CAN WE POSSIBLY LIVE ABOVE SIN?

                                                             1 John 3:1-9

INTRODUCTION: Some Christians say they have not sinned for years. Does the Bible

teach that a Christian can live completely above any sin or any failure in their lives? 1

John 3:4-9. Those verses make it almost sound like a Christian can reach a point of

sinless perfection but if that is true, we run into some tremendous difficulties First you

run into the difficulty of human experience. All the great men and women the Lord used

for His glory seemed to have a sin problem even after they believed. Philippians 3:12-

14. Second there is the problem of the contradiction with what the Bible teaches about

our sinful human nature: 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Colossians 3:9-10; Galatians 5:16-

17. Third, believing a person can live above sin and never sin again goes against the

clear teaching of God’s Word: 1 John 1:8-10; I John 3:6-8.

I. OUR PROVISION FOUND IN CHRIST!

We have a provision given to us through Jesus Christ as Christians: 1 John 3:4. That

assurance lets us know that we are saved from the penalty of our sin. Romans 5:6-10.

Jesus died on that cross to deal with our sins: 1 Peter 2:24. Jesus Christ is both our sin

offering and our scapegoat. 1 John 1:9.

II. THE PRACTICE OF THE SAINTS!

We don’t practice sin: 1 John 3:6. It is not that we never sin it is saying the true child

of God will not practice sin. If you are a Christian, it will not be the pattern of your life to

live in sin on a continuing basis. The Bible says that if you are a true child of God, you

will practice righteousness: 1 John 3:7.

III. THE POWER OF GOD’S SALVATION!

The third thing we must see is the power of our salvation. 1John 3:8-9. We are

talking here about the wonderful experience of being born again: John 3:3. When we

are truly born-again certain things will be true in our lives. 1 John 3:9. When you order a

hamburger you can have it your way. But when you are born again you must have it

God’s way. If you are still living your way you have never been born=again: Proverbs

16:25. As a believer in Jesus Christ you now have two natures in yourself and now you

have a choice to obey God from your heart that you never had before being born-

again. Psalm 1:1-2. A real believer does not have to be forced to do the will of God. A

true believer rejoices to do the will of God. Romans 7:22. 1 John 3:9 tells us that as a

true believer in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit now lives in us and will direct our hearts to

desire to please our heavenly Father: Ephesians 4:30; James 4:4-5. That means the

Holy Spirit is jealous of the control of our lives for God’s glory. Some people who claim

to be God’s children get into sin and never turn back to the Lord. What does the Bible

have to say about that? 1 John 2:15-19.