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‘Don’t go there!’  

Discovery

Read : 1 John 1:1-10 & 2:1-6, Ephesians 5:8-11, John 3:19-21, and Matthew 5:14-16

Understanding

John is highlighting the Gnostic claim that ‘sin does not matter’.  All that matters, according to this false teaching, is attaining some form of ‘higher knowledge in the Spirit’.   He identifies 3 claims and what they actually mean:

1. Claim to have fellowship with God , whilst walking in darkness = lying & not living by the truth.

2. Claim to be without sin = self deception & the truth is not in us.

3. Claim that we have not sinned = we call God a liar & his word has no place in our lives.

John is not saying that we should & can be at all times completely sinless.  What he is exposing is an attitude that imagines ;

- I can have fellowship with God without fellowship with my brothers (whilst hating/treating badly my brother)

and / or

- I can walk with God in the light whilst ignoring my persistent & particular sin

and / or

- there is no particular area of sin (darkness) in my life that I feel I need to admit/confess/repent of.

According to John we cannot say, think or live that way.  To do so effectively calls God a liar, and means that we are deceiving ourselves by believing that that our sin (darkness) does not matter and that it does not affect our walk with a Holy God ‘who is light and in whom there is no darkness at all’. 

The Apostle tells us that we can avoid this problem.  Read  1 John 1: 7-9.  '(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, purifies us from all sin. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.'

Admitting we have sin in our lives = living in & by the truth

Confessing our sins  = walking in the light & in fellowship with God.

However this is a struggle and a challenge for us because as Ephesians 5 and John 3 tell us we fear the light that exposes what we have hidden in the dark corners of our lives. The fear of exposure is typically manifested as a fear of;

- Rejection

- Judgement and punishment

- Losing face

- Loss of control

Application

Matthew 5:14-16 tells us that we are the ‘light of the world’ and that our light should shine before others so that through our light they may come to see God. Therefore, it is important as we stand on the brink of being a very visible church in the centre of Redhill that we ensure our culture befits who we are (the light of the world).  

Discuss and pray into these 3 questions below:

Q1 : As individuals are we open and transparent, not afraid of darkness being exposed in our lives, and even eager for every corner of our lives to be exposed to to the light of God, either directly or through our brothers and sisters ?  Or are we closed and resistant,  afraid of the light and hiding in shadows and keeping dark secrets, all because we fear rejection, being judged and losing face and control ? 

Q2 : The 'culture' that we establish in Redhill town centre will be a reflection of our church culture, which is turn will be reflection of our own personal culture.  As we consider a future base in the town centre what culture will we be taking with us ?  

Q3 : What do you feel you need to be unafraid of being open and transparent about your life with another person or small group of people ?