TITLE:  Walk in the Light
TEXT:  1 John 1:5-7
PROPOSITION:  Sinful man can fellowship the Holy God.
QUESTION:  How?
KEY WORD:  Solutions
SCRIPTURE READING:  Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. Book – collection of letters to Santa
   1. “Dear Santa, You did not bring me anything good last year. You did not bring me anything good the year before that. This is your last chance. Alfred”
   2. Dear Santa, There are 3 boys who live in our house. Jeffery is 2 and is good some of the time. David is 4 and is good some of the time. Norman is 7 and he is good all of the time. Norman”
2. Like Norman, we can have a distorted view of our sins and our relationship with God
3. Some people:
   1. Don’t understand the nature of our Holy God
   2. Think that everybody is good and will be saved
   3. All are sinners and don’t stand a chance of being in heaven
4. Some, like Norman, think they are perfect
5. Others think that perfection is impossible, it is hopeless

Light and Darkness (1:5)

1. God is Light
2. This lets us know that:
   1. God is simply fantastic, glorious, visible
   2. God is open and available to all
   3. God is pure and holy
   4. God can show us the way to live
3. There is no darkness in God
   1. From both sides – God is holy, pure, good, visible, open
   2. God is NOT – hidden, evil, impossible to find, stained by sin
4. Darkness symbolizes:
   1. Life without Christ – Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13; John 8:12
   2. Life without knowledge – John 12:35; John 12:46
   3. Chaos – Genesis 1:2-3
   4. Immorality – John 3:19; Romans 13:12
   5. Failure – Ephesians 5:11
   6. Opposite of love – 1 John 2:9-11
   7. Lord’s enemies – Ephesians 6:12; Jude 12-13
5. Summary – God is light – good, no evil; Darkness = evil, nothing good

The Big Lie (1:6-10)

1. The lie is a denial of sin and the results of sin
   1. Some saw sin as gone forever at baptism
   2. Some thought they had risen above sin
2. John identifies the lie (3 times)
   1. 1:6
   2. 1:8
   3. 1:10

How can sinful men fellowship a holy God?

1. Don’t deny the fact of sin to have fellowship with God
2. Fellowship with God occurs when we are in the light
   1. Romans 13:12-14
   2. 2 Corinthians 4:6
   3. Ephesians 5:6-10
   4. 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11
3. Fellowship happens through a light based life
4. Must we be as good as God to fellowship Him?
   1. God is light, no darkness in Him
   2. We are sinners, affected by darkness
   3. It is hopeless to think we can fellowship God
5. The blood of Jesus brings us into the light
6. The blood of Jesus keeps us clean

Conclusion

1. Are you walking in the light today?
2. Are you confident that your sins are forgiven?
3. Are you in fellowship with God?