Sunday, March 13, 2016

Inductive Bible Study March 8

Tuesday March 8, 2016
IBS

1 John 1:5-7

This message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

I want to walk in the light. As a sinner, I can’t deceive myself by saying I have no sin. 1 John 1:8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” The first step to entering into fellowship with God is admitting who we really are, sinners. Confessing this to God, we are forgiven and cleansed from our sin. By confessing our sins, His word is now in us. This word means living in the light in fellowship with Him. Another bonus to walking in the light is having fellowship with one another. In chapter 2, verse 10, it says, “He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” Jesus’ two commandments are that we love God and love our neighbor. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light,” as 1 John 1:7 says, “we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

As a Christian, this light is not always in me. Sometimes I deceive myself and say that I am walking with God, even though I have not confessed my sins. I have to come back to God so I can walk in the light again. 1 John 2:1 says, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I do not lose my salvation after I’ve put my faith in Him, but I can walk out of fellowship. I do not want to enter into heaven on a thread. I want my salvation to be assured, without any doubts. Verse 28 of 1 John 2 says, “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” I want to have this confidence, without any shame, when Jesus appears again at the end of the age when He comes.


Application: Today I want to truly be in fellowship with God and with others. I don’t want to walk in darkness, with blinded eyes. I want to be confident in my salvation, without any shame. Today I am going to set aside an hour of my day to seek God and pray for this fellowship.

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