Weekly Challenge:
As a cell group or a family make a 30 second infomercial that sums up what it means to be a child of God and to love each other.
Read 1 John 3:4-10, 1 John 1:8-10
We have to be clear of the difference here or we’ll fall into heresy very quickly. The Bible nowhere declares that we are to be perfect in this world. It tells us time and time again to strive for perfection. It encourages and exhorts holiness time and time again. The false conclusion to draw from this is that if we can’t reach perfection then why bother trying. The one who really doesn’t know God will entertain this argument.
It’s only when passages such 1 John 3:4-10 are taken out of context that they can be said to be arguing for total perfection this side of Jesus’ second and final return. As you read 1 John 1:8-10 you’ll see that the familiar offer of forgiveness in verse 9 is couched in, or surrounded by two very clear statements that anyone who claims to be without sin is a liar and does not have the truth of God in them.
Given the context of 1 John we cannot interpret 1 John 3:4-10 to mean that we are to be sinless in this world. So what then does it mean? To help us understand the meaning let us consider verse 6.
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
Let’s say that Mandrake, who claims to be a believer, struggles with lying. When God confronts Mandrake (and us) with our sins, He normally does so through 3 means. Firstly God uses the Holy Spirit as a guide and witness to our own spirits that what we are doing is wrong or against God’s wishes. Secondly God uses His Word to bring conviction to our lives that certain areas are not according to His wishes or His standards. Thirdly God uses other believers to rebuke us or to correct us when we are living in sin.
1 John 3: 6 and the other parallel verses in the Bible mean that when Mandrake is confronted with any of these three corrections or rebukes, he consistently and continually pushes them away and refuses to listen. What might that look like in Mandrake’s life? He could quench the Spirit and drown out the voice of the Spirit by constant music, TV etc. He could negate the conviction of the Word by not reading the Bible regularly, by explaining away what he does read or by attending a liberal church that condones sin and sinful practices. He could stop others from helping him by blasting them, ignoring them or by being so surly that no one wants to rebuke him. Either way, if Mandrake continues to reject God’s warnings and rebukes then he could well be in eternal danger. Each one of us needs to make sure that we are not walking as Mandrake is walking. Rather, we should be willing and ready to listen to the Lord’s rebuke whether through the Spirit, the Word or fellow believers.
As Proverbs 3:11–12 (NIV84) says
11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
We all struggle with sin but it’s what we do with that struggle that really counts.
Prayer:
Use the day’s reading notes and Bible passage to pray meaningfully:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Pray for your Session. Ask God to fill these men with His Holy Spirit so that they would know the Word and be able to apply to themselves and to the congregation. Pray for wisdom in all the decisions they have to make. Pray for each session member by name.
1. Why is it that each believer have an accountability person with whom they can share their struggles and fallings?
2. In what way have you seen the Lord’s discipline in your own life?
3. What is a good attitude towards the Lord’s discipline?
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