ACF Large Group 4 Notes

Oct 4, 2019

This week during large group, we studied “Beloved and the Evil One “ — 1 John 3: 1–12.

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 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. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 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.

11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Verses 1–3

• v 1- We are called children of God, not because of our doing. It is solely because of the great love our Father has given us!
• v 3- We are God’s children now. Our identity is in Christ, yet during our earthly life, we are continually are being sanctified. When Christ comes again, we will be perfected.

Reflect: What does it mean to be a child in your family? What does it mean to be a child of God?

• How do we become children of God? But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God. John 1:12–13

Verses 4, 8, 10, 12: Children of the Devil

• Children of the devil practice lawlessness, are not of God, and do not love his/her brother.
• The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (v 8).

Reflect: How does the devil work in your life? What are the results of the works of the devil?

Verses 5, 6, 7, 9, 11: Children of God

• Firstly, let’s remember that children of God have these characteristics because God has poured into them. God’s seed abides in them.
• Children of God do not make a practice of sinning, practice righteousness, and love one another.
• Does this mean that children of God will never ever sin again in their life? No… Paul writes, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to to what is right, but not the ability to carry it out…Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus christ our Lord, So then I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh, I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:18–19, 25.
• But! 1 Cor 15: 49 says, Just as we have been borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of man of heaven.

Reflect: What are the results of being God’s seed?

Tying it Back to “Beloved”

Our identity in Christ is because of God alone. Nothing that we can do would ever make us deserving of such a wonderful title. It is because Christ loves us: beloved. As a result of this love, we have a yearning to love and obey God though we are still tempted by worldly desires. Through Him, we can be forgiven, purified, sanctified, and obtain the characteristics of the children of God.