With Bishop Ronald K. Powell

Primary Text:
1 John 3;23 And this is His commandment, That we should
believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another,
as he gave us commandment.

Message Text:
1 John 3 King James Version (KJV)
3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world
knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall
be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is
the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and
in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath
not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from
the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed
remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he
that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.
And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil,
and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that
no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his
life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in
deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure
our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and
knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his
sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the
name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us
commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he
in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit
which he hath given us.

Family Likeness
One of the first questions we ask when we hear of the birth of a
baby is, “Who does he/she look like?” Features such as physical
appearance, including the color of hair and eyes, facial
characteristics, the shape of the mouth or nose, height and build,
are given at birth.

Later on, as the child grows and begins to reflect its parents’ habits
of action, speech or attitude, we may speak of a child as “a chip off
the old block.” Although not all children are simply smaller versions
of their parents, it is unusual if there is not something in the physical,
emotional or moral makeup of the child that reflects its birth or
upbringing.

In this section of the epistle the author develops at greater length
the responsibility that falls on the children of God. Quite clearly he
expects that the children of God will bear an undeniable
resemblance to one whom they claim as their spiritual parent.
That resemblance comes in the sphere of conduct, in the way the
child lives out the responsibility summarized in the descriptive
phrase does what is right (3:7).

3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

He destroys the unrighteous works of sin and the devil.
He provides a model of conduct for the believer (2:6; 3:5).

^2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

^3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Jesus will return to complete the work he has begun–to
transform us into the image of the God who is pure (3:3).

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure.

Both the initial manifestation of Christ and his return are
spoken of in terms of the effect his work had on sin:

In his first coming he took away sin (3:5, 8); in his return (2:28;
3:3) he purifies us.

~

^{3:5, 8} And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

⁸ He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

~

^2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear,

we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

~

3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure.

Clearly, in all this discussion, attention should be focused not on
our efforts to become pure or to attain a state of sinlessness, but on
what has been done for us to purify us, to transfer us to the realm
where righteousness, and not sin, holds sway.

God’s work through Christ has created a realm where the purifying
and transforming power of righteousness, truth and love are
operative. And if now we are children of God by virtue of that
power, what we will be has not yet been made known.

From beginning to end of our life with Christ, the power at work
within and among us is the power of righteousness. That is the
privilege and promise that is ours.

Inherent in that promise is an exhortation to righteous conduct.
Those born of God no longer live without acknowledging God,
but are fully aware of the responsibility incumbent upon them as
God’s children.

Their orientation is toward the God who is light (1:5). Their
direction in life derives from the character of God.

1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you,

that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Their responsibility is to live as Jesus did (2:6), in conformity with the
character of a God who is righteous, loving and just.

^2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Those who say yes to God, whose orientation derives from the will
of God, open themselves to God’s transforming power. Although
God’s purifying work is yet to be completed, that trans forming
power is even now at work among and in those who have been
called the children of God.

In short, the statement No one who is born of God will
continue to sin, and others like it, ought to be heard
simultaneously at several levels:

First, it orients us to our
future hope, a hope that as the children of God we shall yet
become more like God.

Second, in directing our gaze to our future hope, the
statement also assumes that the same power that will
remake us at that time is already at work in us.

Third, that power is now active in the world because it was
manifested by Jesus himself in his work of breaking the grip
of sin on us. And finally, in his own life, Jesus exemplified the
self-giving love and obedience to God that is the
responsibility of God’s children as well.

If John’s statement seems exaggerated, it is because of his eager anticipation of
the blessings of the future age, now being realized through
the ministry of Jesus among his followers.

Born of the Spirit
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye
must be born again.

Closing
Those Born of the Spirit have two Commands of God:
1 John 3;23 And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another,
as he gave us commandment.

Are you Like Him in Character? For God So Loved
(Genesis 22:1-10)

22:1-10 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

² And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah;

and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

³ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him,

and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

⁴ Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

⁵ And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

⁶ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife;

and they went both of them together.

⁷ And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son.

And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

⁸ And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

⁹ And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there,

and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

¹⁰ And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

( Romans 5:6-11)

^5:6-11 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

JOHN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth
cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God.

Amen / Let’s Pray