are you hiding from god? fellowship with god is the objective of the book. now, john gives us...

Are you hiding from God?Fellowship with God is the objective of the

book.

Now, John gives us practical principles to accomplish that.

Are you hiding from God?1 John 1:5

John focuses on what he had "heard" (v. 1-4).

"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all"

Are you hiding from God?

First,God is pure and completely lacking in moral

imperfection or deficiency.James 1:16-17

Are you hiding from God?

"and in Him is no darkness at all"

Very emphatic in the original.

Very significant practically!

Are you hiding from God?

God is not both good and bad.

How we live does matter.

God does not just accept any behavior.

Are you hiding from God?

AND, it is not inconsistent with His love for us to have clear, firm standards.

It is not loving to not want what's best for those you love, and in God's case, to demand

it.

Are you hiding from God?

In addition, it is no possible for God to do something that is wrong to you nor tempt you

to sin.

We often suggest this when we say, "Why, God? Why would you do this to me?"

Are you hiding from God?

There are other explanations that do not question His love or His holiness.

Are you hiding from God?

1 John 1:6"we" not "you"

Apostles + other believers.

This is written to and about believers.

Are you hiding from God?

Since God is light, we cannot have fellowship with Him while we live our lives in darkness.

A Christian who walks in sin has lost touch with a holy God.

Are you hiding from God?

Christians can and do fake spirituality while living in sin.

Are you hiding from God?

The idea that Christians can't live in sin is the product of theology and imagination, but not

something taught in Scripture.1 Cor. 3:1-3; Chapter 5; 11:30; 2 Pet. 1:9

Are you hiding from God?

A person who claims fellowship with God while living this way is lying and not living

consistent with the truth.

Are you hiding from God?

"practice" ="to act consistent with the truth"

Hodges

Are you hiding from God?

When Adam sinned, he hid from God.

It is critical for Christians to not hide from God, to be open with God and walk in the light.

When we do, we maintain fellowship with God.

Are you hiding from God? 1:7

"walk in the light" Not "according to" the light.

That would mean sinless perfection.

Are you hiding from God?

In the sphere where God is.

Share the light with Him.

That is fellowship.

Are you hiding from God?

"Fellowship" Something shared between two parties.

On a human level, things like time, experiences, or property.

Are you hiding from God?

If the light is not shared with God, nothing else can be shared with Him, because...

...the Light is WHAT He is and WHERE He is.1:5, 7

Are you hiding from God?

When we walk in the light, we are walking with openness, honesty before God.

When we "walk in darkness", we are hiding from God.

Are you hiding from God?

When we walk with openness before God, the result is that we have fellowship with Him.

But, how can a perfect God have fellowship with sinful people?

Are you hiding from God?

When we walk in the light, the "blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin"

Note: "cleanses" not "has cleansed"

Are you hiding from God?

When we walk in the light, two things happen:

1) We have fellowship with God and He with us.

2) We are being cleansed from all sin.

Are you hiding from God?

If we don't hide from God and keep our relationship open, our sinful habits and failures

do not stop us from fellowship with Him.

God treats us as those who are clean!

Are you hiding from God?

This is not the positional cleansing all believers receive when they are saved.

This is an ongoing cleansing that allows imperfect children to fellowship with a perfect

God!

Are you hiding from God? 1:8

But, as we fellowship with God, we may fail to realize that cleansing. We may think we don't

have issues with sin, that we are free from sin, at least at that time.

Are you hiding from God? 1:8

To make that claim is to "deceive ourselves".

When we say that the "truth is not in us".

Are you hiding from God?

That is, the truth is not a controlling, effective, dynamic within us.

Are you hiding from God?

Notice again: "we" and "us".

Christians, even Apostles, can be tempted to say that.

Are you hiding from God? 1:9

Rather than deny our sinfulness, we need to be ready to acknowledge it.

When we walk in the light, we are in a position for God to show us our failures and then

confess them.

Are you hiding from God?

This is different than repentance which involves ongoing patterns, persistent sins.

Are you hiding from God?

When we confess ("agree, admit, acknowledge") our sins, God always forgives

them and cleanses us from all unrighteousness so the fellowship continues unbroken.

Are you hiding from God?

IntegrityPsalm 51:6

Psalm 66:18Proverbs 28:13

Are you hiding from God? 1:10

But, there is always a temptation that instead of responding to the light and confessing, that

a believer will say he hasn't sinned.

Are you hiding from God? 1:10

To make that claim is to say God is a liar and to deny what His word says.

In essence, we are saying God is untruthful.

Are you hiding from God? 2:1

We could misunderstand John's point.

We may think he means that sin is inevitable and that he is discouraging our resistance to it.

Are you hiding from God? 2:1

If we truly see walk in the light and see sin as sin, as God sees it (1:7, 9), we will understand

that John is writing so that we will not sin.

However, there is also a reality to life...

Are you hiding from God? 2:1

When we sin, God does not abandon us.

Just as He did with Peter (Luke 22:31-33), Jesus works as our Advocate to help us to

recover from our failures.

Are you hiding from God? 2:1

And, when we are unrighteous, He is the Righteous One, perfectly equipped to help.

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

When we sin and the Son intercedes for us, the Father's eyes fall on One who has completely

satisfied concerning any sin we might commit!

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

Beyond amazing is that the satisfaction extends to all of humanity!

John 1:29; 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:19 "to them"; 1 Tim. 2:4 "all men"

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

The removal of the sin barrier does not automatically bring regeneration and eternal

life.

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

While God's judicial requirements have been met, Scripture teaches that sinners still remain dead, in need of life, and "alienated from God"

(Eph. 4:18)

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

It is significant that the book of John says the issues with sinners is the need for life.

This is the same teaching of Eph. 2:1-10 and is why unbelievers are condemned at the Great

White Throne of judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

Sadly, men think their works will give them life, but they will not (Rom. 3:20).

Eternal life is therefore available to all, but not automatic!

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

Any of us may be tempted to ask, "Is my sin too great for God to forgive?"

The answer is that NO ONE'S sin is too great for God to forgive!

Are you hiding from God? 2:2

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

There is no reason to hide!