God loves us. Period. The magnitude of his love is seen in Christ dying for us while we were still sinners. (Rom 5:8
)
God hates sin. Period. This also shows his great love for us. When we understand this we want to stop sinning. We can’t 100%, because we are still sinners; but our love and appreciation of God bids us to try.
“No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning.” (1John 3:6) The Greek word for “abide” is the same verb John used about branches abiding in the vine (John 15:1-8). As a branch lives connected to the vine, it receives life from the vine. It is only as we live in Christ that we are free from the power of sin. Living in sin and living in God are two different things, like darkness and light.
If we keep on sinning we are of the Devil and Jesus came to destroy the Devil’s works. (1John 3:8) Clearly, God teaches us not to go on sinning. Thanks be to God for His Spirit who empowers us to abide in Him so that we do not want to sin, but when we do, to repent and seek His forgiveness.
Prayer: Dear God, grant that I may abide in you and you in me that I may not sin, but live for you. Amen.
Today’s devotion was written by Carl Haynes,
Dean of the Carolinas Mission District, and the
Pastor of Christiana Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC.
