The Way to Seek and Maintain Communion with God

FROM: FEBRUARY 12 @ 18, 2019

TOPIC: “The Way to Seek and Maintain Communion with God" 1 John 1:5-9

Communion describes a situation in which two or more people share things in common. John now begins to instruct his readers about the requirements to have COMMUNION WITH GOD!

I. (Vs. 5) John had listened to the words of Jesus for three years, that is why he was able to say "...and declare to you..."

A. The apostle appealed to the teachings of the Lord while he was here on earth.

1. The sum and substance of His teaching was that, God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him!

2. He taught that God is absolutely HOLY, absolutely JUST, and absolutely PURE!

3. God cannot look with favor at any form of sin.

4. Nothing is hidden to Him, but rather "...everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).

5. (Vs. 6) John continues to teach that in order to have communion with God, there can be no concealment of sins in the person!

6. It is not how much you say of God, that if He is your Lord or if you speak this or that about Him, here John makes it clear: to have communion with God, there can be no hidden sins!

7. Light and darkness cannot exist together in a person's life!

8. If someone walks in darkness he is not in communion with God! "If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, WE LIE AND DO NOT LIVE BY THE TRUTH."

9. Who says to have communion with Him and walks habitually in darkness, has absolutely not been saved!

10. (Vs. 7) On the other hand, if someone walks in the light, then he can have Communion WITH THE LORD and WITH THE BROTHERS!

11. According to John, what he heard directly from Jesus was that there are TWO WAYS TO LIVE: the person is either in the light or in the darkness! There is no other way, there is no other option than these two.

12. If someone is in the light, he is a member of God's family!

13. If he is in darkness, he has nothing in common with God. This can be clearly understood; it is because in God there is no darkness!

14. Those who walk in the light, that is the Christians, have communion with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses them from all sin.

15. (Vs. 8) "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.") Communion with God demands that we acknowledge the truth about ourselves!

16. Denying that we have a sin nature indicates self-deception and falsehood.

17. We live in the nature of man! When we convert, it means that the implantation of the new nature that comes from God comes to us! It is a new nature WITH POWER to be able to live victoriously over the sin that dwells in us.

18. Let us walk daily in communion with God and with our fellow believers!

19. (Vs. 9) We are to confess our sins: the sins OF COMMISSION (those of committing or incurring in a fault or blame), sins OF OMISSION (those of failing to do what is right), sins OF THOUGHTS, SECRETS sins and PUBLIC sins.

20. We are to drag our sins into the open field before God, call them by their names, stand with God against them and abandon them!

21. Yes, true confession involves the abandonment of sins! "He who conceals his sins does not prosper; but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Proverbs 28:13).

22. It is His promise: God is faithful and just to forgive us!

23. He promised to forgive and will fulfill His promise!

24. And cleanse us from all wickedness!

25. (Vs. 10) In order to be in communion with God, we should not deny that we have committed acts of sin.

26. If we deny our sins, it is to make Him a liar!

27. May all our sins be brought before His presence, confessed and abandoned!

28. We should be open and totally sincere about our condition, and see that there is no hypocrisy or concealment of who we really are!

29. In this way we will obtain and maintain COMMUNION WITH GOD! Amen.