That Nasty Three-Letter Word

In this message centering on 1 John 3:4–10, Chuck Swindoll confronts the reality of sin—a word he notes has largely been “deleted from our vocabulary” and replaced with softer terms like “mistake” or “addiction”. Swindoll argues that while society tries to shift blame, the Bible is relentless in identifying sin as humanity’s core problem. Using Romans 5, he traces the inheritance of sin back to Adam, explaining that sin entered through one man, bringing death to all. This created a chasm between a holy God and depraved humanity that only the “bridge” of the Cross can span [8–10].

Swindoll navigates the potentially confusing theology of 1 John 3, specifically the statement that “no one who is born of God practices sin.” He clarifies that John is distinguishing between the lost, who habitually and persistently “practice” a lifestyle of sin, and the saved, who struggle with sin but cannot live comfortably in it because God’s “seed” (the Holy Spirit) abides in them. Swindoll emphasizes that while believers are positionally righteous through Christ, they still possess an “old sin nature” that causes the internal conflict described in Romans 7 [13–15].

The message concludes by exposing the devil’s strategy of confusion. Swindoll warns that Satan tries to convince the lost they are saved (so they never cross the bridge) and the saved that they are lost (so they live in insecurity). Using the story of the Prodigal Son, Swindoll illustrates that a true child of God will eventually “come to his senses” and return to the Father, whereas a lost person remains content in the “slop” of the world [30–31, 37–38].

Message Key Facts:

• The Vanishing Word: Swindoll notes that “sin” has become politically incorrect. He cites research suggesting Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953) was the last U.S. President to explicitly call the nation to confess “sins and transgressions” in a formal address, quoting Abraham Lincoln.
• The Psychiatric Folk Song: To illustrate the modern tendency to blame circumstances rather than take responsibility, Swindoll quotes Anna Russell’s satire, “Jolly Old Sigmund Freud.” The song humorously attributes bad behavior to childhood trauma, concluding, “Everything I do that’s wrong is someone else’s fault”.
• Adam vs. Christ: Drawing from Romans 5:17–19, Swindoll presents a “tale of two columns.” On the left is Adam (transgression, condemnation, disobedience). On the right is Jesus Christ (gift of righteousness, justification, obedience). He emphasizes that justification is God declaring the believing sinner righteous while they are still in a sinning state [11–12].
• Defining “Practice”: A crucial interpretive key for 1 John 3 is the concept of “practicing” sin. Swindoll defines this as a continual, persistent, habitual sinful lifestyle. This characterizes the lost, whereas the believer may stumble but does not settle there [18–19].
• Gnosticism: Swindoll explains that John was refuting a heresy known as Gnosticism (from the Greek ginosko, “to know”). These elite teachers claimed that intellectual knowledge made one superior to the body, implying that physical sin didn’t matter—a teaching Swindoll likens to modern cults that emphasize intellect over godly living [22–23].
• The “Seed” of God: In verse 9, John writes that God’s “seed” abides in the believer. Swindoll interprets this seed (sperma) as the Holy Spirit, who restrains the believer from habitual sin and brings conviction.
• Coming to Your Senses: Swindoll uses the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) to describe the believer’s relationship with sin. The Prodigal left home but eventually “came to his senses” and returned to his father. Swindoll argues that lost people do not come to their senses on their own; they remain in the “pig sty” because it is their nature [30–31].
• The Devil’s Strategy: Swindoll asserts that the devil confuses both groups: “If you’re a lost sinner, he wants to convince you you’re saved. If you’re a saved sinner, he wants to convince you you’re lost” [36–37].

Message References:

• 1 John 3:4–10: The primary text contrasting the children of God and the children of the devil, and defining sin as lawlessness.
• Romans 5:12: “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin”.
• Romans 5:17–19: The contrast between Adam’s disobedience and Christ’s obedience [11–13].
• Romans 7:15–19: Paul’s admission of the internal struggle: “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil I do not want” [14–16].
• Luke 15:17: The turning point of the Prodigal Son: “But when he came to his senses…” [29–30].
• 2 Corinthians 5:21: “He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf”.
• 1 Corinthians 11:30: Referenced regarding divine discipline (“For this cause many are weak and sick, and some have died”).

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll