1 John 3:7-22, Who’s who? What’s your source? Abiding in Love

The unbeliever, the one who is not regenerate, who is not in Christ through faith in Him, abides in an unbroken slavery to their sin nature. He/she lives in spiritual death, and naturally does the things and has the attitudes of that nature. This even includes hatred. Jesus the Son came in the flesh to destroy sin’s mastery and to make the way for regeneration, for the new-born seed of God’s Spirit to sprout in the life of the believer. This new seed, this new divine nature has an orientation, like a compass needle pointing North to God and righteousness. The compass needle is easily flicked aside by sin, by hatreds even, but this is momentary and eventually, if the compass is held steady, if the gaze is placed on Christ, it is drawn to point North again, according to its nature. Believers can and should abide in love and righteousness, resting in Christ and enjoying the rich and peaceful life in the Spirit.