Read 1 John 3:1–3
We know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:2
The United States Treasury Department has a special group of employees whose job it is to track down counterfeiters. How do they learn to
identify fake bills? They study the real thing. They become so familiar
with authentic bills that they can spot a counterfeit just by looking at
it or, often, by feeling it.
This is the approach in 1 John 3, which warns us that in today’s
world there are counterfeit Christians—“children of the devil” (v. 10).
But instead of listing the evil characteristics of Satan’s children, the
Scripture gives us a clear description of God’s children. The contrast
between the two is obvious.
Unsaved people (even if they profess to be Christians but are
counterfeits) live a life of habitual sin. Sin—especially the sin of
unbelief—is the normal thing in their lives (Eph. 2:1–3). They have
no divine resources to draw upon. Their profession of faith, if any, is
not real. True believers do not live in habitual sin. They may commit
sin, but they will not practice sin or make a settled habit of it.
Something to Ponder
What are some of the habitual sins you have found hardest to eliminate from your life? Why do you think these are such problem areas
for you?