Read – 1 John 3:1-10
Let’s be honest: living a pure life is challenging. There is so much in our culture to lead us astray. It’s easy to read this passage and feel the conviction of God’s Holy Spirit. After all, followers of Jesus contend with sin every day.
When you read verse 6, “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning,” if you’re like me you’re left thinking, “I still struggle with sin. Does that mean I am not living in Christ?” The subtle distinction in this verse is between someone who commits a sin and someone who cherishes a sin.
We all commit sins and, when we repent of that sin, confessing it to the Father we receive grace and forgiveness. What John is talking about here is unrepentant sin for which a person is not sorry and does not seek forgiveness. It is sin that is nurtured and loved too much to be rejected in favor of holy living.
The only way to experience victory over the stubborn sin that you struggle to uproot from your life is to 1) rely on the Holy Spirit within you as you read and apply God’s Word, 2) to know what situations tempt you and to stay away from them and 3) to find Christian brothers and sisters who will help you overcome your weaknesses.
That’s why it is so important for us to understand that, when our willpower runs out we have access to God’s