The Study of I John 1:7

View the Video blog for this lesson:  I John 1:7

I John 1:7

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.

THE STUDY

          We now see contrast #2 which is a positive opposed to a negative. John shares two things that comes from walking in the light: fellowship with one another and a cleansing of all sin. Over the last few days we have covered the idea of fellowship with one another. Today we want to focus on this new thing that John inserts in this passage of scripture. It can be looked at as something new due to the fact that up to this point John didn’t include it in the prologue. John states that not only do we have fellowship with one another but we are cleansed from all sin. What does this mean?

          As a Nazarene pastor I have a certain belief in regards to understanding sin and the cleansing of it. I believe (as does the Nazarene Church) that we are forgiven of all of our sins when we ask, believe and confess. We ask Christ into our heart, we believe He died for our sins, and we confess and ask for His forgiveness.

We can walk away from this relationship but we can also walk in the light that can empower us to live a life that is victorious over sin. The writer of I Corinthians states this best, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 15:54-57)

This doesn’t mean we are sinless but that we can wake up every morning and choose not to sin. Through the Spirit that dwells inside us we can be victorious in doing just that.

          In this verse we read how Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This word “cleanse” is the same word used in Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Being cleansed is an act from God not something that we do. We receive this cleansing by the faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way for us to be reconciled to God.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH …

• What needs to be understood from this verse is the fact that walking in the light is an action done by man (us). Cleansing of sin is the action done by God.

• God’s extended hand of mercy and grace is available for ALL who will acknowledge and accept the act of Love Jesus displayed on the Cross.

CONCLUSION:

          My son and I were out taking a walk on my in-laws country road. It was fall and the leaves were starting to turn those beautiful reds and yellows. We walked about a mile or so and came across a house that had been abandoned. We could tell by the fact that some of the windows had been broken out and the front door was hang on one hinge. My son said, “Dad, why does that house look so old and run down?” My reply to him was, “no one is living inside it to keep it clean and fixed.” I thought about that for a moment and then said to my son, “the same can be true with our bodies.” If we don’t have Jesus dwelling inside us, we would start to look like that house, old and run down.”

          What we need to realize today is that walking in the light allows us communion with God. Along with that there is a cleansing that is needed in order for us to be new and transformed. Praise be to Jesus, our Lord and Savior who washes away all of our sins so we can be the vessel that God desires.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod