Wednesday, October 20, 2010 Tags: 0 comments

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is only one way to deal with our sin nature, and that is through the blood of Jesus! Our part is to walk in the light. Walk in truth, integrity and transparency. Be open about our failings, not living in pretense and projecting a "super" christianity, yet behind the scenes struggling or in sin. Walk in the light as He is in the light, means we should walk in His truth and direction.  What interests me about this verse is that if we do not walk in the light, in His truth, well, walk in Him because He is truth, then it actually effects us having fellowship with others in the body. If a brother is walking in the light, he cannot walk side by side with someone who is partly in darkness, the light will expose the darkness, or the one in darkness will try and avoid the light, and react against it lest he be exposed.

Again, we see from this verse that fellowship with each other is an integral part of our walk. And a natural by-product of walking in the light. Those that don't walk in the light struggle with fellowship in the body.

David Guzik writes:

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
a. If we will walk in the light - having fellowship with Him in our lives, and walk after His ways - then we will have fellowship with one another.
b. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin: As we walk in the light, we will also enjoy the continual cleansing of Jesus.
i. We need a continual cleansing, because the Bible says we continually sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Even though we have been cleansed, our "feet" need cleaning (John 13:10).
c. This continual cleansing is ours by the blood of Jesus; not His literal blood, but His literal death in our place, and the literal wrath of the Father He endured on our behalf - His blood paid for all our sins - past, present, and future.
i. The work of Jesus on the cross doesn't just deal with the guilt of sin that might send us to hell; it also deals with the stain of sin what would hinder our continual relationship with God. We need to come to God often with the simple plea, "cleanse me with the blood of Jesus." Not because we haven't been cleansed before, but because we need to be continually cleansed to enjoy continual relationship.
ii. "'The blood' is more specific than 'the death' would be, for 'the blood' denotes sacrifice. It is always the blood that is shed." (Lenski)
d. From all sin: We can be cleansed, by the blood of Jesus, from all sin. The sin we inherited from Adam, the sin we committed as kids, the sins of our growing up. Sins against our father, against our mother, against our brother and sister. Sins against our husbands or wives, against our children. Sins against our employers or our employees, sins against our friends and our enemies. Lying, stealing, cheating, adultery, swearing, drugs, booze, promiscuity, murder. Sins that haunt me every day, sins I didn't even know I did - all sin cleansed by the blood of Jesus!
d. Cleanses us from all sin: It is in the present tense, not the future tense. We do not have to hope we will one day be cleansed; because of what Jesus did on the cross for me, I can be cleansed today!

And from  Barnes' Study Notes:  But if we walk in the light. See Barnes "1 John 1:5". Walking in the light may include the three following things:

(1.) Leading lives of holiness and purity; that is, the Christian must be characteristically a holy man, a light in the world, by his example.
(2.) Walking in the truth; that is, embracing the truth in opposition to all error of heathenism and infidelity, and having clear, spiritual views of truth, such as the unrenewed never have. See 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 2:9-15; Ephesians 1:18.
(3.) Enjoying the comforts of religion; that is, having the joy which religion is fitted to impart, and which it does impart to its true friends, Psalms 94:19; Isaiah 57:8; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 13:11. See Barnes "John 12:35".
As he is in the light. In the same kind of light that he has. The measure of light which we may have is not the same in degree, but it is of the same kind. The true Christian in his character and feelings resembles God.
We have fellowship one with another. As we all partake of his feelings and views, we shall resemble each other. Loving the same God, embracing the same views of religion, and living for the same ends, we shall of course have much that is common to us all, and thus shall have fellowship with each other.

Posted by Celebration Centre Nelson

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