Why Pursue Purity?

1 John 2:28–3:3 ESV

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Preach for a Year #2 The Purifying Hope

1 John 2:28–3:3

1 Johnn

The Foundation of our Confidence,

1 John 2:28–29 ESV

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Identify from the text a lifestyle that can give us confidence:

Confidence from abiding in him

Confidence to approach him

Confidence by practicing righteousness

Confidence by living the born-again life

Current events that test our confidence,

1 John 3:1 ESV

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Identify from the text what tests and emboldens our confidence:

Our “non-church” friends, will or will not understand us?

Do you think they will remain our friends?

So, what relationship do we have that will make this worthwhile?

Future Events that Crowns our Confidence,

1 John 3:2–3 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Identify from our text clues about our future:

We will be better than God’s children

Because we will be like Jesus

Why do we know that? Because we will see him

So, with this hope we purify ourselves