Todays devotion is written by Mike Loveridge
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
1 John 1:5-2:6
Every form of life has its enemies. Insects have to watch out for hungry birds, and birds must keep an eye out for hungry cats. As humans we too have our enemies. Most of them are physical things (like a virus?!) or people but here in this passage John points to a spiritual enemy. This is our biggest enemy of all: sin. Nine times in these verses John mentions sin, so it is clearly an important message John is trying to get across.
John first draws out the contrast between light and dark to emphasise his point. But there is a second contrast drawn out in this passage and it is the difference between saying and doing. Four times John writes, ‘If we say…’ or words to that effect. The Christian life is about more than mere ‘talk’. We also need to walk the walk. Jesus makes this same point in the parable of the farmer with two sons (Matthew 21:28-32). If we are following God then the way we live our lives will back up what we say with our lips, but where sin controls us the way we live will undermine what we say. The Bible calls the Christian life a walk. It's a walk that begins with a step of faith by putting our trust in Jesus, but it doesn’t end there. Walking involves progress and forwards movement. We need to be progressing in our spiritual walk as we are sanctified. The big obstacle during that walk is sin.
Sin has both outward expressions of disobedience to God and inner expressions that no one else sees; lust, pride, greed, envy. Sin, whether inward or outward, is the refusal to submit to God’s rule and reign in our lives and instead wanting to be in control. No one is without sin and it is a battle for all of us whilst we are walking on this earth in our fallen, sinful flesh. If we have put our trust in God, then He is at work in us and sin should be decreasing as Christ increases.
Why not take time today to reflect on your spiritual walk. Does what you say and what you do marry up? Where do you find it hardest to submit to God’s rule in your life? And then confess your sins, because ‘he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’.
Prayer for today
Loving Heavenly Father,
We thank you that through Jesus you shone your light into the darkness of this world. Thank you for opening our hearts to understand who you are. We are sorry for the sin that still exists within our lives and we ask that you show us where sin resides. Please give us the strength to resist the temptations we face today.
We ask that you help us to not only talk the talk of the Christian life but also to walk the walk that you call us to.
We pray all this in Jesus’ name,
Amen
Song for today
You can listen and sing along here
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me Jesus take me now
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Saviour
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Saviour wholly Thine
Let me feel the Holy Spirit
Truly know that Thou art mine
All to Jesus I surrender
Lord I give myself to Thee
Fill me with Thy love and power
Let Thy blessings fall on me
All to Jesus I surrender
Now I feel the sacred flame
Oh the joy of full salvation
Glory glory to His name
Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Unsplash
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