" True Confessions "

1John 1:8-2:2

Intro: The focus of John’s Epistle is on fellowship w/ God ! Real life is about knowing God / walking in fellowship w/ God

  1. And enjoying what it means to have a relationship w/ Him!
  1. In Johns Epistle there are 3 re-occurring themes in the book that reveal the Characteristics of those who Know God & are Living in fellowship w/ Him

1) Seen in Where we walk / How we love / & What we believe
  1. In our study last time we looked at this 1st Characteristic (Where we walk )
    1. as John pointed out that the person who knows God walks in the Light & not in darkness

This morning we are going to continue looking at this theme of where we walk as we see that the person who knows God not only walks in the Light A) But he also walks in Reality: To put it another way he has a proper view of Himself ! A TRUE CONFESSION v.8,10 again

  1. John is saying that the person who knows God/ in fellowship w/ God / is not only walking in the light / but he knows he is a sinner !

1) Sin = to miss the mark - archers - miss the bulls eye - perfection

  1. Person walking in the light realizes he is a sinner - need of God’s grace

 

Now as we look at V.8& 10 at 1st glance it is hard to believe that any person in his right mind would claim either of these things

  1. I have no sin - ( Some how ceased to sin ) or I have not sinned ( never sinned or I am not a sinner )

B) Yet both of these ideas are actually very popular in our society, they may not be expressed exactly this way but there are those who are saying the same thing !

    1. And This morning as we look at this passage / discuss 4 ways people deal w/ sin

1st way very popular -also oldest way : Some say they have no sin by making excuses for their sin ! ( been going on since the beginning of mans History!

  1. Eve said in the garden It was the serpents fault he tricked me / or to put it in modern day terminology the devil made me do it!
  1. Adam also said it wasn’t his fault " Its the woman that you gave me God ! It is not my fault Lord its hers or its yours for bringing her into my life !
    1. I wonder how many men have used that line before - Sorry boss it was my wife's fault
  1. True confession - pastor : Not long ago I received a ticket for not wearing my seat belt . ( stiff penalty in Or.)
    1. Had 30 days to pay this ticket / I kept the ticket in my wallet for 29 days
  1. On the 29th day that morning I said to my wife / Please put this in the mail for me today ( it was a Sat. ) She forgot - I got on her case !
    1. Since it was Sat. I couldn’t send it until Mon. it was going to be 3 days late / meant another fine
  1. On Mon. I decided to go down to the court house in person beg for mercy /nice clothes / look presentable . /

F)When I got there I walked up to the desk showed them my ticket explained it was late & said I gave it to my wife to mail & she forgot to send it in

    1. It was the woman you gave me Lord !

 

Oh how we like to make excuses for our sin / Popular in court cases today

Perhaps you remember the story of the San Francisco city supervisor claimed he murdered a fellow supervisor and Mayor George Moscone because too much junk food-especially Hostess Twinkies-made him act irrationally. Thus the famous "Twinkie" defense was born. "The jury bought the line and produced a verdict of voluntary manslaughter rather than murder."' They ruled that the junk food resulted in "diminished mental capacity," which mitigated the killer's guilt. He was out of prison before the mayor's next term would have been complete. -

In two separate cases in England: a barmaid who stabbed another woman to death in a barroom brawl, and a woman who angrily drove her car into her lover were both acquitted of murder claiming that a heavy case of (PMS) caused them to act in ways they could not control. Both received therapy rather than punishment.'

Sad what is taking place court rooms today ! Excuses / Sad the excuses people are making today for their sin!
  1. For those who seek to make excuses for their sin the Lord says You are deceived & the truth is not in you

B) Every man is going to have to answer for his own sin ! Bible declares that the wages of sin is death ! Stand before the Lord - excuses are not going to fly -

    1. and if you have not trusted in Christ to cover your sin - You are going to be on your own = trouble

 

This type of deception leads to another popular method of dealing w/ sin today - 2nd way not make excuses but Redefine it !

  1. In fact sin is not a very popular word these days even in many Christian

circles ( Radio Christian Psychologist - Sinner worst thing )

  1. So we see people inside the church & out who are saying we have no sin / or we have sinned / I wasn’t lying - credibility gap
    1. Not adultery its an affair / Lust - its love Those things might sound better but it is still sin !
  1. These days everything wrong with humanity is likely to be explained as an illness. what we used to call sin is more easily diagnosed as a disability
    1. All kinds of immorality & evil conduct are now identified as symptoms of this or that psychological illness or disorder

D)The American Psychiatric Association publishes a thick book to help therapists to diagnosis some of these new diseases.

· conduct Disorder - a persistent pattern of conduct in which the basic rights of others / norms or rules are violated.'

· Oppositional Defiant Disorder - "a pattern of negative hostile, and defiant behavior"

· Historic Personality Disorder - 'a pervasive pattern of excessive emotional behavior & and attention-seeking."

·

Read about A FBI agent was fired after he embezzled two thousand dollars then gambled it away in a single afternoon at a casino. Later he sued arguing that his gambling addiction was a disability, so his firing was an act of illegal discrimination. He won the case!

Moreover, the therapy he was ordered to under go for the gambling addiction had to be funded under his health-care insurance, just as if he had been suffering appendicitis or an ingrown toenail

A) Listen it is a lot easier to say I am sick than I am a sinner / But redefining my sin is only like sweeping dirt under the carpet / attempt to hide it

    1. Problem though is it doesn’t deal w/ the fact that our sin is a serious offense against a holy / all Knowing / all powerful God !

C) Guilt has become the " G " word - not supposed to ever feel guilty !

But really we feel guilty because we are guilty

    1. Redefining our sin doesn’t remove our guilt !

Again the Person who seeks to say I have no sin - by seeking to redefine his/ her sin ! John says you are deceived truth is not in you

  1. And when you stand before the Lord & say I had such & such disorder - it is not my fault I did what I did /
  1. The Lord will respond It is sin - You have missed the mark

 

3rd way people try do deal w/ sin is by seeking to ignore it

  1. This is often done by focusing on the sins of others / that mentality that says - I’m ok compared to him - he is really rotten !
  2. In a moderate city back east there were these 2 Brothers who were two very rotten individuals / they were the cause of much of the crime in that area
    1. Prostitutes / gambling / you name it they had a part in it !

Result they had become very wealthy -
  1. The older of the the two brothers was killed in an auto accident - and his younger brother wanted to have a nice funeral for his brother ( who do it?)
    1. So he approached a pastor of one of the local churches / this particular Pastor had a church / building was in need of a lot of repairs
  1. Congregation was growing & really they needed a new facility / So this younger brother said to the Pastor
    1. I see you are in need of a new facility / make a deal / You perform my brothers funeral & tell the people in this town my bro . was a saint
  1. I will give you 2 million dollars / you can build a new building !
    1. Pastor thought for a moment - looked at Cross hanging / building / then at the brother / grin on face I’ll do it one condition - Check now !

The day of the funeral came - place was packed people wanted to see what this pastor was going to say about this guy !

  1. Pastor began - This guy was a dirty rotten scoundrel - who caused this community nothing but trouble /worst individuals I ever met - but compared to his younger brother - saint

 

  1. I can compare myself to others / I can always find some one who is worse off than me / problem is I need to compare myself w/ Jesus!

1) Whom it says He was tempted in all ways as we are yet w/ out sin !

HE IS THE STANDARD ! COMPARED HIM I FAIL miserably

  1. But There are those who tend to categorize sin / murder, adultery , fornication

Drunkenness they say I haven’t done those things / I’m ok

  1. Doctrine of sinless perfection / which says I have reached a point where I have ceased to sin/ so spiritual I just don’t sin anymore

Dd) Usually very self righteous people / who don’t see their own sin because they are so focused on the sins of others !

    1. Might not be drinking / partying / fornicating / but what about gossip /lying / judging / what about Pride . What about the heart

D) Jesus made it real clear in Matt.5 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

28 "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

  1. Your outward appearance might be great ! / But Jesus sees what is going on in the heart ! heart betrays us

 

Person who seeks to ignore His sin / is not only deceived but even more serious because John says in v. 10 You make God a liar

  1. God said Rom. 3:23 All have sinned & have fallen short of the glory of God
  1. Last time I looked all in the Grk. Means all - Like Belshazzar in Dan. 5 who took of the temple vessels drank / praised the gods of gold silver iron stone
    1. Hand appeared on the wall - writing - Mene….. tekel….

You have been weighed in the balances & found wanting

  1. For the person who ignores / denies or makes excuses for their sin the result is the same You will be weighed in the balances & found wanting

D)So does that mean we are all doomed ! Since all sinned / all fallen short

since wages of sin is death ?

4th Response we see here in our passage : V.9 Confess

  1. Word confess = to say the same as - or to see my sin the way God sees it /

to call it what it is /

  1. To see it the way God does is to hate it ! For God is light & in Him is no darkness at all - to see it as the very reason Christ went to cross /
    1. Reason God poured out His wrath upon His own son !
  1. To confess it & see it in that mind set carries w/ it the idea of Repentance / which means to turn away from it ! Go the opposite direction
    1. Because I am calling it what God calls it/ and I am seeing it the way He sees it I am not going to want any part of it !

 

Now when I confess it - He is faithful & Just to forgive me & Cleanse me …

  1. So great He forgives & forgets my sin - Forgiven & forgotten ?
  1. Aaron How does He do that ?
    1. Eddie pops me nose - Forgive him yes ( Probably) never forget

God has the ability to chose to put something out of our memory !

C) Puts it as far as the east is from the west ! ( So glad didn’t say N. to So.)

    1. Mercies are new every morning !

Cc) Peter how much forgive 7 times ? 7x70 / 490? No limit to god’s forgiveness

1) Let me give you a mental picture

  1. Sam Duncan / normal guy w/ a neat ministry !
    1. Newton's Amazing Grace ! Poem / Niagara falls

Have you on the Lord believed? Still there’s more to follow.

Of His grace have you received? Still there’s more to follow.

Oh, the grace the Father shows, still there’s more to follow.

Freely He His grace bestows; still there’s more to follow.

More and more and more and more. Always more to follow.

Oh, His matchless, boundless love, still there’s more to follow.

Underneath his picture of Niagara Falls, Sam titled the picture with the appropriate words: "More to Follow!"

Does that mean we can just cruise / live however we want / because God is Gracious & merciful & I can always go running back to Him!

  1. No in fact John continues on in Chapt. 2 to say I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin !
  1. Two thoughts implied here one is as I mentioned earlier Repentance is involved in confession !

1) As I see sin the way God sees it I will not want any part of it !

Bb) 2nd God’s grace doesn’t lead me to sin more/ but to love Him more

  1. I love Him because He 1st loved me ! Kindness that leads us to repentance !
    1. Lesson here : Gods grace, mercy & forgiveness encourages me to lead a holy life !

D) John says I am writing this to you so you may not sin

    1. Key understanding I no longer have to sin ! Not in bondage anymore but when I do sin

 

But then John says if anyone sins we have an advocate w/ the father…

  1. fact of the matter is until we are absent from these bodies & present w/ the Lord we will still sin / fall at times / blow it/ what do we do?

  1. We have an advocate : or "one who speaks ... in our defense." This is a legal term, in Greek as in English;

    1. It means literally "one called alongside of" and describes anyone who is called upon to help another, particularly in a court of law.

  1. It is easy to see, how John can use the word to describe Jesus; for he simply means that Jesus is the One called in to help us before the judgment bar of God.

Cc) Satan is the accuser of the brethren / when we fall he rushes in before the Lord says Look at him / her / demands the death penalty

  1. And Jesus our Advocate or defense attorney Doesn’t seek to make excuses for our sin / get us off the hook - Bad day / wrong side of bed / stress/

1) He admits we are guilty: He says yes father true but look at me / my scars and on the basis of my shed blood - I paid for that sin in full

E) This is what is so radical we are totally guilty to be sent up the river but He paid the price in full !

 

Not only is Jesus our advocate but He is the Propitiation for our sins also the sins of the world !

  1. The word propitiation is an interesting word in the O.T. is "mercy seat." the mercy seat was that golden slab that sat on top of the ark of God

  1. In the Holy of Holies sat the Ark - represented the presence of God!

    1. inside ark was the law of God / 10 commandments

  1. Veil blocked entrance - can’t enter unless kept the law - to the letter

  1. But one day a year - Day Atonement - lamb slain - Blood - enter into veil

    1. See ark - God’s presence - but He wouldn’t see the law of God

  1. Because on top of ark was a lid - called Mercy Seat - covered the law

    1. take blood - lamb - sprinkled it on the lid meant Sins were covered

Mercy Seat is same word here: propitiation = covering

  1. Law said guilty - sinner - miss mark

1) Jesus propitiation / He is the mercy seat -by His blood my sins are covered

  1. John is saying We have an advocate on the basis of the blood poured out on the cross of Calvary.

C) Because he is the propitiation for our sins, we can be forgiven when we sin and God will send our sins away from us.

A seventeen-year-old was arrested for reckless driving in a rural community. As he was brought into court, he was relieved to see that his father was the presiding judge. An hour later, the judge rendered his decision. 'Your reckless driving,' he said, 'has endangered the people of our community. Consequently, justice must be served, which will cost you $ 1, 000, or one year in jail.'

The bailiff approached, ready to take the boy to jail when the judge stood up, took off his robe, and left the bench to stand by his son. 'Behind the bench,' he said, 'I was your judge. But here beside you, I stand as your father,' as he took a checkbook from his pocket and paid the boy's fine.

That's precisely what the Lord did for us when He left the bench of heaven to come to earth as the Babe of Bethlehem - to write the check of redemption, to pay the price of propitiation. Covered our debt

Now, if the young man in the illustration, following his dad's offer to pay his fine said, 'Get out of here, Dad. Why did you have to pronounce such harsh judgment in the first place?

I'd rather take my chances in jail than to accept charity from you,' no one would feel sorry for him: no one would shed a tear on his behalf.

So too, no tears will be shed for those who fail to take a hold of the gift God gave in His Son

  1. How could a loving God send people to Hell ? Answer is He doesn’t / He sent His only son to be the Propitiation ( covering for the sins of the world )

  1. You can go to Hell if you want but it will be over my dead body -

over His shed blood !