In my Bible at the beginning of the chapter 1 of 1 John is a commentary on the contents of the following chapters. To quote a little from some of the commentary, “God is light; God is love; and God is life. John is enjoying a delightful fellowship with that God of light, love and life. And he desperately desires that his spiritual children enjoy the same fellowship.”
“Therefore, to engage in fellowship with Him we must walk in light and not in darkness.” We will need to often confess our sins, so we can be cleansed by the blood of Christ. John has identified the two significant blocks to a Christian walking in the light of Jesus, “will be the falling in love with the world and falling for the alluring lies of false teachers.”
As children of God, we must walk in love, because God is love. “In fact, John says that if we do not love, we do not know God. Love is more than just words; it is actions. It is giving, not getting. Biblical love is unconditional in its nature.”
“Those who fellowship with Him must possess His quality of life. Spiritual life begins with spiritual birth which occurs through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ infuses us with God’s life – eternal life.”
1 John 1: 2 “The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us.” V4, 5, and 7 “And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 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 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.” It is a human deception to think we do not sin, or minimize the gravity of every sin, from those that are considered small to what we think is at the top of the list of sins. In the consequences for us, all sin is sin! V9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 2: 1 “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.” V5, 6 “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” V9 “He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.” V 15 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” V25 “And this is the promise that He has promised us – eternal life.”
It is worthwhile to note, that the apostle Paul had every confidence that he knew Jesus Christ and His will for himself, how he should live and present the gospel of Jesus to everyone else. This was despite the fact, he had been rendered poor of sight, by an encounter from heaven, Acts 9: 3 – 5 “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. And he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting……….’” He was chosen by Jesus to be his special witness, and he himself, was already very learned, but now completely converted and surrendered to Jesus; absolutely knew Whom He loved and where and how, he was proceeding.
He certainly ‘copped a lot of flak’ and trouble for his words and stance for Jesus. There was dissension amongst the church fellowship, as seems so common in all ages. Probably due to the different personalities coming together, with some who dominate, and divide, thinking they are or have a message, that is a ‘ cut above’; with devotees that follow and promulgate the divisive message. In reality self-reliant human wisdom is not what edifies on any level, the people in the church fellowship. 1 Corinthians 3: 21, 23 “Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours. And you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s” In confidence Paul could say to the disaffected ones, 1 Corinthians 4: 4, 5 “For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then one’s praise will come from God.”
Dear Jesus, I choose as did the apostle John, to also have a ‘delightful fellowship with that God of light, love, and life…….’ and follow Your words, and life. To flee from self-reliant human wisdom, when applied to the things of God, and instead seek the wisdom written in the scriptures and in belief, abide in You. Realizing, that by the gift of the Holy Spirit, I will be able to lovingly forbear with different personalities and actions. Remembering to pray for self and others, knowing that God will lead and sustain; then all things will be revealed by Him.