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By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:19-20 John is writing to Christian believers, and here he speaks about a problem that believers will face: “Whenever our heart condemns us.” Notice, John does not say, “If...” He says, “When...” So this is not an unusual problem. Some believers will struggle with this more than others. Some of us are more introspective than others. Some of us are more demanding of ourselves than others. Some of us live with more sins that we have not yet forsaken than others. Most Christians know what it is to look at ourselves and wonder, How could a person who has thought what I have thought, said what I have said, and done what I have done really be a Christian? Could it be that I have deceived myself, and that the truth is not in me? These are the thoughts of the condemning heart. God’s purpose is not that you should live under the sentence of a condemning heart. Remember what John says next: “Whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything” (3:20). On a scale of (1) “I rarely think about this,” to (5) “I am often plagued by this,” how often would you say you struggle with the thoughts of a condemning heart?

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God. 1 John 3:21 What John describes here is the normal experience of a Christian believer. Our hearts do not condemn us “If our heart does not condemn us...” (3:21). There is no better life than to know that you are forgiven, that God is for you, and that whatever happens, you are only a short distance from your eternal home, where you will see God’s face, your tears will be wiped away, and you will rejoice in God’s glorious presence. We have confidence before God “...we have confidence before God” (3:21). What an amazing statement! God will destroy the wicked, but the normal experience of the Christian life is to know that it is well with your soul and so to have peace with God and confidence before Him. God answers our prayers “And whatever we ask we receive from him...” (3:22). As you believe God, love God, and obey God, the things that you ask of Him will be aligned with His will. And when the things you ask for are aligned with His will, you will receive what you ask for. We live according to God’s commands “...because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him” (3:22). John keeps coming back to the life God has called us to live, believing, loving, and obeying God’s commandments. And here he reminds us again that as we pursue this life, assurance will grow and peace will prevail. Here is a marvellous description of the normal Christian life. Pursue this life to which God has called you, and these blessings will be yours. Your heart will not condemn you. You will have confidence before God, and God will answer your prayers. Which of these four blessings of the Christian life did you most need to be reminded of today?

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4 John presents us with three themes—obeying, loving, and believing—and he uses them in three ways: as tests, as directions, and as signs. Tests The evidence that a person knows God is that he or she obeys God’s commands, loves God’s people, and believes in God’s Son. A person who knowingly resists God’s commands is not a Christian. A person who says, “I love God,” may sound very spiritual, but if he, at the same time, hates his brother, his claim is false. And if a person claims to be from God, but she denies Jesus Christ, she is a liar. These are tests by which we may discern those who are in Christ. Directions Obeying, loving, and believing are God’s directions for our lives. They suggest questions you could use when you lack assurance: 1) Am I choosing not to obey one of God’s commands? 2) Am I carrying bitterness or resentment toward someone? 3) Am I relying on my attempts to live the Christian life rather than relying on Jesus? If your answer is “yes” to any of these, you should not be surprised that you lack assurance. Signs John gives us three signs for recognising the work of God in our lives—believing, loving, and obeying. You might think, Well, I don’t see much of this fruit in my life. How many apples do you need to see before you can conclude that you’re looking at an apple tree? Not many. The tree may not be loaded with fruit, but if you can see even a few small apples, you can say with confidence, “It’s an apple tree!” And the more fruit you see, the more peace and joy you will have, knowing that you truly are in Christ. What evidence of belief—even if only “a few small apples”—do you see in your own life?

There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 1 John 5:7-9 God testifies that Jesus is His Son through the water, the blood, and the Spirit. The water speaks of the baptism of Jesus When Jesus was baptised, the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove, and an audible voice from heaven declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mat. 3:17). The blood speaks of the death of Jesus God has testified that the one who died on the cross is His Son by raising Him from the dead. Paul speaks of “the gospel of God… concerning his Son, who… was declared to be the Son of God in power… by his resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:1–4). The Spirit is the Holy Spirit who dwells in all who believe Jesus said, “the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (Jn. 15:26; see also 16:13–14). God has declared that Jesus is His Son through His baptism. God has demonstrated that Jesus is His Son by raising Him from the dead. And God convinces us that Jesus is His Son by sending the Holy Spirit. Believe the testimony God has given about His Son today. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ will be yours. The Father will be yours. Life will be yours. Have you accepted God’s invitation? He promises, “Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 Jn. 2:23). “Whoever has the Son has life” (5:12). God’s whoever is big enough to include you.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God… Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. 1 John 4:15, 5:1 John tells us that Jesus is the Christ, and that He is the Son of God. First, Jesus is the Christ “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (5:1). The liar denies that Jesus is the Christ, but a person born of God believes and confesses that Jesus is the Christ. Then John says, “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (4:2). John is describing the incarnation. God became a man in Christ Jesus. “Come” points to where He was before, sharing the life of God in heaven. “Has come” indicates that His coming was a historical event. “Flesh” tells us that He shares our human nature. God is Spirit, so in taking flesh, the Son of God identified Himself fully with us. This union of God’s nature and ours is realised in a person —Jesus Christ. And that’s why all our hope is in Him. God has promised a redeemer since the beginning of time, and God became the deliverer He promised. Second, Jesus is God’s Son “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (4:15). Jesus is God’s Son. He is “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15). He is “the exact imprint of His nature” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus is God in the flesh. He is one with the Father (Jn. 10:30). His words are the Father’s words, His will is the Father’s will, His work is the Father’s work. So, if you are in Christ the Son, you are in God the Father. That’s why John can say, “Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23). Who could you tell this week: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, and I believe that He is the Son of God”?

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. 1 John 2:18 The “antichrist” (singular) is a person who will oppose Christ and all that He stands for. This person will be an embodiment of evil, and he will arise in the future. But even in the first century, there were many antichrists. When John speaks about “antichrists” (plural), he is talking about ordinary people who once were in the church but then left the church. “They went out from us, but they were not of us” (2:19). These people believed that Jesus was born and died like anyone else. They denied the virgin birth. They saw Jesus as a man blessed with special powers and a special ministry. They saw Him as an inspiration and as an example of what is possible for a person possessed by heavenly powers. But John is clear: Any teaching that reduces Jesus to a man with special powers is a lie that reflects the spirit of antichrist. “Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (2:22). Notice the two denials: 1) Jesus is not the Christ, and 2) Jesus is not the Son of God. Robert Law says, “There are many lies and many liars; but he who utters this lie is the liar.” This is the lie that in some form will be repeated again and again throughout the course of history, and whenever you hear it, you are hearing the voice of antichrist. Which of these two lies about Jesus do you need to fight against?

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. 1 John 3:14 John acknowledges that some relationships will be difficult, but he also reminds us of where love comes from. Some people are hard to love“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers” (3:14). We don’t choose our brothers and sisters. They are given to us. And this is also true of the church. It’s easy to love a group of friends you have chosen. But the church is not a cosy group of self-selected friends. Your sisters and brothers in Christ are given to you by God, and some of them will be hard to love. Love comes from God“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God” (4:7). The source of love is outside of ourselves. This is good news. God calls you to love your sister or brother, and He is the source of the love He calls you to give. Stop telling yourself that you can’t love someone. God is love. And if His love reaches you, you will have all the love you need. How do you know what love is if you have not been loved well? John says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us” (3:16). Stop telling yourself that you don’t know what love is. God the Father sent His Son into the world for you. God the Son laid down His life for you. God the Spirit has come to indwell you. God’s love for you will never end. He has loved you with an everlasting love (Jer. 31:3). How could understanding that God is the source of love help you to love your brothers and sisters in Christ, even when they are hard to love?

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 1 John 2:10 One way assurance grows is by loving God’s people. Here are two kinds of evidence that show whether a person actually loves God’s people: Hatred is evidence of darkness and death “Whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness... the darkness has blinded his eyes” (2:11). Hatred blinds people to the truth. A person who hates will not be able to see reality or find the path of wisdom. The tragedy of our time is that anger has taken root, and it is producing the bitter fruit of hatred. Hatred is evidence of darkness. Hatred is also evidence of death: “Whoever does not love abides in death” (3:14). The person who hates is trapped, and he cannot get out. When we see hatred, our first response should be compassion. “This man has no love in his heart. He may be in a state of spiritual death.” Love is evidence of light and life “Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling” (2:10). Love is a sign that you abide in the light. If anger and hatred take root, they would cause you to stumble. But if you love your brother, there will be no cause of stumbling in you. John also says love is evidence of life: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers” (3:14). This is assurance: “We know...” How do we know? “Because we love the brothers.” Where do you see evidence of darkness and death in your life? Where do you see light and life?

Whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. 1 John 2:5 John has been talking the language of law. Now, he is talking the language of love, and the two are joined together. “Whoever keeps his word [his commandments], in him truly the love of God is perfected.” The love of God has a purpose: to reproduce itself in us, that we may love as He first loved us. And the evidence that God’s love has fulfilled its purpose in us is that we keep God’s Word. The obedience John is describing does not come from a sense of duty. It comes from love. This is the clear teaching of Jesus: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Our submission to God’s will is the fruit of God’s love. We love because He first loved us. There is a beautiful freedom about the Christian life. What is freedom? Some people have the idea that it is being able to do whatever you want. But some of the things we want to do would be damaging to ourselves, hurtful to others, and most of all, offensive to God. So here’s a better definition: Freedom is when what you want aligns with what God commands. That’s why we read in Psalm 1:1–2 that the man who delights in the law of God is blessed. Christ brings us into the most beautiful freedom by aligning our desires with God’s Word. When what you desire aligns with what God commands, then you will be free. Ask God to breathe on you and fill you afresh with His Spirit so that you might love what He loves, and do what He would do.

By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments... Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 1 John 2:3, 6 The way we know that we know God and that we are in Christ is to keep His commandments, or to say it another way, to walk as Jesus walked. Walk in obedience to God’s commands and you will grow in assurance. Walk as Jesus walked and you will know that you are in Him. The way Jesus walked was to obey the commandments. He said, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (Jn. 14:31). If we are in Him, we will do the same. John said, “We know that we have come to know [God], if we keep His commandments.” The word “keep” here was used of a ship’s captain using his eyes and ears to scan the skies and waters and chart the right course. You live the Christian life by keeping your eyes and ears open to the Word of God. What has God said that I need to hear in this situation? What principle do I need to apply? What promise do I need to believe? If assurance depends on our keeping God’s commands, how can we ever hope to have assurance? Which of us can honestly say that we walk as Jesus walked? No Christian keeps God’s commands completely, but all Christians begin to live according to God’s commands. That’s why Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own” (Phil. 3:12). This is the path on which assurance is found. As you walk in this path, growing peace, joy, and assurance will be yours. What encouragement do you find in Paul’s admission that he had not obtained perfection but kept pressing on?

By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3 To know God is the reason and purpose for which we were made. Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3). But John goes even further. It’s not only that we should know God, but that we should know that we know Him. “By this we know that we have come to know him” (1 Jn. 2:3). That’s assurance: To know that you know God. To know that you are not self-deceived. To know that your faith is genuine. To know that God is yours and that you are His forever. If God has used another person to show you the way, you may wonder, Do I really know God for myself? Or am I just living off someone else’s experience? God has promised that each of His people will know Him directly. “No longer shall each one teach... saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me” (Jer. 31:34). Your knowledge of God will not be secondhand. Take in the joy and blessing of this promise. Then John states this glorious promise in another way. “By this we may know that we are in him” (1 Jn. 2:5). The gift of assurance is not only to know that you know God but to know that you are in Christ. But how can we know that we are in Christ? John is not telling us how a person becomes a Christian. He is writing to Christian believers, and he is telling us how we can know that we truly are in Christ. What we have here is a perfect description of assurance: to know that you know God and to know that you are in Christ. Reflect on the glorious promise that you are His and He is yours forever.

I will soon pour out my wrath upon you, and spend my anger against you. Ezekiel 7:8 The wrath of God toward sin can be poured out, and when it is poured out it will be spent. This takes us to the heart of what happened at the cross. The divine wrath toward sin was poured out on Jesus. He became the propitiation for our sins. All that was due to sinners was poured out on Jesus at the cross. Now, truths often get abused when they are isolated from other truths that belong beside them. John makes it clear that the propitiation was an act of love: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10). God the Father gave us His Son. Jesus gave Himself for us. There was no coercion involved. The Father and the Son were one in self-giving. So, don’t ever think that God loves you because Jesus died for you. No! Jesus died for you because God loves you! God loved us even when we were the objects of His wrath: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (Jn. 3:16). The divine wrath toward our sin was poured out on Jesus. Because it was spent on Jesus, there is nothing left to pour out on us: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). What Jesus accomplished on the cross is sufficient for every person who will confess their sins, for every person who wants to be forgiven and reconciled to God. If He does not become your advocate and your propitiation, the only reason would be that you don’t want Him. Do you want Jesus to be your advocate with God the Father, and to pay the propitiation for your sins?

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2 A propitiation is a gift or payment to placate the anger of an offended person. The best way to explain this is through an illustration. Meet Neil and Sally. They met at the office and quickly began dating. One night they went to a party. Neil had too much to drink, and while he was driving Sally home, his car crashed into a tree. When Neil came around in the hospital, he immediately asked, “How is Sally? Can I see her?” “No,” the doctor said. “She’s paralysed, and she won’t ever walk again. She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Sometime later Neil received a letter from Sally’s lawyers. In the light of her permanent disability, Sally was bringing legal action. There are three factors in this situation: first, there is an offence. Neil acted recklessly when he decided to drink and drive. Second, there is an offended person. Sally is paralysed and angry. And third, there is an offender. Neil is sorry, but that won’t change the fact that he is at fault, and Sally’s lawyers are preparing legal action against him. When the lawyers talk about what it will take to settle the case, they discuss what will satisfy Sally. What Neil thinks doesn’t matter. Sally is the offended party, and when the lawyers identify a sum of money that would be acceptable to Sally, the payment is a propitiation. Since our sin is an offence against God, He is the one who determines what the payment should be. The question is: What will satisfy God? And John tells us here that Jesus “is the propitiation for our sins” (2:2). Can you imagine how your answer to the question “What will satisfy God?” might be different than His? Which one matters?

If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1 An advocate is one who is called alongside to help. The word is used for a lawyer defending a client in court. Jesus is our advocate. He speaks in our defence. He advocates for us. What could our defence be? Jesus cannot plead that we have not sinned—clearly, we have. He cannot plead mitigating circumstances. God calls us to confess our sins, and a large part of confession is to admit that we are without excuse. If you say, “Lord, I admit that I lost my temper, but You know that I was provoked,” you are not making a confession, you are making an excuse. God has given us His Holy Spirit. He has blessed us with every blessing in Christ. After all that God has done for us, after all that we have received from His hand, what excuse do we have? None whatsoever. So, what case can Jesus make for our defence? The defence Jesus offers is not that we are innocent. It is not that there were mitigating circumstances that excuse our sin. It is that the price for our sins has already been paid. If anyone sins, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1). As this old hymn reminds us, Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea; A great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me. Prayerfully consider the words of this hymn, thanking God for providing an advocate for the times when you sin.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 John presents us with twin truths: Sin remains in us, and God forgives our sin. How are we to respond to these truths? Here are two dangers. 1. We acquiesce in our sin. We say to ourselves, “Everybody sins. And God loves me as I am. He forgives the sins of everyone who believes in Jesus.” We hear the truth that God forgives, and we acquiesce in our remaining sin. But Jesus did not die on the cross so that we could remain in our sins. Peter tells us the reason Jesus died: “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24). John tells us: “If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). Then he says, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin” (1 Jn. 2:1). In other words, “Don’t ever use that as a reason to sin. That would be to walk in darkness, and you can’t have fellowship with God there.” 2. We despair over our sin. Or we say to ourselves, After all I’ve learnt from God’s Word, after all I’ve seen of God’s goodness, after all I’ve received from His hand, why am I not more godly? Am I really a Christian at all? The first danger is that we see God’s gracious forgiveness but give in to our sinful desires. The second is that we see our own remaining sin and give in to despair. John is leading us, and he wants to guard us from falling off the cliffs that are close by on either side. Which of these two cliffs are you more in danger of falling off—acquiescing to your sin or despairing over it?

Let not sin... reign in your mortal body. Romans 6:12 Notice, Paul does not say, “Don’t let sin remain in your body.” He says, “Don’t let sin reign in your body.” Sin’s power over you is broken, but its presence in you remains. And we are called to engage in a battle with the sin that remains, so that it does not reign. The garden will always produce weeds. The gardener’s job is to pull them out by the roots so that they do not spread and take over. None of us will be completely free from sin this side of heaven, but by God’s grace all of us can make progress. This verse tells us how: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9). 1. If we confess our sins... Our assurance grows as we make progress. Regularly identify and confess particular sins. Ask yourself, “Have I lied or stolen? Do I have impure thoughts or a bad temper? Do I covet or neglect prayer?” 2. He is faithful and just to forgive us... Whatever you have thought, said, or done, God is ready to forgive. You can be sure of this because He is faithful. He has promised that those who seek His forgiveness will find it. God is also just to forgive. Jesus paid the debt we owe, and God will not charge to us what has already been paid. 3. And to cleanse us... How often do you wash your hands? Cleansing is never a one-time deal. John tells us that “the blood of Jesus... cleanses us from all sin” (1:7). All sin. Every kind of sin. There is no sin from which you cannot be cleansed. But how does the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood get applied to your life? As you walk in the light (1:7). And as you confess your sins (1:9). Do you think of your sin as something that can be cleansed by God?

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8 Notice that John includes himself: “If we say we have no sin...” Even the apostles could not say that they were wholly free from sin. The impulse to sin remains within every Christian, even while we walk in the light. Writing to believers, Paul is also quite clear that while we truly love Jesus, and truly desire to do His will, there remains within us an impulse toward what displeases Him: “The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Gal. 5:17). Paul describes this impulse as “the desires of the flesh.” So, what are we to do about these desires? Are we to say, I know that the impulse to sin remains within me, and that won’t change this side of heaven, so since I’m already saved, I’ll just go with the flow and follow the desires of my flesh? No! That would be to walk in darkness, and you cannot have fellowship with God while you are walking in darkness. Here’s what you do: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (5:16). You are to say “no” to the flesh. You are to rise above the desires of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in you. This does not mean that the desires of your flesh will go away. They will remain. Sin hides in our nature, and everyone who walks in the light lives with remaining sin. Can you identify a time in recent memory when you experienced “the desires of the flesh”? How did you respond to them?

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8 Perhaps you have come out of the darkness. You may have been at one time like the prodigal son, but you have renounced works of darkness. You have forsaken evil ways. You have returned to the Father, and you have no interest in going back. Perhaps you are seeking to walk with the Lord in the light of His Word. Your great desire is to enjoy fellowship with God and with other believers, and to be cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus. People who walk in the light will never say that sin doesn’t matter. We know God is light. We know that in Him there is no darkness at all. We know that sin matters greatly. The danger is for us to say, “Sin is what’s going on out there in this evil world where reckless and self-indulgent people are defying God. But sin isn’t in here in me.” The danger is to feel that in our pursuit of holiness, we have moved beyond the realm of sin. But John says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1:8). Whatever progress you may have made in sanctification, however closely you may be walking with the Lord, however disciplined you may be in your pursuit of a holy life, it will never go so well with you that you are wholly free from sin. Are you becoming an expert in detecting the wickedness of others, while ignoring, minimising, or excusing your own capacity for evil?

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. 1 John 1:6 John presents us with two appropriate responses if we are walking in darkness. 1. Renounce the lie “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie...” (1 Jn. 1:6). The lie is that sin doesn’t matter—that we can walk in darkness and have fellowship with God at the same time. The blood of Jesus does not cleanse those who remain in the darkness. It cannot reach you there. You have to come into the light. Nothing could be more disastrous than to think that you have eternal life when you do not. If you are living in a way that God says is sinful, your claim to have fellowship with God is empty. Renounce the lie that sin does not matter. 2. Practise the truth “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we... do not practise the truth” (1:6). Truth is more than something that we know. It is something that we do. Submit yourself to the light of God’s Word. Confess your sins in the light of God’s Word. Order your life according to God’s Word. Walk in the light and you will have fellowship with God. You will find fellowship with others. And the blood of Jesus will cleanse you from all sin. According to the Bible, are you walking in darkness? If so, are you ready to respond in faith today?

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105 What does it mean to walk in the light? It means: 1. Submitting yourself to the light of God’s Word “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (119:105). If you want to know what pleases or offends God, you have to let Him tell you. The way He does that is through the Bible. 2. Confessing your sin in the light of God’s Word “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 Jn. 1:9). When you submit to the light of God’s Word, you see that you are a sinner. The surest evidence of walking in the light is that you will feel your need of cleansing. 3. Ordering your life in the light of God’s Word “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (2:3). The hymn “Trust and Obey” begins, “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way.” This is the joy of a person who walks in the light. Then John tells us what walking in the light brings. First, it brings fellowship. “If we walk in the light… we have fellowship with one another” (1:7). Walking in darkness means that you are not being honest with yourself. This cuts you off from God and others. If you walk in the light, you will never walk alone. It also brings cleansing. “If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1:7). John exposes the lie that the blood of Jesus cleanses from sin even if a person continues to walk in darkness. Sin twists the mind, distorts the heart, and dulls the conscience. So we need more than forgiveness. We need cleansing. According to the Bible, are you walking in the light?