July 24, 2023

1 John 1 (HCSB)
Prologue: Our Declaration
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have observed and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life— 2 that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things[a] so that our[b] joy may be complete. Fellowship with God 5 Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing[c]the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgiveus our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Georgia Rittenberry
When it is daytime and the day is full of light, I may not pay attention to what is around me and just go in the store and back out, but when it is night and the world around me is full of darkness it is a different story. I hold my keys in my hand and keep watch at my surroundings. In this chapter John is talking about God being the light and sin being the darkness. This is a time when there were a lot of false teachings, and many believers were conforming to the world’s standards. I find myself seeing that same thing today. Christians are accepting things that Christ clearly says is wrong, but because the world thinks it is the thing to do we accept it anyway. I know when I was a teenager this would get me in a lot of trouble. I would have to get clarification sometimes from my parents on what was the right thing to do. Maybe we should do the same thing. If we need clarification on what to do, we just go to the Father and read HIS WORD and not listen to those who might get us in trouble.