The Reason

1 John 3:7-8 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. 8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
 
JOHN continues to teach the church with grace and truth. We must keep teaching basic truth. Children require repeated instruction to live in proper order in their parents’ rule. Children of God must continually receive appropriate instruction to live in God’s righteous rule. John urges the dear children to remain steadfast doing right. A righteous life is with Jesus. A life of deliberate sin is a life with the devil.
   Christians must know there is an active opponent to our faith. We may minimize the devil’s existence with jokes and cartoons. He likes it when we casually consider him. His aim is to strike a fatal blow to Jesus’ church. We know that once we belong to God, the devil can’t take us away from God. But the Evil One can minimize our faith and righteous works for the Lord. Churches die when God’s children become casual or confused about what is right in God’s sight.
   John’s reference to he who does what is sinful is of the devil is those who had chosen to live under the devil’s temptations. This was Cain’s choice in Genesis 4. This was Israel’s choice expressed in Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. The history of God’s people is a history of a few who were righteous and many who strayed.
   That’s the reason the Son of God appeared. Jesus’ salvation is twofold. He saves his own unto heaven. He destroys the devil’s work into Hell. This is the great work of God and a sure reason for our hope.
   John knows Jesus is the Victor. He heard Jesus proclaim, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) John and the disciples received Jesus promise of eternal life: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2) Soon after that John watched his Lord dying and heard him declare “It is finished.” (John 19:31). At that moment, Satan’s doom was sure. The Lord of life rose to life to assure his disciples – and the world – that he would forever reign. John watched Jesus ascend, and he heard the angels’ promise, “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)
   John was first an unrighteous man who became righteous to follow Jesus. He became an apostle, a witness of Jesus’s truth. Listen to him and live a righteous life, prepared for the day Jesus conquers the devil. John was certain, and we must be, also.