Practicing righteousness ... as per 1 John 3:7-10.
You show that you have no understanding of 1John 3: 7-10.
So let's take a look at the passage:
1 John 3:3-11 (KJV) 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
What hope? The hope that when we see Him we shall be like Him. Of course it is speaking of our glorified bodys.
We are certainly told here to not live as others who give no thought to their sin. We are to live as set apart ones but not according to some religious idea of what that means. John goes on to explain what he means.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Sin is transgression of the law. Even more James tells us to transgress the law in one point is to transgress it all. 2:10
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
John isn't talking about Christ not having sin but about us not having sin in Him. Paul puts it this way in Col. 2:10. Ye are complete in Him...
Complete means there is nothing to be added, not your religious works or your own holiness. In Christ we are not just " positionally " with no sin but actually without sin in our new creation. More on that later.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
Does anyone imagine that in this body of death that he can be without sin? So what is John talking about? H goes on to explain.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Christ destroyed the works of the devil in that He not only brought in an everlasting righteousness but put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. If you don't know the Scriptures I am referring to then look them up.
In verse 9 Joln clearly tells us how it is that we do not sin. Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin... How is this possible you may ask. For ( because) His seed remains in him.
Whose seed ? The seed of Christ of course.
And he cannot sin because he is born of God.
John is speaking about our new nature which is the new creation in us. We have a new natural,being born of God, and our old nature which is sin. Sin isn't what we do but what we are. Righteousness isn't what we do but what we are in Christ by a new nature.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. 11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
John isn't suggesting that we are manifest before others but unto ourselves. No man has a right to judge us unless he is the Godman Christ Jesus the Lord. We do not answer to preachers, myself included, but to our Lord and Savior.
A man who has sin himself cannot judge another for their sin. We are not called to judge but to love.
So, preachers and teachers are NOT to warn others about their spiritual blindness, etc.?
How about evangelists?
Ever hear of the 5-fold ministry (Eph 4:11) ... the leaders of the church,
who are appointed by God for the edification, etc. of the whole church body?
Warn yes judge no. Just so you know, I was a preacher for over 25 years. I wasn't called of men but of God to preach. I never sent out a resume or sought to preach anywhere. I didn't do it as a vocation but as a calling to serve Christ by serving His people.
The Lord shut the door and now I wait until He opens it again. I never lived by religious rules but in order to honor Christ my Savior and Lord.
Love is the greatest of virtues. If you preach, preach Christ. Do so in love not in anger or judgemntalism.
