AS YOU MEET WITH EACH OTHER THIS WEEK, CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS:
This week we looked at the beginning of John's first letter. In this he offers various "tests" that one can apply to oneself so that we may know that we have real salvation.
1. The first test considered was whether one has a posture of confession of sin towards God or whether one denies their sin. Discuss why having this posture of humility is so important if we want to have a real relationship with Him and not be deceived.
2. In the beginning of the second chapter John says "My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." Why is it so vital that one knows that they have an advocate when they sin. How does this truth ultimately help us not sin?
3. One of the tests given in chapter 2 is about whether we obey His commands. Now we know he does not mean we must be perfect based on what he said earlier. But how does a posture of wanting to obey show we have real salvation?
4. This can be a scary endeavor, looking at oneself and asking the question of whether you have real salvation. Yet we see not only in 1 John but also other passages how this is something we must at times do (2 Corinthians 13:5). Yet John tells us that his intention with these "tests" is that he wants us to KNOW that we have eternal life. Discuss how these tests can build our confidence that we know Him and have eternal life.