1 John 5:13-17

1 John 5:13-17 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Purpose matters.  Ensuring that purpose is aligned is also critically important.  If you're looking for entertainment, picking a movie created with the purpose to enlighten and challenge you probably wouldn't be a great choice.  If you're in an Uber with the hope of a quiet ride somewhere, and the Uber driver feels their purpose is to convert you on the ride, then it's not going to be a great ride!
  The purpose of this letter, we're told, is to help the listeners know that they have eternal life.  It's to secure them in confidence and the knowledge that God has reached out in love to invite them into an eternal Kingdom.
  And then John goes on to challenge the listener -- one of the purposes of their community is to ensure that the sins of one another isn't destructive.  Now, discussing sin with one another is a hard thing, but it can be critically important as well -- for sin held in secret or isolation can destroy.  It can erode relationships and build walls that destroy trust.  But attacking someone for their sin doesn't strengthen the community.  Going to one another in humility, however, can be a powerful act, assuming it's done with the right purpose. 
  If one community member approaches another with a sense of humility and a heart focused on strengthening the relationship, then that can be transformational.  Then the sin can be collectively buried and new life can spring up, and the healing process, undertaken together, can be inspirational.  When the motive is love and the purpose is clearly to figure it out together so that we can stay in community, then there is room for grace.  When the purpose is to cast out and to convict, then feelings get hurt and community breaks down.
  How and why we relate to one another matters.  Purpose matters.  May we approach one another with humility, that our intention to draw closer in community is clearly seen as we discuss the damage that sin does in ourselves and one another, and may we all find healing in Christ together.