And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
He was manifested means the Son of God came in real human flesh among men, wholly without sin, which is no transgression of God's law even in thought or in the smallest precept. He came to take away sin, which is transgression of that law and disloyalty deserving punishment, by assuming the responsibilities of the race as propitiation with the sins of believers charged to Him and borne in their behalf. He laid down His life on Calvary and bore the penalty of death as the great sin offering to satisfy justice, delivering from the curse and restoring the moral image of God. His work does not abolish the law that defines sin but vindicates and maintains it, proving in human obedience that it can be kept and is unchangeable. Abiding in the sinless Christ is therefore incompatible with continuing in lawbreaking, and those united to Him continually cease from rebellion, purify themselves even as He is pure, and reveal His character in obedience as the fruit of faith and love.
Words And Setting
He was manifested means the Son of God came to the world in human form, in real human nature, and tabernacled among men to take away sins. Called holy, He lived completely free from sin in the flesh, and His sinless life condemned sin in the flesh. His sinless life proves that divinity combined with humanity does not commit sin. Manifested to take away sins means He assumed the responsibilities of the human race, with the sins of all who believe charged to Him and Himself made liable for them. He obeyed every detail of the law to testify before unfallen worlds, holy angels, and the fallen world that those who accept Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour are advantaged by His righteousness, become partakers of His divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and through His imputed righteousness obey the commandments of God. The verse requires seeing personal defects in the mirror of God's law and meeting that law in character, feeling it essential to be free from sin instead of manifesting a spirit opposed to being led in the way of the Lord.
In him is no sin means in Christ Himself there is no transgression of the law. Christ was manifested to take away sin, not to take away the law that defines sin. God's own definition of sin is the transgression of the law, and what Christ was manifested to take away is that sin. The taking away of sin happens when the transgressor confesses his sin and purifies himself from all transgression.
The sin He takes away is the breaking of God's law. It includes disloyalty deserving punishment, law-breaking that the work of redemption and the plan of salvation center on taking away through a sinless Saviour. Together with verse 4 it defines sin as transgression of God's law; Christ obeyed every requirement of that law, and His perfect obedience makes it possible for people to obey God, with His righteousness as the covering given to every repentant, believing soul who submits to Him. Jesus appeared to remove sin while being entirely free from sin Himself, as proof of the Father's love that makes believers sons of God. His sinlessness is the standard for purification, for everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure and clean. Whoever abides in Him does not continue in sin, while whoever sins has not seen or known Him; doing righteousness shows righteousness like His, while committing sin is of the devil whom the Son was manifested to destroy. Remaining united to the sinless Christ continually, not merely thinking of Him and speaking of Him at times, keeps a person from sinning, which is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. The verse is applied by the Holy Spirit to the individual heart to expel unholy lust, selfishness, and Satan from the soul temple and to bring fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus. This knowledge is instruction in the pure and holy character God requires and preparation to see God and live eternally with Him. Therefore every person with reasoning powers needs to inquire at every step after the way of the Lord and to compare his character with the law of God as the standard of character for all who will enter His kingdom and become citizens of the heavenly country.
The verse belongs to an address to believers as Christ's little children, who are to live under God's control and learn His will from Scripture, their instructor in the plan and conditions of salvation. Abiding in Christ leads to becoming like Him and seeing Him as He is, with everlasting life as the promised inheritance. In 1 John 3:1-10 Christians and the world are shown to serve different masters and therefore cannot join hands in fellowship and unity. The chapter shows the close linking together of love to God and love to brethren, expressing the great principles of the law in the two precepts to love the Lord with all the heart and to love the neighbor as self, on which hang all the law and the prophets, and these principles express the love of God in life and character in treatment of fellow men. It calls for manliness and firmness in Christian character and condemns a cheap Christian character that does more harm in the world than the character of a worldling, because professed Christians who lack it mislead others while professing to represent Christ whose name they assume.
Sinless Life Of Christ
Christ was wholly without sin, never yielding to temptation even by a thought and never violating even the smallest precept of God's law. His sinless purity and perfect obedience qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer of the race, bearing the penalty of sin and bringing in everlasting righteousness. He kept every requirement of God's law and His Father's commandments, delighting in God's will. In His humanity He worked out a perfect character through obedience to every requirement.
He lived the law of God through childhood, youth, and manhood, meeting the same temptations that afflict humanity. He endured every test and provocation possible for man to bear, proved in His temptation in the wilderness, yet without yielding. He was never provoked or impassioned, and never retaliated in word, spirit, or action, nor departed from the Father's commandment though fiercely tempted.
Satan had nothing in Christ, no sin that brought Him into Satan's power and nothing in Him that responded to Satan's suggestions. Satan found in Him no foothold, no cherished sinful desire, nothing to use to his advantage, and so could not overcome Him or gain the victory over Him. No other being could truthfully say this except the One offering His life as a sinless sacrifice for a sinful race. With character without flaw and no guile in His mouth He offered Himself as a living spotless sacrifice for the honor and glory of God, a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, the Bright and Morning Star, the light and life of the world.
Mission To Remove Sin
To take away sins means He took the race's responsibilities upon Himself as propitiation, with the sins of all who believe charged to Him and Himself made liable for them, bearing the sins of the world in humanity's behalf. In His humanity He lived a perfect life that raised humanity's moral worth and joined humanity to God, so that He can impart His spiritual nature and lift people to the Father's love. Sin taken is disloyalty to God and transgression of Jehovah's law deserving punishment, and His sacrifice satisfied the demands of justice while the holy law was maintained in all its sacred dignity instead of being abolished to meet fallen man.
The removal is made known in His laying down His life for us, suffering on Calvary and bearing the penalty of death on the cross as the great sin offering. He gave Himself to deliver from the curse of sin, which is transgression of the law, and His self-sacrifice restores the moral image of God in man and opens the possibility of mental, physical, and spiritual restoration for those who cooperate with God. He gave His life and blood to take away sins, wanting sin removed and not leaving people living in sin.
His sinlessness and death make pardon possible for transgressors of God's law, and the sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, confessing sin and believing that He pardons committed sin and cleanses from all unrighteousness and defilement. Through faith in Christ and His grace the believer is cleansed from defilement and restored to God's favor, for forgiveness and cleansing come through Christ's sacrifice since the law cannot save the transgressor. Even children may ask Him to pardon and take away sins and believe He does so, and all who are afflicted with sin as with a sickness find peace and happiness and help only by coming to Him, so God's little children have no reason to be unhappy. His sacrifice does not make the law void.
He gives the sinner another trial, another probation and opportunity with all the divine opportunities and advantages God has provided. That opportunity is to leave rebellion and the banner of rebellion and return to loyalty to God under the banner of the Prince of light. His sinless purity and perfect obedience qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer of the race, bearing the penalty of sin and bringing in everlasting righteousness.
Fig leaves sewed together since the days of Adam cannot cover the nakedness of the sinner's soul, so Christ substitutes the pure robes of His righteousness, which is perfect obedience, for that flimsy human covering. That sinless obedience is the robe of His own righteousness woven without any human devising, which He puts upon every repenting, believing soul who submits to Him and offers to impart. Those who accept Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour are advantaged by His righteousness, become partakers of His divine nature, and through His imputed righteousness obey the commandments of God. To be clothed in that garment means God no longer sees nakedness and deformity of sin but sees perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah, and when a person submits to Christ the heart is united with His heart and the life lived is His life. His righteousness so received brings life and healing in place of sin.
He alone takes away sin; He is the only power who can turn sinners from sin to holiness, make them steadfast, and keep them so, so that nothing antagonistic to God remains in the heart. He gave His precious life for repentant sinners that they may have life in Him, and He did not come to save people while they remain in sin nor to justify continuing in sin. He came to take away sin, not to abolish God's law or make sin permanent, for those who reject obedience choose disobedience. Sin is death and cannot be changed into righteousness, but it can be removed and replaced by the righteousness of Christ. Faith in Christ as the propitiation for sin leads the sinner to cease from sin, while scheming, dishonesty, and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him.
Abiding Without Continuing Sin
Abiding in the sinless One who was manifested to take away sins is incompatible with continuing in sin and living in lawbreaking, for whoever abides in Him does not sin but puts away what is wrong rather than clinging to imperfections. Remaining united to Him continually — not merely thinking of Him and speaking of Him at times — keeps a person from sinning, and this keeping is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. His sinlessness is the pattern for those who abide, so that their feelings, thoughts, purposes and actions are brought into harmony with God’s will and law, with obedience as the fruit of faith and love and not a way to earn salvation. Claims of sanctification while transgressing the law are deception, since sin is breaking God’s law.
The verse proves it is possible for human beings to live without sin and obey heaven’s law, for if it were not possible these words would not have been written. It is recorded so that no one will carelessly allow himself to continue in sin, but will walk in the light of the living God. Those who fully surrender to God are given the privilege of obeying heaven’s law without sin, for sin as transgression of God’s law alienates people from God.
Continuing to sin proves a person has not seen or known Him, while doing righteousness shows righteousness like His and committing sin is of the devil whom the Son was manifested to destroy. Everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure, with His sinlessness as the standard for purification. Applied to the individual heart, this expels unholy lust, selfishness and Satan from the soul temple and brings fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus. It condemns those who attack God’s commandment-keeping people for believing the Word just as it reads, who wrest the Scriptures to excuse their own disobedience, who walk contrary to the commandments and are annoyed when sent messengers show them their sin.
To purify himself means to look upon the holy law of God as the great moral standard of righteousness, see that he is a sinner in its light, and through faith accept truth in the heart so he is purified and cleansed. Jesus pardons committed sin, but healing by His wounds does not continue while knowingly committing sin, for genuine faith resists temptation hereafter in and through His might. Abiding in Him plants an abiding principle in the soul that enables overcoming temptation, and God has power to keep the soul that is in Christ when under temptation.
Taking away sin happens when the transgressor confesses his sin and purifies himself from all transgression, for in Him is no transgression of the law. The sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, and confessing sin brings forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. Faith in Christ as the propitiation for sin leads the sinner to cease from sin, for redemption means ceasing from sin and from rebellion against God’s law. He did not come to save people while they remain in sin nor to justify continuing in sin, but to take away the sins of those who repent and receive and believe in Him, and He does not save by the law nor yet in disobedience to it, having by His spotless death vindicated and exalted the law. Scheming, dishonesty and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him. Many are deceived on this point and do not know what sin is, but studying the Word makes clear what sin is, and sanctification is not the work of a moment but of a lifetime whose highest aim is to get ready for heaven.
Pattern For Holy Living
His sinlessness is the pattern believers are to represent, the perfect example for those who abide in Him to do righteousness and live righteously as children of God and not continue practicing sin. That sinless life proves that divinity combined with humanity does not commit sin, and through Him people can become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Seeing personal defects in the mirror of God's law belongs to this, meeting that law in character and feeling it essential to be free from sin instead of manifesting a spirit opposed to being led in the way of the Lord. It is the pattern for the purity to be cultivated in preparation to see Him, with feelings, thoughts, and actions brought into harmony with God's will. Obedience here does not earn salvation but is the fruit of faith and love, with the sanctified heart in harmony with God's law.
Everyone holding the hope of seeing Him as He is and being like Him purifies himself even as He is pure and clean. This is instruction in the pure and holy character God requires, as preparation to see God and live eternally with Him, without pride of appearance or outward display. The Father's love has made believers sons of God now, though the world does not know them because it did not know Him, and when He appears they shall be like Him for they shall see Him as He is. Remaining united to the sinless One keeps a person from sinning, which is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. Applied to the individual heart, this expels unholy lust, selfishness, and Satan from the soul temple and brings fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus.
Abiding shapes feelings, thoughts, purposes, and actions into harmony with His law, and brings heart, will, mind, and thoughts into harmony with Him when the person submits to Christ. Obedience is the fruit of faith, not a way to earn salvation, but the fruit of faith and love from a sanctified heart in harmony with God's law. His perfect obedience, in which He obeyed every requirement of the law, delighted in God's will, and kept the Father's commandments, makes it possible for people to obey God's commandments. Being clothed in His righteousness means receiving His character, which is perfect obedience to God's law.
Sanctification is not the work of a moment but of a lifetime, and the highest aim in life is to get ready for heaven. The sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, and confessing sin brings forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness, which belongs to that sanctification. Many are deceived on this point and do not know what sin is, but studying the Word of God makes clear what sin is, while whoever abides in Him does not continue in sin. He gave His precious life for repentant sinners so they may have life in Him, coming to take away sins so that nothing antagonistic to God remains in the heart. This makes sanctification of the whole man essential, with thorough daily conversion and a guarded heart, mind, and soul with faith, lest the carnal mind and selfish propensities overcome the person and lead to the works of Satan.
Those cleansed reveal His sinless character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world, answering the exalted possibility of excellence in humanity and not receiving the grace of God in vain. His sinless life revealed practical godliness and the righteousness of God, and His followers are to reveal the virtues of His character and that same practical righteousness in daily life. They must recognize that perfection and demonstrate its principles in their own lives, ever pressing onward with sanctified, refined aspirations to represent Him. They must confess and forsake their sins to have transformed characters. This requires cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God now, for now is the accepted time and now is the day of salvation, because there is no tomorrow that belongs to anyone.
Law Upheld Not Removed
He was manifested to take away sin, not to take away the law that defines sin, for the removal happens when the transgressor confesses and is purified from all transgression. If the law were abolished there would be no transgression and no need for a Saviour to take sin away, and His coming does not make sin permanent. In Him is no sin means in Him there is no transgression of the law.
His suffering and death vindicated the holy law and maintained it in all its sacred dignity instead of abolishing it to meet fallen man or setting it aside to pardon the sinner. Sin is disloyalty to God and transgression of the law deserving punishment, and He made a sacrifice to satisfy the demands of justice by bearing the sins of the world in man's behalf. He took human nature and suffered on Calvary so the transgressor might be pardoned and return to loyalty, given another trial and opportunity to leave the banner of rebellion and stand under the banner of the Prince of light. His sacrifice does not make the law void, for He does not save by the law, yet neither does He save in disobedience to it, since redemption means ceasing from rebellion. Fig leaves sewed together since Adam cannot cover the nakedness of the soul, so He substitutes the pure robes of His righteousness, which is perfect obedience, that the sinner might have another trial with all divine opportunities and advantages provided.
His perfect obedience in human nature proves the law can be kept and is unchangeable, for had the law been changeable He need not have died. He never violated even the smallest precept and was never overcome by the enemy's temptations, and that sinless purity qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer, bearing the penalty and bringing in everlasting righteousness. His sinless life in real human flesh condemned sin in the flesh and disproved the assertion that human beings cannot keep God's law. He obeyed every detail to testify before unfallen worlds, holy angels, and the fallen world that every son and daughter of Adam who accepts Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour is advantaged by His imputed righteousness, becomes a partaker of the divine nature, and through it obeys the commandments, with those who reject obedience choosing disobedience.
Abiding in Him is incompatible with living in lawbreaking, for whoever abides does not sin, while doing righteousness makes one righteous as He is righteous and committing sin is of the devil whom He appeared to destroy. Claims to abide in Him and be sanctified while continuing to break that law are deception and not living as the sinless One did. A claim to perfect love, holiness of heart, perfect peace and submission, and freedom from trials and temptations is hypocrisy when the heart is full of corruption and the life continues in adultery, lying for gain, false oath, and theft. Real taking away of sin is shown not by calm profession and self-vindication under the garb of sanctification, which He frowns upon and leaves in darkness, but by conviction that gives no rest day nor night until sins are publicly confessed from house to house and wrongs are restored.
This exposes those who wrest the Scriptures to excuse disobedience, walk contrary to the commandments, attack commandment-keeping people for believing the Word just as it reads, and are annoyed when sent messengers show them their sin. It exposes preaching Christ while declaring the law abrogated, which is not the truth, and making trampling the law a virtue, which hinders His sacrifice from converting the world to truth. It includes the transgression committed when through the papal power a spurious sabbath is exalted above God and the sanctified seventh-day Sabbath that memorializes six-day creation and rest is set aside, for His being manifested destroys the works of the devil. It answers the claim that love makes the law unnecessary, set alongside the definition that sin is transgression of the law. Scheming, dishonesty, and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him, for He did not come to save people while they remain in sin.
Sons Of God In Practice
The verse shows the Father's great love in calling sinners sons of God through Christ, who was manifested sinless to take away sins, and His coming and death for sinners reveal that love with costly gift, covenant mercy and unbounded love providing the remedy for the sins of the race. Contemplating that sacrifice exposes what might have been done but has not been done through unbelief. The world does not know believers because it did not know Him, for His deportment and character were so different from the worldly standard as to be beyond comprehension. The world cannot discern spiritual things and its estimate of Christian life and virtue is false, so one who works as Christ worked to uplift fellow men from degradation and make them what God designed may sacrifice life in a great and noble work yet go unnoticed, while the truly honorable devote their lives to uplifting others to glorify God.
Believers are now sons of God, acknowledged in the Lamb's book of life, and when He appears they shall be like Him from seeing Him as He is. Abiding in Christ leads to becoming like Him and seeing Him as He is, with everlasting life as the promised inheritance for Christ's little children living under God's control and learning His will from Scripture as instructor in salvation. Everyone holding that hope purifies and cleanses himself even as He is pure and clean, without pride of appearance or outward display. His sinless sacrifice calls for whole-hearted service and undivided devotion, entire consecration to God, and deep vital practical godliness. It confronts worldly compromise and conformity as the great evil where professed Christians bear only the name with slightest resemblance to a self-denying cross-lifting Christ-following life, and it charges God's watchmen to cry aloud and show His people their transgressions when the path of duty is obscured because Satan is transformed into an angel of light.
Grateful dependence calls for first giving self to God, humble willing service, using and improving all entrusted advantages, opportunities and gifts, and bringing returns by winning souls to Christ and pointing them to the Remover of sin, with the broken and contrite heart accepted. Every soul taking the Christian name is under obligation to answer the exalted possibility of human excellence by revealing Christ's sinless character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world, not receiving grace in vain but cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God now, for now is the accepted time and day of salvation with no tomorrow belonging to anyone. The verse is to be studied, believed and practiced by youth, students in schools and sanitariums, sanitarium workers, printing-office workers, and especially instructors and leaders. It holds open sonship as sons and daughters of God and upright walk in a crooked and perverse generation, showing the contrast between the principles of Christ and of Satan.
Daily witness comes through the Saviour's moment-by-moment keeping power, learned by meekness and lowliness that make His yoke easy and burden light, by willing service as pleasure not task, by ministry kindled only with sacred fire never common fire, by never speaking a harsh passionate rash word, by courteous respectful speech, by keeping hereditary and cultivated tendencies under control, and by character daily refined, sanctified and purified. Every person with reasoning powers must inquire at every step after the way of the Lord and compare character with the law of God as the standard for all who will enter His kingdom and become citizens of the heavenly country, since redemption centers on taking away law-breaking through a sinless Saviour. Hearers must decide openly whether they stand on the adversary's side or His side, a decision made in baptism and fitting for new Sabbathkeepers who see personal defects in the law's mirror.
His sinless victory, proved in the wilderness temptation, calls for temperance, and He is to be kept uplifted the same yesterday, today and forever, always seeking to do good and guiding step by step as guide, teacher, counselor, friend and faithful high priest touched with human infirmities, who bestows blessings in response to faith and invites sinners to abide with Him. Making home with Him ends all friction, ill temper and irritation. While He as great High Priest makes atonement, His followers must seek to become perfect in Him and be found with no sin remaining, no foothold and no cherished sinful desire for Satan's temptations to take hold of, in order to stand in the time of trouble. Those cleansed by His blood laying down His life are made known as children of God by doing righteousness and loving brethren in deed and truth, not as Cain who killed his righteous brother because his own works were evil. Passing from death to life is known by loving the brethren, for fellowship claimed while walking in darkness is false and hatred is murder with no eternal life abiding, so love lays down life and opens compassion and worldly goods to a brother in need, which assures the heart before God and gives confidence in prayer through keeping His commandments to believe on Jesus Christ and love one another.
He was manifested means the Son of God came in real human flesh among men, wholly without sin, which is no transgression of God's law even in thought or in the smallest precept. He came to take away sin, which is transgression of that law and disloyalty deserving punishment, by assuming the responsibilities of the race as propitiation with the sins of believers charged to Him and borne in their behalf. He laid down His life on Calvary and bore the penalty of death as the great sin offering to satisfy justice, delivering from the curse and restoring the moral image of God. His work does not abolish the law that defines sin but vindicates and maintains it, proving in human obedience that it can be kept and is unchangeable. Abiding in the sinless Christ is therefore incompatible with continuing in lawbreaking, and those united to Him continually cease from rebellion, purify themselves even as He is pure, and reveal His character in obedience as the fruit of faith and love.
Words And Setting
He was manifested means the Son of God came to the world in human form, in real human nature, and tabernacled among men to take away sins. Called holy, He lived completely free from sin in the flesh, and His sinless life condemned sin in the flesh. His sinless life proves that divinity combined with humanity does not commit sin. Manifested to take away sins means He assumed the responsibilities of the human race, with the sins of all who believe charged to Him and Himself made liable for them. He obeyed every detail of the law to testify before unfallen worlds, holy angels, and the fallen world that those who accept Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour are advantaged by His righteousness, become partakers of His divine nature having escaped corruption through lust, and through His imputed righteousness obey the commandments of God. The verse requires seeing personal defects in the mirror of God's law and meeting that law in character, feeling it essential to be free from sin instead of manifesting a spirit opposed to being led in the way of the Lord.
In him is no sin means in Christ Himself there is no transgression of the law. Christ was manifested to take away sin, not to take away the law that defines sin. God's own definition of sin is the transgression of the law, and what Christ was manifested to take away is that sin. The taking away of sin happens when the transgressor confesses his sin and purifies himself from all transgression.
The sin He takes away is the breaking of God's law. It includes disloyalty deserving punishment, law-breaking that the work of redemption and the plan of salvation center on taking away through a sinless Saviour. Together with verse 4 it defines sin as transgression of God's law; Christ obeyed every requirement of that law, and His perfect obedience makes it possible for people to obey God, with His righteousness as the covering given to every repentant, believing soul who submits to Him. Jesus appeared to remove sin while being entirely free from sin Himself, as proof of the Father's love that makes believers sons of God. His sinlessness is the standard for purification, for everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure and clean. Whoever abides in Him does not continue in sin, while whoever sins has not seen or known Him; doing righteousness shows righteousness like His, while committing sin is of the devil whom the Son was manifested to destroy. Remaining united to the sinless Christ continually, not merely thinking of Him and speaking of Him at times, keeps a person from sinning, which is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. The verse is applied by the Holy Spirit to the individual heart to expel unholy lust, selfishness, and Satan from the soul temple and to bring fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus. This knowledge is instruction in the pure and holy character God requires and preparation to see God and live eternally with Him. Therefore every person with reasoning powers needs to inquire at every step after the way of the Lord and to compare his character with the law of God as the standard of character for all who will enter His kingdom and become citizens of the heavenly country.
The verse belongs to an address to believers as Christ's little children, who are to live under God's control and learn His will from Scripture, their instructor in the plan and conditions of salvation. Abiding in Christ leads to becoming like Him and seeing Him as He is, with everlasting life as the promised inheritance. In 1 John 3:1-10 Christians and the world are shown to serve different masters and therefore cannot join hands in fellowship and unity. The chapter shows the close linking together of love to God and love to brethren, expressing the great principles of the law in the two precepts to love the Lord with all the heart and to love the neighbor as self, on which hang all the law and the prophets, and these principles express the love of God in life and character in treatment of fellow men. It calls for manliness and firmness in Christian character and condemns a cheap Christian character that does more harm in the world than the character of a worldling, because professed Christians who lack it mislead others while professing to represent Christ whose name they assume.
Sinless Life Of Christ
Christ was wholly without sin, never yielding to temptation even by a thought and never violating even the smallest precept of God's law. His sinless purity and perfect obedience qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer of the race, bearing the penalty of sin and bringing in everlasting righteousness. He kept every requirement of God's law and His Father's commandments, delighting in God's will. In His humanity He worked out a perfect character through obedience to every requirement.
He lived the law of God through childhood, youth, and manhood, meeting the same temptations that afflict humanity. He endured every test and provocation possible for man to bear, proved in His temptation in the wilderness, yet without yielding. He was never provoked or impassioned, and never retaliated in word, spirit, or action, nor departed from the Father's commandment though fiercely tempted.
Satan had nothing in Christ, no sin that brought Him into Satan's power and nothing in Him that responded to Satan's suggestions. Satan found in Him no foothold, no cherished sinful desire, nothing to use to his advantage, and so could not overcome Him or gain the victory over Him. No other being could truthfully say this except the One offering His life as a sinless sacrifice for a sinful race. With character without flaw and no guile in His mouth He offered Himself as a living spotless sacrifice for the honor and glory of God, a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, the Bright and Morning Star, the light and life of the world.
Mission To Remove Sin
To take away sins means He took the race's responsibilities upon Himself as propitiation, with the sins of all who believe charged to Him and Himself made liable for them, bearing the sins of the world in humanity's behalf. In His humanity He lived a perfect life that raised humanity's moral worth and joined humanity to God, so that He can impart His spiritual nature and lift people to the Father's love. Sin taken is disloyalty to God and transgression of Jehovah's law deserving punishment, and His sacrifice satisfied the demands of justice while the holy law was maintained in all its sacred dignity instead of being abolished to meet fallen man.
The removal is made known in His laying down His life for us, suffering on Calvary and bearing the penalty of death on the cross as the great sin offering. He gave Himself to deliver from the curse of sin, which is transgression of the law, and His self-sacrifice restores the moral image of God in man and opens the possibility of mental, physical, and spiritual restoration for those who cooperate with God. He gave His life and blood to take away sins, wanting sin removed and not leaving people living in sin.
His sinlessness and death make pardon possible for transgressors of God's law, and the sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, confessing sin and believing that He pardons committed sin and cleanses from all unrighteousness and defilement. Through faith in Christ and His grace the believer is cleansed from defilement and restored to God's favor, for forgiveness and cleansing come through Christ's sacrifice since the law cannot save the transgressor. Even children may ask Him to pardon and take away sins and believe He does so, and all who are afflicted with sin as with a sickness find peace and happiness and help only by coming to Him, so God's little children have no reason to be unhappy. His sacrifice does not make the law void.
He gives the sinner another trial, another probation and opportunity with all the divine opportunities and advantages God has provided. That opportunity is to leave rebellion and the banner of rebellion and return to loyalty to God under the banner of the Prince of light. His sinless purity and perfect obedience qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer of the race, bearing the penalty of sin and bringing in everlasting righteousness.
Fig leaves sewed together since the days of Adam cannot cover the nakedness of the sinner's soul, so Christ substitutes the pure robes of His righteousness, which is perfect obedience, for that flimsy human covering. That sinless obedience is the robe of His own righteousness woven without any human devising, which He puts upon every repenting, believing soul who submits to Him and offers to impart. Those who accept Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour are advantaged by His righteousness, become partakers of His divine nature, and through His imputed righteousness obey the commandments of God. To be clothed in that garment means God no longer sees nakedness and deformity of sin but sees perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah, and when a person submits to Christ the heart is united with His heart and the life lived is His life. His righteousness so received brings life and healing in place of sin.
He alone takes away sin; He is the only power who can turn sinners from sin to holiness, make them steadfast, and keep them so, so that nothing antagonistic to God remains in the heart. He gave His precious life for repentant sinners that they may have life in Him, and He did not come to save people while they remain in sin nor to justify continuing in sin. He came to take away sin, not to abolish God's law or make sin permanent, for those who reject obedience choose disobedience. Sin is death and cannot be changed into righteousness, but it can be removed and replaced by the righteousness of Christ. Faith in Christ as the propitiation for sin leads the sinner to cease from sin, while scheming, dishonesty, and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him.
Abiding Without Continuing Sin
Abiding in the sinless One who was manifested to take away sins is incompatible with continuing in sin and living in lawbreaking, for whoever abides in Him does not sin but puts away what is wrong rather than clinging to imperfections. Remaining united to Him continually — not merely thinking of Him and speaking of Him at times — keeps a person from sinning, and this keeping is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. His sinlessness is the pattern for those who abide, so that their feelings, thoughts, purposes and actions are brought into harmony with God’s will and law, with obedience as the fruit of faith and love and not a way to earn salvation. Claims of sanctification while transgressing the law are deception, since sin is breaking God’s law.
The verse proves it is possible for human beings to live without sin and obey heaven’s law, for if it were not possible these words would not have been written. It is recorded so that no one will carelessly allow himself to continue in sin, but will walk in the light of the living God. Those who fully surrender to God are given the privilege of obeying heaven’s law without sin, for sin as transgression of God’s law alienates people from God.
Continuing to sin proves a person has not seen or known Him, while doing righteousness shows righteousness like His and committing sin is of the devil whom the Son was manifested to destroy. Everyone who has hope in Him purifies himself even as He is pure, with His sinlessness as the standard for purification. Applied to the individual heart, this expels unholy lust, selfishness and Satan from the soul temple and brings fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus. It condemns those who attack God’s commandment-keeping people for believing the Word just as it reads, who wrest the Scriptures to excuse their own disobedience, who walk contrary to the commandments and are annoyed when sent messengers show them their sin.
To purify himself means to look upon the holy law of God as the great moral standard of righteousness, see that he is a sinner in its light, and through faith accept truth in the heart so he is purified and cleansed. Jesus pardons committed sin, but healing by His wounds does not continue while knowingly committing sin, for genuine faith resists temptation hereafter in and through His might. Abiding in Him plants an abiding principle in the soul that enables overcoming temptation, and God has power to keep the soul that is in Christ when under temptation.
Taking away sin happens when the transgressor confesses his sin and purifies himself from all transgression, for in Him is no transgression of the law. The sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, and confessing sin brings forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. Faith in Christ as the propitiation for sin leads the sinner to cease from sin, for redemption means ceasing from sin and from rebellion against God’s law. He did not come to save people while they remain in sin nor to justify continuing in sin, but to take away the sins of those who repent and receive and believe in Him, and He does not save by the law nor yet in disobedience to it, having by His spotless death vindicated and exalted the law. Scheming, dishonesty and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him. Many are deceived on this point and do not know what sin is, but studying the Word makes clear what sin is, and sanctification is not the work of a moment but of a lifetime whose highest aim is to get ready for heaven.
Pattern For Holy Living
His sinlessness is the pattern believers are to represent, the perfect example for those who abide in Him to do righteousness and live righteously as children of God and not continue practicing sin. That sinless life proves that divinity combined with humanity does not commit sin, and through Him people can become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Seeing personal defects in the mirror of God's law belongs to this, meeting that law in character and feeling it essential to be free from sin instead of manifesting a spirit opposed to being led in the way of the Lord. It is the pattern for the purity to be cultivated in preparation to see Him, with feelings, thoughts, and actions brought into harmony with God's will. Obedience here does not earn salvation but is the fruit of faith and love, with the sanctified heart in harmony with God's law.
Everyone holding the hope of seeing Him as He is and being like Him purifies himself even as He is pure and clean. This is instruction in the pure and holy character God requires, as preparation to see God and live eternally with Him, without pride of appearance or outward display. The Father's love has made believers sons of God now, though the world does not know them because it did not know Him, and when He appears they shall be like Him for they shall see Him as He is. Remaining united to the sinless One keeps a person from sinning, which is possible only by keeping Him constantly in view. Applied to the individual heart, this expels unholy lust, selfishness, and Satan from the soul temple and brings fellowship with the Father and the Son through opening the door to Jesus.
Abiding shapes feelings, thoughts, purposes, and actions into harmony with His law, and brings heart, will, mind, and thoughts into harmony with Him when the person submits to Christ. Obedience is the fruit of faith, not a way to earn salvation, but the fruit of faith and love from a sanctified heart in harmony with God's law. His perfect obedience, in which He obeyed every requirement of the law, delighted in God's will, and kept the Father's commandments, makes it possible for people to obey God's commandments. Being clothed in His righteousness means receiving His character, which is perfect obedience to God's law.
Sanctification is not the work of a moment but of a lifetime, and the highest aim in life is to get ready for heaven. The sinner must repent of sin and come to Jesus for pardon, and confessing sin brings forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness, which belongs to that sanctification. Many are deceived on this point and do not know what sin is, but studying the Word of God makes clear what sin is, while whoever abides in Him does not continue in sin. He gave His precious life for repentant sinners so they may have life in Him, coming to take away sins so that nothing antagonistic to God remains in the heart. This makes sanctification of the whole man essential, with thorough daily conversion and a guarded heart, mind, and soul with faith, lest the carnal mind and selfish propensities overcome the person and lead to the works of Satan.
Those cleansed reveal His sinless character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world, answering the exalted possibility of excellence in humanity and not receiving the grace of God in vain. His sinless life revealed practical godliness and the righteousness of God, and His followers are to reveal the virtues of His character and that same practical righteousness in daily life. They must recognize that perfection and demonstrate its principles in their own lives, ever pressing onward with sanctified, refined aspirations to represent Him. They must confess and forsake their sins to have transformed characters. This requires cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God now, for now is the accepted time and now is the day of salvation, because there is no tomorrow that belongs to anyone.
Law Upheld Not Removed
He was manifested to take away sin, not to take away the law that defines sin, for the removal happens when the transgressor confesses and is purified from all transgression. If the law were abolished there would be no transgression and no need for a Saviour to take sin away, and His coming does not make sin permanent. In Him is no sin means in Him there is no transgression of the law.
His suffering and death vindicated the holy law and maintained it in all its sacred dignity instead of abolishing it to meet fallen man or setting it aside to pardon the sinner. Sin is disloyalty to God and transgression of the law deserving punishment, and He made a sacrifice to satisfy the demands of justice by bearing the sins of the world in man's behalf. He took human nature and suffered on Calvary so the transgressor might be pardoned and return to loyalty, given another trial and opportunity to leave the banner of rebellion and stand under the banner of the Prince of light. His sacrifice does not make the law void, for He does not save by the law, yet neither does He save in disobedience to it, since redemption means ceasing from rebellion. Fig leaves sewed together since Adam cannot cover the nakedness of the soul, so He substitutes the pure robes of His righteousness, which is perfect obedience, that the sinner might have another trial with all divine opportunities and advantages provided.
His perfect obedience in human nature proves the law can be kept and is unchangeable, for had the law been changeable He need not have died. He never violated even the smallest precept and was never overcome by the enemy's temptations, and that sinless purity qualified Him to become the Sin-bearer, bearing the penalty and bringing in everlasting righteousness. His sinless life in real human flesh condemned sin in the flesh and disproved the assertion that human beings cannot keep God's law. He obeyed every detail to testify before unfallen worlds, holy angels, and the fallen world that every son and daughter of Adam who accepts Him as sin-offering and personal Saviour is advantaged by His imputed righteousness, becomes a partaker of the divine nature, and through it obeys the commandments, with those who reject obedience choosing disobedience.
Abiding in Him is incompatible with living in lawbreaking, for whoever abides does not sin, while doing righteousness makes one righteous as He is righteous and committing sin is of the devil whom He appeared to destroy. Claims to abide in Him and be sanctified while continuing to break that law are deception and not living as the sinless One did. A claim to perfect love, holiness of heart, perfect peace and submission, and freedom from trials and temptations is hypocrisy when the heart is full of corruption and the life continues in adultery, lying for gain, false oath, and theft. Real taking away of sin is shown not by calm profession and self-vindication under the garb of sanctification, which He frowns upon and leaves in darkness, but by conviction that gives no rest day nor night until sins are publicly confessed from house to house and wrongs are restored.
This exposes those who wrest the Scriptures to excuse disobedience, walk contrary to the commandments, attack commandment-keeping people for believing the Word just as it reads, and are annoyed when sent messengers show them their sin. It exposes preaching Christ while declaring the law abrogated, which is not the truth, and making trampling the law a virtue, which hinders His sacrifice from converting the world to truth. It includes the transgression committed when through the papal power a spurious sabbath is exalted above God and the sanctified seventh-day Sabbath that memorializes six-day creation and rest is set aside, for His being manifested destroys the works of the devil. It answers the claim that love makes the law unnecessary, set alongside the definition that sin is transgression of the law. Scheming, dishonesty, and crooked practices by those professing truth oppose His work and betray Him, for He did not come to save people while they remain in sin.
Sons Of God In Practice
The verse shows the Father's great love in calling sinners sons of God through Christ, who was manifested sinless to take away sins, and His coming and death for sinners reveal that love with costly gift, covenant mercy and unbounded love providing the remedy for the sins of the race. Contemplating that sacrifice exposes what might have been done but has not been done through unbelief. The world does not know believers because it did not know Him, for His deportment and character were so different from the worldly standard as to be beyond comprehension. The world cannot discern spiritual things and its estimate of Christian life and virtue is false, so one who works as Christ worked to uplift fellow men from degradation and make them what God designed may sacrifice life in a great and noble work yet go unnoticed, while the truly honorable devote their lives to uplifting others to glorify God.
Believers are now sons of God, acknowledged in the Lamb's book of life, and when He appears they shall be like Him from seeing Him as He is. Abiding in Christ leads to becoming like Him and seeing Him as He is, with everlasting life as the promised inheritance for Christ's little children living under God's control and learning His will from Scripture as instructor in salvation. Everyone holding that hope purifies and cleanses himself even as He is pure and clean, without pride of appearance or outward display. His sinless sacrifice calls for whole-hearted service and undivided devotion, entire consecration to God, and deep vital practical godliness. It confronts worldly compromise and conformity as the great evil where professed Christians bear only the name with slightest resemblance to a self-denying cross-lifting Christ-following life, and it charges God's watchmen to cry aloud and show His people their transgressions when the path of duty is obscured because Satan is transformed into an angel of light.
Grateful dependence calls for first giving self to God, humble willing service, using and improving all entrusted advantages, opportunities and gifts, and bringing returns by winning souls to Christ and pointing them to the Remover of sin, with the broken and contrite heart accepted. Every soul taking the Christian name is under obligation to answer the exalted possibility of human excellence by revealing Christ's sinless character in works as His chosen representatives to an apostate world, not receiving grace in vain but cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God now, for now is the accepted time and day of salvation with no tomorrow belonging to anyone. The verse is to be studied, believed and practiced by youth, students in schools and sanitariums, sanitarium workers, printing-office workers, and especially instructors and leaders. It holds open sonship as sons and daughters of God and upright walk in a crooked and perverse generation, showing the contrast between the principles of Christ and of Satan.
Daily witness comes through the Saviour's moment-by-moment keeping power, learned by meekness and lowliness that make His yoke easy and burden light, by willing service as pleasure not task, by ministry kindled only with sacred fire never common fire, by never speaking a harsh passionate rash word, by courteous respectful speech, by keeping hereditary and cultivated tendencies under control, and by character daily refined, sanctified and purified. Every person with reasoning powers must inquire at every step after the way of the Lord and compare character with the law of God as the standard for all who will enter His kingdom and become citizens of the heavenly country, since redemption centers on taking away law-breaking through a sinless Saviour. Hearers must decide openly whether they stand on the adversary's side or His side, a decision made in baptism and fitting for new Sabbathkeepers who see personal defects in the law's mirror.
His sinless victory, proved in the wilderness temptation, calls for temperance, and He is to be kept uplifted the same yesterday, today and forever, always seeking to do good and guiding step by step as guide, teacher, counselor, friend and faithful high priest touched with human infirmities, who bestows blessings in response to faith and invites sinners to abide with Him. Making home with Him ends all friction, ill temper and irritation. While He as great High Priest makes atonement, His followers must seek to become perfect in Him and be found with no sin remaining, no foothold and no cherished sinful desire for Satan's temptations to take hold of, in order to stand in the time of trouble. Those cleansed by His blood laying down His life are made known as children of God by doing righteousness and loving brethren in deed and truth, not as Cain who killed his righteous brother because his own works were evil. Passing from death to life is known by loving the brethren, for fellowship claimed while walking in darkness is false and hatred is murder with no eternal life abiding, so love lays down life and opens compassion and worldly goods to a brother in need, which assures the heart before God and gives confidence in prayer through keeping His commandments to believe on Jesus Christ and love one another.