1John 1:6-7 – Different – Bible study

1John 1:6-7 Different This morning I want to preach a Sunday evening message on Sunday morning. The reason it is a Sunday evening message is because I am preaching exclusively to those who claim to be Christians. If you are not a Christian, you are welcome to listen in as I will not be giving out the secret Christian handshake or anything like that. However, I do want to repreach a message that John the Apostle preached to Christians many centuries ago. Christian, let me ask you a question. Do you have fellowship with God? Fellowship is another name for salvation. So what I am asking is, "Are you sure you are saved?" John will refer to salvation in this epistle as fellowship with God. Salvation gives us so many things by which we can refer to salvation. Have you been forgiven? forgiveness Do you have a home in heaven? heaven Have you been born again" new life Having fellowship with God is one of the great blessings of being a Christian, but John had seen something that was bothering him. He was seeing people who claimed to have fellowship with God but he did not think they really did. So he deals with it in this epistle. Lets see what Johns message was and what it was not. I. Johns message was not that Christians are perfect. A. The truth is that Christians do sin. 1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. B. In both of these verses, John makes it clear that Christians sin. C. In fact, John goes so far as to say that if you call yourself a Christian but deny that you sin, neither the TRUTH nor the WORD is in you. (1) You can tell John is talking to Christians because he uses the word WE" there. He is including himself. (2) The notion that someone might not have the TRUTH in them, means they do not have CHRIST in them. (a) John quotes Jesus calling Himself the TRUTH in the Gospel of John. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (b) That means that even though they may call themselves a Christian, they are not. (3) The notion that they do not have the WORD in them, means they do not have the knowledge of the Bible in them. (a) The Bible is THE WORD. (b) No other Book has the Bibles Author, the Bibles authority, or the Bibles abilities. (4) When a person claims to be a Christian but then lays claim to some type of sinless perfection, they lack basic Bible knowledge and understanding about sin and salvation. (a) Salvation does not eradicate the sin nature. Salvation defeats it. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (b) The Bible teaches that no sin can conquer a believer. i. Christian, if you want to conquer sin, you can. ii. Dont tell me that you are a Christian and cant control your temper, or your mouth, or your eyes. iii. If Christ is in your heart, you can! (c) However, just because sin cant conquer us, that doesnt mean we wont give into sin from time to time. i. We all have. ii. Christians dont have to be petty, selfish, and self- centeredand they wont be habitually, but we all have days when we are less than perfect awhile. (d) Sadly, that is just the price of having dual natures. i. Both the old Adamic nature is in there but Christs nature is in there too. ii. That is why even the Apostle Paul acknowledged that he was not sinless. Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (e) So a person who claims to be sinless, does not have the WORD in them. D. Christians do sin. II. Johns message is that Christians do not habitually sin. A. Christians will do wrong from time to time, but they are different. 1. Their attitude is different. 2. Their goals are different. 3. Their desires are different. 4. Overall, this makes their direction different. B. You next question should be, "In what ways are Christians different?" (I am glad you asked that question! John answers it.) 1. Christians are different in that they stop sinning. 1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. a. Remember, we have already seen that Christians do sin. b. The key is to understand that they do not habitually do that which is displeasing to God. (1) The "th" on the end of these verbs indicates that it is continuous action. (2) A Christian might do the wrong thing, but he wont continue to do the wrong thing. c. John even goes so far as to tell us why Christians wont continue to sin. 1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1) The Seed, I believe, is the Holy Ghost of God. (a) The HIS in that verse is God. (b) God has put something of Himself inside of those who are truly His. (c) That Something is the Holy Ghost. (2) When a Christian sins, the Holy Ghost of God sounds off inside of Him like a five-alarm fire bell. (a) The Holy Ghost is our Convictor. (b) No child has ever had a parent deal as hard with him as the Holy Ghost deals with a Christian. (3) You say, "When I sin, I dont sense the Holy Ghost dealing with me." (a) Then you are not saved. Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (b) God deals with every child of His. (c) If you sin and God does not deal with you, you are not His. 2. Christians are different in that they start doing right. 1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. a. This thought is similar to the last point but not identical. b. In the past point, John was talking about the Christian not doing wrong, but that is only half of the change Gods salvation brings. c. We are also different in that we start doing what is right; that is, what the Bible tells us is right. (1) The Bible tells us not only what to stop (that would be our sins of commission), but what to start doing (that would be our sins of omission). (2) Get this, the Bible becomes our new rule of life. d. Together, these two differences (stopping the wrong and starting the right) completely change us. C. John had noticed that not everyone who claimed to be a Christian had this difference. 1. Some were calling themselves Christian but not living like the Bible told them to live. a. He lists some of the things that he had seen which were not right. (1) Some were filled with a hatred. 1John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. (2) Some loved the world. 1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (3) Some were leaving the church. 1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (4) Some were selfish and greedy. 1John 3:17 But whoso hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? b. These inconsistencies were troubling to John. I believe they are at the heart of why this epistle was written. 2. John makes several statements about it. a. Those who claim to be Christians but are not different are liars. (1) It is John who says that not me. (2) And john says it more than once! 1John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 1John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. b. Those suffering from this syndrome are actually a part of the end time spirit. 1John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1) That tells me that self deception concerning salvation is going to be a common characteristic in these last days. (2) Friend, I believe we are living in those last days. (3) That is why we should pay close attention to Johns message. III. Johns message is that you need to be certain you have fellowship with Christ. A. Now get the sum of all of that John is saying. 1. The proof that you have fellowship with God is not that you are in church, have been baptized, have read your Bible, or that compared to someone else you are a pretty good person. 2. The proof is that you have stopped doing what the Bible says is wrong and that you have started doing what the Bible says is right. 3. That is not only a proof. It is THE proof. 4. You are either in Christ or not based on your obedience to the Word of God. B. John says that a person needs to test what kind of spirit they are following. 1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1. Every person who calls himself a Christian needs to take a long hard look at himself and be certain that he is saved. 2. How does your life stack up to the Word of God? 3. Be honest. Your soul could be hanging in the balance! So we come to the question that started this message, "Do you have fellowship with God? Are you truly saved?" If you want to know the truth, you can find it today.