The apostle John’s first letter focuses a lot on obedience and loving others. It can be a tough message. Just in case we’re condemning ourselves because we know we sometimes sin, or occasionally hate others, or love the world more than our heavenly Father, John wants to reassure us we belong to God and set our hearts at rest.
Sin
1 John 1:9: The Good News of Forgiveness
"A verse without a context is a prooftext for a pretext." This maxim from my former pastor reminds me that familiar verses must be studied in their context if I want to understand them correctly. I encountered the need for this principle on the first week of my newest study.
Be Strengthened by Grace
I feel like I've done a bunch of things wrong lately. I feel like I’ve done something morally wrong. Like I’m a criminal, or a bad person. Like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar when I never actually put it in. Or accidentally put it in. The fact is I’m a rule follower and I don’t like looking bad.
I Will Rejoice in the Lord
When I was in college, I had what I called “blah” days. For no apparent reason, I felt down and lethargic. Looking back, I wish I had explored this more, maybe talked to a counselor, and perhaps it was just hormonal.
