Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

QT 1/29/2025 1 Jn 3:4-10, The conduct of a true born-again Christian

1 John 3:4–10 (ESV) —

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.

 

NOTE: I think the ESV does a good job of capturing the meaning of the Greek words. We know that a Christian sins (1:8-9), but a person who is born again and hence abides in Christ, will be transformed. He will fight against sin and the practice of sin. He will fail, but he will not give up. He will also have victories and will see a life that produces love and care for others and less selfishness. Love for others is a defining characteristic of the believer. Insensitivity to others and their condition in regards to salvation shows either a very young believer or someone who is not truly born again. I think the key point is that a born-again Christian will show a changed life AND an ever-changing life. We don't stand still. We don't plateau. A born-again believer takes sin very seriously and seeks to practice righteousness in order to please his savior.

 

PONDER:

  1. Am I growing in Christ? Am I different from I what I was?
  2. Do people see a love in me for others or do people see a selfish man?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the confirmation in my heart of my faith. I see it in the changes that you are continually doing in my life. I know I am so different from who I used to be. Thank you!

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