Tag: blood of Jesus
Walking in Light
Scripture reading for November 19: 1 John 1
“This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 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. 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.” 1 John 1:5-10
John was the disciple whom Jesus loved. He wrote this letter to strengthen believers in the truth of Scripture concerning their salvation after false teachers had attacked the church with new revelations about Jesus and the ‘knowledge’ required for salvation. These false teachers separated flesh and spirit into two categories. The flesh was evil along with matter. The spirit was good and was where salvation took place through special ‘knowledge’. They taught that Jesus was a ‘spirit’ separate from His physical existence. For some, their ‘knowledge’ led them to believe that it did not matter what was done in the body, they were still saved. Others were involved in severe treatment of their bodies to earn salvation.
John lovingly and firmly addressed the believers concerning the Word of God, Jesus Christ. God is light and has no darkness at all. Sin is darkness and those living in it have not found the light of Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ and His shed blood brings true salvation and fellowship with God and one another. As we walk in the light as Christ is the Light, there is a continuous exposure of sin enabling repentance and deliverance through confession of sin. If we refuse to admit sin but excuse it as unavoidable because of flesh, we are liars and His Word is not a true part of our life. We are dead in sin and the lie we believe holds us in darkness. This was the state of those under the false teaching of John’s day.
How would you evaluate your own knowledge and understanding of salvation? Are there still competing beliefs about how we ‘know’ that we are saved? Using John’s test of ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ concerning your own walk, are you walking in the light as Jesus is the light?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the light of Jesus Christ, the Living Word, shining in my life through the Holy Spirit. Thank You the Jesus is the Way, Truth and the Light, not some special ‘knowledge’ that enables me to justify clinging to darkness. May I glorify God in my body, soul and spirit! Amen.
Walking in the Light of Jesus!
Scripture reading for November 19th: 1st John 1, Psalm 89-90, Proverbs 15
Key Scriptures: 1st John 1:5-9 “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 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. 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.”
John was the “beloved” disciple. He followed Jesus when he was very young and now as an old man, he wrote to the Church of Jesus concerning the light of Truth as found in Jesus. If we walk in the light of Jesus, we will experience true fellowship with God and one another. The blood of Jesus will continually be at work bringing cleansing and sanctification from sins we confess and repent of. Denying real sin in our lives cuts us off from Jesus and truth.
Faith Confession: I desire to walk in the light of Jesus and His Word. I want to be sensitive to sins and find repentance and cleansing through Jesus’ blood, keeping my fellowship with Him and His church.
Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Walk in the Light!
Scripture reading for November 18th: 1st John 1
Key Scriptures for over-comers: 1st John 1:5-7 “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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, purifies us from all sin.”
Light and darkness cannot occupy the same space! Light always drives out darkness and over-powers it. Darkness can only exist in the absence of light! This is a truth that applies to believers and their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If we have fellowship with Jesus Christ, darkness must leave our lives and souls. If we say we have fellowship, but continue to live in darkness, we are living in deception and under a lie! Those in true fellowship with Jesus Christ allow His blood to cleanse them from sin and darkness.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers live and walk in the intense light of Christ’s glory and are being transformed by this glory. “I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north–an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal,” (Ezekiel 1:4)
Walking in the Light!
Scripture reading for November 19th: 1st John 1
The apostle John was an eyewitness of Jesus Christ. He walked with Him, talked with Him and had put his head on His chest, hearing His heart. John was proclaiming to the Church what he knew to be true so that they would not be deceived by false teaching that was spreading throughout the early church about a generation after the resurrection of Jesus. The truths taught in this letter ring true for us today!
“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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, purifies us from all sin.” (1st John 1:5-7)
The false teachers were proclaiming a gospel of cheap grace. They were teaching the people that they could be saved and still live in sin. John stated plainly that God was light. Those who walked in God’s light could not continue to live in sin. If they did, they were lying about having a relationship with God. Those who walked in the Light would experience a continual cleansing from sin through repentance and confession. Otherwise they would be living in self-deception and darkness! “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will for give us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1st John 1:8-9) Believers walk in Christ’s light and live humble lives of honest repentance!
Let’s draw near!
Scripture reading for November 11th: Hebrews 10:19-39
Once a person understands the new covenant and the benefits of believing on Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, there is a choice to be made. We must either draw near to God through Jesus Christ or choose to go our own way. The writer of Hebrews plainly lays out the choice in the passage we are reading today. We can choose freely, but the consequences of our choice will come as stated by Scripture!
“Therefore, brother, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is His body, and since we have a great priest over the House of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:19-23) The logical choice is drawing near to God by faith in Jesus’ sacrifice and priesthood! We are free from sin and condemnation and are made pure through His blood. (Hebrews 9:14) He promised that those who would believe on Him would be saved completely! (Hebrews 7:25)
“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. . . .It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10: 26-27, 31) This warning concerned the sin of unbelief in God’s final Word, Jesus. Willful rejection is the same as willful sin under the old covenant. Sacrifice could be made for sins in ignorance and they would be accepted by God. But willful, defiant sinning was punishable by death. (Numbers 15:27-31)
Who in their right mind would shrink back from the promise of eternal life, a clean conscience, rest from religious labors and freedom from the fear of death? Who would choose standing before God and having to answer for their own sins? We are encouraged not to throw away our confidence by shrinking back, but to go on towards Jesus who is our reward! The best is yet to come for those who hold fast! (Hebrews 10:35-29)