1 John 1:5-9
This is the message we heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light. In him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him but still walk in darkness, we are lying and do not put the truth into practice. But if we walk in the light, just as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, 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.
Applying God’s Word for today: Walking in the light
Most people do not like to stumble in the dark. You feel your way around an obstacle, so you don’t stub your toe; you prefer to walk in the light. But sometimes you don’t want to turn on the light because it will wake others, or because it seems like too much work to flip the switch.
Your life is filled with sinful desires; all your sinful actions stem from what is in your heart. We are all filled with sin. John wrote that if we think we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The Greek makes it clear that he means every single person, regardless of age.
So how does one get out of the darkness of sin? By walking in the light—by faith. But many misunderstand faith as something you acquire and do. Faith is created in a person through hearing the gospel message, or through that message connected to water in Baptism. The Holy Spirit uses the means of grace to instill and strengthen faith in believers’ hearts, regardless of age.
When we have faith, we receive the forgiveness of sins because Jesus shed His blood nearly two thousand years ago, and it has washed away all our sins. Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all our sins. Our natural, sinful inclination is to reject God’s love, but when faith is present, we stop rejecting Him. We walk in the light of God; in Him there is no darkness. God’s desire is to forgive you for all your sins. He gives you this gift of forgiveness so that, through faith in Jesus, you will have eternal life and salvation.
Lord, I confess all my sins before you, even those I have forgotten. Forgive those who wronged me. Please cleanse me of all my sins and grant me the light of salvation to walk in, so that I may have Your peace. Grant me fellowship with other believers so that we are united in Christ. Give me the desire to walk according to my faith and to share the good news of my salvation with others. Amen.
Recognizing the darkness of sin in which we walk is itself enlightening, because it drives us to our Savior. He forgives you all your sins and brings you into His light, where you have salvation and eternal life. It really is that simple!