Dear church family and friends.

I hope this “Refresco” finds you doing well. Know that I am praying for you this week. May the Lord sustain you and give you the strength to do whatever He has assigned you. May the Lord bless you as you study the passage for this coming Sunday.

This Sunday we will be looking at: (1 John 1:5-10 emphasis added) “5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Nobody likes a liar! Lying has been defined as being being untruthful, fabricating, fibbing, perjury, bearing false witness, dishonesty, telling stories, embellishing and our favorite, telling white lies. Whatever word we use to justify our actions a lie is still a lie.

Lies always have a way to injure. They injure our relationship with each other and they injure our relationship with God. In other words our fellowship with God and with each other is broken.

Have you ever done something that you wished you hadn’t? How do you find freedom from that awful feeling? What do you do when you sin? Or a more appropriate question, what should you do when you sin?

We have all faced this scenario. Most of us dismiss it, others of us rationalize it and some of us have become experts at refining it. Since I know us well, I can confidently say that we don’t stop and consider the gravity of it and the effect it has on us and its consequences.

We claim we’re Christ followers and that we’re living in close fellowship with Him but then disobey His will and live opposite to His character. Even if we consider ourselves to be devoted followers of Christ we sometimes have a difficult time saying these three words, “I have sinned.” But when you do say those words God always responds with “You are forgiven!”

For us, who claim to be Christ followers, sin should be an anomaly. In fact we should be so aware of sin in our life, that on that rare occasion when we do sin we immediately accept responsibility for it, confess it and renounce it.

Many Christians claim to be mature but are calloused toward sin. When you grow spiritually, your awareness of sin grows as well. You see it not only as breaking God’s law, but as hurting God’s love. And if it’s not dealt with appropriately you will then start stiff-arming God and have a blurred view of sin in your life.

The writer of Proverbs reminds us of its seriousness: (Proverbs 28:13 emphasis added) “Whoever conceals his transgressions (if I cover or hide my sin) will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

Don’t be fooled, sin does break our fellowship with God and that’s why it has to be dealt with.

Let’s start off with an easy question, what does John mean by “the truth” in (v. 6)?

In (1 John 1:5-10) John exposes three wrong methods that some use in an attempt to gain fellowship with God. What are these three wrong bases for fellowship with God that John rejects? Hint: see the three “if we way” statements in (vv. 6, 8 and 10).

In between these three wrong claims John weaves two signs of those who are accepted by God. What are those signs of genuine fellowship with God? Hint: see the “if we walk” and “if we confess” statements in (vv. 7 and 9).

Both marks of those in God’s fellowship end with the same wonderful promise. What is the promise for those who “walk” and “confess” found in (vv. 7b and 9b)? How does this promise enable our fellowship with the God of “light,” in whom there is “no darkness” (v. 5)?

According to (v. 9) what should you do if you sin?

What does confession mean?

I pray that this short “Refresco” has caused you to stop and thank God for His wonderful gift of forgiveness. I look forward to sharing more on this subject with you this coming Sunday. Meanwhile, may the Lord bless you richly!

-Some excerpts from: 1-3 John A 12-Week Study by Micahel LeFebvre