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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

PRINCIPLES OF FELLOWSHIP

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. [1 John 1:5-7]

As light, God both exposes man’s sin and condemns it. If anyone walks in darkness he is hiding from the truth which the light reveals. Jesus said in John 3:19-20; …..“judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.” Since God is light it follows that a Christian cannot truly claim fellowship with God while living in darkness. A believer who says he is in fellowship with God [who is light], but who is disobeying Him [living in darkness] is lying.

John’s point is this; If believers live in the light where God is, then there is mutual fellowship between God and them. May I say child of God, it is significant that John talked about living or walking in the light, rather than according to the light. To live or walk according to the light would require sinless perfection and would make fellowship with God impossible for sinful humans. To walk or live in the light however, suggest an openness and responsiveness to the light.

Three principles: (1)-fellowship with God and other Christians is based on a correct understanding of who Jesus is. (2)-if we claim to be without sin it is a sign that we are living in darkness. (3)-confession of sin allows us to continue to walk in the light.