1 John 2:1-6 3.6.2018

Read Psalm 32

Intro: Life plagued with problems

Do you have any problems?

- Financial

- Relational

o Significant other

o Family

- Health problems

- Problems At work

- Yet many have a greater problem

o One many are not even aware of

o Is a sin problem

Overview: 1john 1à Sin separates us from God

- How do you know you have fellowship with the Father?

o If we walk in the light

o If we confess our sins

I. Huge Sin Problem

1 John 2:1 (ESV)

1  My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.

- Confess it à Forsake ità goal is to not sin

A. What is sin?

1. Holman Bible Dictionary defines Sin as:

a. Actions by which humans rebel against God, miss His purpose for their life, and surrender to the power of evil, rather than to God

2. In other words: Any act or thought that is against the way God wants us to act or think, is sin.

3. Sin literally means: to miss the markà bulls eye

4. All have sinned and fallen short..

a. The mark is the glory of God

b. We live to glorify God

1) When our thoughts, actions and intentions don’t glorify God

• We are in sin

- - John Piper Quote I heard at an intro to a song “Consuming fire”

- “What is sin?

- It is the glory of God not honored.

- The holiness of God not reverenced.

- The greatness of God not admired.

- The power of God not praised.

- The truth of God not sought.

- The wisdom of God not esteemed.

- The beauty of God not treasured.

- The goodness of God not savored.

- The faithfulness of God not trusted.

- The commandments of God not obeyed.

- The justice of God not respected.

- The wrath of God not feared.

- The grace of God not cherished.

- The presence of God not prized.

- The person of God not loved.

- That… is sin.”

- I want us to have a good grasp of what sin is

o How destructive it is

o Be able to identify it

o And put it to death

o Attitude change toward it

- Again examine your life where it is that you fall short

o Then, We will see sins remedy

o And see if we are in the faithà assurance

B. Sin divided into 3 categories

1. #1 Sin is the Breaking of Gods law

a. Doing what we are not supposed to

1) 1 John 3:4 (ESV)

4  Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

2) 1 John 5:17 (ESV)

17  All wrongdoing is sin..

b. God says Don’t do thisà we rebel

1) Negative 10 commandments à thou shall not..

2) Turn to Exodus 32:1-8

• Context of exodus

c. We too like the Israelites have turned asideà gone astray

1) We have rebelled against Gods decrees

2) We have done that which is forbidden

• Take a mental note of those things

• What are you doing that God has forbidden?

o John is writing that you would stop!

2. #2 Sin is Not obeying Gods commandments

a. Not doing what we are supposed to

1) James 4:17 (ESV)

17  So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

b. God says DO this and we disobey

1) Positive of the 10 comm.

2) In the NT 1,050 commands in the imperative (i.e be, do,)

• Pray without ceasing

• Rejoice always

• Be content

• Be thankful

• Be patient

• Be watchful…

3) Summed up in the 2 greatest commandments

• Love God

• Love neighbor

c. Luke 10:25-37

d. We commit sins of omission all the time

1) Just as many as sins of commission

2) We know the right thing to do and fail to do it

3) Why?

• Lazyà Inconvenienceà Lack of compassion

• *** Lady at the gas station needed gas money

• Gave her chump change

3. #3 Sin of conscience