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Out of the Wilderness and into the Promises of God

Mar 13, 2022 | Rev. Dr. K. Rick Baker

Out of the Wilderness of Guilt/Estrangement from God/Church Into the Promise of Forgiveness

1 John 1:9

Full Service

One of the dangerous beliefs circulating in the church at the time of John the Apostle was the notion that you could enjoy fellowship with God and also live an unrighteous life. That you could have God and your sin too! To which John writes...If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1:6) If sin is no big deal with God, then Jesus’ death was unnecessary. If we claim sin is no big deal to God, by denying it exists in us, we make Him out to be a liar! (1 John 1:10)

However, Christ’s death was necessary because sin is a big deal to God, and we now have the spectacular reality of forgiveness because of the atoning sacrifice and shed blood of Jesus! Through this, we have fellowship with God and with one another.

Sin will either damn you through denial, or bury you under crippling guilt...most of humanity lives in some form of denial, many believers live under the burden of debilitating guilt. The ongoing enjoyment of forgiveness of sins is one of the most amazing benefits we have in this life which is made possible through the justifying blood of Jesus Christ.

Apostle John emphatically connects fellowship and forgiveness of sin.

Are you walking victoriously in this truth?

HOW TO ENJOY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD and each other:
- God is light! (5)
- You cannot walk in darkness and enjoy fellowship with God (6)
- If you keep walking in the light, as He is in the light, you can have fellowship with each other (7)
- A pure holy God requires a clean righteous people—that cleansing is only available through the blood of Jesus (6;2:2)—our justification.

WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE DO SIN?
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

- Confess
- Faithful
- Just
- Forgive
- Purify

You must choose God or sin—you cannot have both. Regardless of how you have dismantled the truth, unless you have turned from your sin to Jesus’ blood-cleansing forgiveness, you carry the weight of every single sin you have committed or will ever commit into damnation.

What have you continued to carry that God has “let go”? FORGIVE

What stain keeps you burdened that God doesn’t even see? PURIFY

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