Exposing Yourself to the Light

I have been looking a 1 John chapter 1 some this past week.  I believe that God has shown something that I have missed in the past that joins this passage to John chapter 3.  In 1st John chapter 1 the apostle is is speaking on what it means to have fellowship with Christ in God and how that is linked to the gospel message.  In a nutshell the Christian life is an intimate relationship between man and God through the work of Christ.  The relationship extends to others that have the same faith in Christ.  It is the common thread that binds God’s people together and is the basis for joy and peace that exists outside worldly circumstances and influences. 

John differentiates between those who  are true believers and those who say that they are Christians but live contrary to the ways of God.  The difference between Light and Dark.  The difference between one who denies their sin and one who is broken over their sin.  There will be those that claim to be in Christ yet deny their own sin, their sin nature, their need for repentance.  They will be a walking contradiction to what the gospel declares.  So what does this mean to you and me.  Looking back at John 3:16-21 the word tell us that those men who are evil run from the Light for fear that there evil will be exposed, while those who practice righteous (the character and intent of your hear – this is not perfection) walk toward and in the Light.  Here’s the essence of what I found in this section of scripture; those who are in Christ desire and strive to walk in His Light.  Willingly exposing their lives to God for Him to expose sin that remains in  our hearts and lives.  This is the difference, those that walk in darkness are characterized by sin and those that walk in light are characterized by godliness.  The followers of Christ are willing to have sin in their lives exposed and are repentant when it is exposed – this is where 1 John 1:8 comes in.  When we have our sin exposed, we willing repent, Christ freely forgives us and restores us to complete fellowship with Him.  So here is the test:  How do you react when your sin is exposed?  Do you run for cover or do you seek forgiveness?  Examine your heart, let God have His way.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

-sherman