Examining Yourself: Child of God or Devil

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Oil in Your Vessel, Not Just the Lamp

True faith requires inward reserves, not just outward religious acts. The wise virgins stored oil in their vessels—a picture of the Holy Spirit’s enduring work in the heart. External rituals like church attendance or service roles mean nothing without the internal reality of regeneration. Just as a lamp’s flame depends on oil, spiritual vitality flows from the Spirit’s presence. Empty religion fades when tested, but those filled with God’s Spirit endure. Examine what fuels your daily walk: rituals or renewal? [30:23]

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.”
(Matthew 25:1-4, KJV)

Reflection: What “oil” have you neglected to store in your heart this week? Does your spiritual routine rely more on habits than the Holy Spirit’s fresh filling?

Day 2: Pigs in Mud or Saints in Pursuit?

A pig returns to the mud because it’s its nature; a believer’s new nature craves holiness. The sermon contrasted flesh-driven habits with Spirit-led hunger. Those born of God cannot habitually wallow in sin—their DNA has been rewritten. Worldly cravings expose an unrenewed heart. What you persistently love reveals whose child you are. Holiness isn’t perfection but a gravitational pull toward Christ’s likeness. [14:32]

“Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.”
(1 John 3:6-7, KJV)

Reflection: What recurring “mud” have you been comfortable with lately? How does your response to conviction prove your kinship to Christ or the flesh?

Day 3: Two Fathers, Two Fruits

You resemble your spiritual father. God’s children bear righteousness; the devil’s offspring produce sin. First John 3:10 draws a line: love for believers and obedience to God mark His family. Hating the church or clinging to rebellion signals Satan’s paternity. Salvation isn’t a label but a lineage—seen in whom you imitate and love. [22:15]

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
(1 John 3:10, KJV)

Reflection: Which family traits dominate your life this month—God’s patience and love, or the devil’s anger and division? Who would others say you resemble?

Day 4: Broken on the Stone or Crushed by It

Christ is the cornerstone: fall on Him in repentance and be remade, or reject Him and be crushed in judgment. Brokenness isn’t failure but surrender—the prerequisite for renewal. Like the prodigal’s father, God runs to those who abandon self-sufficiency. Pride keeps hearts intact but far from grace. [34:57]

“And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
(Matthew 21:44, KJV)

Reflection: What areas of your life still resist being “broken” before Christ? Where do you substitute self-effort for surrendered dependence?

Day 5: The Seed That Stays

God’s seed—His Spirit—permanently indwells believers, making sin’s dominion impossible. Temporary “faith” fades like the parable’s shallow soil, but regeneration transforms desires. True converts aren’t sinless but sin-resistant, as the Spirit wars against the flesh. If sin rules unopposed, question the Seed’s presence. [20:16]

“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.”
(1 John 3:9, KJV)

Reflection: Does your battle against sin feel alive or absent? What evidence confirms God’s seed is growing in your heart’s soil?

Sermon Summary

Paul lays the plumb line in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and commands, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith. The text sets the measure as Scripture, not comparison with other saints. The warning of reprobate stands in view so that every soul tests life and practice by the Word. John then opens 1 John 3 and names the family lines. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that sinners should be called sons. The world does not recognize that sonship because it did not recognize Him. Hope fixed on the appearing of Christ purifies now, even as He is pure.

John draws a stark contrast. Sin is lawlessness, and the Christ was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin. If the historical Adam handed down sin, the historical Jesus removed it at the cross. Therefore, abiding in Him cannot coexist with the habitual practice of sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. A fall may come, but a pattern will not. The pig loves the mud by nature; the sheep, if it falls in, scrambles out. Let no man deceive you, John adds. Righteous doing flows from a righteous root. He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning, but for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

The cross satisfies God to be just and the justifier of the one who believes. Adoption gives a new Father, a new Spirit, a new appetite. Flesh begets flesh and minds fleshly things; Spirit begets Spirit and bears holy fruit. Love for the brethren manifests the new birth; contempt for the saints unmasks the old line. The diagnostic is simple and searching. What is being fed most, the flesh or the Spirit The fruit does not lie.

Christ pairs Word and Spirit without gap. To be Spirit filled is to be filled with the Word. Matthew 25’s wise virgins carry oil not only in the lamp but in the vessel. External light without inward oil burns out fast. Many can fake church for an hour; only those with oil in the vessel endure the delay and meet the Bridegroom. The remedy is the Father’s embrace. Return. Fall on the Stone and be broken, lest the Stone fall and grind to powder. Grace meets the broken with cleansing and a new walk that testifies of the Savior.

Key Takeaways

1. Examine yourselves by the Word Self-scrutiny must bow to Scripture’s measure, not to church roles, memories, or comparisons. The call is personal and present tense, to test life and practice in the light of Christ. This kind of examination is mercy, not morbid introspection, because it drives a soul back to the cross and into honest repentance. The alternative is self-deception that ends in reprobate shock. [02:54]
2. Christ removes sin, not excuses it If the Son was manifested to take away sins, ongoing friendship with sin contradicts His finished work. Grace is not a cushion for habits the cross came to crucify. The same Jesus who justifies also breaks the dominion of sin, so pardon and power travel together. Union with the sinless One cannot produce a lifestyle that loves what nailed Him there. [11:51]
3. Abiding proves itself by holy fruit Vine and branch is not a metaphor for occasional inspiration but for continual dependence that bears much fruit. Fruit is visible, concrete, and stubbornly honest about the root. When righteousness becomes a pattern and repentance a reflex, abiding is at work. Where fruit is absent, the axe is laid to the root, not the leaves. [12:45]
4. The Spirit and the Word inseparable Spirit fullness is not a vague feeling but the saturation of mind and heart with God’s speech. The Spirit wrote the Word, wields the Word, and fills through the Word. Starving the Scriptures always starves spiritual desire and resilience. Feed the Bible, and the Spirit feeds faith, love, and power. [27:38]
5. Keep oil in the vessel within Lamp without oil is religion without regeneration, light without life, a moment without endurance. The wise hide the Word and the Spirit’s grace deep in the heart, not only in public routines. Delay reveals who only borrowed light and who truly bears life. The Bridegroom will be met by those whose hidden reserves outlast the night. [28:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - Examine yourselves in the faith
[03:55] - Turning to 1 John 3
[05:54] - You will know them by fruit
[10:57] - True and false conversion
[12:45] - Abide in the Vine
[14:53] - Habitual sin exposes unbelief
[17:39] - Cross destroys sin and justifies
[21:50] - Flesh or Spirit diagnostics
[22:57] - What are you feeding
[27:38] - Spirit filled means Word filled
[28:43] - Ten virgins and real oil
[31:33] - You can fake church
[32:38] - Return to the Father
[34:19] - Fall on the Stone, be broken

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
1 John 3:1-10 (KJV)
1 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.
2 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.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 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.
9 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.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Observation questions

According to 1 John 3:6, what two things are true of someone who "abideth in him"?
What specific purpose does verse 5 give for Jesus being "manifested" (revealed)?
The sermon contrasts the "pig" and the "sheep" in their response to sin. What natural behaviors do these animals represent? [14:32]
In Matthew 25:1-13 (referenced in the sermon), what practical difference separated the wise and foolish virgins? [28:43]

Interpretation questions

Why does John emphasize that "in [Jesus] is no sin" (v. 5) when discussing how believers should live? How does this connect to the warning about habitual sin?
The sermon states, "Grace is not a cushion for habits the cross came to crucify." How does 1 John 3:8-9 support this idea? [11:51]
How does the metaphor of "oil in the vessel" (Matthew 25) relate to the difference between external religious routines and genuine spiritual life? [31:33]
What does it mean to "fall on the Stone and be broken" (Matthew 21:44) in practical terms for someone struggling with sin? [34:19]

Application questions

What recurring sin or attitude in your life feels like "mud" you keep returning to? How does 1 John 3:6 challenge you to respond differently?
The sermon asks, "What is being fed most—the flesh or the Spirit?" What specific choices (e.g., media, relationships, habits) could you adjust to "feed" your spirit more consistently? [22:57]
How would your closest relationships (family, friends, coworkers) describe your "fruit"? Would they see patterns of love, patience, and integrity—or something else?
The "oil in the vessel" represents hidden spiritual reserves. What daily practices (beyond Sunday worship) help you maintain these reserves? [27:38]
If someone examined your life using only your actions (not your beliefs or church attendance), what evidence would point to abiding in Christ versus living for the flesh?
When have you been tempted to excuse a sinful habit as "just struggling"? How does 1 John 3:9 reframe this mindset?
What step could you take this week to "fall on the Stone" (repentance) in an area where you’ve relied on self-effort instead of grace? [36:00]

Sermon Clips

34s

#CrucifySin

“Everything Christ said has none effect in our lives unless the principle of sin is punished and removed. All of Christ's teachings, all of Paul's teachings, all the New Testament is absolutely null and void unless our sin nature is punished and crucified and done away with on the lamb of God. And once it is dealt with, punished on the lamb of God, God can now freely forgive you and I by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul puts it this way in Romans chapter three.”

30s

#JesusTookOurSin

“If the historical Jesus took my sin, it's impossible for me to live in it if the historical Jesus took my sin because there was a historical Adam who gave me the sin. And if there's a historical Adam who gave me the sin, if I come from a historical Adam, I better come from a historical Jesus who took it away. And that's exactly what the word of God says. He was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.”

36s

#BornOfTheSpirit

“That is the test. That is the rule. How is our life? Do we do do we get up and we think about simple things? Is simple things already on our agenda? Is simple things already in our day planner? Do we already plan out the things that the flesh were gonna do? Well, scripture says this, whoever is born of God, whoever possesses his spirit, whoever has been born again, as he told Nicodemus. Unless a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the spirit is spirit to, in fact, count on the same thing Paul said in Romans chapter eight.”

31s

#ConfessBeCleansed

“Let me ask you a question. Is there a sin problem in your life? Is there an habitual sin problem in your life? We read about the carnal Christian a few weeks ago. Sin can creep in. Sin can slowly get into the Christian's life. Once we identify it, once we confess it, we know the scripture. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There are two fathers. There is Satan, and there is God himself.”

33s

#FeedYourSpirit

“What are you giving your eyes and your ears to mostly in your day? Is it of the spirit or is it of the flesh? One thing feeds the flesh. One thing makes the flesh feel good. One thing edifies and grows the spirit of God in you. And it matters what you're feeding. It matters what you're feeding. It matters if you listen to sermons or you listen to pagan stuff. It matters what kind of music you listen to. Why? Does it prove you're a Christian? No. But if you have the spirit of god living in you, the spirit of god groans and moans and craves for one thing and that is anything that has to do with his spirit.”

39s

#LiveLikeHisChildren

“Look at verse seven, little children. Let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness, a continual practice and habitual practice of righteousness is emphatic, is righteous even as he is righteous. It's very simple. Christ is at the right hand of the father. He if he bore your sins, we are seated with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Paul said. He has given you a spirit. He has made you a partaker of his divine nature. We better walk, talk, think, act like divine children of God. That is what we want by the grace to do is walk and live as his children.”

32s

#AbideAndOvercome

“You know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin. In him is no sin. Get that in your minds. In him is no sin. If you are in Christ, you will not, you cannot habitually, keyword, habitually practice a life of sin. It is impossible under the new covenant if you are abiding in the savior. Not abiding near him, around him, hearing about him, reading his word and having it in here, but it's nowhere in your heart. It's not about new legalistic things.”

31s

#TitlesDontSaveYou

“There was a deacon years ago the pastor was preaching on. He'd been a deacon for twenty five years. He came forward, and the church was absolutely shocked that he got saved. He made a profession. I had been a deacon my whole life, and I had never been saved. We're at the bible a couple years ago, phenomenal preacher. In his message, he let the church know that he was preaching the word of god behind the pulpit. I don't remember how long, and he knew he wasn't saved.”

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Examining Yourself: Child of God or Devil

Devotional

Day 1: Oil in Your Vessel, Not Just the Lamp

Day 2: Pigs in Mud or Saints in Pursuit?

Day 3: Two Fathers, Two Fruits

Day 4: Broken on the Stone or Crushed by It

Day 5: The Seed That Stays

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Examining Yourself: Child of God or Devil

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