"IF We Walk In the Light"

Discernment is one of the key components of having a spiritual mind And thereby living a Spirit-filled life

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

There are aspects of God’s nature that make it possible to identify whether we are operating under the leadership of His Spirit or in the energy of our old nature.

“Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16)

It takes perception, it takes discernment, and it takes a great sense of attentiveness (vigilance), but it is possible to determine if we are walking in the Light or if we are walking in darkness.

The “IF” clauses…

(There are a lot of “IF’S” involved in our fellowship with Christ… salvation is settled if we have put our faith in Christ...)

Verse 6 - “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

Verse 7 - “ But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Verse 8 - “If we say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

Verse 9 - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, so that he will forgive us our* sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Verse 10 - “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

What Is the Test of True Fellowship With Jesus?...

(Verse 6) - remember those guiding principles we talked about? (see point 2)

(James 1:20) “for human anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.”

(2 Timothy 1:7) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound mind.”

(1 John 2:16) “because everything that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance of material possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.”

(Romans 13:8) “Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another, for the one who loves someone else has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are summed up in this statement: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does not commit evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

(Colossians 3:15) “And the peace of Christ must rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.”

(Verse 7) - How is your fellowship with other believers?

It is impossible to have proper fellowship with God if we are out of fellowship with God’s children (you can’t love me if you don’t love my family…).

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (I John 4:20-21)

(vs. 7b) (John 13) “Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." 8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean”

(Verse 8-9) - Are you living under a cloud of guilt from unconfessed sin?

(Verse 10) - Are you living honestly?