Provoking Thoughts From 1 John (3 Of 16)

As we read these words, we can not help but think of an old, gray-haired man expressing concern for his children.

This was exactly what John was doing.

In a pervious sermon we dealt with the two sides of John’s personality.

• That is, he had the intestinal fortitude to be able to look at the people of a congregation in the eye, who were living in sin while claiming to be walking in the light, and tell them they were LIARS! He was a courageous man!

• Yet he had the gentleness that made him be able to look that congregation in the eyes and address them as, “My little children....”

May I say that I like the second John the best.

There are times when we have to take a stand and scold, but this is something no sincere preacher ever enjoys. In fact, PASTORS and PARENTS alike should not enjoy having to scold.

I do not believe John enjoyed telling the people who claimed to be saved who were walking in sin that they were liars, but it had to be done and John did not back down from his responsibility.

In 1 John 2:1-2, John takes off his spiritual boxing gloves and we see him as gentle John. We see this not only in his words, “My little children...” but we also see it in...

I. HIS CONCERN

WHY WAS JOHN WRITING THIS BOOK? He tells us why in verse 1. He says, “My little children, these things write I unto you, THAT YE SIN NOT...” You may ask, “PREACHER, YOU MEAN A CHRISTIAN CAN COMMIT SIN?”

Yes, a Christian certainly can commit a sin. Again, this is why John wrote. Look at verse 1 again. We read, “My little children, these things write I unto you, THAT YE SIN NOT...”

WHEN DO CHRISTIANS FIND THEMSELVES INVOLVED IN SIN?

When they get to feeling secure, as if they were strong enough to play around with it. When we feel this way, we are subject to being stung by sin every time.

Illus: A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him across the river on his back. “Are you mad?” exclaimed the turtle. “You’ll sting me while I am swimming and I’ll drown.” “My dear turtle,” laughed the scorpion, “If I were to sting you and you were to drown, I’d go down with you. Now where is the logic in that?” “You’re right,” cried the turtle. “Hop on.” The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river he gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle, resigned, said, “Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there is no logic in your stinging me. Why did you do it?” The scorpion said, “It has nothing to do with logic; it’s just my nature.”

Again I remind you that when we think we can play around with sin, we will get stung every time.

To keep this from happening to us, as Christians, let us look at this passage more closely.

• In chapter one, John told those who walked in darkness while claiming to be saved that they were liars.

Then, in chapter two, it sounds as if John is contradicting what he said in chapter 1.

• That is, in chapter two he talks about the possibility of a Christian’s committing sin.

WHAT POINT IS JOHN TRYING TO MAKE?

He is making the point that there are three kinds of people in our churches. There are:

1. The lost, who make no profession of being saved from sin.

2. There are those who claim to be saved who are not. These are the liars.

3. There are those who are saved yet find themselves occasionally having stumbled into sin.

John, in chapter two, is addressing the latter group.

And what he is saying is that it is the WILL OF GOD THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SIN!

IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE OUR LIVES WITHOUT SIN?

Certainly it is!

If it was not possible John would not be asking them to do it!

John is discouraging sin in our lives.

Illus: Sin is like this. A man was wanting to quit his smoking, but he was convinced he could not. A man asked him:

• “Can you quit for thirty minutes?” He said, “I believe I can.”

• “Can you quit for an hour?” The man said, “I believe I can.”

• “Can you quit for six hours?” He said, “I believe I can.”

• “ Can you quit for twelve hours?” The man said, “I believe I can.”

• “Can you quit for a day?” He said, “I believe I can.”

The man was getting the point; if he could quit for short periods of time, he could quit.