First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
Sunday Worship, October 25, 2026

  • Counterfeit

    Last week we discussed the importance of abiding in the truth. That those who do not abide in the truth follow after antichrist and some even act as antichrists leading others astray. The fact that they did not remain in the truth is proof that they were never really part of the body of believers. They were never a part of the fellowship. Remember our key verse:
    Key Verses:
    1 John 1:3 ESV
    3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
    and John says this in chapter 5
    1 John 5:13 ESV
    13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
    So the goal of John’s letter is to affirm the genuineness of a believers fellowship so that they will know that they have eternal life.
    This week, John is going to present his readers with another test of genuine belief. With that, let’s read the text and see John’s challenge
    1 John 2:28–3:10 ESV
    28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 1 See 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. 2 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. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

    Abide in Him

    1 John 2:28 ESV
    28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
    Make your life dwell in him. Walk in his truth.

    Confidence vs. Shame

    John loves a good contrast.
    Look at verse 28 again
    1 John 2:28 ESV
    28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
    When Jesus returns, there will be two responses. There will be those who have confidence and there will be those who experience shame.
    Rather than try to figure out who these groups are right now, ask yourself, which group do you want to be in?

    Born of Him

    1 John 2:29 ESV
    29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
    If you know he is righteous than it follows that those who practice, live in, righteousness have been born of him. We can’t be like Him unless we come from Him.

    Children of God

    1 John 3:1 ESV
    1 See 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.
    We are His children - Born of Him
    The world can’t fathom the love of the Father

    What we are and will be

    1 John 3:2 ESV
    2 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.
    So we are His children now. But we aren’t quite what will be when He appears. (Sanctification)

    Hope that purifies

    1 John 3:3 ESV
    3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    Our hope in Him leads us to pursue purity. When we think of Christ and what He has done for us we are motivated to love Him and to be like Him.

    Defined by sin

    1 John 3:4 ESV
    4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
    That word translated lawlessness also carries the weight of wickedness. Sin is wicked. It is anti-God. it is the root of antichrist. It has no law other than it’s own.

    Jesus purpose

    1 John 3:5 ESV
    5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

    Sin cannot abide with Him

    1 John 3:6 ESV
    6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

    Righteousness cannot abide without Him

    1 John 3:7 ESV
    7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

    Living for sin is of the devil

    1 John 3:8 ESV
    8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

    To destroy the devil’s work

    1 John 3:8 ESV
    8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

    God’s seed won’t live in sin

    1 John 3:9 ESV
    9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

    Children of God or of the devil?

    1 John 3:10 ESV
    10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
    This take us back to 1 John 2:28 where we left the question hanging, “Who are the two groups, who will be confident and who will be shamed?”

    The confident are those who walk with God and are:

    Born of Him
    Children of God
    Doers of Righteousness
    Not habitual sinners

    The shamed are those who do not walk with God and are:

    Ignorant of Him
    Lawless and wicked
    children of the devil
    habitual sinners
    So John’s simple question is
    Are you a child of God or a child of the devil?

    Dealing with sin as a believer

    A picture from Paul

    Romans 7:13–8:2 ESV
    13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
    What has set us free?

    Jesus has set us free

    1 John 3:2–3 ESV
    2 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. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    So we agree. The struggle is real. Jesus has set us free and no longer condemns us.

    But what do I do when I sin?

    Remember what John has already taught us in this letter:
    1 John 1:8–10 ESV
    8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
    Look again at our verses from today:
    1 John 3:3 ESV
    3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
    1 John 3:5 ESV
    5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
    1 John 3:7 ESV
    7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
    You see the children of the devil do not genuinely confess their sin or long for it’s removal. They do not confess that they a wretched and live in a body of death. They do not practice righteousness.
    But the children of God genuinely confess their sins, and they long to be pure. So they hope in Christ and are purified by his blood. This is an act of righteousness. So claim for yourself what John wrote’

    Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous.

    So do not believe the lie of satan that you will never battle sin this side of heaven. We aren’t there yet. But never believe his other lie that just because you fail and fall into sin you aren’t a child of God. If you hate sin, if you desire to live a righteous life in Christ, if you confess your sin, you prove that the devil is a liar and that you are a child of God.

      • 1 John 1:3ESV

      • 1 John 5:13ESV

      • 1 John 2:28–3:10ESV

      • 1 John 2:28ESV

      • 1 John 2:28ESV

      • 1 John 2:29ESV

      • 1 John 3:1ESV

      • 1 John 3:2ESV

      • 1 John 3:3ESV

      • 1 John 3:4ESV

      • 1 John 3:5ESV

      • 1 John 3:6ESV

      • 1 John 3:7ESV

      • 1 John 3:8ESV

      • 1 John 3:8ESV

      • 1 John 3:9ESV

      • 1 John 3:10ESV

      • Romans 7:13–8:2ESV

      • 1 John 3:2–3ESV

      • 1 John 1:8–10ESV

      • 1 John 3:3ESV

      • 1 John 3:5ESV

      • 1 John 3:7ESV

First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
fbchoquiam@outlook.com
3605324887
http://fbchoquiam.com
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