1 John 3:5

1 John 3:5 says, And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.  Speaking of Jesus Christ, John said that we, those who put their faith in Him, know that He came to take away our sins since He was the perfect sacrifice, having no sin Himself.  Though being made like us in all ways, Jesus Christ is the only One to live a perfect life.  Some people say He was incapable of sinning, but if that were the case, He would not be like all other people.  

Verse six adds, Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.  I believe that this means that after we accept Jesus Christ, we cannot continually live a sinful life and not that we will never sin again.  I believe that those who have not seen Him refers to lost people of all ages and not just to those who physically saw Jesus.  

Verse seven continues, Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  John said that we should not be deceived, but that those who live righteously are made righteous by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for all our sins.  We can only be made righteous by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, the only righteous One. 

Verse eight states, He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.  John then says that those who continue to live in sin are of the devil, who was the first of God's creation to sin.  This made it necessary for Jesus Christ to come and die for our sins, and this has been true from the beginning.  I don't believe it means that God knew that mankind was going to sin, but that He gave them freewill, and knew that they could sin.  

Verse nine adds, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.  I don't believe this means that Christians can never sin, but that they will not continue to live by the sinful standards of the world but will live by faith and ask God's forgiveness once more if they do sin.  Even though all our sins are forgiven if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we still must acknowledge it if we do sin after that. 

1 John 3:1

1 John 3:1 says, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  John said that God showed His love for us by giving us the right to be called the sons of God if we accept His gift of salvation.  He then said that if we become a child of God by faith that the world would no longer know us, because the world didn't know Him.  I believe this means that they will no longer understand us spiritually and not physically.  Our values should set us apart from the world.  

Verse two adds, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  John said that the beloved, those who had accepted Jesus Christ, were children of God and they couldn't know exactly what they would one day become, but when Jesus Christ returned, they would then know.  Since the Bible often refers to believers as sons of God, this is why I believe that it is important to state that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.  This also applies to daughters of God as well, even though it usually just refers to sons.  

Verse three continues, And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  John also said that if we put our faith in Jesus Christ that we will purify ourselves from the sins of the world.  Though we are purified by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, once we accept Him as our Savior and Lord, we should

then work to eliminate sin from our lives. 

Verse four concludes, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.  John said that if we did sin that we transgressed the law of God, because sin is the transgression of God's law.  We can break some of man's laws without being guilty of sin, but we cannot break God's law, even in the way we think, without being guilty of sin.    

1John 2:26

1 John 2:26 says, These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.  John said he was writing this so that people might not be seduced by putting their faith in worldly things instead of being led by the Holy Spirit.  The world always stands ready to seduce people by promising worldly desires, but as followers of Christ, we should never give in to this seduction but should be led by the Holy Spirit. 

Verse twenty-seven adds. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.  John then said we should be taught by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us.  He added that the Holy Spirit would teach us everything we needed to know about God.  This doesn't mean that we aren't supposed to go to school and learn about things of this world, but that when it comes to things about God, the Holy Spirit will lead us to an understanding.  We can only find God by faith in Jesus Christ, and until we put our faith in Him, we cannot be led by the Holy Spirit. 

Verse twenty-eight continues. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.  John then references little children, calling for them to abide in the Holy Spirit.  I believe this applies to all people of all ages.  He said if we abide in the Holy Spirit that we can have confidence and not be ashamed when Jesus Christ returns. 

Verse twenty-nine concludes. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.  John then tells us if we know that Jesus Christ is the only righteous One, then we know that everyone who lives righteously is born of Him.  We will never be righteous by our own merit but can only be made righteous by accepting the righteousness of Christ to redeem us and make us holy in God's sight.

1 John 2:22

1 John 2:22 says, Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  John said that someone was a liar if he denied that Jesus is the Christ, or Savior of all mankind.  He added that anyone who denied the Father and the Son was antichrist.  We cannot deny that Jesus is the Christ, the only Messiah, without being antichrist. 

Verse twenty-five adds, Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.  John said anyone who denied that Jesus was the Son of God also denied God the Father.  The two are One and we cannot profess to believe in one without believing in the other.  He also said that the opposite was true. If we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, we also acknowledge God the Father.  Though John doesn't say it in these verses, we also must acknowledge the Holy Spirit as the completion of the one God. 

Verse twenty-four continues, Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.  John seems to refer to the Holy Spirit in this verse, since that which is in us from the beginning if we are a child of God is the Spirit of God.  It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we remain faithful to the Father and the Son. 

Verse twenty-five concludes, And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.  John said if we put our faith in Jesus Christ that we have everlasting life by God's forgiveness made available by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins.   We are then sealed to Him by the power of the Holy Spirit.