Embrace Righteousness and Renounce Evil
Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 10 March 2001 19:00
1 John 1:5 - 10
“(5) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (6) If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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, purifies us from all sin. (8) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
1 John 2:1-4
“ (1) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (2) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (3) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. (4) The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
The background for John’s analogy of light and dark comes from Jesus himself, but many of the passages are of the sort that makes me go, “say what?”
“I am the light of the world,” Jesus once said. “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
On another occasion Jesus was told his good friend Lazarus was in Judea dying. “We must go back to Judea,” he said to his disciples. “But Rabbi,” they protested, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble for he sees by this world’s light. It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”
And again, after Jesus had predicted his own death on one occasion, he said, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light before darkness overtakes you.”
Fortunately, John acts kind of like an interpreter. He spells it out in a way that makes more sense to me.
And then John underscores the main point in 2:5,
1 John 2:5
"(5) But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him."
Now I'll read to you from 1 John 1:5-10 ...
1 John 1:5 - 10
“(5) This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (6) If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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, purifies us from all sin.
In other words, if you know God you will come out of the darkness and walk in the light. You will embrace what is right and turn away from what is wrong. But if you’re anything like me you need a little more help. How do we do this? How do we come out of the dark?
- Do what is right
Always choose to do what is right. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John got the message didn’t he? “The one who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that one. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
This is not because God wants to make us jump through moral hoops or because God is trying to be the fun police. God created us. He knows what will make our lives function at their greatest efficiency. He knows what will allow for the most long-term success and joy. This is the kind of life He commands us to live. God says, in effect, “I command you to go and do what will be in your long term best interest.” And we still have a hard time obeying.
John actually takes the time to list out some of the benefits of long-term obedience for us. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,” John says, “we will have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, the Son, purifies us from all sin.”
That is, if we do what is right (1) we have the certainty of improved relationships with others.
- Koinonia with others
- Does not give cause-effect relationship. Just listed as a certainty.
- If in long-term conflict may be because you have not made it a life habit to do the right thing.
If we do what is right, (2) our lives will be bleached clean.
- Doesn’t give philosophical explanation. Just tells matter of factly.
- “All” sin. Nothing uncovered.
- Always do what is right.
Ask for forgiveness/cleansing. And when you don’t do what is right, ask for forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- Begins with our admission. Not automatic.
- No other condition
- Based not on us, not on our merit. But on Him. On his faithfulness and justness.
- This is not a license to sin. See 2:1. But an acknowledgement of the limits of our willpower.
- Receive forgiveness/cleansing
“If anyone does sin,” John says, “we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
- Sometimes most difficult part of forgiveness process is receiving it.
- We want/need to feel we deserve it.
- Atoning = “at-one-ing”
- True for anyone who asks
- Critical part of coming out of the dark. Guilt keeps us in the dark.
- Know your spiritual condition
This is really the main idea of John’s lesson and one of the main themes of his whole letter. Know where you stand with God.
- This teaching is peppered with one-two punch of exposing the deceitful/encouraging the dedicated
- Know your spiritual condition this morning. Don’t make false claims.
Deborah Lynn Donnelly is in trouble in Florida. She was arrested recently and if convicted she must pay a stiff fine and serve jail time. It seems Deborah informed her insurance carrier of her husband’s death and received a check made out to his estate for $4,112. A year later after a company investigation, it was discovered that Deborah had forged the check and taken the money for herself and her still alive now ex-husband knew nothing about the claim.
You can get in a lot of legal trouble making false claims. This is also true spiritually. Know your spiritual condition.
There are two impediments to knowing your spiritual condition.
- Self DECEPTION (Verse 1:6)
- Doubt