Monday, May 6, 2024

          In worship on Sunday, we briefly spoke about the importance of I John 1:5.  John, one of the original disciples, wrote three letters found near the end of the Bible.  The largest of those three letters, I John, speaks about knowing the Lord Jesus personally and walking in fellowship with Him.  We can know and walk with the Lord because He is the embodiment of light and goodness.  We can know the Lord because we are invited into a relationship with Him.  He first loved us so we can love Him in return.  John wrote, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5).  This verse is a foundational truth for faith-building.  We learn some important truths about the character of God that we can hold on to in both good and challenging times and simply ordinary times. 
            First, John wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  So, we know that these words are true.  The Spirit never leads us astray or guides us into error.  But John had also known the Lord Jesus personally and closely for three years.  He had witnessed the miracles.  He heard the Lord’s powerful words.  He knew the pain of the cross and the glory of the Lord’s resurrection.  John wrote a message that He had seen, lived and known.  He was happy to witness for the Lord Jesus based on his life and the way Jesus had changed him from a fisherman to a fisher of men.
            Second, God is light.  There is no darkness of sin of duplicity in the Lord.  He is the essence of light, goodness and truth.  He will never trick us or deceive us.  He will never lead us to sin or even to contemplate sin.  He will never lead us in ways that depart from His perfect ways and standards.  We can see with discernment when we look at the world and life through the lens of the Lord’s eyes.  We can best do this by reading Scripture and knowing the Lord’s word clearly and confidently.
            Third, there is no darkness in the Lord at all.  Since He is light, there can be no lack of light in Him.  There is no hint of sin, ill will or shadow of turning with Him.  In His perfect goodness, God came in the form of His Son to save us from the darkness and dangers of sin, Satan and separation from Him.  We often sing “there is no shadow of turning with thee.”  God is not unpredictable or erratic.  He does not zipline between light and darkness.  There is not even a sense of uncertainty about God.  He is ALWAYS and forever good, true, faithful and gracious.  We never have to wonder or worry about the Lord and His ways.    
            I John 1:6-7 show us what we are to do based on the truth that we find in verse five.  John wrote, “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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.”  Because God is light, goodness and truth, we are to walk and live in these ways.  We are not to straddle our way through life with one foot in light and one foot in darkness.  We are not to meander along a pathway of our choosing and motivation.  We are not to pursue sinfulness or even trifle with it.  God not only saves us from sin’s penalty, He shows us how to live differently and empowers us to do so. And God’s ways are not burdensome or heavy.  His ways free us.   
            The Holy Spirit is God dwelling, living and abiding in us.  He will always guide us in the ways that are right.  His guidance will conform to the wisdom and truth of God’s Holy Word.  As we wake up each morning, we want to remind ourselves that we are not alone.  Indeed, we are never alone.  We know and walk with the Lord.  We possess His light and truth.  We are filled with His Spirit.  Confront the challenges of today by reminding yourself of who the Lord is and what He has done for you.  Give thanks for all that God has faithfully provided.  Have a great Monday!  Remember you can share our worship with others at YouTube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.