State Characterizing the Child of God

From: Questions and Answers on Scripture: From the Bible Treasury

1 John 3:7‑10 • 1 min. read • grade level: 6

Question: 1 John 3:7-10⁷Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ⁸He 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. ⁹Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. ¹⁰In 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. (1 John 3:7‑10). Is the state which characterizes the child of God absolute? And is it so also with the child of the devil? AMOS.

Answer: The language of the apostle is unqualified. Nor could it be otherwise where grace gives a new nature, for it is to have life eternal in Christ. There ought to be no difference as to this among the simplest saints gathered to the Lord’s name. To hear of “one teacher opposed to another” or to what is so plain in scripture is strange. “A lake of fire” too may be a symbol; but it figures unutterable woe and unending punishment for those cast therein, exceeding all possible by the literal terms. We are bound to give the largest scope to the judgment of God no less than to His grace.

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