of connecting light with perfection, and darkness with imperfection, John ironically proves light is confessing imperfections and darkness is teaching perfection. Why? Because light is truth and the truth is we sin. God is truth, God is light therefore God confesses we sin (I John 1:10).

Why the ironic approach, or dare we say, sarcasm?

John is dealing with a particular heresy, Gnosticism. According to this false doctrine, "salvation comes as illumination (light- PDH) dispelling ignorance, triumphing over the material (fleshly sin - PDH) The church becomes the club of the illuminated (those walking in light - PDH) not the society of the redeemed (those who confess their sins - PDH)." [Zondervan's, vol. 2, p. 738.]

The Gnostics thought they were walking the light (i.e. illuminated) because they triumphed over the material (i.e. sin). Their "enlightened" view only produced darkness. the denial of the truth that even God confessed (i.e. we are sinners.) Where did they arrive at such a concept of sin?

"Heathen authors say very little about sin. and classic paganism had little or no conception of sin in the Gospel sense. The nearest approach to it was by Plato, from whose works a tolerably complete doctrinal statement might be gathered of the origin, nature. and effects of sin. The fundamental idea of hamartia (sin) among the Greeks is physical: the missing of a mark (see on Matthew 1:21; 6:14) from which it develops into a metaphysical meaning, to wonder in the understanding. This assumes knowledge as the basis of goodness: and sin, therefore, is, primarily, ignorance. In the Platonic conception of sin, intellectual error is the prominent element." [Vincent, v. 2, p. 318.]

Therefore, we walk in the light when we confess our sins (i.e. that we are sinners); we walk in the darkness when we believe we do not sin (i.e. that we are not sinners.) Ironic, yet simple.

Since this text has been subjected to not a few syllogisms, let me add to the mountainous terrain while fearfully aware of the precipitous perils of human reasoning -- or should I appropriately say, human gnosis?

God is light (I John 1:5).
Light is truth (I John 1:6).
God is truth.
Walking in light is walking in truth (I John 1:6).
Truth is we sin (I John 1:8-9).
Walking in truth is confessing our sins (I John 1:7-9).
Therefore walking in light is confessing our sins (i.e. that we sin).

God is not darkness (I John 1:5).
Darkness is nontruth (I John 1:6).
God is not nontruth.
Walking in darkness is walking in nontruth (I John 1:6)
Nontruth is we do not sin (I John 1:8).
Walking in nontruth is saying we do not sin (I John 1:8).
Therefore walking in darkness is denying we sin.

The Anointing of the Spirit

Jeffrey Hamilton — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:58:11 +0000

Text: I John 2:18-29

I. The other day, one of my boys needed help with a math problem, so I asked him to show me the problem. He brought in his paper on which he was working.

A. “No,” I said, “I need to see the original problem in the book.”

B. “But I copied just as it was written!”

C. I replied that if I used his work then I am likely to make the same mistake, being influenced by what he wrote.

D. He got the book and as I translated the word problem into a mathematical formula, he suddenly said, “Oh, I reversed two things in the last line. No wonder the answer wasn’t coming out right.”

E. You know, I wouldn’t have found the problem if I didn’t go straight to the source.

F. It is no different in my day-to-day work.

1. I talk to many people about various concepts in the Scriptures. They will make points, citing passages to back themselves up, and if I just accepted what they said I’m sure I would be going down some fairly strange paths.

2. It is amazing how easily difficult, twisted false teaching can be laid to rest if you just go back to the source and look at the problem in the context that it is originally presented.

G. To illustrate this, let us look at some popular ideas concerning the Holy Spirit.

II. How do you explain that some people are drawn by the gospel and others hear the same message and are unaffected?

A. The popular answer among charismatic groups is that the difference is the influence of the Spirit.

1. God, we are told, sends His Spirit to certain individuals to draw men to him. (John 6:44)

2. Man is so sinful, he cannot comprehend the teaching of the Spirit. It takes the Spirit, who knows the mind of God, to unlock the sinner’s heart to understand what God is teaching (I Corinthians 2:11-14)

B. Examine the context of John 6:44

1. John 6:41-42 - The Jews were upset about Jesus’ claim that he came from heaven.

2. Jesus told them to quit grumbling about the statement. The reason they would not accept it was because they were not drawn by God - John 6:43-44

3. If we stopped there, we leave a big mystery. Don’t you just love mysteries?

a. A lot of people like to speculate and here is a statement that has brought on a lot of speculations.

b. Yet, the truth is in the verse that follows.

4. John 6:45

a. God does the drawing. But it is a mistake to assume that the Spirit comes down and pulls certain people to God.

b. God draws by the words taught. This Bible is the lure!

c. When a person is willing to sit down and listen to what God has to say, it will produce belief in him that will lead to life - John 6:47

5. This is no different than what Paul taught - Romans 10:8-10, 17

6. “Aw, but that’s no fun. Where is the mystery! Where’s the mystic!”

7. The mystery is that people overlook the obvious.

a. A radio personality, Dr. Dean Edell likes to use the question “Why look for zebras when horses will do?”

b. By that he means when searching for explanation for a medical ailment, start with common, everyday explanations. It is more likely to be right than the exotic answer.

c. So many want an exotic answer from God, they overlook the obvious answer that is right in front of them.

C. Examine the context of I Corinthians 2:11-14

1. The context starts at 1:18 when Paul notes the difference in reaction to the gospel.

a. The difference comes from the method God used to spread the message - I Corinthians 1:21

(1) People are looking for something more - I Corinthians 1:22-24

b. The message was not of the creation of man, but of God - I Corinthians 2:6-7

(1) The message was inspired by God’s Spirit - I Corinthians 2:10

(2) It was given to the apostles - I Corinthians 2:12-13

c. Because of its spiritual source, it is reject by worldly men - I Corinthians 2:14

2. Paul’s point is that the message he delivered could not have been from man because men rejected it.

a. The message was something that men could not have created because it was beyond their ability

b. Men cannot know the mind of God. God must revel Himself to man.

c. Paul makes the same point elsewhere - Galatians 1:11-12

3. The charismatics take a passage dealing with the inspiration of the message and apply it to every man.

III. The Spirit guides you and shows you what is right and wrong.

A. Charismatics will cite I John 2:20, 27 as proof

1. Exactly what is this guiding is left in mysterious vagueness.

2. Some argue that the Spirit keeps a child of God from sin.

3. Others, seeing that Christians do sin at times and realizing they can’t say the Spirit allowed the sin to happen, say that the Spirit guides, but we can resist the guidance – like having a person next to you giving directions but then going your own way.

B. What exactly is the anointing of the Spirit?

1. It is defined in Luke 4:18-19.

a. Christ, quoting Isaiah, defines it as being divinely dedicated to the teaching of God’s word.

b. In other words, we are speaking of having gifts of the Spirit

c. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit - Acts 10:38

d. This is what Christ or Messiah means: the Anointed One

2. Paul said that the apostles were also anointed by the Spirt - II Corinthians 1:19-22

a. This was promised by Jesus - John 14:25-26; 16:13

b. Paul said they were established (or confirmed) by God in II Corinthians 1:21 - This too is what Jesus had promised - Mark 16:20

c. Much of II Corinthians is Paul’s defense of his apostleship against false prophets. Paul shows his apostleship by the evidence of the Spirit and shows that the false apostles cannot match that evidence.

C. Examine the context of I John 2:20, 27

1. John said it was the last hour when the antichrist would come, in fact many have already arisen. - I John 2:18

a. The context deals with events current to the first century.

b. The prophecy is the one Jesus made in Matthew 24:23-25, 33

c. John is basically saying that the time for Jerusalem’s destruction is getting close.

2. These false Christs when out from among the true Christians - I John 2:19

a. Jude, speaking of these same people - Jude 17-19

3. John said the Christians of this time should not deceived because they have an anointing of the Spirit (the gifts of the Spirit)

a. One of the gifts of the Spirit was the discerning of spirits - I Corinthians 12:10

b. The same Spirit gave gifts of understanding. These people knew the truth. They would see that a liar is against Christ.

c. This is why John said in verse 27 that the anointing would teach them all things.

d. When God gives a message, it is consistent. He doesn’t tell one person one thing and other person something else - I John 4:1-3, 5-6

(1) Paul gives the same challenge - I Corinthians 14:37-38

4. In other words John is warning Christians in the first century to use their spiritual gifts to prevent them from being persuaded by false prophets as events geared up to the destruction of Jerusalem. - I John 2:26

a. While the principles can help us in our struggles today, we do not have the means of spiritual gifts to aid us - I Corinthians 13:8-10

b. We have to compare what is taught against the words revealed. - Galatians 1:8-9

IV. Phrases and verses can be taken out of context and made to see to say things quite different from what the original source states.

A. The only way to combat these errors is to go back to the source.

What does I John 5:7-8 mean?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 02:45:00 +0000

Question:

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." (I John 5:7-8 KJV). What does verse eight mean? I know that God and Christ are in heaven (Acts 7:55; Colossians 3:1). Does verse 8 mean that the Holy Spirit is still on earth? Please explain this to me.

Answer:

There are two readings for I John 5:7-8,

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one" (I John 5:7-8 NKJV).

"For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement" (I John 5:7-8 NASB).

The highlighted text is what is in dispute. The New King James Version has the extra words because they were in the King James Version. The King James Version has the extra words because they were in Erasmus' Greek New Testament (third edition, 1522), a composite text that was used as the basis of the King James translation. The extra words were not in the first two editions of Erasmus' work because the evidence pointed to the fact that these words were originally someone's marginal notes that accidentally got pulled into the text by some scribe. However, Erasmus was pressured by the Roman Catholic Church to include the words anyway. His work would not have sold well without acceptance by the Roman Catholic Church and the extra words were in the Latin texts that the Roman Catholic Church favored.

The extra words are only found in nine Greek manuscripts:

221 originates from the 10th Century and includes the reading in a marginal note that was added after the original copy was made, probably in the 15th or 16th century.
177 originates from the 11th Century and includes the reading in a marginal note that is dated to later than the mid-16th century.
88 originated in the 12th century and includes the reading in a marginal note that is dated to the 16th century.
629 originated in the 14th century. This is a Latin / Greek text. Evidence shows that the scribe translated the Latin wording into Greek and added it to the Greek text to make the two match.
429 originated in the 14th century and includes the reading in a marginal note that is dated to the 16th century.
636 originated in the 15th century and includes the reading in a marginal note that is dated to the 16th century.
61 originated in 1520, in Oxford and was apparently made to order to force Erasmus to change his text.
918 originated in the 16th century from Spain
2318 originates from the 18th Century (identical to Erasmus' wording)
2473 originates from the 18th Century from Athens

"Thus, there is no sure evidence of this reading in any Greek manuscript until the 1500s; each such reading was apparently composed after Erasmus' Greek NT was published in 1516. Indeed, the reading appears in no Greek witness of any kind (either manuscript, patristic, or Greek translation of some other version) until AD 1215 (in a Greek translation of the Acts of the Lateran Council, a work originally written in Latin). This is all the more significant, since many a Greek Father would have loved such a reading, for it so succinctly affirms the doctrine of the Trinity. The reading seems to have arisen in a fourth century Latin homily in which the text was allegorized to refer to members of the Trinity. From there, it made its way into copies of the Latin Vulgate, the text used by the Roman Catholic Church" [Daniel B. Wallace, "The Textual Problems of I John 5:7-8", Bible.org].

"The only Greek manuscripts in any form which support the words, "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one; and there are three that bear witness in earth," are the Montfortianus of Dublin, copied evidently from the modern Latin Vulgate; the Ravianus, copied from the Complutensian Polyglot; a manuscript at Naples, with the words added in the margin by a recent hand; Ottobonianus, 298, of the fifteenth century, the Greek of which is a mere translation of the accompanying Latin. All the old versions omit the words. The oldest manuscripts of the Vulgate omit them: the earliest Vulgate manuscript which has them being Wizanburgensis, 99, of the eighth century" [Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary].

"The textual evidence is against 1 John 5:7. Of all the Greek manuscripts, only two contain it. These two manuscripts are of very late dates, one from the fourteenth or fifteenth century and the other from the sixteenth century. Two other manuscripts have this verse written in the margin. All four manuscripts show that this verse was apparently translated from a late form of the Latin Vulgate"[Dr. Neil Lightfoot, How We Got the Bible, 2003, pp. 100-101].

The Latin manuscripts do have older evidence of the extra words existing:

León palimpsest (7th century from Spain)
Frisingensia Fragmenta (7th century from Spain)
Codex Theodulphianus (8th-9th century from France)
Codex Sangallensis 907 (8th-9th century from France)
Codex Cavensis (9th century from Spain)
Codex Ulmensis (9th century from Spain)
Codex Sangallensis 63 (9th-10th century from France), but the added words are in a marginal note.
Codex Complutensis I (10th century (A.D. 927) from Spain)
Codex Toletanus (10th century from Spain)

However, the oldest Latin manuscripts do not contain the extra wording. Ancient Syrian and Coptic manuscripts also do not contain the extra wording.

The earliest that the Latin version, which reads differently from Erasmus' Greek version, is found in the writings of Priscillian of Avila, a Spaniard who wrote around c. A.D. 380. An English translation of his statement is, "As John says and there are three which give testimony on earth the water the flesh the blood and these three are in one and there are three which give testimony in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one in Christ Jesus." This was written without punctuation, as it would have been found in Latin. What we don't know is how much was quoted and how much was Pricillian's commentary.

The conclusion is that it was added by scribes in the Roman Catholic Church, probably to clarify their view of the Godhead. Since the added words first appear in Spanish copies of the Latin text, there is a strong possibility that someone jotted Priscillian's words in the margin of a manuscript and it got blended into the Latin text. Since the Latin text was heavily used, scribes added the words as a marginal note to many of the Greek manuscripts that they had in their possession.

What It Means

"Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son" (I John 5:5-9 NAS95).

Truth is established by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15) and John is stating that there are three witnesses to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. What I believe John is referring to are the witnesses to Jesus' divinity.

When Jesus was baptized, a voice from heaven stated, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). This could be the witness of the water.

The second witness that John cites is Jesus' death on the cross. "But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, "Not one of His bones shall be broken." And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced" " (John 19:34-37). This is why John said, not by water only but by water and blood. It is absolute proof that Jesus died. In his death is evidence again that Jesus is the Son of God. "So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!" " (Mark 15:39).

The third witness is the Holy Spirit. One aspect is that the Bible came about by the Holy Spirit inspiring men to write, "for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21). Without that evidence, we would not know about Jesus. "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). The Spirit also testified by predicting in advance the coming Messiah. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1). And it was by the same Spirit that guided the apostles to proclaim to the world what had happened and proved that their words were true by the miracles that accompanied them. "And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32).

John said if we can accept the testimony of men to determine the truth, the testimony that God provides is greater.

How can John not know what we will be like in I John 3:2?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:16:00 +0000

Question:

Please explain I John 3:2. I have tried to understand, but can't. Why doesn't John know what we shall be?

Answer:

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (I John 3:1-3).

No one on earth has experienced what life in heaven is like. "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John 3:13). No one here has experienced what life is like in a spiritual body. "Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself" (Philippians 3:21). And none of us have experienced a life where we are not constantly battling sin. We know we will become spiritual beings like God, but exactly what that means, we don't know. We know the generalities, but we don't know it first hand.

He Cannot Sin

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 02:35:00 +0000

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/HeCannotSin.mp3

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: I John 3:1-10

I. It is amazing the lengths people reach to avoid responsibility for sin

A. Often the same groups who teach that people cannot help but sin because they are born sinful also teach that once saved they cannot sin.

B. It is a difficult deception to hold on to because it is clear to all that people who are supposed to be saved still commit sin.

C. There are two ways to avoid the obvious:

1. Claim that the person wasn’t really saved in the first place.

a. Which gives rise to the question, how do you know your saved?

b. No matter how confidently a person asserts that he feels saved, the same can be said for some people they claim never really was saved.

2. Claim that sin doesn’t impact the person’s soul.

a. Sam Morris, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Stamford, Texas: "We take the position that a Christian's sins do not damn his soul! The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing to do with the salvation of his soul. ... All the prayers a man may pray, all the Bibles he may read, all the churches he may belong to, all the services he may attend, all the sermons he may practice, all the debts he may pay, all the ordinances he may observe, all the laws he may keep, all the benevolent acts he may perform will not make his soul one whit safer; and all the sins he may commit from idolatry to murder will not make his soul in any more danger ... The way a man lives has nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul."

b. This the claim is that salvation somehow disconnects a person from his actions.

II. A popular justification for this is I John 3:9

A. “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (NKJV)

1. The translation is accurate, but misleading in English because “cannot sin” can be taken as “unable to sin”

2. A.T. Robertson’s New Testament Word Pictures: “And he cannot sin (kai ou dunatai hamartanein). This is a wrong translation, for this English naturally means "and he cannot commit sin" as if it were kai ou dunatai hamartein or hamartêsai (second aorist or first aorist active infinitive). The present active infinitive hamartanein can only mean "and he cannot go on sinning," as is true of hamartanei in verse 1Jo 3:8 and hamartanôn in verse 1Jo 3:6. For the aorist subjunctive to commit a sin see hamartête and hamartêi in 1Jo 2:1. A great deal of false theology has grown out of a misunderstanding of the tense of hamartanein here.

B. A Christian quits living in sin - Romans 6:1-2, 10-13

C. John doesn’t contradict himself - I John 1:8-2:1

1. We have sinned

2. We do sin

3. We will sin

D. But because of God’s seed, Christians won’t stay in sin

1. The seed is the word of God - I Peter 1:22-23

2. As David taught - Psalm 119:11

III. Using I Corinthians 5:5 to say the body is destroyed but the soul is saved.

A. The claim that adultery, lying, stealing, murder, profanity, hatred, bitterness, etc. are all sins done in the body, which is destroy, but will not effect the soul.

B. But what is done in the body does effect the spirit - I Corinthians 9:27

1. Notice “I” (the inward man) keeps the body (the outward man) in control so that “I” (the inward man) will not be cast away.

2. We are not to let sin control our bodies - Romans 6:12-13

C. Sin often uses the body as a tool for sin, but where does sin originate? - Matthew 15:19-20

1. They come from within, from the spirit of a man.

2. Murder doesn’t come from the body. The sin comes from the heart. The body carries out the sin.

D. The word “deliver” translates the Greek word, paradidomi, which literally means a betrayal or a surrender.

1. It means that the church is acknowledging their failure to keep this brother out of sin.

2. It is a public statement that they lost a brother to Satan, so they are letting him go in hopes that the misery, which will result, will teach the person not to willfully disobey God - Matthew 18:17; II Thessalonians 3:14

3. This same word is used when a person is cast into prison - Matthew 4:12

a. That is how Christians view it. They are free from sin - Romans 6:7

b. But when a Christian returns to sin he is also returning to bondage or imprisonment - Romans 6:16

c. Thus Satan is looked upon as a jailer and the person who refuses to stay out of Satan's realm is released to fall back under Satan's control.

d. But it is done in hope that the person will realize what they lost and return; that he will destroy his fleshly desires so he might be saved - Romans 8:13

E. Paul isn’t talking about a person being saved despite his continued sins. He is demanding that the church take action so that a person will leave sin and thereby may be saved.

IV. If a child of God cannot be lost, regardless of what he does, then why all the warnings?

A. Take heed lest you fall - I Corinthians 10:12

B. If you do what is right, you won’t fall - II Peter 1:10

C. The danger of acting like the Israelites - Hebrews 3:12

D. Don’t come short - Hebrews 4:1

V. Doing sin will keep you out of heaven - I Corinthians 6:9-10

A. Be like the Corinthians - I Corinthians 6:11

B. The opportunity awaits you at this time.

Is it true that if there were no literal devil, there would have been no need for Christ to appear?

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:39:00 +0000

Question:

If there was no literal devil, then there was no need for Christ to appear? True or false? I'm referring to I John 3:8.

Answer:

"Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:7-8).

The work of the Devil is sin and Jesus came to destroy sin. That is what John also said a few verses earlier, "And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin" (I John 3:5). Jesus came to take away Satan's full power over the world. "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15). Through sin comes death, so we also learn: "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15).

It is hard to discuss what might have been when there is no doubt as to what is. I don't know if sin would have entered the world through some other means if Satan wasn't there. The real point is that Satan has been around since the beginning. I assume you are referring to this verse as evidence the Satan must really exist, yet the Bible never refers to Satan as an illusion. I would think Jesus' temptations and his resulting conversations with Satan would prove that point (Matthew 4).

I John 3:19-24: Our Assurance

Jeffrey Hamilton — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:26:00 +0000

by Ethan R. Longhenry

"Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him: because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us" (I John 3:19-24).

John has been speaking of many themes in his first letter: God is light, and we should follow His commands (I John 1:1-2:6), concerns about false teachers (I John 2:15-29), and a contrast between the righteous and the wicked (I John 3:1-16). John has also spoken of the "new old" commandment, the need to love one another (cf. I John 2:7-14). In I John 3:16-18, John shows that we know love through Jesus' sacrifice, and how we ought to "down our lives" for the brethren. Christians who have the world's goods ought to show compassion to their less fortunate brethren and are to love in deed and truth, not by word or tongue.

I John 3:19-24 continues in this line of thought. John wants the Christians to understand that they can have assurance in their faith and their standing before God, and if they love in deed and truth, they can have that assurance (I John 3:19).

John then speaks in I John 3:20-21 regarding the "condemnation of the heart" and our confidence before God. Many believe that this"condemnation of the heart" involves remorse and past guilt, and is a demonstration that God is greater than that past remorse and guilt. Nevertheless, John indicates that if our heart does not condemn us, we can have confidence before God (I John 3:21) -- therefore, it is more likely that John is speaking of present matters. Even if we ignore the pangs of conscience and sin-- or can sin without offending the conscience -- God is greater than our heart, and He will not miss what we have done! The goal, therefore, is to have a heart that does not condemn us: a conscience properly trained according to God's will, and living according to His will.

That is the basis of our confidence before God: not that we can earn favor from Him, but that we stand before Him in faith in His Son and are striving to do His will. John presupposes that the Christians to whom he writes are actively following God's commandments and seek to please Him, and proclaims on that basis that "whatever we ask we receive from Him" (I John 3:22). John also informs us regarding that commandment: to believe in Jesus His Son and to love one another (I John 3:23), akin to what he has already established (I John 2:8-10, 3:10-11, 16), and will continue to say (I John 4:7-21). John makes clear that those who keep God's commandments abide in God, and God in him, and we can have an assurance of God's presence in us through the Spirit whom He has given us (I John 3:24; cf. I John 2:2-6, 27).

We have already had an opportunity to see that John's absolute statements can easily be misconstrued, and this is a danger here also. Many may read that "whatever we ask from Him we receive" and then believe that they can ask God for a million dollars, or a specific healing, or a new car, or some other such thing, and that they must receive it. We would do well to remember James' exhortation in James 2-3: if we make a petition to "spend on our passions," we ask wrongly! By saying that "whatever we ask we receive," John indicates that all things we seek that provide spiritual benefit and are consistent with God's purposes will be given (cf. Matthew 7:7, James 1:5-8).

John's reassurance to the Christians is based on God's power, certainly, but also in their obedience. Christians must believe in Jesus the Son of God and love one another. Those who keep such commandments remain in God, and God provides His Spirit. This is consistent with Romans 8:3-11, where Paul provides a strong contrast between those who walk according to the flesh versus those who walk according to the Spirit (Romans 8:3-8), and then indicates that the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead must also be in us (Romans 8:9-11). There is no reason for us to be left in doubt: let us keep God's commandments and abide in Him!