The Rev. Paul J Cain
1 John 3:1–7
Pure, Righteous
Children of God
All Saints’ Day (Observed), 02 November 2014
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
A little girl was once asked which child in her family was
her mother’s favorite. She had a ready answer: “She loves Jimmy best because
he’s the oldest, and she loves Johnny best because he’s the youngest, and she
loves me best because I’m the only girl.” That is exactly how God loves His
children. It is wonderful to know that God loves us personally, no matter what
our experiences have been. Each one of us, His Saints, is most precious in His
sight.
St. John the evangelist would agree. In 1 John 3 he writes: 1See what kind of love
the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we
are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s
children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when
he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus
hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
There’s a simple reason why Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven…” Because
of the Son’s appearance to take away sins, we all are His brothers. We all
share the same Father in heaven.
That Christians are called children of God means something.
Children are heirs of their parents. Your Lord has good gifts for you. Jesus’
last will and testament described these gifts very simply: “for you for the
forgiveness of sins.” His death activated the will. His Resurrection was simply
uncharted territory, legally. Christ is the executor of His own testament.
Christ’s Resurrection has consequences for you, the children
of God. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet
appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we
shall see him as he is. Our bodies feel the effects of sin—daily. On the Last
Day, suffering, sorrow, and pain will come to an end. No more uncertainty. No
more worries. No more death. On that day of Resurrection, our bodies will be
changed, glorified. What we will be specifically be has not yet appeared; but
we know that when Jesus appears, we shall have glorified Resurrected bodies
like His own. It will be good. It will be better than good. It truly surpasses
all human understanding.
All of this is possible because of Jesus—bottom line. No one
else could be good enough, holy enough, pious enough, sinless enough. When it
comes to forgiveness, salvation, resurrection, and entering heaven, our
thoughts, words, and deeds are as filthy rags. Those who enter heaven do so
with Jesus’ passport, His entrance Visa, His heavenly citizenship papers,
signed in His own blood. Fiction—print, web, and video—tends to lie about the
afterlife. Beware. And just for the record, all those jokes about St. Peter and
the pearly gates are just that—jokes. Even St. Peter gained heaven only as a
gift from Christ.
We are blessed with the freedom to exercise our earthly
citizenship this Tuesday, Election Day. You have the opportunity to compare
your knowledge of the Scriptures and what they say about sin, righteousness,
and life in this world with the statements, official positions, and votes of
candidates for office or re-election. That is how we as Christian citizens may
cast our votes. Please do not take the right to vote for granted. Many people
around the world and throughout history did not have the freedom to cast a
vote. You do.
Until heaven, we live in this life by faith, and not by
sight. We are saved by faith alone. ….everyone who thus hopes in him purifies
himself as he is pure. 4Everyone
who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
5You
know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him
keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
7Little
children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous,
as he is righteous.
In the four verses after the three verses of today’s Epistle
reading, St. John says everything perfectly clearly, but our ears are
unaccustomed to this kind of language. Lutheran ears are used to hearing St.
Paul. We have to admit, we’re a little confused. So, let’s find the basics of
the Christian faith in the text.
Jesus is Son of God and Son of Man. What else are we taught
here? “He is pure.” “In Him there is no sin.” The white paraments this All
Saints Sunday reflect that purity, holiness, and divinity. Jesus was literally
perfect. He needed to be to accomplish His heavenly mission. What was Jesus
sent to do for you? “He appeared to take away sins.” That was the work of His
holy life, His teaching, preaching, healing, suffering, passion, crucifixion,
death, and burial. The Resurrection is the exclamation point!
Jesus appeared to take away sins. This work could be done
only by One who had no sin of His own. Just how serious is this “sin” stuff?
“Sin is lawlessness.” “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices
lawlessness.” “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on
sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive
you.”
St. John agrees with our favorite epistle writer, St. Paul.
Sin is bad. Sin is worse than bad. All human beings sin, but the baptized do not
make a practice of sinning. That is
lawlessness. One cannot be a participant in the table of the Lord and the table
of demons. Sin kills. Sin deceives. Sin is lawlessness. Even one damns. No
wonder we need a Savior from sin—Jesus.
We can be deceived. Sometimes the world leads us astray by
contrary examples and encouragement to sin by denying that something is sin.
The devil lies to us. Satan means “deceiver.” And haven’t you been surprised in
the past how you can talk yourself things that you are horrified by in
retrospect? Want a sign from the Lord to prove that you are a sinner? His Word
is that sign. His Word says it so clearly to every single one of us. We don’t
want to hear it, but that’s the truth. Sin kills. Sin deceives. Sin is
lawlessness. Even one sin eternally condemns. No wonder we need a Savior from
sin—Jesus.
Yet it seems like such a simple message, right? This is
Sunday School 101 information to many, if not all of you. Good! Great!
Wonderful! This we hear, believe, teach, confess, and do. But before we take
this precious teaching for granted, remember how rare it is. This Gospel
message is the common heritage of all Christians. Some say it is only for new
believers. You know it is something for every Sunday and every sermon and every
day. Some say it is old-fashioned, irrelevant, and small minded. You know it is
eternally relevant, very practical, and that salvation is open to all who believe
in Christ. Some allow the Gospel to be replaced by advice preaching that is
only law, while others obscure the Gospel with man-made teachings of today or a
thousand years ago. Still others ignore the uniqueness of both law and gospel
and end up with a mixed-up “golawspel” smoothie. There are those who never
hear. Many hear and never do.
The Christian life is a life lived in Christ, for Christ
lives in you. He is the vine and you are the branches. Apart from Him, you can
do nothing. We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone. Faith is
alive and breathing doing good works to serve the neighbor. “Faith clings to
Jesus’ cross alone And rests in Him unceasing; And by its fruits true faith is
known, With love and hope increasing. For faith alone can justify; Works serve
our neighbor and supply The proof that faith is living.” LSB 555:9 Or, as St. John wrote, “Whoever practices righteousness
is righteous, as he is righteous.”
Fellow children of the heavenly Father, Jesus appeared to
take away sins. This could be done only by One who had no sin of His own. He
saved you from the lawlessness and death of sin so that you may practice
righteousness—not to earn heaven, but to serve your earthly neighbors,
especially other Christians, until the Last Day. Beloved, we are God’s children
now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears
we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus
hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Amen.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
