
AUTHENTIC FAITH: Walking & Talking?
Sunday, June 8, 2025 AM
Mike Teel, Pastor
FOCAL PASSAGE:
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 and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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 is not in us. —I John 1:5-10
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—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 keep His commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: 6 Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. —I John 2:1-6
ACCORDING TO JOHN
1. SIN IS
—Sin is not just simply outward disobedience; Sin is also inner rebellion or desire.
—Here sin is transgression of the law or literally, “lawlessness.”
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
—I John 3:4
—Sin is refusal to submit to the law of God.
# 2.
OF SIN
—Neither in the Old Testament nor in the New does the Bible whitewash the sins of the saints.
3.
IN THE BATTLE
—The fact that Christians sin bothers some people—especially new Christians.
—In fact, new Christians often think when they sin, they have to be saved all over again.
—They forget that their receiving the new nature does not eliminate the old nature they were born with.
In the next few weeks, we will learn three ways we deal with our sin –
WE CAN TRY TO
OUR SINS
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.
—I John 1:5
1. CONSIDER THE
OF SALVATION
—When we were saved, God called us out of darkness into His light.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. —I Peter 2:9
—We become children of light.
5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. —I Thessalonians 5:5
—Those who do wrong (sin) hate light.
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. —John 3:19-21
—If we are walking in the light, the darkness has to go.
—If we are holding to sin, then light goes.
2. HOW DO CHRISTIANS TRY TO
THEIR SINS?
—There are a number of expressions but all point to on method – by telling lies!
A. First, we tell lies to
.
B. We begin to lie to
.
C. Attempt to lie to
.
—When we look at the human heart through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, we see how devastating and corrupt the heart is.
Believers lie about …
—Their FELLOWSHIP: I John 1:6
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. —I John 1:6
—About our NATURE: I John 1:8
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. —I John 1:8
—And about our ACTIONS: I John 1:10
10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. —I John 1:10
—Sin has a deadly way of spreading, doesn’t it?
3. WHAT’S
IN THIS DECEPTION
—There are several things we lose at this point in our Christian life:
A. We lose our ability to be honest.
B. We lose our connection to the Word.
C. We lose our fellowship.
D. Bottom line cost.
—One problem with dishonesty is that just keeping a record of our lies and pretense becomes a full-time job.
—The person is no longer a liar because he tells lies; he now tells lies because he is a liar.
—David attempted to cover his sins, and it cost him his health (Psalms 32:3-4), his joy (Psalms 51), his family, and almost his kingdom.
—If we want to enjoy the life that is real, we must never cover our sins.
—What should we do?
To be continued…
LIVE IT OUT
—How is sin battling for control of your life?
—How are you allowing yourself to believe in a lie?
—How are you attempting to convince others you are okay spiritually?
—What have you allowed yourself to see that is demanding the long look?
—How has God indicated to you to deal with sin in your life?
—Will you take the first step by taking ownership of your own sin?