Messianic Ministries

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Situated In Illumination

1st John 1:7

Confusing subjective freedom from sin with relief from sin via the Atonement is a significant error. No individual comprehends the nature of sin until he undergoes rebirth. Sin is what Jesus Christ confronted on Calvary. The proof of my liberation from sin is my understanding of its true form within me. The final aspect of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, specifically the bestowal of His total perfection, enables an individual to comprehend the nature of sin.

The Holy Spirit administers the Atonement to us unconsciously, and it is only upon comprehending the unparalleled power of the Spirit inside us that we appreciate the significance of 1 John 1:7, “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” This pertains not alone to deliberate wrongdoing, but to the deeply profound comprehension of sin that only the Holy Spirit within me perceives.

If I live in the light as God is in the light, not according to my conscience but in accordance with God's illumination, and if I do so without concealment, then I experience the profound revelation that the blood of Jesus Christ purifies me from all sin, allowing God Almighty to find no fault in me. In my consciousness, there exists a profound awareness of the nature of sin. The divine love within me instills a profound aversion, akin to the Holy Spirit's disdain, for all that contradicts God's holiness. To walk in the light signifies that all that is associated with darkness propels me further into the core of the light.

1st John 1:7 (NIV) states: *"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, cleanses us from all sin."*

Here are several critical focal areas to contemplate when examining or instructing this verse:

### 1. **Walking in the Light** - **Definition**: Walking in the light signifies residing in truth, transparency, and justice, in accordance with God's will. It juxtaposes wandering in darkness, symbolizing sin and estrangement from God (1 John 1:6).

- **Embracing authenticity**: Walking in the light necessitates honesty and integrity in our relationships with God and others. It encompasses not only ethical conduct but also receptiveness to divine guidance and development.

- **Ongoing activity**: "Walk" implies a continuous, intentional manner of living rather than a one act. It signifies a daily dedication to adhere to God's truth.

### 2. **Divine Illumination** - **Essence of the Divine**: In Scripture, God is frequently depicted as light (1 John 1:5), representing His holiness, purity, and truth. To walk in the light is to exist in accordance with His essence and have a relationship with Him.

- **Embodying the illumination of the Divine**: By walking in the light, we embody God's essence to the world. This compels adherents to conduct themselves in a manner that demonstrates God's benevolence and sanctity.

### 3. **Fellowship Among Believers** - **The communal dimension**: Walking in the light fosters and maintains fellowship among believers. Authentic Christian fellowship transcends mere social interaction; it embodies a collective relationship rooted in truth and reciprocal support as we endeavor to exist in accordance with God's illumination.

- **Unity in Christ**: Fellowship arises from collective engagement in Christ’s mission. The shared experience of divine illumination unites believers, fortifying the body of Christ.

- **Purity in relationships**: Embracing transparency and honesty fosters purity in relationships by eliminating barriers and misunderstandings.

### 4. **The Blood of Jesus Purifies Us** - **Cleansing from sin**: The blood of Jesus is fundamental to Christian salvation. His sacrificial death offers the atonement that purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:9). This cleansing is both comprehensive and continuous.

- **Current and historical transgressions**: The blood of Jesus purifies us from both previous transgressions and perpetually cleanses us as we walk in the light, rendering daily confession and repentance essential to the Christian experience.

- **Redemption**: The atonement via the blood of Christ signifies the redemption that believers undergo via His death and resurrection. We attain righteousness not through our deeds but by His sacrifice.

### 5. **Comprehensive Purification** - **From all sin**: The expression "from all sin" underscores the depth and entirety of Jesus’ redemptive work. No sin is too great or too minor for His blood to cleanse.

- **Persistent requirement for purification**: Although adherents are already absolved via Christ's sacrifice, living in the light exposes the necessity for ongoing cleansing and restoration.

### 6. **Relation to the Central Theme of 1 John** - **Light and darkness**: 1 John consistently juxtaposes light and darkness, truth and untruth, as well as righteousness and sin. This verse embodies the exhortation to reside in the light rather than in evil and deceit.

- **Fellowship with God**: The verse emphasizes the paramount objective of the Christian existence—communion with God and with one another. Walking in the light allows believers to sustain this communion, whereas sin interrupts it.

- **Assurance of salvation**: This passage guarantees that walking in the light and depending on the redemptive blood of Jesus facilitates believers' complete communion with God, resulting in ongoing purity.

### 7. **A Call to Action** - **Active obedience**: The verse urges believers to deliberately opt to live in the light, making intentional choices that conform to God’s will and objectives.

- **Intimacy with God**: Walking in the light beyond just moral conduct; it encompasses a profound, intimate relationship with God that facilitates continuous transformation and purification.

### Summary: - **Walking in the light** serves as a metaphor for existing in accordance with God’s truth and sanctity.

- **Fellowship** with fellow believers and with God is the consequence of living in the light.

- The **blood of Jesus** serves as the mechanism via which believers are perpetually cleansed from sin.

- The verse emphasizes the **comprehensive and continuous aspect** of purifying, indicating both the immediacy and permanence of Jesus' sacrifice.

This verse elegantly integrates the themes of residing in God's truth, engaging in friendship with fellow believers, and the significance of Christ's atoning sacrifice for continual cleansing.

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