Written by: Shane James O’Neill
1 John 3:6-8, 10
“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil… By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
The Confusion
What a heavy and disorienting passage. John begins by making absolute statements, but then introduces the word practice; writing as if never sinning and practicing not sinning are the same thing. Then when we really try to see ourselves in this text another difficulty arises; people are not static, we’re complex, and just because we’re practicing one thing at one time doesn’t exclude the possibility of practicing something quite different later on in the day. For instance, how many of us have woken up and began our day with the practice of knowing God, but ended with the practice of knowing a man or women in lust (whether imaginatively, in the flesh, or anything in-between)? Or perhaps vice versa — beginning the day without Him, though ending as a seeker of Him.
Many times I’ve left this passage confused. If God is the one person who is supposed to get us completely, then this passage doesn’t make personal sense — because I don’t leave it feeling known, at all. John seems so black-and-white about who people are, how people can live, and how people should live. Often I’ve left this passage seeing myself more of the devil than of God…
You are Righteous
But this entire reaction starts from assuming the worst. And isn’t that just like sin and human nature? Our consciences will constantly find reasons to leave us hopeless.
But you know what’s cool? This passage is actually exceedingly life-giving. John is linking absolutes to the practices that we engage but he’s writing to those who are establishing practices of righteousness. If you’re reading John’s letter and you love Jesus, then guess what? You’re John’s audience and you’re righteous! Christianity is unique in that way, it gives the end from the beginning, so we’re never left guessing.
John is writing to the best of who you are, not the worst.
Yes, you are absolutely broken but you are also absolutely accepted. The very act of being weak before Him is an intimate practice of righteousness.
John intentionally skips over the complexity of human beings to help us know our certain hope. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, the Cross and Empty Tomb show us that he succeeded. Then we’re told that anyone who makes a practice of righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Now that’s wild! The very consistency of knowing heartbreak after we sin confirms that we are children of God. That grief confirms that we are righteous, as he is righteous.
But repentance isn’t the only practice we can engage in. Yes, there is an amazing reassurance that when we sin and our hearts crack, it bears witness to our affection for Jesus. But the practice of repentance shouldn’t be the only practice of righteousness that we are living out.
What More Is There?
John sees belief as something we live, not something we cognitively nod our heads in agreement to. Practices need to be developed. Does your soul grieve every time you look at porn? every time you lie to those closest to you? every time you act out who you aren’t? Well, that’s actually great; it shows the gospel has changed your heart. But now new practices of righteousness need to be developed that nurture your new heart. Practices that include regularly being around people you look up to, practices of vulnerability with those who love you most, practices of Scripture (personally, I need it morning and night!), practices of exercising our affections through serving, through practices of hope, and love, and gentleness.
The practices we commit our days to don’t just reflect what we believe, they nurture greater belief. John calls us to recreate our practices around a Jesus who has destroyed the works of the devil. You are righteous; let’s develop practices and grow in our freedom. Jesus doesn’t call us to perfect living; he calls us to journey with him and to know his discipleship through the practices that we inhabit — perfection is the outcome, it is not your entrance ticket.
Freedom is closer than you think.
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Shane O’Neill is the editorial director for ProvenMen Ministries. He is currently getting a degree in apologetics from Liberty University’s Rawling School of Divinity.