The apostle John writes, “Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ . . . This is the message we 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” (1 John 1:3,5-7). “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all,” means a believer cannot live His life in light and darkness at the same time, and believes he is in fellowship with God. Light and darkness cannot coexist. It is either one or the other. Christian fellowship means the believer’s communion with God, and communion with other believers. In other words, the believer needs God in his daily walk with the Lord. And believers need each other for support and encouragement in the separated Christian life.
“Fellowship describes a situation where two or more persons share things in common,” writes William MacDonald, “It is a communion or partnership. John now undertakes to instruct his readers as to the requirements for fellowship with God. In doing so, he appeals to the teachings of the Lord Jesus when He was here on earth. Although the Lord is not quoted as having used these exact words, the sum and substance of His teaching was that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. By this he meant that God is absolutely holy, absolutely righteous, and absolutely pure. God cannot look with favor on any form of sin. Nothing is hidden with Him, but “all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:13). (Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 2310).
Sin is a distraction and will interrupt our fellowship with God, but it cannot change our “standing in God’s grace and our relationship with God. Once saved, the believer is “justified” (made righteous in God’s sight). Didn’t God declare: “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more” (Hebrews 19:17). Through the confession of sin, our fellowship with God will be restored. Confession and forgiveness of sins is most essential for spiritual growth and ongoing fellowship with God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We bless our God for His wonderful provision as John writes, “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 for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1,2). “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins.” An “advocate” is a person who pleads for or in the behalf of another. Advocacy is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ for sinning believers which He carries on with the Father whereby, because of the eternal efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, He restores them to fellowship (Psalm 23:3).
Coming to know Jesus Christ as our Savior means we are forgiven once and forever. However, we need constant daily cleansing from the defilement of sinbecause we live in imperfect sin defiled world. John also argues that our advocate “is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world.” It is important that John mentions this because “propitiation” means that God’s wrath against sin is ‘appeased or satisfied’ and sinful man can be reconciled to God who is holy and righteous, because of the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross.
The recognition of indwelling sin is a God-given responsibility for each of us. John informs us “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 words is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). One might say this is strong language. It might be, but it is the truth. First of all, it is important to note the words “sin” and “sins,” as John uses both. Sin, singular, refers to the corrupt human nature every person is born with. Sins, plural, refers to the results of the sin nature, that is the things we do that is contrary to God’s word and displeases Him. Therefore, let us not deceive ourselves that we have no sin.
John then points out the we have to make the “first” move in the confession process. Since we commit the sins, it is entirely our responsibility to confess them. How else can we be forgiven. “If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” The Scripture also tells us, “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy”(Proverbs 28:13). Sins confessed, means sins are forgiven, and cleansing occurs.God never fails. He faithfully keeps His word. Let us remember the God who created us, knows all about us, and His word says, “And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13). My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us endeavor to be obedient to God’s word. It pays in great “spiritual dividends.” May God bless His word.