God’s Children and Sin (1 John 2:28-3:10)

Dec 20

God’s Children and Sin (1 John 2:28–3:10): Meaning and Reflection

In 1 John 2:28–3:10, the apostle John paints a vivid picture of what it means to be a child of God, urging believers to embrace their identity in Christ while rejecting sin. The passage highlights the deep love of the Father, who calls us his children, and the future hope of transformation when Jesus is revealed. It contrasts the life of those born of God with those who practice lawlessness, emphasizing that righteousness is not just a goal but a reflection of God’s nature in us. John’s words challenge believers to live in light of their calling, marked by holiness and love.

John’s emphasis on sin addresses its nature and power, differentiating between occasional missteps and a life defined by habitual sinful practices. He insists that those born of God have a seed within them, empowering them to live in righteousness. This transformative hope is grounded in the future promise of being like Christ, which serves as motivation for purity now. John reminds his readers that Jesus appeared to take away sin and destroy the works of the devil, anchoring the believer’s confidence in both the present victory and the future glory that comes with abiding in Christ.

Verse by Verse Breakdown of 1 John 2:28–3:10 and Commentary

1 John 2:28: Abide in Christ

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.”

John begins by encouraging believers to “abide in him.” Abiding in Christ means maintaining a close, consistent relationship with him. The goal is readiness for Christ’s return, to meet him with confidence rather than shame. Jesus spoke of this abiding relationship in John 15:4, comparing it to a branch that must remain connected to the vine to bear fruit. Those who abide in Christ not only experience spiritual growth but also the assurance of standing blameless at his coming.

Raymond E. Brown notes that abiding is both a present command and a future hope, bridging the believer’s ongoing relationship with Christ to the eschatological promise of transformation at his return (The Epistles of John, p. 342). This verse reminds us that living in anticipation of Christ’s return shapes our present faithfulness.

1 John 2:29: Being Born Again in Christ

“If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.”

John connects God’s righteousness with the believer’s practice of righteousness. Being born of God leads to a life marked by righteous actions that mirror God’s character. This concept is echoed in Ephesians 4:24, where Paul writes about putting on the new self, created in God’s image, in true righteousness and holiness.

I. Howard Marshall emphasizes that the evidence of salvation is not found in a one-time declaration of faith but in a life marked by continuous righteousness (The Epistles of John, p. 178). For John, living righteously is the natural outgrowth of being born of God.

1 John 3:1: “. . . that we should be called children of God.”

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

John marvels at the Father’s love, which adopts believers as children of God. This identity sets Christians apart, as the world cannot comprehend it. Jesus spoke similarly in John 15:18–19, explaining that the world’s hatred stems from its rejection of him.

Stephen S. Smalley observes that this verse captures both the privilege and responsibility of being God’s children: to live in a way that reflects God’s love while enduring the world’s misunderstanding (1, 2, and 3 John, p. 123). To be a Christian is to be misunderstood.

1 John 3:2–3: “Beloved, we are God’s children now . . .”

“Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

John balances the believer’s current identity as God’s child with the future transformation awaiting them at Christ’s return. This hope inspires purity, as believers seek to reflect the holiness of Christ. Paul echoes this theme in Philippians 3:20–21, where he describes the ultimate transformation of believers into Christ’s glorious likeness.

Karen H. Jobes highlights that this passage underscores the eschatological hope of salvation, pointing believers toward the ultimate goal of being like Christ (1, 2, and 3 John, p. 160). The promise of seeing Jesus as he is calls believers to live in purity now.

1 John 3:4–6: No Lawless Believers

“Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.”

John addresses sin directly, defining it as lawlessness and pointing to Jesus’ mission to remove it. Abiding in Christ results in a life where sin no longer reigns. This does not imply sinless perfection but rather a rejection of habitual sin as a way of life.

John is not claiming that believers will never commit a single sin. Such an interpretation would contradict what he writes earlier in 1 John 1:8–9: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here, John clearly acknowledges that believers do sin and are in need of confession and forgiveness.

Instead, the distinction John is making in 1 John 3:4–6 concerns the character of a person’s life. Those who abide in Christ do not live in persistent, unrepentant sin because Christ’s transformative work reshapes their desires and behaviors. Habitual sin—willfully and continuously living in disobedience—is incompatible with the believer’s new identity as a child of God and their relationship with Christ.

This understanding aligns with the broader teaching of Scripture about the believer’s struggle against sin. Paul writes in Romans 6:1–2, “What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?” Similarly, Galatians 5:16–17 speaks of the tension between the Spirit and the flesh, acknowledging that the Christian life involves both victory over sin and ongoing spiritual growth.

1 John 3:7–10: Let no one deceive you

“Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God. The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.”

John contrasts the children of God with the children of the devil, highlighting that righteousness and love distinguish the former. Jesus’ mission to destroy the works of the devil is central to this passage, as seen in his declaration in John 12:31 that “the ruler of this world will be driven out.”

The call to love is also foundational to John’s theology, foreshadowing his later emphasis in 1 John 4:7–8 that God’s children must reflect his love. Those who reject righteousness and love reveal their alignment with the devil rather than God.