Take a moment to read and ponder this passage from I John:
“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. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (I John 1:5-2:6)
The foremost challenge of the Christian walk is the battle against sin. Whether it be an internal struggle with our own sinfulness or our outward struggle with the sins of the world, our main fight is against sin. Most of the world’s problems could be solved if sin were eliminated.
Yet, we know that until Christ comes again to take the faithful home to Heaven, sin will still reign over this earth. God, however, did not leave us helpless in this battle. The passage states that Christ is our “advocate with the Father.” If we keep the Lord’s commandments, we will be rewarded by God. Hebrews 11:6 says that God is a “rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
If we diligently seek the Lord and strive to keep His commandments, then the blood of Jesus will cleanse us from all sin. Thanks be to God for His immeasurable grace and mercy on our behalf! May we always strive to follow Him so that we may receive His mercy.
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How can we show non-believers that we do not just “talk the talk” and that we actually do strive to walk in the truth of God?