I actually know 1 John quite well. Besides the children's song, which is based on this verse, 1 John is an easy read in Greek. Now, I don't say that to lord it over anyone, but because, you have pulled a verse out of context, which is the usual Word Faith modus operandi. Reading in Greek helps me focus not just on individual verses, but on the overall context.
So, do you have any idea what the book of 1 John is about at all? Probably not, since you don't seem to have a clue about the book of John, the book of Galatians, and certainly not Romans. But I digress.
1 John is a book addressed to believers, to talk about sin, and how we are not to sin, but instead, to walk in the light.
"If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin" 1 John 1:10 - 2:1
How do we walk in the light?
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" 1 John 2:15
So, for my final lesson on context tonight, let's put 1 John 3:1 into context, and see if it is talking about sonship, or if it is talking about avoiding sin, (because we are the children of God.)
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 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. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."
My plea to you is to please read the whole book. The book of 1 John, the book of John, the book of Romans, and ALL the books of the Bible. You have a sadly truncated view of the truths of the Bible. In fact, this parroting of a few verses indicates to me, that you desperately need to start reading the Bible, and stop pulling verses out of context, and trying to force them to say things they do not say.
Or worse, totally rejecting so much of Scripture. One has to wonder if someone can actually be saved, and not believe so much of God's Word!
So, do you have any idea what the book of 1 John is about at all? Probably not, since you don't seem to have a clue about the book of John, the book of Galatians, and certainly not Romans. But I digress.
1 John is a book addressed to believers, to talk about sin, and how we are not to sin, but instead, to walk in the light.
"If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin" 1 John 1:10 - 2:1
How do we walk in the light?
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" 1 John 2:15
So, for my final lesson on context tonight, let's put 1 John 3:1 into context, and see if it is talking about sonship, or if it is talking about avoiding sin, (because we are the children of God.)
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 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. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother."
My plea to you is to please read the whole book. The book of 1 John, the book of John, the book of Romans, and ALL the books of the Bible. You have a sadly truncated view of the truths of the Bible. In fact, this parroting of a few verses indicates to me, that you desperately need to start reading the Bible, and stop pulling verses out of context, and trying to force them to say things they do not say.
Or worse, totally rejecting so much of Scripture. One has to wonder if someone can actually be saved, and not believe so much of God's Word!
Im not rejecting anything of scripture. But, what I've said is what Paul, and the other apostles have said. Jesus has given us Sonship. Now God is our Father.
We are not sheep. The nation of Israel was and still is.
Not servants which they were and still are to law, but sons in the house of God.
You and preacher are making a big deal about simple truth. It's plainly written in scripture. I'm pointing it out.