Walking in the light as a sign of fellowship with God (1:5-2:27)

◦God is light (1:5)◦“If we say” – we have fellowship (1:6-7)

◦“If we say” – we have no sin (1:8-9)◦“If we say” – we have not sinned (1:10-2:2)

1:5-2:2 God is light: walk in light

Fellowship

The most important fellowship is with God! Humans need fellowship But without fellowship with our creator and

sustainer we are just a shell of that for which we were designed

Fellowship

God Is Light NOT- God has light NOT – God created light God IS uncreated light

This Is The Message

God Is Light

“Light symbolizes; God’s holiness, purity, virtue, morality,

truth, character, and GLORY”◦ David M Levy

He is all about light

God Is Light

Psalms 104:1-2 Bless the LORD, O my soul!O LORD my God, you are very great!You are clothed with splendor and majesty,covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.

God Is Light

1 Timothy 6:15-16 …The King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

God Is Light

Unapproachable Light

How can we have fellowship with someone who is unapproachable?

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“No, not in any way” Not a bit of darkness Darkness symbolizes;

◦ Evil, Wickedness, Deception, and ultimately leads to Death

In Him is no darkness at all.

No Darkness

Those who would walk in fellowship with God cannot walk in darkness!

So What Is John Getting At?

If we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (vs. 6)

ie. practices sin as a way of life

IF We Say…

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship with one another

If We Walk

“True believers consistently and continuously order their lives in the light they have received from God. Their thoughts and conduct revolve around God’s light which others see in them and they have true, unbroken fellowship with God.”◦ David M Levy

1. We have fellowship with God and one another.

2. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ie. continual cleansing

Two Results

We have no sin. This is referring to a Sin Nature Who says we have no sin nature? In St. John’s day it was the Gnostics In our day it is the vast majority opinion

If We Say…

He postulated that, at birth, the mind was a blank slate or tabula rasa. He maintained that we are born without innate ideas, and that knowledge is instead determined only by experience derived from sense perception

John Locke 1632-1704

He postulated that we are born with innate goodness and must learn to be sinful.

This view continues to the present among most of the Western world

Voltaire 1698-1778

St Paul writes “we are by nature children of wrath” Ephesians 2:3

The Psalms teach that we are born in sin. Romans 3:23 says “all have sinned and fall

short of God’s glorious standard.

Both views are contrary to the Bible.

Please do not say you have no sin. You deceive yourself and the truth is not in

you

1 John 1:8

Recognize that God desires to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confess our sin. Agree with God. Agree that we cannot save ourselves. Agree that we need His fellowship.

Instead, Verse 9

Either God remains unapproachable, Or He compromises His holiness

Dilemma

How can we have fellowship with someone who is unapproachable?

How can God maintain His holy position and still forgive my sin?

Hang on, the answer is just around the corner

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If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Make Him a Liar? He is the one who said we all have sinned. No one here is exempt, all of us are sinners God speaks the truth.

First Verse 10

1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

But Hold On, Here Is The Good News

How can we have fellowship with someone who is unapproachable?

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Someone who is on our side. Someone who can help us. Someone who will speak on our behalf And His name is Jesus Christ the Righteous

We Have An Advocate

Our Messiah, God’s own Son.

The Christ

Not just my sin, but yours as well. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that

he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Paid The Price For Sin

John 3:17-18 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

He is the payment that Satisfies God Jesus Christ paid for my sin, God is satisfied,

and now I can have fellowship with Him forever.

He can forgive me and still be holy.

He Is The Answer!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Faith, Believe, Trust

How Can It Be Mine?

He has already paid for your sin. All you must do is accept His payment as

your own. Do it now!

Will You Trust Him Today?