1 John 3:3-9

(This is from a devotion I wrote for Alpha-Omega a few years ago...)


And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning The Son of
God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. [1 John 3:3-9 NAS]

This passage speaks about how all of our own efforts to purify ourselves are completely futile.  Works-based righteousness will NEVER succeed in making us righteous in God's eyes.  Ultimately, our righteousness is only obtained through the work of the Holy Spirit, calling us repentance and belief in Christ alone.  Sanctification is God working in us, and us manifesting outwardly that inward working of the Holy Spirit. The legalist would say, "I obtained righteousness myself, and God is happy with what I achieved", when in actuality, the correct attitude of the believer should be one of "God DID IT within me, and I'm forever grateful that he overcame my own sinful, fallen nature in order to do it." One of the things that makes Christianity distinct from all other religions of the world is God's perfect grace, and that our salvation is not based on our own works and perfecting of ourselves, but rather its God who alone perfects us.

I was reading some of Calvin's remarks on the book of I John, and he makes the observation that John "plainly declares that the hearts of the godly are so effectually governed by the Spirit of God, that through an inflexible disposition they follow his guidance" Calvin later continues that "God testifies that he gives a new heart to his children, and promises to do this, that they may walk in his commandments.

We as believers should all take comfort in knowing that God's grace is sufficient in our lives, and that our righteousness is not dependent at all upon us or our works, but instead is solely a gift of God through Christ
Jesus our Lord.

I John 2:19 and the Osteens

I picked up a copy of the freebie magazine 'Health and Fitness Sports Magazine' at HEB the other day, because I was curious to read what theological insights Victoria Osteen would offer.  As it turns out, in the center of this magazine (which is little more than a massive ad for cosmetic surgery, with freakish adverts featuring faces that look like they are straight out of the Bruce Willis "Surrogates" movie) was a one-page article with Victoria, in which she makes no mention whatsoever of her faith, her walk with Christ, or anything remotely theological.  Not that I was expecting her to give a lucid definition of justification or antinomianism or anything like that, but something remotely spiritual would have been ideal, considering that she is, I believe, a "pastor" along with Joel.

Thinking of the Osteens reminds me of something I heard once, and that was the idea that, if legitimate persecution ever tragically came to our land, would churches like the Osteen's even have one person in them on a Sunday? (and that's including Joel and Victoria).  Is the entertaining music and motivational "You can do anything!" message really worth potential persecution?  In a situation like that, that I pray never comes upon our country, I could see people leaving in droves from Joel's "teaching", abandoning shallow, fragile faith based on Joel and Victoria's teaching, along the lines of I John 2:19 (KJV) ^"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us."  I pray for the Osteens, that there could be a genuine revival in the hearts of this couple, and that they can turn to actually teaching the Bible instead of hollow, deceitful self-help pabulum.