A Day in the Life
“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” — 1 John 3:4
When I read these words from the apostle John, I cannot help but imagine what it must have been like to watch Jesus live day after day with an unshakable moral center. John did not write from theory. He wrote as one who leaned on Jesus’ chest, walked dusty roads with Him, and observed how the Son of God responded to pressure, temptation, and cultural compromise. To say that “sin is lawlessness” is not merely to define wrongdoing; it is to expose a deeper posture of the heart. The Greek word John uses for lawlessness is anomia—literally “without law.” It is not accidental failure; it is living as though there were no divine standard at all.
In a world that prides itself on self-definition, this verse feels almost jarring. We are told that right and wrong are personal constructs, that moral boundaries shift with culture. Yet Jesus lived differently. He did not treat God’s commands as negotiable guidelines. He treated them as life itself. In fact, He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience was not legalism to Him; it was relational fidelity. It was love expressed in alignment.
As I reflect on a day in the life of Jesus, I see that He consistently lived by the Father’s will. When tempted in the wilderness, He responded with Scripture, not opinion. When pressured by religious leaders, He measured their traditions against the written Word. When confronted with sin, He did not redefine it to ease discomfort. Instead, He exposed it to heal it. R. C. Sproul once observed, “Sin is cosmic treason,” meaning it is not merely a social misstep but rebellion against the holy character of God. That may sound severe, yet it clarifies why lawlessness is so serious. It is not that God is insecure; it is that He alone defines reality.
The study reminds us that living without a spiritual “plumb line” is dangerous. A plumb line in construction reveals whether a wall is straight. It does not create straightness; it reveals it. God’s Word functions the same way. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is “living and active… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” It shows us where we lean. And if we reject that plumb line, we do not break God’s laws; they break us. Just as gravity remains unaffected by our denial, so moral law stands regardless of cultural preference.
I often think of the example given about electricity. A person may challenge its laws, but the current does not adjust itself to accommodate ignorance. In the same way, Romans 6:23 reminds us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God’s commands are not arbitrary restrictions; they are guardrails protecting life. When God forbids adultery, it is not to withhold pleasure but to preserve covenant joy. He knows the ripple effect of broken trust—the damage to spouses, children, communities, and churches. Augustine once wrote, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our heart is restless until it rests in Thee.” Lawlessness promises freedom but delivers restlessness.
As I walk with Jesus through the Gospels, I notice that His obedience never diminished His humanity. It fulfilled it. He was not less free because He honored the Father’s will; He was fully alive because He did. Sin, then, is not merely breaking rules. It is choosing another standard—society, neighbors, personal desire—as the measure of life. When I compare myself only to others, I may feel justified. But comparison is not the plumb line; Christ is.
There is something deeply pastoral here. God’s law is not against us. It is for us. The psalmist declares, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psalm 19:7). Notice that word—restoring. The Hebrew shuv carries the sense of bringing back, returning. The law brings us home. Jesus embodied this truth. He did not abolish the law; He fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). And through His life and sacrificial death, He offered not only forgiveness for lawlessness but power to live differently.
So what does this mean for my daily discipleship? It means I ask myself whose standard shapes my decisions. Am I adjusting truth to fit comfort? Am I measuring righteousness by cultural consensus? Or am I submitting to the timeless Word of God? The beauty of following Christ is that obedience is not drudgery; it is protection. It is the narrow road that leads to life.
If you would like to explore further the biblical meaning of lawlessness and obedience, this article offers helpful insight:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-sin
As we continue this day, may we see God’s commandments not as chains but as covenant care. Jesus lived a life aligned with the Father, and in doing so, He revealed that true freedom is found within divine boundaries.
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