A Sign of Genuine Fellowship With God
READ 1 John 1
This morning we are going to focus upon 1 John 1:6-7, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."
There are many who claim they fellowship with God, yet their lives contradict that reality. You will see there is no communion between light and darkness if you read 2 Corinthians 6:14. When sin (darkness) is present in our lives, it is not possible to have fellowship with God. To claim so is to deceive ourselves. Moreover, claiming to have fellowship with God is in fact a lie and only compounds the problem. We are not doing the truth. Here the principle of holiness is touched upon. As One who is holy, God cannot have fellowship with sin. Thus, when sin is present in our lives, the fellowship is broken. It should be pointed out that John is developing the principle of our fellowship with God and not our relationship to Him. In coming to Christ, we have been granted the authority to become the sons of God. Sonship is a permanent relationship. There are only two modes of sonship. One is by birth, the other by adoption. By law, both are a permanent, irrevocable relationship. Sin does not break our relationship to God. However, it certainly will strain or even break our fellowship with Him. A son who disobeys his father still is his son. However, his disobedience likely will result in both being unhappy. The father’s displeasure will manifest itself in disciplinary action which will make the son unhappy. Until the matter is reconciled, their fellowship will be strained. Their relationship, however, will remain intact. And so it is with our heavenly Father. Sin will not revoke our relationship to Him as a son. However, it will break our fellowship until such time the matter is resolved.
In 1 John 1:7, on the other hand, "...if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Perhaps drawing from Paul (Ephesians 5:8), John describes how walking in the light produces the basis for fellowship with God. This is particularly true as we walk in His light. Implied is not only His truth, but also His righteousness and purity of life. This is made possible in the first place because “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Both our relationship and our fellowship are predicated upon the fact that Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all our sin. Vital is the truth that it is the blood of Christ which cleanses from sin. (See Hebrews 9:13-14 and Titus 2:14, and Revelation 1:5 and 7:14). The predicate for fellowship with a holy God is having been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ. Have you been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ?
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. Are you conscious of walking in the light of Christ? If you are not fellowshipping with God, Christ, and other believers, who are you walking with? How can you have a closer walk with God?
2. What are the benefits of walking in the light? What are the consequences of NOT walking in the light?
3. If you have sin, guilt, or shame in your life, there is a way to be rid of it. God has done His part. What must you do? What is the key to staying clean?