It’s Tuesday and the second week of our Quietly Through 1st John online Bible study. I’m so glad you came back to study God’s word with me. Please let me know you’re here by leaving a comment at the end of the post or by sending me an email. I so appreciate hearing from you.
Fellowship with Him and One Another
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (1 John 1:5-2:2)
IDEAS TO CONSIDER
- What is the message that John declares (v5)?
- If we say we have fellowship with God, what are we saying? (Hint: think about last week’s study)
- What is darkness? (v 6, 8)
- What is light? How do we walk in it? (v 7,9)
COMMENTARY
(This is just a little bit of what I took away from the passage. Remember, I’m human and severely flawed. Don’t just take my words as God’s truth. Be sure to be led by the Spirit, not me.)
John declares that God is light and in Him there is no darkness. So, what does that mean? According to Strong’s, light is delicate, subtle, and pure. Pure things are just that, pure. They are not mixed with anything that will mess with their perfect quality. And sense darkness is the the exact opposite of light, where God is there cannot be darkness.
Which means? That we can’t be in God’s presence and hide our sin (aka walking in darkness) at the same time. Remember, being in fellowship with God and His people means that we have intimate relationship with them. It means that we are transparent, willing to talk about our struggles and confess our sins.
People in fellowship with God admit they are sinners.
They confess their sin openly.
They know they need a Savior.
They trust God to forgive their sins and cleanse them of all unrighteousness.
Why? Because He says He will in His word. And His word truly is enough.
For no word of God will ever fail. (Luke 1:37, NIV)
We either walk in the light by confessing our sin or we walk in the darkness by denying they exist. We walk in the light by acknowledging that we need God’s forgiveness. Or we walk in darkness, deceiving ourselves and denying our need for Messiah.
Does this walking in the light business seem rather simple? It should, because it is.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Please feel free to respond to any or all of these in the comments.
- Why can’t light and dark co-exist? Why can’t we have fellowship with God or others if we are trying to hide sin in our lives?
- How does walking in the light lead to fellowship with God and with others?
- What keeps us from confessing sin? What does God promise once we do?
PRAYER
Lord, I am so thankful that not one word from You will ever fail (Luke 1:37). I praise You for keeping your promises, especially to forgive and cleanse us when we simply confess our sins. Make this our habit, to recognize our own sin and confess it to You — openly and without hesitation. You have made fellowship and walking in the light so simple. Help us not to over complicate it or turn it into something it is not. In the name of your Son. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY IDEAS
Here are a few study ideas to do between now and next Tuesday. I suggest doing one a day in order to keep you thinking about the passage all week long.
- Start or continue a double entry journal.
- Hand write the passage.
- Study the original Greek word for confess. Don’t know how to do that? Watch this video.
- Did this passage make you think of other passages in the Bible? Spend some time reading those and consider how they might be related.
- Read Psalm 139:23-24. Consider how this prayer is related to today’s passage.
- Prayer Psalm 139:23-24. Them confess and sin you may be attempting to keep in the dark.
- Write a summary of what you’ve learned from this passage. If you are a blogger, post your summary and share a like to it the comments below.
- Read 1 John 1-5. Yep, the whole thing. I’ll be suggesting this each week. Just imagine what will be hidden in your heart by the end of this study.