Points from 1st John.
- If our message is not correct, then we don’t have fellowship with Him [1Jn 1:1-5].
- Walking in the Light is to walk – not just righteously – but in the knowledge of the truth of God’s word. If we walk in unrighteousness or in ignorance of His ways we are not in fellowship.
- We need to be in fellowship for the blood of Jesus to cleanse us [1Jn 1:7].
- We can still sin even as Christians [1Jn 1:8-10].
- If you walk how Jesus walked, then you know you’re in Him [1Jn 2:6].
- Regardless of what one preaches, he’s in darkness and does not know where he’s headed, if he hates his brother [1Jn 2:11].
- The fact that Jesus came to take away sin – to destroy the works of the one who has been sinning from the beginning (i.e., the Devil) – is proof that Heaven does not approve of sin. To say that one can be saved and continue sinning is counter to Jesus’ mission. One cannot knowingly commit sin and claim to be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus [1Jn 3:5-6, 8].
- When we truly love (in obedience to His command), then we know we are in Him and with this assurance, we can assure our hearts when we feel condemned. Our hearts can condemn us even us even though we are innocent but when we do His will, we can be assured that we are in Him [1Jn 3:15-21].
- Any who listens to the apostles is in the spirit of truth while any who does not listen to the Apostles is operating in the spirit of error [1Jn 4:1-6].
- How can one love a God he has not seen when he has no love for the brothers seen brothers?
- John was at the Baptism of Jesus and also at his death. He saw Jesus die; he saw the blood and water that came out from Jesus’ body at the crucifixion.
- If one sins, his brother can pray for him, and God will give life to him. If however, the person dies as a result of the sin, there’s no need to pray for him. This does not mean – as some suppose – that there’s a sin that leads to spiritual death. This speaks of actual death and not ‘spiritual’ death. If a person dies as a result of a sin, there’s no point praying for the person because the dead cannot repent.