SLOPPY CHRISTIAN LIVING
Jim Castleman
Woodland Church
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
(1 John 1:5-2:2, LSB) “And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 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; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
Author: The Apostle John
- Style
- Substance
- Sources
Date: 90-95 AD
Purpose:
- to assure us of our salvation
(1 John 5:13, LSB) “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
- to confront Gnosticism, which believed:
- special knowledge leads to salvation
- everything spiritualis good
- everything physicalis evil
- Jesus wasn’t a physicalbeing
My behavior isn’t indicative of my salvation since my body is physical; only my spirit determines that.
1. GOD’S CHARACTER
(1 John 1:5, LSB) “And this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”
- God is Light
- God has moral perfection
- God’s light is self-revealing
- God’s light becomes our standard for fellowship
2. THE PRETENDER
(1 John 1:6, 8, 10, LSB) “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do the truth; If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”
- Who has fellowship with God?
- Those whose life is characterized my light
- What is walking in the darkness?
(1 John 1:6, LSB) “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not do the truth”
3. THE BELIEVER
(1 John 1:7, 9, LSB) “but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- Walking in the light
- God’s promise: The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin
- “Confession” means to say the same thing about sin as God does
- The result of confession: It cleanses away the guilt and stain that keeps us from experiencing God’s true light
4. SUMMATION
(1 John 2:2, LSB) “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;2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
- The goal of the Christian life: that we not have a life characterized by sin
- Jesus is our legal defender
- Jesus is our atoning sacrifice
POINTS TO PONDER
- Which kingdom am I living in: darkness or light?
- How often do I confess my sin?
- How do I thank Jesus for being the propitiation of my sins?