In January our church held its annual congregational fast. For 21 days we prayed together, fasted together and meditated on 1 John . Here are my thoughts from those times of devotion in 1 John.
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; jsin islawlessness. 5 You know that khe appeared in order to ltake away sins, and minhim there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; nno one whokeeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, olet no onedeceive you. pWhoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.8 qWhoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has beensinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was rto destroythe works of the devil. 9 sNo one born of God makes a practice of sinning, forGod’s2 seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has beenborn of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are thechildren of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, tnoris the one who udoes not love his brother. 1 JOHN 3:4-10
MEDITATIONAL THOUGHT: No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning willfully; a transformed life is the evidence of new birth.
MY THOUGHTS: I think this verse often brings a mistaken understanding of what it means to abide in Christ. It can inspire the mistaken thinking that the one who abides will never struggle with evil or sin. It can also make us think that becoming free from sin, is something we are creating rather than being something Christ has already accomplished for us.
The truth is that if we have put our faith in Christ freedom from sin is assured and secured. The freedom is a byproduct of belonging to Christ and by becoming one with Him, but the freedom while established is progressive in its manifestation and that manifestation is enhanced or impeded by the time we spend in the presence of the Savior.
Lillie-Put 
I like how you brought clarity to a passage that can easily be misunderstood. You made an important point, abiding in Christ doesn’t mean we never struggle, but that our lives are being transformed over time because we belong to Him.
Thanks Willie! for me being engaged in the struggle is the whole thing. It is our cooperation with Jesus that always brings victory, but I think so many Christians get discouraged and give up when the victory does not immediately come. The sanctification process is a life long journey and we must never give up.
Yeah, that’s real. I’ve felt that discouragement when things don’t change right away. But you’re right, staying in it with Jesus is what matters. It’s not about quick victories, it’s about walking it out with Him, even when it’s hard. We just can’t give up.
AMEN! We have to be willing to sit with the discomfort of the battle, the wins and the losses until the certain victory is finally and irrevocable established!