As children of God, those in fellowship with the Lord, we are called to live in the light. To live in the light means to be honest with ourselves before God. It means not making excuses for our behaviour and attitudes, but instead measuring ourselves against the standard that Jesus Christ has set for us.
Today, we explore the passage from 1 John 1:6-10. Grab your Bible, read through the verses, and allow the Spirit of the Lord to speak to you.
Verses 6-7: If we claim to love and know God, having fellowship with Him, but are not living according to His ways, we are deceiving ourselves and God. In other words, if we are living in sin—whether secretly or openly—we will face God’s judgment. When we are not walking in the light, we are living in darkness, which means living an ungodly life (Galatians 5:20-21), being self-centered, and pursuing personal desires. You cannot truly be called a follower of Christ if you choose to live an ungodly life.
God Is Light
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth;
7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].
1 John 1:6-7 (AMP)
Walk by the Spirit
20 [a]idolatry, [b]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies],
21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:20-21 (AMP)
Footnotes
[a] Galatians 5:20 Including prostitution, which was often part of pagan ritual.
[b] Galatians 5:20 Including such things as occult practices, witchcraft, worship of evil powers, drug-induced trances.
Take time to sit with the Lord and ask Him to examine your life. Let the words in Matthew 7:21-23 serve as a warning: God is not only looking at your actions but also the fruit your life produces. Jesus calls you to live with integrity, not a double standard. Allow Him to search your heart. He knows your thoughts and motives, and today He offers you grace to repent and turn away from your sinful ways.
A Tree and its Fruit
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], YOU WHO ACT WICKEDLY [disregarding My commands].’
Matthew 7:21-23 (AMP)
In verses 8-9 we are promised that if we confess our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us. He will cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, and He will remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12). However, the key is being honest with ourselves and confessing our sins. Take time to repent for the sins the Holy Spirit has convicted you of. Rest in the assurance that God has forgiven you and will no longer remember them.
God is Light
8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.]
9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].
1 John 1:8-9 (AMP)
A New Covenant
“FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS TOWARD THEIR WICKEDNES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”
Hebrews 8:12 (AMP)
Verse 10 reminds us not to be foolish and think that we are without sin. To do so would make us call God a liar and show that we are not taking His word seriously. We often tend to be quick to forgive ourselves, but we must remember that it is not for us to define what sin is—it is God who determines what is sinful.
God is Light
If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.
1 John 1:10 (AMP)
Jesus set the example by laying down His life and serving others. As followers of Christ, our lives no longer belong to us; Jesus is our Lord. Living in the light means following Jesus’ example in how He lived. Let our lives bring glory to God 24/7, whether we’re in the presence of others or alone.
#lionbites
Unapologetically Marcia 