How can we identify and avoid "lying" about our spiritual state? The Verse under the Microscope “If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (1 John 1:6) What the Spirit Is Warning Us About • Fellowship is more than words; it is shared life with God. • Darkness is not ignorance; it is deliberate, ongoing sin. • Claim + darkness = lie. John says the claim is false, not merely imperfect. • “Do not practice the truth” shows that truth must be lived, not only recited. Early Symptoms of Spiritual Dishonesty • Secret habits we excuse: “Nobody’s perfect” becomes an alibi instead of a confession. • Selective obedience: quick to quote favorite commands, slow to heed the hard ones (cf. James 1:22). • Compartmentalizing: church persona on Sunday, unrestrained self the rest of the week. • Hardened conscience: sin no longer troubles us; re-labeling darkness as “personal preference.” Self-Examination Questions to Ask Ourselves (Privately) • Do my private choices match my public testimony? • When Scripture confronts me, do I argue or repent? • Is there anyone I refuse to forgive (see 1 John 2:9-11)? • Am I more concerned with image management than heart transformation? Practical Steps to Walk in the Light 1. Daily confession (1 John 1:9). Keep short accounts with God; call sin what He calls it. 2. Saturate life with the Word (Psalm 119:11). Light drives out shadows. 3. Transparent fellowship: trusted believers who can ask the hard questions (Hebrews 3:13). 4. Immediate obedience: respond to conviction before excuses multiply (John 14:15). 5. Relentless repentance: turning from sin and toward Christ, not merely feeling bad (Acts 3:19). Guardrails That Keep Us Honest • Regular Lord’s Supper—pausing to examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:28). • Accountability for screens, money, speech—objects most easily hidden. • Sabbath rhythms—quiet space where God can expose what busyness conceals. • Service to others—love in action reveals whether faith is genuine (1 John 3:17-18). Encouraging Assurance from Related Passages • John 3:21—“Whoever practices the truth comes into the light.” • Ephesians 5:8—“Live as children of light.” • Proverbs 28:13—“He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” • 2 Corinthians 13:5—“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” When our walk aligns with our words, assurance grows. When it doesn’t, God’s light is an invitation, not a threat. Step into it, and the lie loses its power. |
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