Our Greatest Need As Christians (Part Three)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D. Our passage is 1 John 1:6-9. John says, “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” (1 John 1:7). In part two we examined what walking in the light meant. Now we’re going to examine the phrase, “we have fellowship with one another.” Who’s the term “one another speaking about? A hint comes from the words, “as He Himself is in the light.” Fellowship with one another is fellowship we’re having with Him who is in the light with us! John is talking about sharing the light with God. All fellowship includes something that’s shared between the parties, a shared experience. To have an intimate relationship with God, we need a shared experience with God’s person, nature, and character. God wants to share His life with our life. He desires to give us a deeper experience of spiritual intimacy. There are great blessings and benefits promised to the person who walks in the light. The result of walking in the light is that “we have fellowship with one another.” In other words, we have fellowship with God and He has fellowship with us! John’s emphasis is that when believers “walk in the light,” since God “Himself is in the light,” they have something in common with God, namely, “the light.” Through fellowship with God, we learn to share and model His character. Someone might still wonder how a perfectly sinless and holy God can have fellowship with imperfect and sinful people, even as we walk in the light. The amazing answer is that while we’re walking in the light something else occurs at the same time. John says, “and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” While walking in the light we’re growing in holiness and maturing spiritually. For that reason, the many sinful habits that continue clinging to us don’t prevent this fellowship with God. Thus, every moment of fellowship with God is a moment purchased for us by the blood of Jesus, God’s sacrificial Lamb! Be encouraged to fellowship with our God!