1 John 3:4
Memory Verse
Everyone who does sin also does the lawlessness, and the sin is the lawlessness (1 John 3:4).
Sin is defined in the Bible as lawlessness—an act of rebellion or defiance against God’s moral and divine standard. Sin is always an action; therefore, a thought is not sin, even if the desire is unrighteous in nature. Every sin that a man does is exterior to the body (1 Corinthians 6:18).
The Christian is not under the Mosaic law, yet still has a standard by which he is to live, for he is led by the Spirit (Galatians 4:21). His actions relate to faith, not law; therefore, anything that is done not out from faith is sin for him (Romans 14:23). This action involves doubting, which is not being unsure but a mental process intended to justify doing something that is known to be against God’s standard.
Law is not out from faith (3:12). The righteous live out from faith (Romans 1:17). Therefore, a Christian who desires to abide by law is sinning, for he is not living out from faith. The Christian has been co-raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). This means that he is free to live out the righteousness he has in Christ, free from the law of the sin and the death (Romans 8:1–4). Learning how to do this is an essential part of the life of a grace believer, for now that he is part of a new creation, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).