I am currently reading through 1st John and my Struggle with the book in the past has been that I read it and then begin to question my salvation. If I am in the light then should I not be perfect? My mind has always combined the idea of walking in the light with not sinning and walking in the dark with sinning. On one level that may be a correct interpretation but if it is the only interpretation than verse 7 and 8 do not fit into the rest of chapter 1.
If we walk in the light there are two truths that go with it:
1. We have fellowship with one another
2. the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Dose that mean that if we walk in the light the result will be fellowship and cleansing or is fellowship and cleansing what indicates that we are walking in the light
If fellowship and cleansing result from walking in the light then sin is not the only indicator of where (or how) we are walking. Clearly we can walk in the light and have sin in our life, otherwise there would be no sin for the blood of Jesus to wash away and verse 8 would be totally out of place.
If, on the other hand, fellowship and cleaning are what indicates that we are walking in the light then sin is going to be a constant issue that we need to continually, through the fellowship of both believers and with God, lay before Him so that we can be receiving the cleansing as often as it is needed.
But if that is true then it feels like we are living in sin. What is the difference between a man who struggles with alcohol and doesn't receive cleansing and a man who struggles with it and is constantly asking for cleansing. Doesn't this seem like hypocrisy? One day it is down the hatch, the next it is, forgive me lord, the next it is down the hatch.
This is what Strong's says about the Greek word used for walk:
4043. peripatev, per-ee-pat-eh´-o; from 4012 and 3961; to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (espec. as proof of ability); fig. to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary):— go, be occupied with, walk (about).[1]
The word Votary stands out to me in the definition. Webster's defines votary this way:
vo•ta•ry \vō-te-rē\ 1 archaic : a sworn adherent 2 a : ENTHUSIAST, DEVOTEE b : a devoted admirer 3 a : a devout or zealous worshiper b : a staunch believer or advocate[2]
To Me then, the issue seems to be one of focus. If our life's ambition is focused on ourselves and on our pet sins then we are not focused on God. How can we truly fellowship with believers if we are focused on living like a non-believer. If we are devoted to our selfish lusts then we are not able to connect with the body and therefore connect with God. It is the connection with God that keeps us cleansed and it is our determination and focus on walking in the light the keeps us connected with believers and God. Mixed with all this is the mystery of the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit if we are allowing the spirit to control us then we are focused in the right way. If we continually ignore the prompting of the spirit then we are focused on our self. I think we all ignore the spirit through out our day otherwise we would never sin. The key is that if we are walking in the light, then at some point in the day we will look back and make an assessment of our walk and through confession and submission to the Spirit we reconnect with the father.
So, it is not a question of whether or not I sin everyday. It is a question of weather or not I am allowing I am allowing the Spirit to direct me back toward the light so I can keep my focus on being in fellowship with God and other believers.
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[1]James Strong, The New Strong's Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1996), H8674.
[2]Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary., Includes Index., 10th ed. (Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993).
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