“What If I Sin?”
1 John 1:7-2:2
I. GOD IS LIGHT
A. THE MESSAGE 1:5
John joyfully announced the message he received from Jesus who eternally existed with the Father but became flesh and visibly lived among men. God is light and not one speck of darkness can be found anywhere in his character.
The term LIGHT was used to point to…
Intellectual perception
Moral and ethical purity
Relational passion – love, goodness, kindness
Spiritual awareness
Physical and spiritual life, power and influence
Light also illuminates the beauty around us.
The term DARKNESS was used to point to...
Intellectual dullness
Moral and ethical depravity
Relational disconnect
Spiritual deadness
Physical and spiritual lifelessness, hopelessness, helplessness - death
Darkness prevents us from seeing beauty, truth and life around us.
The nature of God is light in every sense of the word.
B. The Implications 1:6-4:6
Since the core of God’s character or nature is light, what are the implications for those who want to relate to him? John exposed both the faulty beliefs and corresponding faulty behavior of some who claimed to know God but lived their lives in darkness. John encouraged proper belief and behavior for all. Since God is light it only follows that those who want to relate to Him should live in the light. John stated this truth from both a negative and positive perspective.
1. Continually walk (live) in the Light
a) Failure to walk in the light (negative)
IF we claim to have an intimate partnership with God and yet continually live contrary to God’s ways (walk in darkness)…
THEN we neither speak the truth nor live the truth.
Practice proves partnership. Conduct confirms connection. Action authenticates association
There were some in John's day as there are today that claimed the label Christian (follower of Christ) but whose lifestyle bore little resemblance to the way Jesus lived.
Slapping a Cadillac emblem on a Geo Metro will have no effect on the actual performance of the Geo Metro. John affirmed that those whose lifestyle is characterized more by deeds of darkness than light and yet claim to have intimate partnership and connection with the God who is light, neither speak the truth nor live the truth.
John is more concerned about reality than rhetoric.
John is more concerned about our walk that our words.
John highlights the character of our life rather than the content of our lips.
b) Walking in the light
On the flip side however, John revealed the reality and blessing of those who choose to live in the light; those who invite God's light to dispel any darkness and direct every choice.
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
In this verse John employed all present tense verbs indicating present continuous action.
IF we continually live in the light where God continually lives then two realties become characteristic of our life.
We suggested last week that living in the light has to do with coming to God for enlightenment.
Seeking His truth. Embracing His purity. Living by His power and energy. Living in the light is not about being perfect, but it is about living with the lights on, so we don’t hide anything.
It is about living a life open to His continual renewing work.
1 Peter 2:9 reminds us how God called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Paul offered thanks to the Father who qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Col 1:12
Paul called us children of light; sons of the day and urges us to live as Christ lived. Eph 5:8
Paul urges us to let the light of Christ shine out of these clay pots. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7
1. We continually have fellowship with one another
As the light exposes the dirt we are able to deal with the stuff that hinders relationship both with God and others.
2. The blood of Jesus Christ continually cleanses us from all sin.
The more we live in the light, the more dirt the light exposes and the cleaner we become.
“cleanse” Term used in relation to…
Physical cleaning (clean the inside of the cup, lepers cleansed)
Ritual cleaning (ceremonial cleansing)
Moral cleaning (sins cleansed)
Think of the wonder of such a healing; a cleansing from leprosy. To have a ravaging disease eradicated and its effects eliminated was monumental. Like leprosy, sin is a ravaging disease that destroys the soul. Through the death of Christ, continual cleansing from sin is available as we live in the light.
Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify (cleanse) for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:14
Jesus continually ministers this cleansing work.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27
2. Continually confess sin 7-10
a) Failure to admit sin
How did the professing but not practicing Christians justify their position? They minimized sin.
They redefined sin to become something else. They convinced themselves that sin was not a problem. John faced this theological error head on.
IF we say that we have no sin,
THEN we are deceiving ourselves
and
the truth is not in us.
Present tense verb asserts that sin does not exist presently.
“SIN”
An act or departure from doing what is right. Violation of a standard. It is a failure to hit the mark. Used of the spearman who repeatedly misses his target. Sin, in the spiritual realm, has to do with missing God’s mark; a failure to live according to his standard. We might say that it is a failure to live in the light. For someone to claim such a state indicates they are totally unaware of their true condition. Just because they are not aware does not make it so. The Gnostic teaching of the time separated actions of the physical body from spiritual state. Thus anything done in the physical realm had no effect on their spiritual state. This made it easy to excuse sinful behavior as inconsequential.
Anytime we come to the point where we think sin does not really affect our relationship with God we imitate the sin of this self-deceived people.
Today we hear…
God is love and my behavior doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter how I live, God loves me anyway.
There is no need to live holy as long as I am happy.
John clearly exposes this faulty belief. Such thinking is deception. These individuals only deceive themselves. Everyone else, especially God, knows that the sin principle still rages in their life. The emphasis is “OURSELVES we deceive.”
AND
Truth does not direct their path. Truth is not in them. (also said of the devil John 8:44)
Verse 10 takes a similar but slightly different track.
IF we say we have not sinned (perfect tense) in the past or now.
This is a reference to some particular sin. Verse 7 focuses on absence of even a sin principle.
In verse 10 they denied the presence of sin or effects of any past sin.
THEN
We make God a liar (because God declares clearly that ALL have sinned and come short of God’s glorious standard.
And
His word does not direct their lives from within. They have not given a place for God’s word to renew their lives.
So what is the alternative to lying and denying our true sinful condition? Such a state makes us a liar, self-deceived and arrogantly calls God a liar demonstrating the absence of truth implanted in the soul.
b) Continually confessing sin
Those who live in the light readily see and deal with the sin the light exposes. How do we deal with that sin and what does God do when we deal with it His way? John submits another “if/then” clause.
IF we confess our sin (The use of the present tense verb indicates a habit of life.)
“confess” (lego=to say and homos=same) to say the same thing, agree. This was a legal term indicating an agreement of two parties with the terms of the contract. A confession amounted to the guilty party agreeing to the charges brought against them. To confess our sins is to agree with God concerning our failure to live in the light. If we deny our sin we lie, we call God a liar and we are only deceiving ourselves.
If we confess our sins…
If we agree with God concerning the presence and gravity of our sins on our relationship with Him and others…
THEN He promises two things.
He will not fail to do these two things. (He is Faithful)
And
He can lawfully and morally do these two things. (He is Just)
Forgive us our sins
Because Jesus paid the price for our sin, God can righteously forgive the debt.
And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22
Forgiveness has to do with cancelling of a debt; a release from obligation to pay. Forgiveness does not deny the offense. Forgiveness does not ignore the hurt. Forgiveness releases from any obligation to pay. Jesus paid a debt we could not pay. Jesus paid it all.
Forgiveness is necessary on two levels.
• Eternal forgiveness (all sin for all time)
• Daily forgiveness (restore present relationship)
Through the work of Christ we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin. God forgave all the offenses that condemned us to hell. We are united with Christ and our life is hidden with Christ in God. However, daily sin still blocks intimate relationship with God. It is the difference between a lawbreaker and the judge and a parent and an offending child. Just as offenses hamper human relationships so sin prevents deeper intimacy with God. Continual confession clears offenses.
Confession restores relationship on our part (guilt) and His part (grief). When we agree with God concerning our offense, God forgives that offense at that moment. God removes any barriers to our relationship. God removes that fear and avoidance borne out of guilt and we can once again draw near to Him. He is faithful to forgive when we are willing to confess.
Failure to confess results in guilt, stagnated relationship, fear, avoidance, arrogance, hardness.
How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. Psalms 32:1-5
Cleanse us from all unrighteousness
There is a second promise of God in this verse. This is the same word we saw earlier in passage.
The cleansing of the blood of Christ is accomplished in time and space through confession.
If I commit an offense because of a hidden dark area in my life, the likelihood of continued offense is high no matter how often I am forgiven. Forgiveness flows out of the character of the offended party and may or may not bring about change in the character of the offender. Confession opens our life to God’s cleansing work whereby He actually renews our soul. He deals with the cause of the offense not just the results. Confession demonstrates humility.
Scripture clearly states that God must resist the proud but grants grace to the humble.
In case anyone should get the idea that sin was not a serious matter...
In case one might think that the assurance of forgiveness through confession would lighten the gravity of sin…
John clarified his reason for writing; “that we might not sin.”
He intended that we understand the implications of partnering with the God who is LIGHT.
He exposed the faulty behavior and belief of some who lived in darkness but claimed partnership with God. He encouraged all of us to live in the light and continually confess the sins that living in the light exposed in hopes that we would stop sinning. John also realized that the struggle to live in the light and not sin was an ongoing battle. Therefore in the next chapter he reminded them of another essential truth.
3. Rely on your advocate
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2
John’s fatherly heart broke out here. The “Son of Thunder”, confronting false belief and behavior, turned tender. “My little children” (first of seven)
He employed yet another “if/then” clause.
IF (high probability) anyone sins (at any given moment) against the God who is light…
John has in mind here not habitual action but an individual single act.
THEN we have an “Advocate” with the Father
“Advocate” (para=along side and klaytos=to call) one called along side. Its general usage referred to one who appeared in another’s behalf; mediator, intercessor.
John used it five times in his writings and it is translated comforter, counselor, helper or some times not even translated but transliterated i.e. Paraclete from the Greek word paraklte.
John used it in reference to the Holy Spirit whom Jesus called “another paraclete like me”.
Jesus is our intercessor before the Father. Hebrews refers to Jesus as our High Priest continually interceding for us.
but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
What qualifies Jesus to be our Advocate; our intercessor?
• Present reality “we have”
• With the Father (He is already in place)
• He is Righteous (perfect relationship with the Father)
• He bore the sins of the world Himself
“propitiation”
When an offense takes place, the offended party needs appeasement. In pagan cultures, an angry god must be appeased by some sacrifice, gift or action. Sin caused alienation between the sinner and God.
Our Lord on the Cross assumed that guilt and paid the penalty in His own blood, and thus removed the cause of alienation. Now a holy and righteous God can bestow mercy upon a believing sinner on the basis of justice satisfied.
John used this word again in chapter 4:10.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Not only our sins but offers reconciliation to anyone who comes to God through Christ.
Application
What stands between you and God today? Have you received eternal forgiveness? Have your sins caused you to feel distant from God.
What if I sin?
God calls you to confess your sins to Him today. He promises then to forgive and restore relationship. He promises then to come in and bring healing and cleansing to the infected areas of your soul.
• Come to the Light
• Ask Him to search your soul (run the sin scan)
• Confess what He shows you; agree with Him
KEY ELEMENTS IN ACKNOWLEDGING AND CONFESSING SIN
1. BE CLEAR OF SINS GRAVITY AND EFFECT
I must be clear on the gravity and ugliness of my own proud, self-centered attitudes and behavior in God's eyes. I must not self-protectively attempt to justify my behavior, but truly repent before God; recognizing that it is my own sad selfishness that nailed Christ to the cross. I must also come to understand how my sin has deeply affected those around me.
2. REALIZE ALL SINS STEM FIRST FROM REBELLION AGAINST GOD (SIN)
I must acknowledge my rebellious attempt to direct my own life apart from obedient relationship with God that results in specific sinful behavior(s).
3. ADDRESS SPECIFIC KNOWN OFFENSES AS GOD DOES
Only after I have sufficiently addressed number one and two, should I address any specific violation of God’s ways (sins) and voice my agreement with Scripture's depiction of my behavior and attitudes as evil and rebellious.
4. SEEK RESTORED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND THOSE I HAVE OFFENDED
NOTE: The circle of confession should only extend to the circle of offense. In other words, if I have sinned against God -- confess it to Him; if I have sinned against one person -- confess it to one person; if the nature of my offenses has affected many people -- I make a public confession.
5. MAKE ANY APPROPRIATE RESTITUTION
6. RESUBMIT YOUR MEMBERS AS GOD’S INSTRUMENT AND NOT SATAN’S.
Present all your members (body and soul) for God's exclusive present and future use. Rescind any permission given to the flesh or the devil to use my members for Satan’s purposes.
Any attempt to deal with sin apart from repentance and confession is inadequate.
Excusing, justifying, blaming, minimizing, shifting blame, ignoring, denying do not eradicate the cancerous affects of sin to the soul any more than ignoring cancer will cause it to go away.
Only radical removal will rescue our souls from the deadening affect of sin.
To cover it will only strengthen its hold.
To expose it to the light of God’s truth and grace will break its hold.
KEY WAYS TO DISCOVER SIN THAT NEEDS TO BE CONFESSED
Ask for God to expose areas that need to be addressed.
1. Reflect on your relationship with God.
Ask God to open our eyes to any area that has offended Him.
Failure to keep Him the focus of my life
Pride, selfishness, rebellious attitudes and actions
Resisting a life of dependence on Him
Failure to honor Him as the absolute authority in my life
Seeking life from other people, things, or power (idolatry)
Ingratitude
Biblically irresponsible actions i.e. activities God has clearly revealed not to practice
Neglected Biblical practices i.e. activities God has clearly revealed to practice.
Failure to consistently pursue relationship with God
2. Reflect on your relationship with others.
How do I feel around people? How well am I getting along with people? (Good indicator of spiritual health or sickness) How do I feel about my spouse or children? Why do I feel that way? Probe both direct offenses as well as the failure to love and respect others as Christ would. Examine the basic offenses in all my relationships both past and present. Examine motives, thoughts, attitudes and actions.
Key Relationships to explore:
Parents, spouse, siblings, children, church family, friends, relatives, neighbors, employers/employees, teachers, business deals, authority figures.
Types of offenses to explore:
Failure to love and accept others as Christ
Selfish manipulation for my own ends
Selfish motivations for "good" deeds
Rebellion against God-ordained authority
Ungratefulness
Unfaithfulness, betray a trust or commitment
Bitterness, unforgiveness, contempt, withdrawal
Cold apathy or neglect
Lying, deceit
Failure to pray when prompted by God
Passing on an evil report about someone
Stealing (time, things, money)
Disrespect, dishonor by words, actions or attitudes
Pride (thinking I am better than others)
Fornication, adultery
Physical or emotional abuse
3. Reflect on your personal life.
How do I feel about myself today? What lies have I come to believe about myself?
What fears plague me? What thoughts and desires fail to pass the Philip 4 test “Whatever is lovely, honest etc.” What is my current strategy (we all have them) to soothe the unmet longings of my soul? What habits and behaviors fail to please God?
Pay attention to areas of your heart your Bible reading exposes
Listen to the testimony of others (verbal or written) for God’s prompting
Listen when people share the struggles in their journey with God. Listen for similar failures in your own life that God may bring to the surface through their story.
Respond to the direct exhortation of others
Have you given a close friend permission to bring up areas in your life that need attention?
God may even use our enemies to expose blind spots in our life. Be open to areas that God wants to address.
Trace your overreaction to other’s sin to your own personal struggle
So often the thing I react to most in others is what I myself struggle with. Use your reaction to investigate possible violation of the same principle in you own life.
