1 John 1:5-10: True Devotion with the Father
1:6: If we claim we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we
lie and do not live by the truth.
We often claim that we are saved and through our salvation
we have a relationship with Jesus Christ. What we don’t sometimes understand is what a relationship with Jesus really looks like.
It is a relationship that resembles the fellowship between
the Father and His Son.
That is what our relationship must reflect. One of the many reasons God sent His Son
to us is for Believer’s to see the relationship He has with His son and imitate it.
But we are blind to this part of our mission. We know so
much about Jesus but little of our relation to Him. We know that He was
obedient to His Father (Hebrews 10:7). We know that He listened to the Father’s
voice (John 12:49). We know that He gave glory to the Father (Matt. 6:9-10,
12:50). We know that He honored the Father’s commands (John14:31).
We look at everything Jesus is and has done but rarely do we
stop to look at the relationship between the Father and His beloved Son. The
perfect example that the Lord sets for us daily! JESUS models the most pure and perfect relationship. Not only for
our earthly bonds with each other, but most importantly for our spiritual bond
with our Father.
Most of us don’t even know what an honest and sincere
relationship resembles because we don’t personally seek the face of Jesus. A
Believer’s mission is to fulfill the Great Commission given by Christ.
How do you fulfill a goal? You have to do certain things,
take specific steps, to accomplish the overall purpose.
For example, your goal is to lose 10 pounds in 1 month. What
must you do to reach your goal? You don’t just write it down and wait for it to
happen. You begin to work out, you start eating healthy, you take
longer walks, etc. The same way in a Christian’s life. We have a
mission: Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.”
So then, what must we do to achieve our mission? We start exercising spiritually. Start working out (your faith), start eating healthy (spiritual daily
food: the Word), take longer walks (spend more time with the Lord).
In this, there is no room for darkness! So if we do not do
this and claim to have a relationship with Christ, we are liars (1 John 1:6)!
But if we do try, everyday, to live up to the truth, we have true fellowship
with Him and are ensured that even though we may slip and sin at times the
blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7)!
This passage stretches on the act of claiming. We are
claiming either to have fellowship with our Lord or not. We are claiming to be
without sin or choosing to confess our sin.
Claim the truth
that is found in no one else but Jesus. Take a hold of Him and claim Him.
Declare your life to be all about
Him.
The most convicting part of this passage is if we claim to
be in fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, the Bible clearly states that
we are making Him out to be a liar (1 John 1:10). If we are still walking in darkness,
we do not understand the will and even the mission of our Lord. His Word has no
place in our lives (1:10). And how could it? What would it be used for if it is
completely useless in our life?
Unfortunately, we don’t even have the option of keeping the
Word around for when we’re ready to surrender to God. “The Lord gives and the
Lord takes away” (Job 1:21).
He will take it away from us because there is no use for His
word in our hearts, in our lives, for we are liars in claiming a relationship with
Him by continuing to walk in darkness. When we claim fellowship with Him, let’s
claim it with confidence (Philippians 1:6) and readiness to be in a devoted relationship with God as
disciples of Jesus Christ.
