God has called us to walk in close fellowship with Himself all the days of our life. In His infinite wisdom He knows that there will be times when we fail. Only one sinless person ever walked the face of this earth, the Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest of all God’s men failed at some point or another. Not one of us is likely to be better than they were.
1. What does God say is a false statement? (1 John 1:8,10)
God has provided a means of restoring broken
fellowship. This is not the same as
relationship. As believers, we have been born into the family of God (1 John 5:1,11-13). When we sin, we are not ejected from the family; rather, there is a break in our walk with Him. This needs our immediate attention. What do we do? First, we are not to despair. Our Father wants His erring children restored. How? We should make sure that we truly have a relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you really been saved?
2. What may indicate that you are not born again? Note the continuous action of the verb. (1 John 3:9)
3. Consider your answers to the first two questions. What is each verse stressing? (What is true of a believer? What cannot be true of a believer?) What do you see is the difference between the two verses?
4. A sincere person will pray what to God? (Psalm 119:33-34) For what purpose?
5. Who will not do so well in God’s eyes? What two things are needed to make things right? (Proverbs 28:13)
6. In 1 John 1:9, what is the believer’s responsibility and what is God’s promise?
7. What is the basis of all forgiveness by God? (Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5b; Hebrews 9:22b)
Believe God’s promise and accept His forgiveness without doubting. However, do not take a light attitude toward sin. Sin is destructive and its cost is high, the death of God’s Son.
8. If you are truly saved, what will you do? (2 Timothy 2:19b)
9. What is the basic teaching of 2 Corinthians 6:14-17? What is the danger in violating this command?
Ask yourself these questions:
What way has God provided for the time when you may fail?
How do you get back into fellowship with your Father when you have turned away?
How can you avoid breaking fellowship with God?
Review Romans 10:9; 1 John 5:13; Acts 2:41; Matthew 28:19; Joshua 1:8; Mark 1:35; Matthew 7:7; John 10:10b; 1 Corinthians 10:13
Memorize Proverbs 28:13, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who
confesses and
forsakes them will find compassion.”