Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 John 3:4

"Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness." — 1 John 3:4 (ASV)

Here John uses two words to describe sin: “sin” (GK 281) and “lawlessness” (GK 490). In both OT and NT, these two words are used frequently as synonyms (cf. Pss 32:1; 51:3; Romans 4:7; Hebrews 10:17). In John’s community, however, they were used apparently with different meanings. The former word was used to describe transgression of the law, the breaking of God’s commandments. The latter defined sin as rebellion against God and was connected with Satan’s rebellion against God (cf. Matthew 7:22; 24:11–13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–16; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12). Apparently the false teachers and John agreed that “lawlessness” was incompatible with being born of God. What they did not agree on was that sin, defined as transgression of the moral law, was “lawlessness.” Indeed, as those “born of God” they claimed themselves “morally” to be without sin or guilt. Either they believed that they were by nature incapable of violating the law or that sinful deeds done in the flesh were of no concern to God.

John decries such thinking. That his opponents hate their brothers (2:11) shows that their claim to sinlessness is a lie, and their failure to love stems from their lawlessness. Lawlessness, in turn, shows that they do not belong to God but to the devil (3:10). They are part of the evil soon to be revealed (2:18).