So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 1 John 1:6
When we consider the character of those around us, consistency is vital. We want to know that people act in the same way, regardless of who they are around or where they are throughout their day. This is particularly true for followers of Jesus. If we claim we follow Him, people are watching us, and they are particularly looking to see if we truly live out what we say we believe. They are watching to see if we are following Christ in every single area of our lives. Not only are people watching us to see how we are living our lives, but Scripture also calls us to live consistently. This means that He is calling us to be fully devoted to Him in every aspect of our lives.
John does not mince words when he writes the book of 1 John. "So we are lying," he says, "if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing truth" (1 John 1:6). In writing this, John wants believers to understand the importance of consistency in their life. A true believer will not say they are followers of God, but continue to live in darkness, because that goes against their very nature. In writing this, John meant to encourage believers to live consistent lives. On the flipside, John states that rather than walk in darkness, believers are to live in the light of Christ (verse 7). And those who live in the light of Christ have fellowship with him.
My friend, as followers of Christ, our walks must match our talk. If we say we believe in Christ, we must live as though we believe in Him. We must live in His light. May you and I be people who are characterized by the light of Christ.
The question that you must grapple with today is: Does your walk match your talk? In other words, are you living a lifestyle that is fully devoted to Christ, or is there an area (or two) that you are holding back from Him? Find a trusted friend, and ask them this question. Ask them if there are any areas of your life where you are living inconsistently. Be prepared for them to give you an honest answer. If that friend reveals inconsistency in your life, take it to God and ask Him to help you live in such a way that you are fully devoted to Him. Next, commit to making changes in that inconsistent area with His help.
Read 1 John 1:5-10 (NLT)
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
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