The Walk Of A Christian
Walk In The Light
John’s message emphasized that God is light. Light enables people to do their work. It produces growth in crops; it reveals beauty and provides safety. Light represents what is good, pure, true, holy, and reliable. Light reveals; light shines. God is so completely “light” that in Him is no darkness at all. “Darkness” represents what is sinful and evil
When Jesus was on earth, his divine life illuminated the inner lives of his followers. Everywhere he was present, he gave light. This light penetrated people—exposing their sin and revealing divine truth. No one could come into contact with Jesus without being enlightened.
So it is for the Christian who is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. In his presence, we see our sin and his glory.
To claim to belong to God but then to go out and live in sin is hypocritical. In fact, John says that people are lying if they claim fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness
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Application
WALK WITH ONE ANOTHER (v. 7).
By living in the light, John did not intend that all Christians should be hermits or mystics, living in solitary contemplation of God. Instead, their fellowship with Christ should produce the desire to join others in loving devotion
True spirituality manifests itself in community fellowship. One cannot say that he or she communes with God and then refuse to commune with God’s people
Such was the case with some of the false teachers of John’s day, and this situation exists among false cults today. Often their followers and leaders claim to have special relationships with God, but they don’t affiliate with other believers. They stay isolated and withdraw from everyone else. John’s point is that the natural result of living in the light (in fellowship with God) should be joyful relationships with other Christians.
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Application
WALK IN FORGIVENESS (vv. 8-10).
Being God’s people does not mean denying sin (1:8), but confessing it. Because all people are sinners, Jesus had to die.
God graciously gave his followers provision for the problem of sin. John explained it here in a nutshell: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To “confess our sins” means to agree with God that an act or thought was wrong, to acknowledge this to God, to seek forgiveness, and to make a commitment to not let it happen again. Augustine observed that confession of sin is a sign that truth, which is itself light, has already begun to illuminate people’s sin-darkened lives.
Confession is supposed to free people to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It should ease their consciences and lighten their cares
It is the duty of nations as well as of men to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon.
Abraham Lincoln
If Christ already forgave all of our sins when he died on the cross, why does John tell us to “confess our sins” so that God will “forgive us”? At issue here is our fellowship—not relationship—with God.
However, a disobedient child of God cannot expect to have fellowship with God. This is where confession comes in
Confess your sins by saying, “I was wrong, I’m sorry, and I want to change!” To do so will “clear the air” and remove the sense of distance we feel from our holy, heavenly Father because of sinful choices we have made. What sins do you need to confess today?
God wants to forgive his people; he wants to maintain close fellowship with them. But this can only happen when the way to him is cleared of sin’s debris—and that can only happen through confession