We are what we practice. Not with word or with tongue but in deed and truth

1 John 3:7-24 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.¹⁰ By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

¹¹ For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹² not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

¹³ Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁵ Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. ¹⁶ We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. ¹⁹ We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him ²⁰ in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²² and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

²³ This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. ²⁴ The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

I really don’t know how much more simply it could be said:  Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.   So there is a deception regarding sin and righteousness. Jesus did not die so that we could sin without consequence. He died so that we could have His righteousness. What we are, whether righteous or a sinner, comes down to what we practice. Practice is defined as:  the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method - repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.   We should understand then that if we fall into temptation and sin, it does not mean that we are of the devil. But if we practice sin, if we continue to apply the same response in our actions regarding temptation; if we repeatedly exercise the same actions regarding temptation, indulging and yielding to that temptation, then it is sin. What we choose to be, whether righteous or sinner, will be determined by what we choose to routinely do.

John continues in today’s text saying:  The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.   1 Corinthians 10:13 says:  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.   None of us are unique in regard to temptation. James 1:14 says:  Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. We may not all be tempted by the same things, but we all are tempted. Not only though is every temptation we face common to man, but as it says in Hebrews 4:14-16:  Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  The temptations we face were also faced and overcome by Jesus. He is our way out. Grace not only provides redemption from sin, but also it provides the way out of temptation to sin. James 4:7-8 says:   Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.   The way out of any and every temptation we face is to draw near to God, to submit to Him. Even before we try on our own to resist the devil, we must draw near to God. Once we are there, the devil will flee. The psalmist says:  Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)  It is not that our lusts are satisfied, but rather that when we draw near to God, when we delight in Him, our desires become aligned with His. We get what we want because we want the same thing God wants.  

The text continues saying:  Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.  We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  Texts like this one are often used as commentary on situations like the one that faces the U.S. at our southern border regarding those who are seeking to enter our country. I try to not mix spiritual things and political things, and in truth it is important that we do understand the separation that does exist. First, in this text, John uses the words brother and brethren. These are not gender specific, but rather are referring to fellow believers as those we should love. Still Jesus teaches that we should also love our neighbors and even our enemies. Here is where there is  a vital separation of spiritual and governmental responses and responsibilities. As believers, as followers of Christ we should take very seriously what John says:  whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  At the same time we should recognize that politically, our government is not under the same spiritual mandate, but rather its mandate, its purpose is to protect and defend its citizens. All those who want to do what is right and help the people who are in need, should do it not with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.  The millionaire celebrities and politicians who profess compassion for the people, whoever has the world’s goods, should first and foremost put their own money where it can help the people, first changing the conditions and meeting their needs where they are. How many who urge the government toward compassion would be willing to exchange their mansion for a cottage so that the needs of others could be met? As believers, we should do all that we can to respond to the needs of others, while at the same time being thankful for a government which recognizes its responsibility to its citizens. 1 Timothy 2:1-3 says:  I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.  We should pray for our leaders that they would have wisdom to fulfill their mandate, while we ourselves fulfill ours helping others.

John closes today’s text saying:  The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit thank You that You have given us a way out of every temptation and an answer for every need and every human condition. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of all. He is the provider and the healer, the One who saves and sustains us. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that dwells and abides with us and in us so that we may truly practice righteousness, not with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.   Amen.