Is your Christianity a reflection of the God who is light in whom there is no darkness at all? The fundamental difference between the true Christian and false Christian is that the true Christian is reflecting God’s character.
Seeing that verse in light of the following verses has helped me to see an aspect of what he means by walk in the light. If we acknowledge we have sin, and if we confess our sins, then God cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Even if we have deceit and darkness, when the light of God’s Word shines and exposes our sin, we who are believers accept its truth and turn from our wicked ways, accepting God’s ways as better than our ways in all things. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God.
Please read the whole chapter in 1st john 1. Verse 8. If we say we have no sin we decieve ourselves and the truth is not in us. Verse 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrightiosnes. Verse 10 if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar and the truth is not in us. So we see there we are walking in the light when we are admitting we are sinners and confessing. We are walking in the darkness when we don't view ourselves as sinners and are not confessing them.
I doubt anyone will see this. It’s such an old video. I’ve listened to several sermons from pastor Conway on this subject. What does it mean to have a life that is CHARACTERIZED by sin? Because as a Christian, my own sin is magnified. I see my own sin boldly, right in my face. I struggle against it daily. Is my life CHARACTERIZED by sin then? I haven’t been able to reconcile this idea. I love Bible study. I experience true happiness when I’m deep in the Word. The purpose for my life, the thing that gives it true meaning, is to come to know God more accurately and more fully. I fall into sexual sin… am I not saved? What about the struggle against the flesh, in Romans 7? To me, pastor Conway makes some contradictory points. My concern is that there may be unnecessary condemnation heaped upon true believers.
Indeed the Scriptures do not as clearly state this as one might like...1 John for example, meaning: Am I struggling with sin or a slave of sin? Do I think I am a slave of sin when I am only struggling? Or do I say I am only struggling when I am actually a slave? You might be helped by a specific study that deals with that question: illbehonest.com/are-you-struggling-against-sin-or-a-slave-of-sin-tim-conway -- At the end of the day, we must keep going on with the Lord, rather than gaze too inwardly at ourselves.
Please, for every time you read (or use) Romans chapter 7, you should read Hebrews chapter 12 twice! So IF the Son sets you free, (THEN!) you really will be free! John 8:36 NASB. And also Galatians 5:16. Now thát's a promise. Peace.
My understanding is that someone who is truly saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit who indwells them convicts them of their sin. From there, they can either repent or continue in sin and grieve the Holy Spirit. According to Scripture, God will deal with that person as His child through discipline. When God chooses to enact His chastisement, He knows what will bring His sheep back to the fold. There is great assurance in this for the true believer, but when someone is under the divine discipline of God, trust that they will endure more than they could have ever imagined or wanted to bear. For the true believer, God is faithful.
Hi Cole. Good question regarding a life characterized by sin. I hope my answer offers some degree of comfort if you're still deliberating over this issue. 1 John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the love of the Father is not in him." One thing you have to ask yourself is this: when you fall into sin, do you ultimately feel guilty for transgressing against God and repent? If so, that's a good sign. Some people don't. Some people relish in and enjoy sin. Is that you? Do you feel comfortable in it? Do you plan your day around sin? Do you seek out opportunities to sin? Do you create new ways to sin? Do you push your sin to the back of your mind and pretend it's not there? From your comment, that's not the impression I get. We all struggle with sin, even Christians. The difference is that Christians are not slaves to it anymore. We've been liberated and freed through Christ and pursue righteousness (Romans 6:18). We have new affections, new desires; we are a new creation! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is just my opinion but I believe living a life characterized by sin is living within compromise and not trying to repent. Ex being a lukewarm Christian. Struggling with sin and making mistakes are bound to happen in our walk with Jesus. But your life shouldnt be defined by sin. Hopes this helps.
Those who excel in the church dont bug me. Only the ones that are pointing to those good works as evidence they are saved bug me. They exactly like the pharisee in luke 18. They they think they have " enough" holiness as evidence they are saved and look down on and judge the salvation of others. They ignor the bible when it says that man looks at outward apearance but God sees the heart.
Thank you, pastor Tim, for kicking me out of my comfortzone! Please ruin my day instead of my eternity...
Is your Christianity a reflection of the God who is light in whom there is no darkness at all? The fundamental difference between the true Christian and false Christian is that the true Christian is reflecting God’s character.
Seeing that verse in light of the following verses has helped me to see an aspect of what he means by walk in the light. If we acknowledge we have sin, and if we confess our sins, then God cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Even if we have deceit and darkness, when the light of God’s Word shines and exposes our sin, we who are believers accept its truth and turn from our wicked ways, accepting God’s ways as better than our ways in all things. If we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God.
Excellent message, sharing!
Please read the whole chapter in 1st john 1. Verse 8. If we say we have no sin we decieve ourselves and the truth is not in us. Verse 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrightiosnes. Verse 10 if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar and the truth is not in us. So we see there we are walking in the light when we are admitting we are sinners and confessing. We are walking in the darkness when we don't view ourselves as sinners and are not confessing them.
I doubt anyone will see this. It’s such an old video. I’ve listened to several sermons from pastor Conway on this subject. What does it mean to have a life that is CHARACTERIZED by sin? Because as a Christian, my own sin is magnified. I see my own sin boldly, right in my face. I struggle against it daily. Is my life CHARACTERIZED by sin then? I haven’t been able to reconcile this idea. I love Bible study. I experience true happiness when I’m deep in the Word. The purpose for my life, the thing that gives it true meaning, is to come to know God more accurately and more fully. I fall into sexual sin… am I not saved? What about the struggle against the flesh, in Romans 7? To me, pastor Conway makes some contradictory points. My concern is that there may be unnecessary condemnation heaped upon true believers.
Indeed the Scriptures do not as clearly state this as one might like...1 John for example, meaning: Am I struggling with sin or a slave of sin? Do I think I am a slave of sin when I am only struggling? Or do I say I am only struggling when I am actually a slave? You might be helped by a specific study that deals with that question: illbehonest.com/are-you-struggling-against-sin-or-a-slave-of-sin-tim-conway -- At the end of the day, we must keep going on with the Lord, rather than gaze too inwardly at ourselves.
Please, for every time you read (or use) Romans chapter 7, you should read Hebrews chapter 12 twice! So IF the Son sets you free, (THEN!) you really will be free! John 8:36 NASB. And also Galatians 5:16. Now thát's a promise. Peace.
My understanding is that someone who is truly saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit who indwells them convicts them of their sin. From there, they can either repent or continue in sin and grieve the Holy Spirit. According to Scripture, God will deal with that person as His child through discipline. When God chooses to enact His chastisement, He knows what will bring His sheep back to the fold. There is great assurance in this for the true believer, but when someone is under the divine discipline of God, trust that they will endure more than they could have ever imagined or wanted to bear. For the true believer, God is faithful.
Hi Cole. Good question regarding a life characterized by sin. I hope my answer offers some degree of comfort if you're still deliberating over this issue.
1 John 2:15 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
One thing you have to ask yourself is this: when you fall into sin, do you ultimately feel guilty for transgressing against God and repent? If so, that's a good sign.
Some people don't. Some people relish in and enjoy sin. Is that you? Do you feel comfortable in it? Do you plan your day around sin? Do you seek out opportunities to sin? Do you create new ways to sin? Do you push your sin to the back of your mind and pretend it's not there?
From your comment, that's not the impression I get. We all struggle with sin, even Christians. The difference is that Christians are not slaves to it anymore. We've been liberated and freed through Christ and pursue righteousness (Romans 6:18). We have new affections, new desires; we are a new creation! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is just my opinion but I believe living a life characterized by sin is living within compromise and not trying to repent. Ex being a lukewarm Christian. Struggling with sin and making mistakes are bound to happen in our walk with Jesus. But your life shouldnt be defined by sin. Hopes this helps.
Those who excel in the church dont bug me. Only the ones that are pointing to those good works as evidence they are saved bug me. They exactly like the pharisee in luke 18. They they think they have " enough" holiness as evidence they are saved and look down on and judge the salvation of others. They ignor the bible when it says that man looks at outward apearance but God sees the heart.
1 John 1
"gospels don't teach that God is light" - that's a lie
Matt 4:15-16
Luke 2:30-32
John 1:4-9
John 3:19-21
John 9:5
John 12:36
John 12:46