“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by 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.” 1 John 1:6-7
What was John doing? Was he describing the criteria by which one can discriminate between professors of Christ and possessors of Christ or was he describing the difference in behavior of those who claim to be Christians and those who are genuine followers of Christ? Biblical scholars differ on the matter. I believe John was writing about one's daily communion with God. John wrote to the infant Church to encourage the believers to assure themselves of their salvation by “verifying the validity of their profession” through their agreement with the apostolic teachings and their adherence and surrender to living righteously.
There is a difference between one who habitually operate in a particular way versus one who in a moment of weakness, indiscretion or injudiciousness stumbles and yields to temptation.
The Christian should seek to habitually live in a way that pleases and brings honor to God. Living an authentic expression of the Christian life is a basic requirement for every believer. There is a clear distinction between a life that is habitually seeking to please God and one that occasionally gives attention to God or the things of God.
One of the things that is frustrating the growth of the church today is the reluctance and or failure of believers to the walk as believers. The inconsistency between our talk and our walk results in many would be followers shunning the church. One of the World’s most famous persons, Mahatma Gandhi, considered becoming a Christian but his experiences with Christians in South Africa caused him to decide against becoming one. It is important and potentially most positive how a professed Christian lives.
I believe many Christians are trying their best not to look or behave any differently from the non-Christians. Too many Christians “do in Rome as the Romans do”. Christians should not just flow with the tide. It is true that followers of Jesus must “be in the world but not of the world”. Even as we walk, work, live and talk with those who have not put their faith in Jesus for salvation we must not live like them.
We must get back to that place where as Christians we are not afraid or unwilling to be exposed for our honesty, punctuality, truthfulness, transparency, generosity, holiness and purity. People will know who we are by our life. In 1 John 2:8-11 we have clear indications what walking in darkness is like. It says that he who hates his brother is in the darkness and he who loves his brother abides in the light. Walking in the light means being a loving person and walking in the darkness means being a person of hate. To walk in darkness is to be controlled by desires for this world instead of desires for God. How is your walk?
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