1 John 1:1-10

We are all born separated from God because of our sin.  As we go through life we continue to stray further and further from Christ as we walk deeper into sin.  Life apart from Christ is hopeless because it is increasingly infected by sin.  There is a way that fellowship can be restored with God through the sacrifice of Christ.  John is anxious to let us know how this restoration is possible.
SEE AND SAY: John begins by letting us know that the message he is about to share is one of which he was an eye witness.  The very person of God was revealed to man in the person of Christ.  The apostles were there with Him; they saw Him, walked with Him, heard Him speak, observed His power and witnessed His glory.  John’s message is not made up or invented by some other man.  It is a message that was revealed to him by God in the person of Christ.  John is now being faithful to say what he saw so that we can have hope.  Fellowship with God can be restored through Christ and John knows the way.  We must all strive, like John, to be faithful to say what we have seen of the work of God in our lives through Christ.
LIVE IN LIGHT: Christ established a pattern of life that He revealed as the standard to which we are to attain.  God is perfect and completely separated from sin there is no darkness in Him whatsoever.  His desire for is us that we walk in the light with Him and He has made provision for us to do just that through the sacrifice of Christ.  Our relationship with Christ through faith sets us free from the darkness of sin and liberates us to walk in the light.  When we claim to be in fellowship with the Father, but we walk according to our old sinful ways; we are proving that our relationship with God is not genuine.  We are saved from sin so that we can become like Christ.
CONFESS TO CLEANSE: Some people claim to have been saved but continue to walk in sin.  Other people claim to be free from sin and have no need of salvation.  Both are deceived.  In order to be saved we must recognize our need of a Savior because we are very aware of our sin and our inability to save ourselves from sin.  As long as we pretend to be “good enough” apart from Christ there is no hope for us.  However, if we confess our sin God has promised to forgive us and to cleanse us.  We must stop pretending and realize that we are sinners desperately in need of forgiveness that only Christ can provide.     

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