walking in the light

Every Wednesday I attend chapel from 10:30-11:15. And every Wednesday at 10:25 I attempt to convince myself of using those 45 minutes for something else. And every Wednesday at 11:20, I am thankful for my lack of persuasive skills.

The text was 1 John 1:5-10. At one point, the speaker harped on verse seven, 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 cleanses us from all sin. He stressed that walking in the light does not mean perfection. The verse assumes that even when walking in the light, we will slip and fall. More bluntly, he said we walk in the light as a "mess" inviting the Spirit to work in us and the Body to come along side of us.

Walking in the light is a corporate endeavor. Later on in verse nine, John stresses confession which is also a corporate endeavor. We are to walk in the light and confess our sins to one another. It keeps us in the light. It brings true and lasting fellowship. It brings cleansing.

So why don't we see this more often? Why are we content groping in the darkness?

The simple answer is pride, which is a great irony.

When we wrestle and struggle with sin, what is we most often ask for? Grace. We ask God for the grace to overcome the particular sin. We ask because God promises to grant such requests. However, Scripture is very clear the means by which we receive this grace: humility.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34 (loosely)

The grace we desperately long for in our struggle against sin comes through humility. Humility ties back to 1 John 1:7. Humility means stepping out of the darkness. It means allowing the Spirit to expose our sin. It means allowing others to see our sin. It means removing the facade of perfection we unsuccessfully put on. It means letting other see us in our messiness. It means embracing the biblical notion of fellowship. It means confession.

Much of the pain and grief we bear because of our sin feeds off the pride by which we keep that sin in the dark. Bring it out in the light. Confess it to brothers and sisters. Find the grace promised in the time of weakness.