The New Birth and Sin

This Sunday, Aug. 22, we studied 1 John 3:4-10 and looked at what John had to say about the relationship between the New Birth and sin. I summarized John's argument in 3 steps. Here they are with the supporting verses.

1. Sin is serious and of the devil.
- vs. 4, "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
- vs. 8a, "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sining from the beginning.

2. Jesus Christ appeared to take away sins and destroy the works of the devil.
- vs. 5, "You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
- vs. 8b, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

3. Those born of God don't keep on sinning
- vs. 6, "No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him."
- vs. 9, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

The simple argument John is making, which he spells out in vs. 7 and 10, is, "if you are righteous through the New Birth, you practice righteousness. If you don't, it because you are not born again."

So, I have two things.

Firstly, is this what John's saying in these verses? Am I getting something wrong? If you were to put it in your own words, what would you say is John's point?

Secondly, I would really like to hear the practical, "what does this mean?" questions you have. A couple that I thought of were, "I sin everyday, does that mean I'm not a Christian?" What questions do you have from these verses? I may just include them in my upcoming sermon(s).

Blessing, FBC.
Brian