Since church is canceled for 1/20 due to the snowstorm, read 1 John 1:5-10 and go through these questions Sunday morning for your own quiet time with the Lord, or with your family.
First, if you were gone last Sunday (1/13), listen to the sermon by clicking on the sermon player above!
- What are some spiritual lies that you have believed at some point in your life?
- The first lie, which we find in 1 John 1:5-7 is “the lie that we can live however we want as followers of Jesus.” Why is this lie especially tempting? What are we telling God when we say, I know you will forgive me so I don’t care what you say about how I should live (also see 1 John 2:3-6)?
- Have you ever heard anyone say, “Sin doesn’t matter anymore because Jesus already took care of that on the cross?” Have you ever said something similar?
- How does sin affect our relationship with God as believers? How is the illustration of sin as poison helpful in understanding its’ danger?
- How does the present tense “cleanses” in 1 John 1:7 make you feel about Jesus’ care for you? Remember, there is a past and present sense of what Jesus’ blood does for us. Jesus is not kicking back in a recliner in Heaven today; if you know Jesus as your Savior He is interceding for you today (also see Romans 8:31-34).
- The second lie, which we find in 1 John 1:8 is “the lie that we cannot fall into sin anymore.” How does thinking that sin is not a danger for us affect our life today? How does remembering that we must wear the spiritual armor until we get to Heaven affect the way we think about our day to day lives?
- The third lie, which we find in 1 John 1:10 is “the lie that we simply are not sinners.” How does the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:10-14 help us to understand the danger of this lie?
- The truth that sets us free, which we find in 1 John 1:9 is “that Jesus forgives and cleanses sinners.” Do you regularly think about confessing your sins to God as a Christian, to keep your relationship fresh with him, and to help you turn away from your sin? Why does the fact that God is “faithful” and “just” to forgive our sins matter, in terms of our sins being forgiven?
3 Lies We Tell Ourselves & The Truth That Sets Us Free (from 1 John 1:5-10):
- The Lie That We Can Live However We Want as Followers of Jesus (vv. 5-7)
- The Lie That We Cannot Fall Into Sin Anymore (vv. 8-9)
- The Lie That We Simply Are Not Sinners (v. 10)
- The Truth is That Jesus Forgives & Cleanses Sinners (v. 9)