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I JOHN 5:18-20

I. THE BELIEVER'S PRACTICE.
        A. "Whosoever is born of God."
                1. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of new birth.
                2. My old nature sinful from Adam.
                        a. When I sinned, I just followed by natural bent.
                3. My new nature righteous by Christ.
                        a. Sin is contrary to my new nature.
        B. Sinneth not (does not practice sin).
                1. Not teaching sinless perfection.
                        a. "If a man sin, we have an advocate..."
                        b. "If a brother be overtaken in a fault..."
                        c. "If we say we have no sin..."
                2. "Shall we sin deliberately that grace may abound?"
                        a. "How can we live any longer there in?"

II. THE BELIEVERS POSITION, "WE ARE IN HIM THAT IS TRUE, IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST."
        A. This is what it means to be a Christian.
                1. False concepts of what it means.
                        a. Member of church.
                        b. Baptized as infant.
                        c. Living by golden rule.
                2. Being in Christ, abiding in Christ.
        B. Contrast non-Christian, "and the whole world lieth in the wicked one."
                1. One look around the world verities.
                2. If you are not in Christ you are in wicked one.
        C. Those in Christ, "wicked one toucheth him not."
                1. God had hedge around Job.
                2. He has hedge around you.
                3. Satan must come through Christ to get to you.

III. THE BELIEVERS POWER, "HE THAT IS BEGOTTEN OF GOD KEEPETH HIM."
        A. "Now unto Him who is able to keep..."
                1. God doesn't trust your keeping into your hands.
                2. You are too important to Him for that.
                3. He that is begotten of God refers to Jesus Christ His only begotten Son.
        B. . Satan would like to strike fear in your heart telling you that you can't live a
             righteous life.
                1. Of course you cant.
                        a. You know that.
                        b. Satan knows that.
                        c. God knows that.
                2. That is why God has made provision for you.
                        a. That which the law could not do because of the weakness of my flesh.
                           (Romans 8:3.
                                1. What could the law not do? -- Make me righteous.
        C. If you are trying to keep yourself, you are fighting a losing battle.

We know whosoever is born of God does not practice sin.
We know we're of God.
We know that the Son of God has come to give us understanding.