'Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.’
God is the author of truth and goodness. God and Jesus are both free of sin and darkness. We, in our fallen state, tend towards evil thoughts and deeds (Jn. 3:19-21). If we prefer evil, we walk in darkness. We can only have fellowship with God if we turn from darkness to light (Acts 26:18) and live in truth derived from God. The way we lead our lives must reflect the fellowship with God that we profess. Living in God’s truth will also lead to fellowship with each other. God’s light is Jesus Christ, His Son, who died for our sins, and by whose blood we are cleansed of our sins (1Peter 1:19-19). If there was sin or darkness in Jesus then his blood could not cleanse us. Jesus therefore had no need to repent or be cleansed because there was no sin in him. If we believe that we are without sin, we are judging ourselves to be light, and will not be spiritual beneficiaries of forgiveness and reconciliation through Christ. Jesus said, 'I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners (Luke 5:32).’ We must do as Peter said to the crowd after he had cured the crippled beggar, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away (Acts 3:19).”
Lord Jesus Christ, you shed your blood so that we could enter into the new covenant you made with God on our behalf. With the New Covenant, we can be redeemed individually based on God’s grace and truth through You. Have mercy on us and help us to live in your light so you can use us to lead other to salvation. We ask this through You, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign, God, forever. Amen.
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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