Walking and Talking

Be RealI John 1:5-2:6

• The life that is real has an enemy: sinSin: 9 times

• Contrast:– Light vs darkness– Saying vs doing (talking vs walking)

• Sin is an outward disobedience & inward rebellion or desire– Desires of the flesh & eyes & pride of life

(I John 2:16)– Sin is lawlessness or transgression of

the law (3:4)– Refusal to submit to the law of God

• Amos 3:3 – Can two walk together except they be agreed?

– Examples of the saints• Abraham• Peter

– Old nature vs new nature (Gal. 5:16-26)• Purpose to warn us, not discourage us• Story of the complaining member

concerning a pastor who preached sin

• We Can Try to Cover Our Sins (1:5-6, 10; 2:4)– God is light and in Him is no darkness

• I Peter 2:9• I Thess 5:5• John 3: 19-21• Eph 5: 8-13

– How Christians cover up?• We tell lies to others (1:6)• We soon or later lie to ourselves (1:8)

– Deceiving others and ourselves– David

• We lie to God (1:10)– Apply God to others, not ourselves

• Honesty with ourselves, others, and God

– Losses• We loses the Word (1:6)

– Stop doing the truth (1:6)– Truth no longer in him (1:8)– Truth into lies (1:10)

• He loses blessing from the Bible• He loses fellowship with God and His people

(1:6-7)– Prayer becomes empty– Dull worshipCritical of others– Staying away from the church– “What communion hath light with darkness?” (I

Cor 6:14)

• He loses his character (2:4)– Process: telling lies lead to becoming a liar– Habit to destiny– He that covereth sins shall not prosper (Prov.

28:13)

• We Can Confess Our Sins (1:7,9)

– Propitiation: satisfying of God’s law• God is light & love• Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world• In dictionary “to appease someone who is

angry”

– Advocate for the believers• Used to apply to lawyers• In gospel “one called alongside”: Holy Spirit

– On earth sacrifice for sin– In heaven He represents us before God’s

throne• As a High Priest He sympathizes with us with

our weaknesses & temptations (Heb 4:15-16,7:23-28)

• As an Advocate He helps us when we sin

– Confess: to say the same thing about• To say the same thing about sin when God

says it• Agree

– True confession: naming the sin – calling it what God calls it

– Being honest with ourselves and God & if others are involved, others also with

– When we confess God promises to forgive (I John 1:9)

– God is faithful & just

– Cleansing: judicial & personal• Judicial: the blood of Christ delivers us from the

guilt of sin & give us the right standing (justification) before God

• Personal: inward cleansing

– “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps 51:10)– By His Spirit and through His Word (John 15:3)– David– When?: immediately when we discover it– “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but

whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy

• We Can Conquer Our Sins (2:1-3, 5-6)– The secret of the victory over sin: walk

in the light• Sincere: sin & cera (Latin): without wax• Walking in the light: be open and honest, be

sincere (Phil 1:10)• Obeying God’s Word (2:3-4)

– “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet” (Ps. 119:105)

– Obedience to God’s Word: proof of our love for Him• Motives: because we have to, because we

need to, & because we want to• “If you love me, keep my commandments”

(John 14:15)• Baby Christians : warned or rewarded

constantly• Mature Christians: obey because of God’s love

– Abiding in Christ• He is the Perfect Pattern

– “As He is” (4:17)» “as he is in the light” (1:7)» “as he is pure” (3:3)» “even as he is righteous” (7)

• Practical application

• Vine & the branches (John 15)– Depend completely on Jesus for all we need in

order to live for Him and serve Him

• Advocate (intercession): Jesus in heaven (2:1) & Holy Spirit on earth (Rom 8:34)

• Jesus pray for us in heaven & Holy Spirit prays for us on earth

• We have fellowship with the Father through Jesus & the Father has fellowship with us through the Spirit

• “Christ lives in me” through the Holy Spirit– To walk in the light: to walk in the Spirit & not for

the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16)

• We must know ourselves, accept ourselves, & yield ourselves to God before walking (living) in the light

• When walking in the light we please only one Person – God

– “Ought to walk and please God” (I Thess 4:1)– We can’t serve two masters: God & self

We must walk the talk (James 1:22)