“Repent And Walk in Fellowship with God”

1 John 1:8 (NIV)

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

My very first Sunday School lesson I taught was on living in a constant state of repentance. As a Christian our sins are forgiven by what Jesus did on the cross. However, we still must deal with our sins daily in order to remain in fellowship with God. 1 John 1:8-9 was written by John for Christians.

1 John 1:9 (NIV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Genuine repentance requires more than just offering God an apology for our misdeeds. Repentance begins with confession of our guilt and recognizing that our sin is against God. Real repentance may lead to feeling of remorse and sorrow but ends when we turn away from the sin we committed. So, in essence we not only confess our sins to God, but true repentance requires that we turn from our sin. So it requires us to change our behavior. We shouldn’t just confess our sin and then keep on doing the same sin.

1 John 1:6-7 (NIV)

6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Message in Chinese

约翰一书 1:8（NIV 意译版）

8 我们若说自己无罪，便是自欺，真理就不在我们心里了。

我第一次主日学所教的课程，是关于活在持续悔改的状态中。作为基督徒，我们的罪因着耶稣在十字架上所成就的而得赦免。然而，为了与神保持交通，我们仍然必须每天处理自己的罪。约翰一书 1:8–9 是约翰写给基督徒的经文。

约翰一书 1:9（NIV 意译版）

9 我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。

真正的悔改不仅仅是向神为我们的过犯道歉。悔改始于承认自己的罪，并认识到我们的罪是得罪了神。真正的悔改可能会带来 remorse（懊悔）与忧伤，但它的完成在于离弃我们所犯的罪。换句话说，我们不仅要向神承认自己的罪，真正的悔改还要求我们远离罪恶，改变行为。我们不应只是承认自己的罪，然后继续活在同样的罪中。

约翰一书 1:6–7（NIV 意译版）

6 我们若说与神相交，却仍在黑暗中行走，就是说谎话，不行真理了。7 但我们若行在光中，如同神在光中，就彼此相交，他儿子耶稣的血也洗净我们一切的罪。

Fellowship With God