Fellowship with God – Bible Study on 1 John: 5-10

Keywords: Fellowship, Sin, Light & Darkness.

Fellowship with God and walking in the darkness:

 God is light. Think of an example of carrying a candle or lamp with you. Can you be
hidden? Can you be in the darkness? If you are walking with God, if you have fellowship
with him, you will not continue to walk in the darkness.
 The idea is not to strive harder for sinless perfection on your own, but to have continuous,
living, daily, active fellowship with him. Many of us loose hope, energy and zeal in their
walk with God, and when they fail they feel even more miserable. But if we are to be
honest, we must confess that we are not without sin. (1 John 1:8 – “If we say we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”)
 This passage is a reminder that our fellowship with God should not be hampered by our
failures. This does not mean to minimize the gravity of our failures or sins. But the enemy
has used the guilt of sin as his greatest weapon to discourage and derail the walk of a
sincere follower of Christ. Verse 9, 10 is a proof that the fellowship with him does not
mean one may not sin. It actually insures that we are constantly purified from our sins by
the blood of Jesus Christ. Verse 9 is a right approach if we are found to be failing. It is to
confess our sins to restore our fellowship. (1 John 1: 9 – ” If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) One
may argue that it may create a less serious view of our sin’s sinfulness! But I believe that
one who has a fellowship with Him, will never have a casual view of his/her sin.

How can we have a constant fellowship with Him?

 Daily Quiet Time in His Words: This is the most essential step to have fellowship
with God. Devil will try to attack against your time with God, he can remind you of all the
most important things that you need to do right away. So never let it steal your time with
God. This is not easy. But it is your spiritual powerhouse, energizer for each day. It will
keep you walking everyday.
 Prayer: Just as your quiet time, your daily time with prayer is also essential to your walk
with God. So always make a room for quiet time and prayer from your ‘busy’ schedule. If
Jesus could take time to be with God, from his busy schedule of ‘Saving the world’, I am
sure you can too.
 Fellowship with Fellow Followers: There may be times when your quiet time or
prayer life may not be the most interesting or lively, fellowship with other Christians can
act as a fuel to flame your extinguished lamp. So join a small group or bible study
fellowship group.
These are the simplest yet most essential aspects of your walk with God. As we grow in our faith in
Christ, we may tend to make things complicated, but if we stick to these basics, we will surely
have much more living fellowship with God.
Word of God is Like – Seven Images in Bible

“A Picture is worth a thousand words” – Saying from Chinese Proverb

 Bible often portrays various visual images or pictures to describe themes or topics
(Psalms 23:1, Psalms 18:1 etc).
 Old Testament is full of images or visual representation of the things to come. In fact,
Bible offers different images for the ‘Word of God’ itself.
 We find seven different images for the Word of God in the bible. This bible study lesson is
the list of these images found in the bible.

 The Bible is Like a Double Edged Sword:

o Hebrews 4:12: -”For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
2. Like Fire:
o Jer 23:29: – “”Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer
that breaks a rock in pieces?”
3. Like Hammer:
o Jer 23:29: – “”Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a
hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”
4. Like Lamp and Light:
o Ps 119:105: – “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”
5. Like Food:
o Mat 4:4: – “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from
the mouth of God.”
o 1 Pet 1:25-2:2:”But the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that
was preached to you. Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit,
hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure
spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
6. Like Seed:
o 1 Pet 1:23: – “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of
imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.“
7. Like Mirror:
o James 1:22-25: – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is
 like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes
away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently
into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting
what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

Christian Discipleship: Cost of Discipleship

Q. Who is the disciple? (Discipleship: Definition)

 One who is a follower of a master, spiritual teacher, religious leader or a guru.

 One who lives by the teachings and lifestyle of his master.
 One who holds the standard and ideals set by his master.
 One who wants to be like his master.
 The Word used for ‘Disciple’ in Greek (‘mathetes’) refers generally to student, pupil, or
apprentice.

Q. How can one become the disciple of Jesus?

 Decision to follow Jesus Christ is the beginning of a christian discipleship.

 Jesus himself demonstrated clear conditions for being his disciples. Before we focus on
the conditions of discipleship, we need to know what it is not!
 Discipleship is
o Not Easy! It is not ‘bed of roses’.
o Not the way of constant success and prosperity!
o Not a use of spare free time.
o Not a going to church on Sunday.
o Not a compromise, it is not a license to do whatever you like!

Q. So what are the cost (conditions) of true Christian Discipleship?

1. Cross Bearing:
o Matthew 16:24 – “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take
up his cross and follow me.”
o Matthew 10:38: – “anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not
worthy of me.”
o Galatians 2:20: – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me.”
o The way of Cross is the way of pain, suffering, ridicule, mockery, humiliation!
o It is also to crucify our sinful desires. Gal 5:24: – “Those who belong to Christ
Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”
2. Self Denial:

o Matthew 16:24: – “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and
take up his cross and follow me.”
o Doing his will must be our first priority.
3. Leaving Everything:

o Luke 14:26: – “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother,
his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot
be my disciple.”
o Luke 14:33: – “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he
has, cannot be my disciple.”
o Following Jesus must be our first priority, above our family, career, comfort, even
our own life.
o We must be willing to forsake anything that can hinder our walk with Christ.
o Phil 3:7-9: – “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of
Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing
greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I
consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him..”
4. Abiding in His Words & Teaching:

o John 8:31: – “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.”
o John 15:7: – “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you
wish, and it will be given you.”
o Regular daily Quiet Time – time alone with God is necessary to abide in His
words.
5. Supreme Love for Christ:

o John 14:23: – “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.”

o Love for Christ should be the compelling force for us to follow him. 2 Cor 5:14: –
“For Christ’s love compels us.”
6. Love for Others:

o John 13:34-35: – “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved
you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another.”
o Romans 12:9-10: – “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves.”
7. Fruitfulness:
 o John 15:8: -”This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.”
o Gal 5:22: – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is
no law.”
o Bearing fruits is a sign of growth and maturity.

Temptations of Jesus Christ in the Wilderness

 Matthew 4:1-11
 Mark 1:12-13

 Luke 4:1-13

Q. Why did Holy spirit lead Jesus into the Wilderness?

 Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness (desert) to be tempted by the devil! He
was full of Holy Spirit, when he went to the wilderness. (Luke 4:1)
 Greek word for tempted can also mean tested.
 Holy spirit led Jesus into the wilderness tot be tested, tempted and to be humbled. (Deut
8:2-3: “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty
years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart,
whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger
and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to
teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the
mouth of the LORD.“)
 It is quite interesting to draw comparisons between Jesus Christ in the wilderness and the
Israelite in the wilderness after God’s miraculous rescue from Egypt.
 In both the cases, they had just experienced God’s power and favor. Jesus experienced
God’s favor at his baptism. And the Israelites had just saw the most powerful
manifestation of God’s power at work at Red Sea. Next, they found themselves wandering
and starving in the wilderness. (Jesus for Forty days, and Israelite for 40 years!)
 However, there is a stark contract in Isralite’s and Jesus’ response towards the
wilderness. First thing, Isralites asked Moses and Aaron when they were in the
wilderness, was “What should we eat? Did the Lord bring us out of Egypt to starve and
die? (Ex 16:3), they again grumbled about water, “give us water to drink.” (Ex 17:2).
 Jesus on the other hand, fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. Fasting is the most effective
way of passing through the wilderness. Fasting helps to focus on the spiritual matters and
takes our attention from matters related to flesh. So, even though Jesus was physically
weak, he was spiritually strong.
  We all go through wilderness experiences in our Christian walk. It can be very exhausting
and draining. It deprives us of all the comforts that we may usually enjoy. It tests the
deepest secrets and convictions of our heart to test what lies in our heart. We may have
just gone through the greatest highs of our walk with God. Next, we find ourselves in the
spiritual turmoil or wilderness. During these times of testing, we need to put our
complete trust in the Lord.

Three Temptations of Jesus Christ:

 It seems that Satan had quite faulty logic! The first two temptations of Jesus were about
proving Jesus being the ‘Son of God’.
o “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”.
o “If You are the Son of God, throw yourself down…”
 Son of God does not need bread to live on or need to worry about injury!
 Satan insisted on proofs about Jesus’ divinity, but Jesus reminded him of his humanity.
 Jesus had experienced God’s voice at his baptism. “This is my Son, whom I love, with
him, I am well pleased. (Mat 3:17) The Devil came and first attacked this very claim. He
tried to create doubts about God’s voice.
 All of Jesus’ answers started with “It is Written”! He may be saying, that “God’s word is
final, and I do not need to test it or prove it.”
 We are often confronted with similar situations. And Devil comes and whispers in our
ears, he creates doubts about God’s promises – “Does he really care about you? Is he
really listening to your prayers?” We need to remember that ‘It is written’, God has
promised us and his Words are final and sufficient.

Q. How did Jesus answer to Satan’s temptations?

First Temptation:

 “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
 Jesus referred to Deut 8:2-3. Jesus pointed out that life is not just about the physical
needs, there is more to it. The word of God is life-giving. And we can build and live our
life on His Words.
 We have bother physical and spiritual needs. And only God can satisfy our spiritual
hunger.
 What is the source of your life? What is the place of God’s Word in your life? Is it just one
of the things that you do or read or is it the source of your life?

Second Temptation:
  Second time, Satan came up with even better idea.
 He took Jesus to the Holy city, Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the
Temple. Satan asked Jesus to throw himself down. If the Angels protected him from being
striking against stones, now not only him (Devil), but all people in the temple will also be
convinced that He is the Son of God. (Great plan, isn’t it!)
 The Devil, this time, used the word of God to prove his point.
 The Devil knows the Word of God, he can use it, twist it, misinterpret it and present it in
such a way which is contrary to the will of God.
 Today, we see many people being fallen away by misinterpretation of the Word of God.
The key aspect of Satan’s argument was and is the use of the word of God out of context.
 The second temptation at its core, is about testing God and testing His Words.
 Rightly so, Jesus reminded Satan, that “It is also written, do not put the Lord your God to
the test.”

Third Temptation:

 The final temptation brought the innermost desire of Satan, “to become God”. He wants
to be worshiped as God. He burns with the desire of being like God. And He offers the
biggest lie to all who follows him, that they can be also God. (Gen 3:4)
 How often have we seen Rulers, Kings or Emperors of the mighty kingdoms at their peak,
want to be worshiped as ‘God’! Unfortunately, it can only lead to self-destruction.
 Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the World and their splendor. In those days,
Roman Empire rules the majority of known world. Their power and glory were un
comparable. But it fell eventually and now we see nothing but the ruins.
 Jesus however, promises ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ (Mat 4:17), he does not offer temporary
kingdom but Eternal Kingdom.
 The Devil’s proposal was a direct breaking of the first commandment. “You shall have no
other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in
heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to
them or worship them..” (Exodus 20:3-4)
 Jesus in his reply, quoted the first commandment. (By this time, Jesus would have said,
“enough, you are crossing the line!”)
 He commanded Satan to go away and Satan immediately left him!

In all three answers, Jesus insisted on the ‘written’ word of God. Today, we have so
much resources available related to the ‘Word of God’, that sometimes we are distracted
from ‘the Word’. There is no alternative to the study and meditation of the Word of God
daily. If Jesus learnt and used the God’s word, how much more do we should.