DAILY TEXT, From today Sunday December 18, If we say "We have no sin", we are deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8).

DAILY TEXT, Sunday December 18, If we say “We have no sin”, we are deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8).

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Sunday December 18

If we say, "We have no sin," we are deceiving ourselves (1 John 1:8).

All Christians, whether young or old, must fight the temptation to lead a double life. The apostle John referred to this when he pointed out that we cannot walk in the truth and at the same time live an immoral life (1 John 1:6). If we want to have God's approval now and in the future, we must behave as if the whole world sees what we do. In reality, there is no such thing as secret sin, for Jehovah sees all (Heb. 4:13). We must also reject the world's attitude toward sin. In John's day, apostates believed that a person could knowingly sin and still be a friend of God. Today many think the same. They claim to believe in God, but they don't accept what he says about sin, especially in matters of sex. What Jehovah calls sin, people call personal preference or alternative lifestyle. w20.07 22 pars. 7, 8.

How do living up to their Biblical convictions benefit young people?

Young Christians, especially, may be tempted to imitate the views of their coworkers or schoolmates on immoral behavior. This was the case with a Witness named Aleksandar. He recalls: “Some girls at school were trying to pressure me into having sex with them. They said that since he didn't have a girlfriend, he must be homosexual. Perhaps you, young man, will face similar tests. In such a case, remember that when you live according to your Scriptural convictions, you protect your dignity, your health, your emotional well-being, and your friendship with Jehovah. And the more temptations you resist, the easier it will be for you to do the right thing. Don't forget that Satan is behind this world's twisted view of sex. So when you refuse to think like the people of this world, you defeat the Evil One (1 John 2:14).

How does 1 John 1:9 help us to serve Jehovah with a clear conscience?

We know that Jehovah has the right to say what things are sin. And we do our best to avoid them. But when we sin, we confess it in prayer (read 1 John 1:9). And, if it is a serious sin, we seek the help of the elders, because Jehovah has appointed them to take care of us (James 5:14-16). Now, we shouldn't allow feelings of guilt over past mistakes to overwhelm us. Why not? Because our loving Father gave the sacrifice of his Son so that our sins can be forgiven. When Jehovah says that he will forgive repentant sinners, he keeps his word. So we can serve Him with a clear conscience (1 John 2:1, 2, 12; 3:19, 20).

How can we prevent what the apostates say from damaging our faith?

There is something else that we must reject: what the apostates say. Since the Christian congregation was formed, the Devil has used many individuals to plant doubts in the minds of God's faithful servants. For this reason, we must know how to distinguish between a truth and a lie. Our enemies can use the Internet and social networks to try to weaken our trust in Jehovah and the love we have for our brothers. Let us reject those lies, for they come from Satan (1 John 4:1, 6; Rev. 12:9).

Why should we strengthen our faith in the truths we have learned?

If we want to resist Satan's attacks, we must strengthen our confidence in Jesus and his role in God's purpose. We must also trust in the faithful and prudent slave, the only channel that Jehovah uses today to direct his organization (Matt. 24: 45-47). With regular study of God's Word, that confidence will be strengthened and our faith will become like a tree with deep roots. Paul mentioned this idea when he wrote to the Colossians: “Just as you have accepted Christ Jesus the Lord, keep walking in union with him, being rooted in him, built up on him, and steadied in the faith” (Col. 2:6, 7). If our faith is this strong, nothing Satan or those influenced by him do will destabilize us (2 John 8, 9).

What do we Christians know, and why?

We know the world is going to hate us (1 John 3:13). John reminds us that “the whole world is under the power of the Evil One” (1 John 5:19). The end of this system is getting closer, so Satan is getting more and more angry (Rev. 12:12). He not only attacks us by subtle means, such as immorality and the lies of the apostates, but he also uses force. He knows his time is short, so he tries more and more to stop the preaching or destroy our faith. He does not surprise us, then, that in some countries es our work is restricted or even prohibited. Even so, our brothers in those places continue to hold on. They show that no matter what the Devil does to us, we can stay faithful.

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