Walking and Living in the Light

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” (1John 1:6)

This Scripture assumes that fellowship with the Lord is something that without a doubt, we should have. That was declared in a previous Scripture. “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1John 1:3) Our fellowship is with God, the Father and Jesus. This Scripture doesn’t say it, but that includes the Holy Spirit Who indwells. Fellowship means being so connected and in unity with God that we work together with Him fulfilling His will and purposes. This cannot be done if we never commune with God, if we never bend our knee in prayer, if we never seek His will in our prayers and if we never seek to obey Him. There must be that communication in prayer of seeking Him and yielding to Him in all things so that His will and purposes may be fulfilled in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

If we walk in darkness means walking in sin. If one is walking in sin, this isn’t an occasional lapse or failure to obey God, but a willful and continual sinning. This person cannot possibly be saved. They may say they are saved.  They may think they’re saved. And they may think they are because at one time they prayed the prayer of salvation. But that prayer can be just words that the person didn’t understand, didn’t mean or take seriously. To truly come to the Lord, we must say that prayer sincerely and intentionally. It is evident in a changed life, because when we receive the Lord, we are born again of God with God’s nature. And God’s nature cannot be duplicated or feigned. It may be evident for a short time, but it cannot be sustained. And soon, that person will be reveling in sin and unable to contain himself. When we are saved, God the Holy Spirit comes to indwell in us. We would be very uncomfortable sinning. Our nature would not tolerate sin.

What John was saying is that anyone who is sinning is lying when they say they have fellowship with the Lord. The truth is not in them. The truth is that they are not in line with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. They are not epitomizing the purity, sincerity, and the foundation of God’s word. In actuality they are making a mockery of God, especially if they are saying they are Christians to others, when they are the opposite of what a Chrisitan is. They are misrepresenting the Lord and His Word.

Those who have fellowship with the Lord are in the light and walk in the light. This means to live in the truth of the Bible. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” (Philippians 2:13-16) When we are in the light, we welcome the help of the Lord to do what He wants us to do. We don’t complain against the Lord when we’re required to give of ourselves, our finances or our treasures when the Lord wants us to give. We live the opposite of the values of the world and shine the life of God in the darkness of this world. I always wonder about those who want Jesus and His benefits, yet they cannot tolerate fellowship with the brethren. “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.” (1John 1:7) There is an accountability and responsibility when we have fellowship with Jesus which extends to our brethren. The love of Christ pours out toward our brethren. And just like the Lord wants the best for us, we want the best for our brethren. Being in the light cannot be duplicated. It’s not something that is seen or measured by earthly means. It’s spiritual and can only be seen in the spiritual realm where God lives.