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Daily devotional
July 15 - A new creation
“And you know that He was manifest to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” - 1 John 3:5
Scripture reading: 1 John 3:4-9; 2 Corinthians 5:12-20
John uses some pretty strong statements in our passage today. He says that, "Whoever abides in Him does not sin” (v.6) and “Whoever has been born of God does not sin” (v.9). John is certainly not contradicting what he said in chapter 1:8 and 2:1; instead, he is speaking about the radical difference between a believer and an unbeliever in the essence of our lives. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, our minds are enlightened to the things of Christ, our wills are renewed and our affections are inclined toward God. Simply put, we are a new creation. John’s point in this section is that sin can never characterize a true believer’s life. Believers sin, but this sin is foreign to us. Sin is something that doesn’t belong and must be fought against.
There are some very important applications that come from this truth. As we walk in fellowship with God in the light of the Gospel, we must remember that sin should never be viewed by us ‘normal’. The fact that we struggle with sin should never lead us to conclude that it is OK. When we fall into sin, we must be quick to repent of it and to seek after new obedience. It is only for the world that sin is ‘normal’. Christ Jesus was manifest, not so we would look and act like Satan, but instead that we would more and more look like Him.
Suggestions for prayer
Pray that you would view sin as God views it. As you look to Jesus, pray that God would give you the strength to fight against sin in your life.
Rev. Brian Murray is the associate pastor at Grace ARP Church and the Director of Gillespie Academy in Woodstock, Ontario. He has been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church since 2003 and he and his wife Melissa have four children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.