1 John 3:4 observations

This morning a brother and I continued our study of 1 John. We go very slowly hoping to glean as much as possible. The NKJV of 1 John 3:4 reads "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. The brother asked what law that the Bible is discussing in verse 4. The word "law" is used in several different ways in the Bible. Predominantly it is used of the law of Moses, the 613 old covenant commands including the 10 commandments. In rare instances it could refer to Roman or other secular law, and in the new covenant it can refer to the law of Christ. Other expressions for the law of Christ are the royal law or the law of liberty. So what is happening here. We went to Hebrews 8 and looked at verses 6,10, 11 and 12. Verse six indicates the change of covenants inaugurated by Jesus. Verse ten speaks of the new laws being written on the hearts of God's people. One way to understand this is a contrast between external law and internal law. Moses was instructed to write down the laws that God gave the people. In Hebrews 8:10 God says He will write the law in minds and hearts. Let's use a modern day example. Suppose I go into a convenience store. I go to pay for my purchase and discover that the cashier has accidentally left the cash drawer open and gone away to take care of some emergency. There is $1,000 in the drawer. The state law says that if I steal I could be arrested, tried, convicted and sent to jail. This is an external law. Perhaps i can get away with the theft and no one knows who did it. The internal law is something that God has done where even if there is $10,000 in the drawer I won't take it because i believe that this would displease Him rather than show my love for Him. ( The greatest commandment) Stealing would also violate the second most important commandment of loving my neighbor as myself. Would i want my neighbor to steal my money? If not then i should not steal his money. In effect then whenever i sin I am turning a blind eye towards the law of God written on my heart, taking an eraser and wiping it away. This is lawlessness.

Spiritual Barometer

Writing to the church of believers in Colosse Paul says, "Continue steadfastly in PRAYEr, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." ( 4:2 ESV) The first believers devoted themselves to the "apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the PRAYERS." ( Acts 2:42 ESV) "And when they had PRAYED, the place in which they (note the plural) were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." ( Acts 4:31) Many more verses could be cited. I have come to believe that the most accurate barometer of the spiritual healthiness of any local congregation or similar group is their prayer meeting. A church can have great preaching but you can also find this in abundance on the Internet. There can be multitudes of people attending but many may be there for social reasons or not even be regenerate. There may be a great worship team but one can also listen and respond torecorded worship music. Am i thinking of a generic prayer group? In my experience most groups that actually come together for prayer spend most of their time discussing their prayer requests, which God already knows, and very little time actually praying. The vast majority of the prayer requests that I have heard in the past 45 years have to do with physical healing, which is ironic since much of the Church in America really doesn't believe that God still does that today or they have never seen this happen. Certainly testimonies of people receiving physical healing are quite rare. Take some time to examine Biblical prayers like those of Paul the apostle for the churches. Examples include Romans 15:13, Ephesians 3:14-21, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Philippians 1:9-11 and Colossians 1: 9-12. You will discover a very different focus in these prayers. The type of prayer group that I am writing about meets regularly, in absolute dependence on God, and prays far more than the people talk to one another, and more in the manner that Paul prayed. How unusual this is. I have a fervent friend who belonged to a church of 500 or more evangelical believers who could get hundreds to other events but only seven or eight to a once a month prayer meeting. I personally know of another large church with a similar reality and other churches that have no prayer groups at all. Now I agree that individual prayer is crucial both for ourselves and those we care about but we show our true priorities when we have time for anything but prayer. It is hard for me to conceive that even our supremely gracious God takes us seriously when we don't seek Him. As Hebrews 11;^ says, "Whoever comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."