If We Walk in the Light
Notes
Transcript
Embracing Truth and Fellowship
Embracing Truth and Fellowship
Bible Passage:
1 John 1:5–10
1 John 1:5–10
Summary:
This passage emphasizes God's nature as light, calling
believers to live in the truth and to maintain fellowship with Him and one
another by confessing sins and understanding His faithfulness to forgive.
Application:
This message encourages Christians to confront their
struggles with sin and hypocrisy by reminding them that walking in the light
leads to true fellowship and healing. It teaches that transparency and
confession can restore relationships with God and others.
Teaching:
The sermon teaches that God is light and in Him is no
darkness. It underscores the importance of acknowledging our sins and the
assurance we have in God's forgiveness when we confess them, offering a path to
genuine Christian community.
How this passage could point to Christ:
In the wider context of Scripture, Christ is the embodiment
of God's light, offering redemption and cleansing from sin. By following
Christ, believers step into the light, allowing His righteousness to shine
through them as a testament to His transformative power.
Big Idea:
Walking in the light involves a commitment to truth,
confession, and fellowship, leading to a vibrant and authentic relationship
with God and others.
1. God’s Glorious Light
1. God’s Glorious Light
1 John 1:5
Here is the message they heard - the content undefiled and unadulterated.
From Him - The origin of the message, direct from the mouth of the Savior.
How gladly should we receive a message from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of Life, the Eternal Word, The Euangelion, The Good News, the Gospel of our Salvation. Indeed the Word of Salvation come to the entire world (1John2:2).
The Message-God is Light???
God is represented here as pure and perfect light to this dark world.
This is his nature, in all true perfections and excellencies
The Bible uses the word light for knowledge (Psalm 119:105, for purity, for happiness and for truth.
This light illuminates those that are in Darkness - John 1:4; John 8:12;
See the negative-in him is NO Darkness
This is to say that there is in him no
Sin - Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 92:15; James 1:17; 1 Peter 1:15-16
Ignorance - Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:28;
Error - Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:30; 2 Samuel 22:31; Proverbs 30:5
Here is the Judgement - John 3:19 “This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.”
2. Fellowship in Faithfulness
2. Fellowship in Faithfulness
1 John 1:6-7
The Claim - We have fellowship with him
Light and darkness are frequently put for holiness and wickedness,
The Reality - Yet we walk in darkness
To walk in darkness, is to live and act against religion.
See the verdict given by John - We are lying and are not practicing the truth.
To be sure those who live this way are living in Hypocrisy. Living in on going habitual sin.
Contrary to warring against sin, growing in holiness and continually putting to death the deeds of the flesh. These people secretly approve sin, affirm sin, condone sin and love their sin.
Note that people who live this way are making a profession to be a Christian, but the observable results, the view of their character from others can be seen to be false. Every chapter of 1 John is filled with tests for true Christian character loving your brother (fellow Christians), no love for the world, believe Jesus is the Christ, doing the right thing, believe Jesus came in the flesh, Love for others, believe Jesus is the Son of God. These are all things that are observable and able to be seen or heard by others.
Observe the opposite state of those who are in Christ!
Yet if you walk in the truth, in the light, as God does it produces two things.
Fellowship with one another
And the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin.
What does it mean to walk in the Light?
Living Righteously: 1 Peter 1:15-16.
Living in Honesty and Integrity: Proverbs 12:22.
Living in Love and Compassion: Ephesians 4:32.
Living toward Spiritual Growth: 2 Peter 3:18.
Living in Community and Fellowship: Hebrews 10:24-25.
3. Confession and Cleansing
3. Confession and Cleansing
1 John 1:8-10
The denial that we fall short of the glory of God is a dead give away.
Even believers must confess that on their best day, their most victorious day; their works, their motives, their thoughts are marred by sin, stained, clouded and imperfect.
The sinner like wise must come to understand their own sin before they know their need for the gift of God and the Grace of God.
Those who feel they have no sin, who condone a lifestyle of sin or put for light, deeds of darkness are deceived and most likely reprobate.
Sin is deceitful - Rom 7:11; 2 Cor 11:3; Eph 4:22; Heb 3:13; James 1:14-15.
Yet, here if we confess our sins, know that the truth is in us!
Those who understand the truth of their plight before God and the readily admit their guilt and seek the remedy in Christ!
Those who thus see their sin Christ is readily available to forgive and to cleanse.
Yet to persist in ignorance, and say that we have never sinned, we shake our fist at God and proclaim him to be a liar in regard to our condition.
This reveals that we possess not the truth, that we are in darkness and that our fellowship is not with God or his Saints.
Application
Application
Confronting Sin and Embracing Transparency
Building Genuine Christian Community
