1 John 1:5-10
A Believer Sinning In the Eyes of God.
I. Introduction
A. An angry church member once went up to her pastor. And asked him “Why do you keep on preaching to us Christians about sin. After all, sin in the life of a Christian is different from sin in the life of an unsaved person
1. The pastor replied, “Yes you are correct, sin in Christian is different. It is much worse.
B. It may seem as if I am trying accuse everyone in this church. I am not. I am simply stating what is in this passage.
C. I had a hard time this week writing this sermon. I was convicted many times of sin in my life
D. I will try and never say “You” in this sermon. I will say we.
E. I Understand Paul when he said “Of whom I am the worst sinner” I Timothy 1:15
II. (Vs. 6-7) Sinning in relationship to others
A. Explanation
1. What John was thinking about when he wrote verse 6 was to counteract one heretical way of thought
a) There were people who were be so far advanced intellectually and spiritually that they consider sin not to be important
b) Napoleon thought that rules were meant for ordinary people not for great rulers like himself
2. John loves the whole darkness and light analogy, In the Bible Darkness is Sin Light is God
3. It is impossible to have fellowship with God if you are walking in darkness
4. To walk in Darkness is to live a life of sin
5. However, Vs 7 is a very positive Verse. We get to enjoy fellowship when we walk in the light
a) Fellowship With
(1) Others
(2) Jesus, the one who purifies us from all sin
B. Application
1. I only know exactly what happens in my life
2. I do not know what happens in others life
3. I do know that often we are not the same in one setting then another
4. We often put ourselves in situations that we compromise our beliefs
5. We are suppose to be light into the World
6. The truth is often we are not different, if not worse then everyone else
7. It might seem like the whole world is doing it but the problem is that it still is sin
8. We need live out what we say.
9. Truth is not only to be spoken, but acted!!
10. Fellowship can not exist when we are walking in darkness-sin
C. Illustration
1. There was a girl who lived a double standard life. So how she became the leader of her youth group. The worse part about was she was not even saved. She had no fellowship with God. She would tell me about how bad her youth group was, I could not figure out why she was having that hard of a time. She is the reverse opposite of most of us. Most of us are saved and lived like we are not. Fellowship is still broken.
III. (Vs. 8-9) Sinning in relationship to ourselves
A. Explanation
1. Vs 8 is one of a negative consequences
2. This verse merely explains Romans 6:23, For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God
3. In the days of John, it was common for Greek philosophers to teach a separation between body and spirit. The spirit is free, but the body is matter that eventually dies
a) Therefore if the body sins, the spirit would still be without sin
b) Sin, then cannot affect the spirit
4. WE as Christians do not want to admit that we still sin
5. When we do that we go back into the dark
6. Vs 9. the Classic Verse, Many of you I am sure have it memorized
7. This verse makes the idea behind verse 8 look silly
8. Verse 9 implies that you can sin
9. It tell you what to do about your sin
10. And what God will do with your confessed sin
B. Application
1. We all sin
2. Just because we are Christians does not eliminate us from sin
3. WE begin to tell our selves lies (note that being a sin) to cover up our sins
4. WE then begin to believe our cover ups and we start a vicious cycle
C. Illustration
1. Take a look at King David. First he lusted, then actually committed adultery, lied, covered it up, killed… When Nathan confront him with a “hypothetical situation” David condemned the person.
2. Once we begin to lie it snow bowl
3. We are then force to cover it up with a lie after a lie
4. One wise person once said if you are going to lie you better have a good memory
5. It is time was start calling sin sin. Stop trying to cover it up.
6. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
7. You want me to let you in on a little secret? You want to know what the worse sin is? The worst sin is unconfessed sin
8. By the way (this is going to hit hard) to confess means that I say the same thing God says about sin. No but this or but that confessing
IV. (Vs. 10) Sinning in relationship to God
A. Explanation
1. This point does not have a negative and a positive it only has a negative
2. If we feel we do not sin then we make God out to be a liar
3. The first time you read Verse 10 you think what type a fool would believe that
4. You have to think about it a little bit closer however.
5. The problem is in the definition of sin
6. Many people will feel that if they are not on KDKA, then it is not sin. That is a bad interpretation of the word sin
B. Illustration:
1. In Archery we aim the arrow at the target… if we over under shoot or miss it or whatever. Harmatia=Sin.
C. Application
1. Sin means to miss the Mark.
2. We pretend that we do not sin
3. But by the definition of sin, not doing our best is a sin
4. If we do not put forward an honest effort it is a sin, I am especially guilty of that
5. Turn to James 4:17
6. If God gives us a direction and we do not follow it how he tells us to, it is a sin
7. We miss the mark
8. We must always be aiming for the center
V. Conclusion
A. I know I have sounded a bit extreme at sometimes. But Sin is a serious issue
B. A wise person realizes that the closer they get to God the more they realize that they sin
C. Growing in God will cause you to realize your sins more and more.
D. Do you know the Motel 6 commercials were Tom Budett tells you he will keep the light on for you? Look at VS 5
E. God is Light
F. God keeps that light on to guide us.
G. Stop following sin.
H. Follow the light.
