Many Americans have a strange fascination with British Royalty. If you have followed the royal family in the last few years, the news exposed you to the expectations of the royal family. Recently a young American lady married into the family and quickly came face to face with those expectations. It does not seem to have gone well. The British people and Queen Elizabeth hold specific standards for the royal family simply because they are royalty.

Last week we examined the reality that we have been adopted into God’s family. However, as the Apostle John continues the discussion in 1 John 3, he quickly points to the fact that God expects specific standards from his family. F. F. Bruce notes, “Behavior is of unsurpassed importance in the Christian way. Believers are indeed justified before God by his grace, which they accept by faith; but those who have been justified will show it by their behavior. Righteousness is as constant with the character of Christ – since he is righteous – as soon as constant with the character of the Devil, who has been sinning, rebelling against God, ever since the beginning.” God expects his children to hate sin and live righteously.

First, God’s children should see sin for what it is. John informs us that sin is lawlessness. Sin makes us criminals against God. One need not sin egregiously to stand guilty. James 2:10 tells us that breaking God’s Law in a single way makes us guilty as if we broke all the laws. Further, sin is of the Devil. When we sin, we act following Satan’s desires. God’s children should never seek to live in Satan’s ways.

Instead, God’s children should remember Christ’s work on the Cross. Christ died for our sins. When we sin, the price is Christ’s life. While my boys were little, my wife and I sought to drive this idea home in their hearts. As we sat on their bed to discuss why they were in trouble, we always asked a series of questions. “Why are you in trouble?” Through this question, we wanted them to identify their sin. “What does God call that?” The answer to this question is always sin. Through this question, we wanted them to be honest about sin. And then, most importantly, “What happened because you sinned?” And the answer is that Jesus died. Suddenly my angry retort to my sibling takes on a more profound impact. We must all come to the place where we understand that our sin cost Christ his life.

But he did not die and rise simply to do it. Instead, through these actions, he makes us righteous. “John is not suggesting that the child of God will not commit a single act of sin. Instead, John is describing a way of life, character, and prevailing lifestyle. Here the present tense verb contextually depicts linear, continual action. In other words, the believer will not live a life characterized by sin (Danny Akin).” So as God’s children, we must seek to flee sin and live righteous lives.