I like the apostle John. If you read the Gospels He starts off like a college professor: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God…” (John 1:1)
But by the time he writes the Letters, 1,2 & 3 John, you get the idea that he has had this discussion a few times already! In 1 John, he is quite adamant:
What we teach is what we heard Jesus say;
what He taught us and;
what we saw Him do.
He wants to make it very clear. This is not my opinion!
Only then does he really start with his teaching voice! In God there is no darkness, only light. Not even a trace of darkness will be found in Him.
John obviously spent a lot of time with the disciples because he goes into a lot of detail if he wants you to understand. If he had PowerPoint, I could imagine him drawing three circles:
The outside circle, #3: Those that claim they have not sinned.
(“For all have sinned and fall short…” Romans 3:23)
I believe Christ died for our sins, but is it possible to have a relationship with God the Father? If we claim we haven’t sinned, we make God a liar… don’t we? And we make Christ’s death on the cross purposeless… John has no solution for this group of “believers” – I like to think that I have problems, but not that I am sinful. Or I am not perfect, but sinner is a bit far-fetched.
The point is circle two… Repentance of sin is required
Circle #2 Those who claim to have no sin.
John says we just deceive ourselves. Confess the sin as the Holy Spirit reveals it, and John says that Christ is Faithful to not only forgive us but also purify us from unrighteousness. The key is fellowship. The key is making things right, and clearing the air. Rebuilding the relationship between God the Father and ourselves.
Think for yourselves… working with someone who admits their mistakes, asking for help. Or even better… a child admitting their mistakes and asking for help. You, as a parent, have never stopped loving them, and will probably go out of your way to help them.
The inner Circle… #1: Walking so close to God, who is pure [light].
Have you seen bright light? Everything becomes pure white under it. Except, unlike our bright lights, it doesn’t hide the darkness and dirt. It exposes it, repentance allows us to come in close, to have the relationship, to have the fellowship, to be washed by the blood of the Lamb and to be cleansed… purifying us from all sin.
But Have you considered… if God is Light, and in Him there is absolutely no darkness (1 John 1:5) this “light”, this righteousness also makes it difficult to sin.
…how difficult would it be to sin or have sin in your life if you live so close to God?
Temptation? Slides of you.
Anger? quenched with cool waters.
Deceit? Impossible to hide in the light.
Just by staying close to God…
…and what is more, pure fellowship with God and other believers!
