Why Christians Live Right (2)
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If someone were going to describe what it means to be a Christian based only on observing your life over an average week, what would they say about Christians? More specifically, would they see any significant difference between you and those who don’t profess to be Christians? Would they say, “Well, other than going to church I can’t tell any real difference between a Christian and a non-christian." Or would the person watching your life say, “Christians live differently.”
The reality is Christians are supposed to live differently. The problem is that some people think you can be a Christian and still live any way you want. Some people think being a Christian is only about what you believe, not the way you live. Some people think there isn’t a necessary connection between faith in Christ and a person’s lifestyle. There’s only problem with that. It isn’t true. Here’s the truth. Christians live right.
That’s the message John delivers to his readers in . There was a group of people who left the church. They considered themselves Christians but the lived immoral lives. John wants to make sure the believers who remained in the church are not confused about this issue. He states clearly that those who are living immoral lives are not believers. Believers should live righteous lives, not perfect lives, but lives that are pleasing to God.
Read the text. We began this message last week. We covered four reasons why Christians live right.
You should live right because Christ is coming back. (Vv 28 )
You should live right because Christ is coming back. (V 29)
You should live right because your destiny is Christlikeness. (Vv 1-3)
You should live right because you embrace God’s Word. (V 4)
Tonight we will discover three more reasons Christians live right.
V. You should live right because Christ came to do away with sin.
V. You should live right because Christ came to do away with sin.
Christ came to remove sin from our lives. He came to rid us of sin. That’s the message of verses 5-6.
“appeared” - first coming
“take away” - terminate or destroy
for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
No one who abides in Christ keeps on sinning because in Him there is no sin.
“abides” - relationship/fellowship
“keeps on sinning” - lifestyle/habitual
not seen or known Him - lifestyle of secessionists evidence that they didn’t know God.
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
Those who are in Christ don’t live a lifestyle of habitual, continual sin because the very purpose of Christ in their life is to rid them of sin.
Verse 8b - “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Suppose you give your son the keys to your car and tell him to drive it through the car wash. A little while later he comes back and your car looks no different. There’s just as much dirt on it as before. It’s obvious your son didn’t take your car through the car wash. The very reason the car wash exists is to take the dirt off of your car. If it had been gone through the wash all of that dirt wouldn’t still be there. In a similar way, Christ’s purpose is to get all the dirt out of your life. If you’re a Christian it should be obvious that Christ is cleaning you up.
You should live right because Christ came to do away with sin. And the next reason you should live right is closely related to that.
Sparkling waters, wines and, of course, soda pops fizz because of the carbon dioxide dissolved, at high pressures and low temperatures, in every can and bottle. Carbonation adds a weak acid that gives your Coca-Cola a little tang while acting as a preservative, as well.
When you pop the top, the pressure inside the can decreases, causing the CO2 to convert to gas and escape in bubbles . Let a can sit long enough before sipping and you will notice not only the lack of bubbly fizz but also the absence of the carbonic flavor.
VI. You should live right because you are righteous.
VI. You should live right because you are righteous.
In Christ we have have been declared right with God, our lives should reflect that.
“deceive” - mislead or cause to believe an untruth
When a person lives a lifestyle that is right in God’s sight, it tells you that they have been made right in God’s sight.
“practices” - lifestyle
“righteousness” - not only morality but Christ honoring
“as He is righteous” - Christ
The opposite is also true. A lifestyle of sin reflects you are of the evil one.
Just as Christ is the source of righteousness, the devil is the source of sin.
Your positional righteousness will be reflected in practical righteousness.
If you have been declared right with God, you will live right before God.
NOT perfectly!
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
We said that Jesus’ purpose was to remove sin from your life. HIs purpose in removing sinful behavior is to replace it with righteous behavior.
My dog likes to get in the corner of the couch and scratch out a spot. You know what she’s doing when she does that? She’s acting like a dog. Why does she act like a dog. Because she is a dog. She’s just doing what dogs do. Why should Christ live righteously? Because we are righteous. To be righteous means to be right with God. Because of Jesus we are right with God. We should act like people who are right with God because that’s what we are.
We should live right because Christ’s purpose is to take away our sin and give us righteousness. And living right before God is important for another reason. It’s evidence.
VII. You should live right because it is evidence you are God’s child.
VII. You should live right because it is evidence you are God’s child.
Your life is the evidence that you belong to God. The way you live is what proves God is your Father. We see this in verse 10.
“evident” - to become clearly known
How are the children of God clearly known?
How are the children of the devil clearly known?
You aren’t God’s child if you don’t practice righteousness or love your brother.
Those who left the church were:
immoral - didn’t practice righteousness
didn’t show love to those who were true Christians
Your lifestyle is what proves paternity
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
DNA is used to prove biological paternity. Righteousness is a person’s spiritual DNA. The presence or absence of righteousness proves who your spiritual father is.
You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.
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Big Idea: Christians live right.
Big Idea: Christians live right.
Most of my childhood my home was not a shining display of Christianity. We didn’t go to church. Immorality in various forms was often present. You know where I learned how Christians are supposed to live? From my grandmother. I stayed with her every summer. I saw what it looks like for someone to walk with God, to love others more than yourself. She’s the first person I remember reading her Bible at home. She never missed church. There was nothing unchristian on her TV. Profanity never fell from her lips. She prayed with tears. The impact she has had on my spiritual journey is immeasurable.By her life and in her words my grandmother taught me that Christians live right.
If those around you had to describe Christianity based on your life, would they say, “Christians live right.”