1 John 3:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

NIV: Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

NASB: Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

CSB: Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

NLT: Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.

KJV: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

NKJV: Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

In contrast with the purity described in verse 3, John labels the "practice of sinning" as "lawlessness." This is strong, spiritually-loaded terminology. In the Bible, those who do not know Christ are called "workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23). Unbelievers are marked by lawlessness (Matthew 23:28), and will increase in the end times (Matthew 24:12). Lawlessness was associated with those who broke the Law of Moses (the Torah) and were therefore sinners.

Romans 6:19 and 2 Corinthians 6:14 also describe unbelievers as those involved in lawlessness. In the last days, the Antichrist, a man of lawlessness, will come (2 Thessalonians 2:1–12). Christ, however, gave Himself "to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14).

At the very least, John is dispelling the claim that the gospel is a license to sin. Much as Paul does in the books of Romans and Galatians, John indicates that a true walk with Christ leads a person to sin less. Sin is sin, and even though believers are capable of sinning, the presence of Christ means they cannot do so lightly.

The false teachers John spoke against likely had a weak view of sin, considering holiness unimportant. John clearly notes that those who know God will seek to live for Him, including a life that increasingly flees from sin and follows the teachings of Christ.

First John 3:4–10 strongly condemns sin, and leaves no excuse for it. While this warning is often interpreted as a ''litmus test'' for salvation, John's specific audience is actually Christian believers. Salvation is no excuse for sin, because all sin is from the Devil, not God. Sin always disrupts our ''walk'' with God. And, those who only walk in sin and darkness cannot claim to be children of God.

The third chapter of 1 John focuses mostly on the concept of love. Because of His love, God not only calls us His children, He actually makes us His children. John also explains how sin, including hate, is never the result of a proper relationship with God. Christians, in contrast to the world, are supposed to do more than simply ''feel'' love; we are to act on it, as well

Chapters 1 and 2 introduced the stark differences between those who truly have fellowship with Christ, as opposed to those who are ''in darkness.'' Chapter 3 continues this discussion, with a particular emphasis on love. This serves as a bridge, between John's descriptions of lives lived abiding either in darkness or light, to an explanation of how God's faithfulness gives us confidence as Christian believers.

First John seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the gospel. Rather than re-state these facts, John is concerned with building confidence in Christian believers. At the same time, his words encourage believers to examine their own lives for signs of their relationship with Christ. This letter also challenges false teachers and their incorrect claims about Jesus. Many themes are shared with the Gospel of John.