Won't love be my life and be my salvation? Welcome to Walking in the Light, the podcast ministry of the Fellowship of Young Christian Professionals. In 1 John 1, verses 6 and 7, the Bible says, if we say we have fellowship with Him while we 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, his son, cleanses us from all sin. My name is Bill Crockett, and I am so glad you've chosen to listen with us today. God bless you as we study the Bible together. ♪ This only serves to confirm my suspicions ♪ All I want is to be in the light Welcome! So glad you've chosen to join us again. We are in a series called The Basic Characteristics of Christianity, and we have started with the first characteristic, which is the fellowship with God. As believers, the first and most basic and even the foundational characteristic of every believer is that we have fellowship with God. Now this is talked about in the book of first john and we started last time with first john chapter one verses one through four and we basically looked at a couple of things. We look first of all at the meaning of fellowship which is the greek word koinonia it simply means to be in partnership with to be co-laborers together, to be teammates so to speak. Then we also looked at the main partner in this partnership and of course that's God, it's not us. We have the privilege of being a part of this partnership. Because of Jesus Christ, we have been given the privilege to be a partner of God, to be a part of the family of God, to walk with God, to experience his blessing and power in our life, to know what life is like with God by our side. In no way do we deserve this or have we earned it. It is a privilege to do this. And obviously, since we don't deserve it, we in no way get a chance to control this partnership. He is the main partner in this partnership. So, today we're going to talk about part two of what this characteristic, the fellowship with God, is, and we're going to talk about two different things. Number one, a message from our main partner, and John mentions it in 1 John chapter 1, starting in verse 5, and then we're going to look at the method of our partnership. How is it that we can maintain fellowship with God? So first of all, number one, the message of our partner. Look with me at 1 John 1 and let's look at verse 5 and read what God says here. John writes this, this is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you. First of all, I want us to notice, this is a message God gave to John to tell us. Now this is God who wants to have fellowship with us. But in order for us to have fellowship with him, there are certain requirements. And so he says, John, I've got a message I want you to deliver to everyone who's gonna follow me and become a part of our fellowship, become a part of this family. And here's the message. This is the message we've heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Now that, in essence, is the message. So what does that mean? What does it mean that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all? Well, throughout the rest of 1 John 1, John is actually going to describe that to us. So let's look at this, first of all, and let's find out what the Bible talks about when it talks about light and darkness. As a matter of fact, light and darkness are mentioned a lot of times in the Bible. And so I want us to see if we can't understand a little bit of what the Bible is talking about when it talks about light and darkness and when it says God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. What does that mean? Well, there are two aspects of light and darkness in the Bible. First of all, there's an intellectual aspect. Then number two, there's a moral aspect or what's meant by it. First of all, let's look at the intellectual meaning of light and darkness. When the Bible refers to light in an intellectual way, it's simply talking about biblical truth. God is light. God is perfectly true. God is true, in him there is no lie. So, light refers to biblical truth, while darkness refers to error and falsehood. Let me share some verses with you that speak to this. Psalm 119, 105, thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Proverbs 6 and verse 23, for the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. John 1, verses 4 and 5, in him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 8 and verse 12. Again, Jesus spoke to them saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. So intellectually, when the Bible talks about light and darkness, light refers to biblical truth, whereas darkness refers to error and falsehood. Morally, When the Bible refers to light and darkness, morally, the Bible says light refers to holiness, purity, or everything that's right in action, while darkness refers to sin or wrongdoing. Let me give you some verses for that. Romans 13, verses 12 through 14. The night is far gone, the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 4, 5, 6, and 7. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night nor the darkness. So then let us not sleep as do others, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. So morally, when the Bible talks about light and darkness, light refers to holiness and purity, while darkness refers to sin and wrongdoing. So here's the summary. So to say that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all, would simply mean God is totally true in everything he says and does, and he is right and pure and holy in everything he does. There is not one speck of error, immorality, or wrongdoing in God at all. Now, this is the message. Everything else John is about to say is in reference to this message, the message that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we want to have fellowship with God or be in partnership with God, we've got to realize he's totally light. And with no darkness, that means we must be able to do the same thing, to walk in the light as he is in the light. We've got to learn how to live that true, holy, and pure life like God through Jesus Christ did. That's what we have to do if we want to enjoy partnership with him. So, excuse me, that brings us to number two, the method of our partnership. Now, you might be asking, how can a flawed human being like me ever be in fellowship or partnership with a perfectly holy God, especially if the requirement is to walk in the light like he is in the light? Well, I'm glad you asked that question because John is going to spend the rest of this chapter explaining it to us. And in this explanation, He gives us four different things. Before we look at those four things, go back to 1 John 1 and look with me at verse number six. John says, if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Now, based on our definition of light and darkness in the Bible, that's pretty simple to understand now. If we say that we're living in partnership with God, but we're actually walking in darkness, which is error or sin or wrongdoing, then we lie and do not practice the truth. We can be a believer in standing, but in practice, maybe we're living by our flesh. Maybe we're doing wrong and giving in to the desires of the sinful nature. In that case, I'm not walking in fellowship or partnership with God when I'm living like that, because that's not what God is like. But look at verse 7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, if we walk in truth, if we walk in doing what's right and holy and just, like he does, then we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin. Now that part's important and we're gonna get to it in a minute. By the way, just a hint, that's the answer as to how flawed humans can have fellowship and be in partnership with a perfect holy God. Verse eight, if we say 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 we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. So John explains this method of our partnership, how flawed humans can have partnership with a holy God. There are four things he talks about. Let's look at them real quick. Number one, the condition of our partnership in verses six and seven. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship. So in order for us to have this partnership or to live our lives in fellowship or partnership with God, then we have to live like he does, in the light, in truth, doing what's right and pure and holy. Now, there are two things that he mentions. If we say we're in partnership while we're living in sin, we're lying. So the honest truth is, John, by the way, was having to deal with some of this. There were false teachers that were teaching the people that their outward actions didn't affect their spiritual life. And so it was okay to live any way you wanted to because that didn't matter. But what John is saying is, yes, it does matter. If you want to live in partnership and fellowship with a holy God, which remember is a personal relationship through the person of Jesus Christ, he's a real person, then we cannot live any way we want to. We have to live in the light according to the truths of scripture, practicing in our life what is right according to God's word. And he says, if we do that, if we live according to God's word, and we practice God's word, then we can have partnership with God. That's what that partnership is. So the condition of our partnership is that we live in the light, like he is in the light. Number two, the conflict in our partnership. And this is pretty simple. It's our sin. You see, God is perfect and holy, but we're not. We are sinful human beings. We have a sin nature. and we are prone to sin. But that's why in verse seven, he said, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then at that moment, while we're doing that, we have fellowship with God. But he goes on to say, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. Now he said that because he knew we were gonna need it. That's how flawed humans have a partnership with a holy God. The conflict in our partnership is our sin, but that's why Jesus came and died on the cross. Not only to save us from the penalty of our sin, but also to save us every day from the power of sin over our life. And that brings us to number three. John talks about in this method of our partnership, the condition of our partnership, the conflict in our partnership, number three, the compassion of our partner. He says, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. He also says in verse nine, if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just, and he will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You see, God didn't have to do that, but he wants to have fellowship with us. And he knows we are not going to walk perfectly every day the way we're supposed to. So he says, because I wanna be in partnership with you, When you don't walk in the light, when you get into the darkness, confess it, I'll forgive you, I'll cleanse you, and then begin at that point and start walking in the light again. So there's the condition of our partnership. We gotta live in the light. There's the conflict of our partnership. Our sin is a problem. There's the compassion of our partner. God says he will forgive us because of what Jesus has done. And then finally, number four, there's the confession of our sin. Now the confession of our sin involves four things, and John talks about them here. First of all, in 1 John 1 in verse eight, he talks about confessing the presence of our sin, the fact that we have a sin nature. Look in 1 John 1, look at verse number eight. If we say we have no sin, that's in the singular, it's referring to a sin nature. We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. You see, John was having to deal with some heretics that were teaching that man did not have an inherent sin nature, that that just was not there. And so it didn't matter what you did. But the truth is, Paul teaches us in the book of Galatians in chapter five, that the flesh and the spirit battle one another. In Romans chapter seven, Paul said, the things I wanna do, I don't do, and the things I don't wanna do, I find myself doing, because I find a law that when I wanna do good, evil is present with me. And he goes on to say in Romans seven, oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death? And then he thanks God through Jesus Christ. So we have a sin nature. We are prone to sin. So the first thing we've got to do is we've got to confess the fact that we are prone to sin. Sin is present in our life. Number two, we've also got to confess the practice of our sin. In 1 John 1 and verse 10, he says, if we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. see, we're all going to sin. That's what humans do. Just because we're saved, just because our sins have been forgiven, and we don't have to worry about going to hell to pay for our sin, we still every day have to battle the flesh, that sin nature that is battling the Holy Spirit for control of our life. And we are going to sin. When we do, if we want to remain and walk in fellowship with God, we have to be willing to confess the practice of that sin. Yes, I have committed sin and I'm sorry. But then number three, confession involves admitting the presence of sin, the practice of sin, but also just as important, Confession involves acknowledging the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. 1 John 1, 9, if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Well, how can that be? Verse 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. Jesus died on the cross and paid the penalty for every sin you and I have ever committed or ever will commit. In order for you and I to live in fellowship with God and have the peace and the joy God intended for us to have, you have to, by faith, believe that when you confess your sin, God truly forgives you. You cannot carry around that guilt the rest of your life. You've got to believe and know that God forgives you and you can get up from that moment and do right and go on and be in perfect fellowship with God. And then finally, number four, confession involves the presence of sin, the practice of sin, the power of the blood of Jesus, and then our personal admission. 1 John 1, 9, if we confess, that word confess means to agree with or to say the same thing as. You see, I have to be willing to confess my own sin. I have to be willing to admit I have done wrong. When I do, God says he'll forgive me. So what is the method of our partnership? Well, all we've got to do is realize we have to walk in the light as he is in the light. Sin is going to be a problem. But God has showed compassion through Jesus. He will forgive us if we will confess. Confessing means we acknowledge I have a sin nature. I acknowledge that I do practice sin sometimes, but the power of the blood of Jesus can cleanse me from that and I truly believe it. So therefore I will admit my sin, confess it, forsake it, and try and do better. The message is simple. As born-again believers, we are in partnership and fellowship with God practically every day in our lives when we are living by God's truth and practicing what the Word of God says is good and right and moral. That's how Christians live in fellowship with God. But when we live and practice those things that are contrary to God's word, or we commit sin, that's not what a partner of God does, and therefore, the joy that comes from fellowship with God is not there. This is seen in the life of David. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba and wrote out his confession to God in Psalm 51, in verse 12 of Psalm 51, he wrote this, Lord, restore unto me the joy of your salvation and renew a right spirit within me. You see, when we're not walking as believers in fellowship with God, there's no joy. So walking in the light or walking in darkness? It's a simple question and can easily be answered. If we're walking in darkness, the good news is the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from our sin and we can confess it and start walking in the light again in fellowship with God. Once we're in the light and we're walking in fellowship with God, then we can experience the love, the joy, and the peace that comes from knowing that I'm living in step with God and his word. So my friend, let me encourage you that if you are away from God right now, confess your sin, God will forgive you, and start living in obedience to God's word and walking in the light, having fellowship with God.