As Different As Noight And Day Series

1 John 1:5-2:2. AS DIFFERENT AS NIGHT AND DAY.

Every form of life has its enemies. Bugs have to watch out for birds. Birds have to keep an eye on the dogs and cats. And Humans have to keep an eye on other humans, and keep an eye on themselves!

In this passage today John was warning folks to watch out for 2 heresies that were going on in the life of the early church; that is still alive and well today in one form or another in churches everywhere!!!

#1.Was the Gnostics (other people). They taught that Jesus was never truly a man or God. But that he wasn't emanation, or a ghost of God.

Other people today would like to convince the world that if Jesus was even real, that he was nothing more than a teacher, profit, or a mere good man. But not the God man!

I proclaim and testify to you today that Jesus Christ came as the incarnate God in the flesh to become like one of us yet with no sin, to die for all sin, that if we believe on him as our personal Savior we might become like him!

#2. Was themselves (all of us). Somehow within the framework of peoples sinful nature there seems to be a denial of the presence and the consequences of sin.

Many times we become our own worst enemy by allowing the enemy of sin and Satan to live hand-in-hand in our everyday lives without being confronted! Some folks think their sin is non-existent or no big deal! WELL; it is a big enough deal that John mentions the word sin 9 times in this passage.

If we are going to get real about our life in Christ, the first thing that we have to do is to realize that there is a conflict between the Savior and Satan and between sanctification and sin.

There's also clear evidence between saying and doing;

and there's a contrast between light and dark.

The New Testament calls the Christian life "a walk". This walk begins with a step of faith when we trust Christ as our Savior. Too many people think that this is the end! They walked the aisle, prayed a prayer, and confessed Jesus as Lord. Only to walk back to their seat, stop/drop, and not do anymore!

Just so you'll know, "salvation is the end of your Christian walk", but it's the front-end, where we start not stop.

If we ever hope to live above this world, while we are in this world, there are 3 things that we need to get a hold of today. #1. THE NATURE OF GOD.

V5. Jesus came and presented the message from the Father and gave it to his disciples.

This is the apostle John who got the message straight from Jesus and his declaring it to us today. This is the Word of God we hold in our hands!! And he is declaring that, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

First let's deal with the word darkness. This word has many meanings among them are untruthfulness, error, sin, death, and spiritual ignorance! We know that all of these things are characteristics of the devil! I want you to understand that being a spiritually ignorant sinner; is not something become. It’s the human nature we are born with.

Being dead in our trespasses and sin, and lying, cheating, and stealing are evil behaviors that stems from our fallen nature.

And if we are left alone to our own ways we will devise evil and wicked things to do because we are spiritually ignorant!

He goes on to say that there is not even one area, spot or speck of darkness in the nature of God. In him is no spiritual ignorance & sin at all.

It says in that verse that God is light. Light is bright. It is absolutely pure. Intelligent. Holy and righteous.

It is dramatically different from the darkness. It is as different as night and day.

What sun light is to the natural world. The Son (S.O.N.) light is to the spiritual world. Both are necessary for illumination and growth. And both are given by God and if you have been lit up by the Lord; there’s proof of it in you!!

Child of God, do you know what happened to you at salvation? You passed from death to life. Brought out of the darkness and into his marvelous light. You were blind but now you see. You were deaf but now you hear. You were waltzing with the devil, but now you're strolling with the Savior. You've been changed, transformed, and made brand-new! you have head and tail lights! So don't look back!

You need to look ahead! Ignorance is in the rearview mirror, and you need to go forward with a holy God!