The Law Keeper and Lawlessness

John turns to a clear declaration of the difference between those who are enslaved in sin and those who are free in Christ. Earlier, he exhorted his hearers to pursue now the life that they will live when they see Jesus. And following this portion, he will encourage them to work out their salvation in their love for one another. This declaration here in between is very helpful to us because we quickly become confused by the messiness of sin. John points us to the source of sin and the source of righteousness for clarity. As the Word instructs us, we also learn more about the nature of sin. All sin is a breaking of God's law.