We must walk in the light

1 Jn 1:6-7 - If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 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.


As Christians we are all called to no longer walk in darkness, but to walk in the light. It is an important mandate for every believer and follower of Christ to walk in the light as He is in the light. Only as each Christian practices that on an individual basis can we really have true fellowship and unity one with another and only then does the blood of Jesus continue to cleanse us of all sin.


The reason for a lack of unity and fellowship in the church is not primarily an issue with the nuanced differences in doctrine and theology, but a failure of Christians individually to steadfastly put off the deeds of darkness from their lives and walk in the light. The Apostle James referred to this in Jam 4:1 - From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? So it’s really our own lusts, desires and selfish interests that drive the conflict and disunity, not “noble and important” things as we might like to think. If our lifestyles are not marked by consecration unto God in holiness, righteousness, humility and selflessness, no amount of mental agreement with “good biblical doctrine” will make up for it, we must walk in the light.


More importantly, not only is it crucial for unity's sake that we walk in the light, it is also the condition for continuing in fellowship with Christ and for His blood to cleanse us of all sin. If a Christian walks in darkness and is overcome, then the blood of Jesus no longer cleanses them of their sin and they are left in a worse state than they were prior to coming to Christ.


2 Pet 2:20-21 - For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.


Jesus spoke often about himself being the light of the world and made it clear that those who follow Him must walk in the light: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (Jn 8:12). 


He didn’t say “should” not walk in darkness, He said “shall” not walk in darkness which brings us back to the title verse: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth (1 Jn 1:6). So it’s imperative that each of us individually as Christians continually examine our lives and root out anything remaining of darkness and make a practice of walking in the light.

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