Christian Foundations 1 - IdentitySample

CONTINUALLY FORGIVEN

The Apostle John wrote the gospel of John and another couple of letters that we have in the Bible. In the letter of 1 John, John is writing to Christians. He calls them, “my dear children” because he is an experienced and respected leader who has had a fatherly role in their Christian growth. He is giving them guidance in this letter on how to please God so that “you will not sin.” He understands that Christians have been set free from sin and its consequences, and that they can live God’s way. 

But he also knows that perfection is not possible while we live in this world that is plagued with sin and temptation. So he is very clear that sometimes Christians fail. If we pretend that this is not true, we’re setting ourselves up as hypocrites and actually ignoring God’s expectations of us. While we are now right with God through the grace of Jesus, we live in a broken world and are still broken ourselves, so we will let God down at times.

Read: 1 John 1:8-2:2

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant? 

2. What do I want to discuss/explore further? 

3. What do I need to do?

4. What does it mean to confess our sins? How often should we do it? 

Reflect

The bad news is that you are still going to struggle with sin while you live in this world. One day when God finally intervenes, this will not be the case. Yes! However, while God will continue to shape you and grow you in this world, you won’t completely escape the temptation and pressure of your broken human condition. It will feel like a battle at times. But every Christian is in the same boat. 

This is not an excuse to cave into temptation. You need to fight it and God promises that he will help you. You will have many wins. But when you do fail, Jesus is still on your side. John says that he is not your accuser but your advocate. Got that? He is there to help you deal with the sin, not put you on trial for caving to it. You need to come to Jesus, admit your sin, say sorry, turn away from the sin and receive the forgiveness of Jesus that comes through his sacrificial death. That’s grace! You will need to do this your whole life, and every time you will experience grace, not judgement. That’s God’s commitment. You will continually be forgiven.

Pray

Lord, I’m thankful that I’m not the person I used to be. In your grace, you are changing me and making me more like you. But I’m sorry that I am not yet the person I wish I could be. Sin is still appealing to me and sometimes I cave into its pressure and short-term pleasure rather than trusting and obeying you. When this happens, I feel dirty and weak and unworthy. I feel that you dislike me. But that’s not true. Thanks so much that in your grace you keep on loving me. You stay on my side and you want to help me deal with my failure. You are for me not against me. Please help me to be honest with you; to keep confessing my sin and not to ignore it or justify it. Right now may you forgive and cleanse me so that I can keep on doing life together with you with no barriers or secrets or fears.

Respond

Take a few minutes today to examine your life to see if there are any areas in which you have recently failed God by disobeying him or by not doing what he has asked you to do. Say sorry and receive his forgiveness. If you don’t feel forgiven, make sure you claim that you are, according to this Scripture.