The Foundation of Fellowship with God (Part One)

John teaches, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). John addresses his readers affectionately as his spiritual children. He views them as a family. The word “children” is an affectionate term regardless of age. This is a title that God gives to all His children; it is His name for all the family of God. John is writing so that believers would have a means for addressing and overcoming sin issues. Although Christians sin (1:10), they can conquer sin in the sense of being dominated by it. John is writing with the purpose that his readers will have a safeguard against sinning. If we practice sin, we will become more proficient in it. That is how we were before we received Jesus as our Savior. Now, it is altogether different. We’re not living for ourselves. We have Jesus to live for. John’s desire is that his readers will not sin at the point of temptation. In other words, temptation never becomes a sin until we yield to it. If we go on without confessing, we make ourselves vulnerable to the domination of our sinful nature. At any point in time, either the Spirit controls us, or our sin capacity controls us. Either we’re in step with the Holy Spirit, or we’re walking in the flesh. Paul teaches, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Many believers veer alternately right and left in their daily walk with God. All of us have had this experience. It is one thing to commit individual acts of sin and immediately confess them, but another thing altogether to cave into the power of our flesh. The cross gives victory over the power of sin. By confession, we’re appealing to the cross and have the right to fellowship with God. Praise God, Jesus broke the back of our sin capacity on the cross! Be encouraged!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible teacher & expositor