May the mumbling commence!
Welcome to day two of the reading of First John. We read Scriptures to come to know God better. We read Scriptures to know ourselves better. When we increase our knowledge of ourselves and of God, we increase our ability and agility to do what God has created us to do. In the first chapter of First John, the author describes God in one way. God is… light. Read from First John chapter one:
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 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.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (Verses 5-10)
“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” LaHaye, in his book Reading the Bible for Yourself, speaks of uncovering timeless principles. In these two thoughts, we have a timeless principle.
Let’s think about light. I remember a story of a man who awakened one morning. As was his custom, he went to the bathroom to shave his face. The man shaved and was pleased with the result… until he turned the bathroom light on. Then, he saw his hit-and-miss accuracy in the light. He started to shave again.
Light reveals. Sometimes it reveals to our benefit. Sometimes it reveals to our chagrin. But one thing is certain: light does not allow for lies to have a long shelf life. Light illuminates all our warts and imperfections.
We also see the warts and imperfections of other people. If we look hard enough, there will always be someone who is uglier than we are – just as there will always be someone more comely than us. The light of God can humble us and draw us together as sinful people in need of God and of each other. Or we can become ashamed of ourselves in the light of God and seek the seeming comfort of darkness and be wedged apart.
We have a choice before us. We can choose to walk in the light of God or in the darkness of the world. The light of God will force us to face our sins. As we face our sins, there is a command to keep: to confess our sins. That is difficult on the personal, corporate, and societal levels.
It means that I am no longer free to boost my self esteem by only looking at people I deem to be more sinful than I am. It means that I am no longer free to wallow in self pity by only looking at people I deem less sinful than I am. It means my focus is first upon my personal relationship with God. Then, my focus radiates out to the corporate and societal levels in which I am enmeshed.
These areas of focus are a myopic corrective. Remember that story from before, with the man shaving in the morning? Well, after shaving in the light of the bathroom, he put on his glasses. And he saw his hit-and-miss accuracy… So he shaved again. Just think what he will see when he goes outside into the light of the sun! Time to shave again.
So we are called to confess our sins. It is as much a daily chore as shaving. But connected with this command to keep is a promise of God. If you and I confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confession leads to forgiveness and purification. Confession is a blessed experience, a healing experience. Often we will feel the sting of the healing process. But, it is a true healing process that leads to life.
Let us walk in the light of God in full fellowship with one another and with God. Regardless of the wart and imperfections that are revealed – in time, they will be healed.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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