IF

 

IF

I John 1:7 But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.  NLT

       If is the keyword in today’s verse.  Not all who claim to be in Christ live in the light of God’s presence.  To live in the light of God’s presence means that we become saturated with the glory of Christ.  It means that we become holy before God.  It means that we take on the mindset of God regarding faithfulness to the truth as being the way to live.  It means we take on the heart of God regarding sin.

       We can only have true fellowship with others when we live in the light of God’s presence.  We are not able to set aside our sinful attitudes and behaviors without it.  We cannot change how we think about others without God’s help.  We cannot stop thinking more highly of others than we ought without God’s help.  We cannot stop thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought without God’s influence.  We cannot stop being self-serving without God’s help.

     We can only live as we ought with each other through the shed blood of Christ at Calvary.  What we are unable to do for ourselves, Christ does for us.  He purifies our hearts so that we are not driven or controlled by sin.  He changes our attitude about ourselves and others.  He unites instead of dividing people.  What cannot happen without Christ is made possible in Him.  We can live at peace with each other.  We can be one in heart for the glory of Christ.  We can work together to reach the lost when we are controlled by Christ.  We can have a genuine love and concern for one another in Christ.

      Where there is strife and divisions in the fellowship of the church, there is an absence of the lordship of Christ over the church.

       IF we are living in the light of God’s presence, we will live out His Word in the church and the world.  We will be a people after God’s own heart, a holy people.