October 31, 2012
STAY IN THE LIGHT!
1 John 2
Lulie Thomas
Central Truth
My sins are forgiven for Jesus' name sake.
Key Verse | 1 John 2:12
I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake. (1 John 2:12)
1 John 2
Christ Our Advocate
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
The New Commandment
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because 1 2:8 Or that the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him 2 2:10 Or it there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life 3 2:16 Or pride in possessions —is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
Warning Concerning Antichrists
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 4 2:20 Some manuscripts you know everything 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us 5 2:25 Some manuscripts you —eternal life.
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Children of God
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Dive Deeper | 1 John 2
At times I really identify with Paul in Romans 7. Why do I do the very things I don't want to do and don't do the things I want to do? Why do I struggle with walking in the darkness of the condemnation and lies of Satan rather than abiding and abounding in the light and love of Christ? For years I struggled with finding my identity in the sin and shame of an abortion I had when I was 21. Despite the fact that I had received Christ and His forgiveness, I would often say, "but I can't forgive myself." This attitude was the lens through which I saw every failure, keeping me captive to the lie that I really wasn't forgiven, God really didn't love me, and that He could never use someone like me.
Chapter 2 of 1 John is an encouragement to me. John affirms so tenderly "little children, your sins are forgiven for His name sake." John didn't say your sins were forgiven, he says they ARE forgiven. I have sinned, and I will sin again. In this chapter, John reminds me that as I abide in the light of God's Word and in the love of Christ, I won't be stumbling around in the darkness of Satan's lies and condemnation. I will be able to overcome the evil one and walk in the truth that Jesus loves me, and my sins are forgiven for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
This gives me confidence that even when I mess up as a believer today, I don't have to walk and stumble in the shame of the past or the shame of today. I can turn to Jesus immediately because He is for me. He is my advocate. I just need to turn to Jesus as His child, confess, receive His forgiveness, and choose to walk in the truth that I am His, and He is perfecting His love and righteousness in me. He has begun a good work in me, and He will complete it (Philippians 1:6). As I abide in His light of this truth, I can be a channel of His love and truth in every conversation and relationship, and He is glorified.
Discussion Questions
1. What lie does Satan use to cause you to stumble and doubt God's love for you?
2. What truth can you claim to overcome this lie?
3. What truth can you share in a conversation or relationship that will encourage other believers or lead nonbelievers to Christ?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
October 29-November 2 (2 Peter 3 – 1 John 4)
Read 1 John 1:5-10.
• What is the difference between light and dark?
• Who does verse 5 say is light?
• What does it mean to be living by the truth?
• Where do you find truth?
• Are any of you without sin? What is sin? (Anything word, action or deed that breaks God's law.)
• Where in Scripture does it tell us that every person has sinned? (Romans 3:23)
• What cleanses us from our sins?
• What does it mean to live in the light? How can you practice being completely in the light this week? (i.e.: time in God's Word, sharing struggles with each other, praying for your enemies, asking for forgiveness when needed)
• What does it mean to be living in darkness or spiritual darkness (think about it as the opposite of living in the light)?
Activity: Buy a handful of glow sticks. (Michael's has the bracelets for pretty cheap.) Do this activity at night when you can make your whole house dark. Crack the bracelets or sticks to make them glow. Then take turns hiding them in the house and have the rest of the people search for them. Between hunts, talk about how easy it is to see light in darkness, that darkness can never overtake light. Discuss Jesus' claim to be "the light of the world." What did He mean by that?