1 John 3 Bible Study Guide

1 John 3

1 John 2:28-3-3

2:28-29: Those that abide in Christ will not be shamed when he comes because Jesus has cleansed believers of their sins.3:1-3: Believers are children of God. When Christ returns we will be even more like him. That is, in eternity Christians will be without sin, without pain or illness, etc. We won’t be identical to Jesus in his glory, all-knowingness, etc., but we will much more like him than we are now.Question: John talks a lot in this book about living holy and righteous lives. However he points out in this passage that in order to do this we must abide in Christ. What does it mean to abide in Christ? What is a current circumstance that you need to abide in Christ more in?

4-10

4-7: Sin matters to God. This passage is not saying Christians will no longer sin, but rather that they don’t make a practice of habitually sinning.8-10: No one born of God makes a practice of sinning. The Christian life includes time of growth and setback. However, a conscious continuation of a sin pattern, with little or no desire to change, may reflect the lack of a truly regenerate heart.Question: If this section is challenging and convicting, it should be. It seems that Christians at times think sin “isn’t that bad” because Christ has forgiven us. In reality, sin is a (most often) conscious disobeying of a perfect and holy God. How does this passage cause you to view sin?Question: Our works do not save us, but our actions reflect what we truly believe in and worship. What are some things you are easily prone to worship other than God in your life?

11-22

11-15: Abel did the right thing and yet was bitterly opposed by his brother. Christians should expect the “world” to give you pushback in someway. Yet believers are still called to love, and Jesus looks at your heart, not just your outward actions.16-18: We know love because of what Christ did for us in laying down is life for us. Therefore, we ought to do this for others. We should be willing to help friends and others in need, even when it is inconvenient, as we are not to love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.19-20: Even when we become convicted of sin, John reminds us that God is still greater than our sin.23-24: The greatest commandment for us is to believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another. This is what someone who abides in God, and God in him looks like.Question: After loving God, the greatest thing a Christian can do is love people. When we ask “what is God’s will for my life”, it is to love Him and love his people. What are some things you can do to better love those who are currently around you (coworkers, family, friends, etc.)? What are steps you can take this week to work toward that goal?