1John 1:6-7
Different
This morning I want to preach a Sunday evening message on Sunday morning. The
reason it is a Sunday evening message is because I am preaching exclusively to
those who claim to be Christians. If you are not a Christian, you are welcome to
listen in as I will not be giving out the secret Christian handshake or anything
like that. However, I do want to repreach a message that John the Apostle
preached to Christians many centuries ago.
Christian, let me ask you a question. Do you have fellowship with God? Fellowship
is another name for salvation. So what I am asking is, "Are you sure you are saved?"
John will refer to salvation in this epistle as fellowship with God. Salvation
gives us so many things by which we can refer to salvation.
Have you been forgiven? forgiveness
Do you have a home in heaven? heaven
Have you been born again" new life
Having fellowship with God is one of the great blessings of being a Christian, but
John had seen something that was bothering him. He was seeing people who claimed
to have fellowship with God but he did not think they really did. So he deals
with it in this epistle.
Let’s see what John’s message was and what it was not.
I. John’s message was not that Christians are perfect.
A. The truth is that Christians do sin.
1John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.
1John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.
B. In both of these verses, John makes it clear that Christians sin.
C. In fact, John goes so far as to say that if you call yourself a
Christian but deny that you sin, neither the TRUTH nor the WORD is
in you.
(1) You can tell John is talking to Christians because he uses the
word ‘WE" there. He is including himself.
(2) The notion that someone might not have the TRUTH in them, means
they do not have CHRIST in them.
(a) John quotes Jesus calling Himself the TRUTH in the Gospel
of John.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
(b) That means that even though they may call themselves a
Christian, they are not.
(3) The notion that they do not have the WORD in them, means they
do not have the knowledge of the Bible in them.
(a) The Bible is THE WORD.
(b) No other Book has the Bible’s Author, the Bible’s authority,
or the Bible’s abilities.
(4) When a person claims to be a Christian but then lays claim to
some type of sinless perfection, they lack basic Bible knowledge
and understanding about sin and salvation.
(a) Salvation does not eradicate the sin nature. Salvation
defeats it.
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
(b) The Bible teaches that no sin can conquer a believer.
i. Christian, if you want to conquer sin, you can.
ii. Don’t tell me that you are a Christian and can’t control
your temper, or your mouth, or your eyes.
iii. If Christ is in your heart, you can!
(c) However, just because sin can’t conquer us, that doesn’t
mean we won’t give into sin from time to time.
i. We all have.
ii. Christians don’t have to be petty, selfish, and self-
centered—and they won’t be habitually, but we all have
days when we are less than perfect awhile.
(d) Sadly, that is just the price of having dual natures.
i. Both the old Adamic nature is in there but Christ’s
nature is in there too.
ii. That is why even the Apostle Paul acknowledged that he
was not sinless.
Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but
what I hate, that do I.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
(e) So a person who claims to be sinless, does not have the
WORD in them.
D. Christians do sin.
II. John’s message is that Christians do not habitually sin.
A. Christians will do wrong from time to time, but they are different.
1. Their attitude is different.
2. Their goals are different.
3. Their desires are different.
4. Overall, this makes their direction different.
B. You next question should be, "In what ways are Christians different?"
(I am glad you asked that question! John answers it.)
1. Christians are different in that they stop sinning.
1 John 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him.
1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from
the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
a. Remember, we have already seen that Christians do sin.
b. The key is to understand that they do not habitually do that
which is displeasing to God.
(1) The "th" on the end of these verbs indicates that it is
continuous action.
(2) A Christian might do the wrong thing, but he won’t
continue to do the wrong thing.
c. John even goes so far as to tell us why Christians won’t
continue to sin.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth
in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
(1) The Seed, I believe, is the Holy Ghost of God.
(a) The HIS in that verse is God.
(b) God has put something of Himself inside of those who
are truly His.
(c) That Something is the Holy Ghost.
(2) When a Christian sins, the Holy Ghost of God sounds off
inside of Him like a five-alarm fire bell.
(a) The Holy Ghost is our Convictor.
(b) No child has ever had a parent deal as hard with him
as the Holy Ghost deals with a Christian.
(3) You say, "When I sin, I don’t sense the Holy Ghost
dealing with me."
(a) Then you are not saved.
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye
bastards, and not sons.
(b) God deals with every child of His.
(c) If you sin and God does not deal with you, you
are not His.
2. Christians are different in that they start doing right.
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God,
and keep his commandments.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous.
a. This thought is similar to the last point but not identical.
b. In the past point, John was talking about the Christian not
doing wrong, but that is only half of the change God’s
salvation brings.
c. We are also different in that we start doing what is right;
that is, what the Bible tells us is right.
(1) The Bible tells us not only what to stop (that would be
our sins of commission), but what to start doing (that
would be our sins of omission).
(2) Get this, the Bible becomes our new rule of life.
d. Together, these two differences (stopping the wrong and
starting the right) completely change us.
C. John had noticed that not everyone who claimed to be a Christian had
this difference.
1. Some were calling themselves Christian but not living like the
Bible told them to live.
a. He lists some of the things that he had seen which were not
right.
(1) Some were filled with a hatred.
1John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in
darkness even until now.
(2) Some loved the world.
1John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any
man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
(3) Some were leaving the church.
1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been
of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they
might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
(4) Some were selfish and greedy.
1John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need,
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God
in him?
b. These inconsistencies were troubling to John. I believe they
are at the heart of why this epistle was written.
2. John makes several statements about it.
a. Those who claim to be Christians but are not different are
liars.
(1) It is John who says that not me.
(2) And john says it more than once!
1John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we
lie, and do not the truth:
1John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a
liar, and the truth is not in him.
b. Those suffering from this syndrome are actually a part of the
end time spirit.
1John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that
it is the last time.
(1) That tells me that self deception concerning salvation
is going to be a common characteristic in these last
days.
(2) Friend, I believe we are living in those last days.
(3) That is why we should pay close attention to John’s
message.
III. John’s message is that you need to be certain you have fellowship with
Christ.
A. Now get the sum of all of that John is saying.
1. The proof that you have fellowship with God is not that you are in
church, have been baptized, have read your Bible, or that compared
to someone else you are a pretty good person.
2. The proof is that you have stopped doing what the Bible says is
wrong and that you have started doing what the Bible says is
right.
3. That is not only a proof. It is THE proof.
4. You are either in Christ or not based on your obedience to the
Word of God.
B. John says that a person needs to test what kind of spirit they are
following.
1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they
are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1. Every person who calls himself a Christian needs to take a long
hard look at himself and be certain that he is saved.
2. How does your life stack up to the Word of God?
3. Be honest. Your soul could be hanging in the balance!
So we come to the question that started this message, "Do you have fellowship
with God? Are you truly saved?" If you want to know the truth, you can find it
today.
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