Walking in the Light: Truth and Transformation in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The True Nature of Jesus Christ

Understanding that Jesus is fully God and fully man is crucial for combating heresies like Gnosticism, which distort the truth of the Gospel. Gnosticism promoted a false dichotomy between the spirit and the flesh, suggesting that the flesh was inherently evil and irrelevant to salvation. This heresy led people to justify sinful behavior by altering the truth of the Gospel. John’s letter emphasizes that Jesus was tangible, touchable, and observable, affirming His incarnation. This truth about Christ’s incarnation should be evident in the lives of believers, who are called to live transformed lives that reflect the light of Christ.

By recognizing Jesus as fully God and fully man, believers can better understand the significance of His sacrifice and the call to live in a way that honors Him. This understanding combats the false teachings that seek to undermine the Gospel and encourages believers to live in the truth of Christ’s incarnation. Reflecting this truth in our lives means living in a way that demonstrates the reality of Jesus’ presence and His transformative power. [35:35]

1 John 4:2-3 (ESV): "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already."

Reflection: How does understanding Jesus as fully God and fully man impact the way you live your daily life? What changes can you make to better reflect this truth in your actions and decisions today?

Day 2: Balancing Legalism and Licentiousness

Both legalism and licentiousness are extremes that distort the Gospel. Legalism imposes strict rules and regulations, often leading to a judgmental and self-righteous attitude. On the other hand, licentiousness abuses the freedom in Christ to justify sinful behavior, leading to a life that disregards God’s commands. John’s letter addresses this tension by emphasizing that the Gospel maintains a perfect balance between these extremes, allowing believers to walk in true liberty and holiness.

The Gospel calls believers to live in a way that honors God, not by adhering to a rigid set of rules, but by embracing the freedom that comes from a relationship with Christ. This freedom is not a license to sin but an invitation to live a life that reflects God’s love and grace. By understanding and embracing this balance, believers can avoid the pitfalls of both legalism and licentiousness and walk in the true liberty that Christ offers. [29:06]

Galatians 5:13-14 (ESV): "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you tend to lean towards legalism or licentiousness? How can you embrace the true freedom in Christ to live a balanced and holy life today?

Day 3: Walking in the Light

Believers are called to walk in the light, recognizing and repenting of their sins. Walking in darkness while claiming fellowship with God is a lie. True fellowship with God and other believers is marked by walking in the light and confessing our sins. John uses the metaphor of light and darkness to illustrate the Christian walk, emphasizing that living in the light means living in truth and righteousness.

Walking in the light involves being honest about our sins and shortcomings, seeking God’s forgiveness, and striving to live in a way that reflects His holiness. It means rejecting the darkness of sin and embracing the light of Christ’s truth. By walking in the light, believers can experience true fellowship with God and with one another, living in a way that honors Him and reflects His love to the world. [45:55]

Ephesians 5:8-10 (ESV): "For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."

Reflection: Are there areas of your life where you are walking in darkness while claiming fellowship with God? What steps can you take today to walk in the light and live in truth and righteousness?

Day 4: The Importance of Confession

Confessing our sins is essential for maintaining fellowship with God. God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This practice keeps us in the light and prevents us from rationalizing or redefining sin. John’s letter emphasizes the importance of confession, highlighting that it is a crucial aspect of the Christian walk.

Confession involves acknowledging our sins before God, seeking His forgiveness, and committing to turn away from sinful behavior. It is a humbling process that requires honesty and vulnerability, but it is also a source of great freedom and healing. By regularly confessing our sins, we can maintain a close relationship with God and experience His grace and forgiveness in our lives. [56:28]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: When was the last time you confessed your sins to God? Take a moment today to honestly confess your sins and seek His forgiveness, and consider sharing with a trusted friend or mentor for accountability and prayer.

Day 5: Communion as a Reminder

Communion is a powerful reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and a call to live in the light of His truth. It is a time to recognize the physical and spiritual reality of Jesus Christ and to recommit to walking in His light. John’s letter concludes with a call to recognize the significance of communion, emphasizing that it is a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and a call to live in a way that honors Him.

During communion, believers are reminded of the body and blood of Christ, given for the forgiveness of sins. It is a time to reflect on the depth of His love and the magnitude of His sacrifice. By participating in communion, believers are called to examine their lives, confess their sins, and recommit to living in the light of Christ’s truth. This practice helps to keep the focus on Jesus and encourages believers to live in a way that reflects His love and grace. [01:09:21]

1 Corinthians 11:26-28 (ESV): "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup."

Reflection: As you prepare to take communion, take time to reflect on the significance of Christ’s sacrifice. How can you live in a way that honors His sacrifice and reflects His love and truth in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we embark on a journey through the letter of 1 John, written by the Apostle John, who also authored the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation. This letter is an occasional epistle, written with a specific purpose: to address the creeping influence of Gnosticism in the early church. Gnosticism, which means "knowledge" in Greek, promoted a false dichotomy between the spirit and the flesh, suggesting that the flesh was inherently evil and irrelevant to salvation. This heresy led people to justify sinful behavior by altering the truth of the Gospel.

John's letter emphasizes the importance of understanding the true nature of Jesus Christ—fully God and fully man. He refutes the Gnostic belief by affirming that Jesus was tangible, touchable, and observable. This truth about Christ's incarnation should be evident in the lives of believers, who are called to live transformed lives that reflect the light of Christ.

The letter also addresses the tension between legalism and licentiousness. John argues that both extremes are wrong. Legalism focuses on strict adherence to rules, while licentiousness abuses the freedom in Christ to justify sinful behavior. The Gospel, however, maintains a perfect tension between these extremes, allowing believers to walk in true liberty and holiness.

John uses the metaphor of light and darkness to illustrate the Christian walk. Believers are called to walk in the light, recognizing and repenting of their sins. Walking in darkness while claiming fellowship with God is a lie. True fellowship with God and other believers is marked by walking in the light and confessing our sins, knowing that God is faithful to forgive and cleanse us.

The letter concludes with a call to recognize the physical and spiritual reality of Jesus Christ, especially during communion. This sacrament is a reminder of Christ's sacrifice and a call to live in the light of His truth.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Nature of Jesus Christ: Understanding that Jesus is fully God and fully man is crucial. This truth combats the heresy of Gnosticism and affirms the tangible, observable reality of Christ's incarnation. Believers should reflect this truth in their transformed lives. [35:35]
2. Balancing Legalism and Licentiousness: Both legalism and licentiousness are extremes that distort the Gospel. Legalism imposes strict rules, while licentiousness abuses freedom. The Gospel maintains a perfect tension between these, allowing believers to walk in true liberty and holiness. [29:06]
3. Walking in the Light: Believers are called to walk in the light, recognizing and repenting of their sins. Walking in darkness while claiming fellowship with God is a lie. True fellowship with God and others is marked by walking in the light and confessing our sins. [45:55]
4. The Importance of Confession: Confessing our sins is essential for maintaining fellowship with God. God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This practice keeps us in the light and prevents us from rationalizing or redefining sin. [56:28]
5. Communion as a Reminder: Communion is a powerful reminder of Christ's sacrifice and a call to live in the light of His truth. It is a time to recognize the physical and spiritual reality of Jesus Christ and to recommit to walking in His light. [01:09:21]
### [69:21]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[20:47] - Introduction to 1 John
[21:48] - Different Types of Biblical Literature
[22:40] - The Context of 1 John
[23:41] - The Heresy of Gnosticism
[24:37] - Gnosticism's Impact on the Church
[25:14] - The False Dichotomy of Flesh and Spirit
[25:55] - Modern Polarizing Issues
[26:37] - Understanding Different Perspectives
[27:32] - The Tension Between Legalism and Licentiousness
[29:06] - The Gospel's Perfect Tension
[30:00] - Sovereignty and Free Will
[30:54] - Wrath and Grace
[31:39] - True Liberty in Christ
[32:15] - The Importance of Love
[34:00] - Walking in the Light
[35:35] - The Incarnation of Jesus Christ
[40:48] - The Purpose of John's Letter
[43:13] - God is Light
[45:55] - Fellowship and Walking in the Light
[49:45] - Recognizing Darkness
[51:16] - Confessing Our Sins
[56:28] - God's Faithfulness in Forgiveness
[69:21] - Communion and Recognizing Christ
[75:41] - Closing Prayer and Reflection

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to 1 John 1:1-3, what are the key characteristics of Jesus that John emphasizes? How does this refute the Gnostic belief? [35:35]
In 1 John 1:5, John states, "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." What does this metaphor of light and darkness signify in the context of the sermon? [44:00]
What does 1 John 1:9 say about the importance of confession? How does this relate to maintaining fellowship with God? [56:28]
How does John 1:1-5 describe the nature of Jesus, and how does this support the message in 1 John about Jesus being fully God and fully man? [35:35]

Interpretation Questions

Why is it crucial for believers to understand and affirm that Jesus is both fully God and fully man? How does this understanding combat modern-day distortions of the Gospel? [35:35]
How does the tension between legalism and licentiousness manifest in today's church? What are the dangers of leaning too far towards either extreme? [29:06]
What does it mean to "walk in the light" according to 1 John 1:7? How can believers recognize when they are starting to walk in darkness? [45:55]
How does the practice of confession, as described in 1 John 1:9, help believers maintain a healthy relationship with God and others? [56:28]

Application Questions

Reflect on your understanding of Jesus as fully God and fully man. How does this belief influence your daily life and decisions? [35:35]
Have you ever found yourself justifying sinful behavior by altering the truth of the Gospel? How can you guard against this in the future? [24:37]
In what ways have you experienced the tension between legalism and licentiousness in your own faith journey? How can you find a balance that aligns with the Gospel? [29:06]
What are some practical steps you can take to ensure you are "walking in the light"? How can you be more aware of the "shades of darkness" in your life? [48:50]
How often do you practice confession, and what impact does it have on your relationship with God? What steps can you take to make confession a regular part of your spiritual discipline? [56:28]
During communion, how can you more deeply recognize and reflect on the physical and spiritual reality of Jesus Christ? What does this sacrament mean to you personally? [01:09:21]
Think of a time when you felt the need to redefine sin to justify your actions. How did this affect your relationship with God and others? What can you do differently next time? [24:37]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What our nation needs is a little bit more moderate thinking. Now, I'm not saying the Bible's ever going to let you off the hook with that. But here's the thing that everybody should be willing to do on almost every issue, if nothing else, is try and understand where that person's coming from. They could be 100% wrong. And we just got to be people who aren't polarizing." [26:37] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The gospel is we are wretched sinners who were saved by a glorious God. And somewhere... Every single solitary problem in the church always starts with... what you believe to be true about Jesus Christ. And the minute you begin to alter the reality that in him was all the fullness of deity in bodily form, you're capable of jacking up the expectation." [40:09] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Jesus didn't come to make bad people good. See, it's like, stop. He came to make dead people alive. And you're either dead in your trespasses or you're alive in Christ Jesus. If you're alive in Christ, don't go back over the bridge. And if you do, when the darkness begins to turn around. You're over here. Join us." [01:06:47] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "If you believe in your heart. Romans chapter 10 verse 10. That God raised his son from the dead. If you will confess with your mouth. That Jesus Christ is Lord. You will be saved. Believe. Speak. Salvation. Believe. Speak. Salvation. He is Lord. That should affect the libertarian who knows no bounds. the legalist. Who has way too many boundaries. Come join us in the middle. gospel. Jesus Christ." [01:07:39] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If you'll believe in your heart and speak with your mouth. Right where you're at. That Jesus Christ is Lord. Come be served. There's no probationary period. Come feed your soul." [01:09:21] (9 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "A unique group of people who were interpreting inaccurately the scripture all for one reason, to justify their sinful behavior. Bottom line. They wanted to alter the truth to justify their poor choices. Instead of allowing the truth to alter them, they decided to alter the truth. So they could justify how they were living." [24:37] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "And what lies dead in the middle... The equilibrium is called the gospel. And inherent within the gospel are seemingly opposing truths that are actually not opposing. They stand opposite of one another to create the proper tension so that people can walk across and experience salvation." [29:06] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "And John is going to do that with five, basically five different subjects, where there seems to be polarizing opposite truths that are at play, and John's like, no, I don't think you understand. It isn't one extreme or the other, okay? There is true liberty in Christ. For He who the Son sets free is? Free indeed, baby." [31:39] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And what balances it all is the gospel. And we see that in the cross, do we not? We see the glorious demonstration of God's wrath, but the unmitigated demonstration of God's grace. For death had to happen, but He didn't have to kill you. You see mercy and violence in the cross. You see heaven and hell in the cross. It's the gospel." [32:51] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "And the only way you continue with it is you've got to redefine the gospel, to continue in that sin is to lessen the severity of God's wrath. And I'm not saying the wrath that he's going to pour out on you. It's to lessen the severity of the wrath that he poured out on Christ. Is there nothing of that that can compel you to be like, I've got to stop doing what I'm doing?" [50:27] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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