I'm still studying through 1 John and finished all the key words found in the epistle. One of them is the Greek word teknon (τέκνον), which is often translated as "children" or "sons". What's interesting about this word is that (according to the BDAG lexicon) it carries a wide range of meanings, such as:
- an offspring of parents
- descendants of the same ancestor
- a spiritual child
- one who is dear to another without genetic relationship
- those who exhibit characteristics of transcendent entities
- inhabitants of a city
- persons with a specific characteristic
Of these various ways John uses teknon, not only in 1 John, but also in his Gospel and 2 & 3 John, he uses it 12 times in 5 different ways. And what's interesting, is that in 1 John, chapter 3, he uses teknon in verse 2 as well as verse 10. So what?
Well...
In verse 2, John is emphatic and stating that those to whom he is writing "are the sons (teknon) of God":
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
But in verse 10, John writes that one's righteousness reveals whether one is a child (teknon) "of God...[or] the devil":
1 John 3:10
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.
So, is John contradicting himself in verse 2 when he states clearly that he and his audience "are sons of God"? Is John giving them a false sense of assurance of their justification with God, as he later says that one's righteousness declares them a child of God or the devil? Are the Lordshippers right, that if a believer doesn't practice righteousness they aren't genuinely saved? The answer is neither of them....
In 1 John 3:2, John is clearly using the Greek word, teknon, in reference to them being "a spiritual child", their relationship with God, through their faith-alone in the Gospel. As he gets to 1 John 3:10, John then uses the word teknon in reference to "those who exhibit characteristics of transcendent entities"; specifically characteristics of either God or the devil.
So, John is not contradicting himself, nor giving his audience false assurance. Instead, in 1 John 3:10, the apostle John is simply telling them that they can tell who is not abiding in Christ (1 John 2:6) by how they are living their life. If they are abiding, their life will be characterized by qualities of God. But if they aren't abiding, their life will be characterized by the devil.
This makes complete sense, especially when we recall that Jesus called Peter Satan (Matthew 16:23) because he wasn't abiding in the truth of Christ and sought an earthly solution rather than God's will. Also, as John elsewhere pens, when we abide in Christ, we will not sin:
1 John 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
So, if you want to keep from sinning, simply abide in Christ. Easier said than done! The problem is that we don't abide in Christ perfectly, nor unfortunately, regularly. That is why there is regular admonition from the New Testament authors to continuously to walk in the Spirit, abide in Christ, put on the new man, etc, as well as negative commands.
So, the next time a Pharisee comes your way, quoting 1 John 3:8, 10, trying to say you, or someone else, isn't a genuine believer because you're/they're doing x, y, or z, hopefully you'll be better prepared to defend the true faith-alone in Christ-alone Gospel message.
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