If We Say… 1 john 1:6-10

Spiritual Life Principle “How serious are we?” (Self-examination) We will be identified by what we say, do and believe.

1 John 1:6-10 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Negative Falsehoods How do Christians try to cover up their sins? By telling lies! First, we tell lies to others (1 John 1:6) Once one begins to lie to others, he will sooner or later lie to himself, and our passage deals with this (1 John 1:8). But the spiritual decline becomes still worse: the next step is trying to lie to God (1 John 1:10).

Negative Falsehoods But when you do sin, you have one of two choices. You can choose to cover your sin. You can hide it, deny it, and lie to God, others, and yourself about it. Your second option is to confess your sin. Admit it to God and come clean before him and with yourself. Confession is the order of the day for a believer who sins.

Positive Truths We are to walk in the light as God is in the light - The Bible teaches us how to live day by day in a way that pleases God and avoids sin. To be in fellowship with God means more than just having an association or friendship with God. It means having a relationship with God.

Tying it all together Don’t let pride or deception get in the way of us going to God in humility and seek forgiveness. John would say to us today, that only the blood of Jesus cleanses sin.   Don’t try any other method.

Life Application I must walk in the light, as I see and recognize my sins. As I am convicted of my sins, as I walk with God, as the holiness and the light of His nature reveals them to me, I confess them. I do not care to evade or avoid them; I acknowledge and admit them to Him, and having done that, my side of the fellowship is fulfilled and the glory of the gospel is that if I do that – and how simple it is – then God will do something for me which He alone can do. He will give me joy unspeakable and full of glory!