1 John 2:28–3:10

1. Who is one person who has served as an influential spiritual father or mother to you? Talk a little about any specific encouragements, rebukes, or warnings they’ve given you that have had a meaningful impact on your life and faith. If you haven't ever had someone like that in your own life, what could it look like to be that to someone else?
2. Read 1 John 2:28-3:3. Why do you think John connects abiding in Christ with confidence at His appearing? What is the relationship between the two?
3. What do you think it means to “shrink in shame” at His coming? What kind of life leads to that response?
4. Read 1 John 3:1 again. What does it mean that we are called children of God “and so we are”? Why might John feel the need to emphasize that? How does adoption into God’s family differ from simply being forgiven?
5. Read 1 John 3:4–10. In 1 John 3:10, the author draws a clear line between two families: those who belong to Satan and those who are children of God. According to John, how can we discern which group we belong to? What is the difference between fighting sin and “making a practice of sin”? What does “fighting sin” look like for you?
6. John invites us to meditate on the future held out for us: that when Christ appears, we will be with Him and we will be like Him. And in the space between our present and future lives, John calls us to abide in Christ, fight sin, and walk in righteousness—not to earn a place in God’s family, but because we already have one. Spend some time in prayer with one another. Give Him praise that you are not only forgiven, you are adopted into the family of God. Speak to God as your Heavenly Father. Ask for forgiveness. Ask for help! Ask Him anything, knowing that He loves you and nothing can change that if you belong to Him!