Take your Bible with me once again, and turn back to the book of I John.  This is our fourth in a series of messages through the book that I’ve entitled “Back to the Basics.”  You’ll remember with me that John is ministering to the churches in Ephesus, and is countering a false teaching known as pre-gnosticism.  As he does so, he provides a series of tests designed to distinguish real disciples from the heretics that are entering into the church.  As we consider this little paragraph in I John 2 this morning, the topic of love is unmistakably moved to the forefront. John understands that true disciples of Jesus must be characterized by love.    

Take your Bible and return with me, please to the book of I John.  Today is our third in a series of messages through this powerful book that I’ve entitled “Back to the Basics.”  We have already come to understand much from this book as we’ve pondered the fact that our gospel is unshakeable, and that we must walk in the light if we would truly follow Christ.  As we consider the text together this morning, we come to understand that there is a very real solution to our sin problem.