Walking in God’s Light/Living in Fellowship With Him (Part Two)

John tells the believer, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). This passage has to do with loss of fellowship (not salvation) through sin. Since we were told that God is light, and completely free from darkness (verse 5), a believer who walks in darkness is moving in places from which God is not present. The believer who walks in sin has lost touch with a totally holy God. In essence the Bible acknowledges that believers may experience moments of spiritual darkness or struggle with sin. John says this believer is lying and acting inconsistently with the truth. In other words, to claim fellowship with God while walking in darkness is behaving contrary to the truth about God, especially the truth about Him being light as mentioned in verse 5. The believer is acting inconsistently with the reality of God’s character and nature. We cannot fellowship with a God of absolute perfection without confessing our sins. Those who claim to fellowship with God but continue in sin without confessing their sin kid themselves. They are not in fellowship. A crucial element to the Christian life is the recognition and acknowledgment of our sin. If we do not confess our sin, we walk in darkness. Walking in the light means that we are open to God. We are not afraid to expose any aspect of our lives to Him. Be encouraged!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible teacher & expositor