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"Little children, let no one deceive you."

Text: 1 John 3:7

THE SINISTER PROBLEM OF DECEPTION

One of the reasons why the Apostle John wrote what he did on the subject of sin was probably because of the danger of deception posed by false teachers.

“Little children, let no one deceive you.
He who practises righteousness is righteous,
just as He is righteous.”
1 John 3:7

1. “Little children”

a) There is an absence of the mention of “young men” and “fathers”.

b) This being the case, it is likely that John has in mind all his readers.

c) This was his way of expressing deep affection for his beloved readers.

2. “Let no one deceive you”

a) Deception is never easy to detect.

b) It is something that false teachers were skilled at.

c) The fact that John mentioned the problem of deception alerts us to the problem.

i) This was part of the work of the “antichrists”.

ii) One of the chief means employed was “deception”.

d) It is the responsibility of the individual to guard against possible deception.

e) John felt that it was his duty as an apostle to warn against this problem.

3. “He who practises righteousness is righteous”

a) There is “imputed righteousness”.

i) This is given by the Lord Himself.

ii) It was made possible through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

b) There is also “personal and practical righteousness”.

i) This is what John was emphasising here.

ii) The person who confesses faith in Christ should practise righteousness.

iii) This shows that he truly understands the doctrine of righteousness.

4. “Just as He is righteous”

a) God is certainly righteous.

b) It follows that the person who professes faith in God should also practise righteousness.