Slides: Walking in the Light (1 John 1:5-2:11)

⁵ God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

 ^2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

³ We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. ⁴ The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

 ⁷ Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. ⁸ Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

⁹ Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. ¹⁰ Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. ¹¹ But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

 
Two options

• Walking in darkness
• Walking in the light

 
Calling darkness light

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. (Isaiah 5:20)

When preachers praise sin, they harden sinners, split churches, anger God, and destroy themselves. Woe!

• Praising murder
• Praising immorality
• Praising mutilation
• Praising drugs
• Praising destruction
• Praising unbelief
• Praising idolatry

 
In darkness

• Reject the true God
• Deny sin and lostness
• Reverse moral norms
• Hate other people
• Conform to culture

 
Liar, liar!
Reject the true God

^2:22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ.

^5:10 Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God gave about his Son.

Liar, liar!
Deny sin and lostness

^1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

^1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

 
Save ourselves!

The meaning of Easter is more transcendent than the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whether you are Christian or not, through a commitment to helping others we are able to save ourselves. (Rev. Raphael Warnock, U. S. Senator)

 
I am good!

“I don’t [ask God for forgiveness]. If I do something wrong, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.”

“I like to be good. I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness. And I am good. I don’t do a lot of things that are bad. I try to do nothing that is bad. I have a great relationship with God.” (Donald Trump)

 
Liar, liar!
Reverse moral norms

^1:6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

^2:4 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Liar, liar!
Hate other people

^2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

^4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar.

 
Liar, liar!
Conform to culture

They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. (4:5)

The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (5:19)

Darkness hates light

Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light. (John 3:19-20)

If the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matt 6:23)

In darkness

• Reject the true God
• Deny sin and lostness
• Reverse moral norms
• Hate other people
• Conform to culture

In the light

• Know
• Confess
• Obey
• Love
• Differ

Know

• God is life, light, love.
• God is Father, Son, Spirit.
• Father sends, loves, commands.
• Son is Messiah Jesus, flesh, blood sacrifice, Savior, advocate, ruler.
• Spirit testifies, indwells, assures, anoints, directs, empowers.

Confess

He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1:9)

Atoning advocate

^2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Obey

We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. … if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (2:3-6)

Love

• If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another(1:7)
• Old/new command: love
• Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. (2:10)

Differ

• Light differs from darkness.
• Truth differs from lies.
• Good differs from evil.
• Love differs from hate.
• Believers differ from the world.
• Faith overcomes the world.

In the light

• Know
• Confess
• Obey
• Love
• Differ