Six “Ifs” To Think About

I John 1:6 - 2:2

           

            In the opening verses of his Epistle, John speaks of himself as an eye witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is “the Word of life,” who is himself “eternal life.” He declares the eternal deity of Christ and the blessed unity of the triune Godhead. He assures us that his message is no more and no less than that which he had personally seen and heard. Then he asserts the believer’s fellowship with God in Christ, his desire for every believer’s fullness of joy in Christ, and the message God sent him to declare - “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” Then, in the following seven verses the apostle raises six issues that demand serious, sober consideration.

            “IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (v. 6). Anyone who professes faith in and fellowship with God, who is light, and yet walks in darkness is a liar. His very professions of faith is a lie. Those who are born of God do not walk in the darkness of sin, but in the light of righteousness. Neither do they walk in the darkness of ignorance. They know the truth and walk in it (I John 2:20, 27). Having come out of Babylon, they no longer walk in the darkness of freewill, works religion.

            But IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (v. 7). All who walk in the light of righteousness and gospel truth, living by faith in Christ, are united in fellowship with one another. We are brethren! And the blood of Christ perpetually cleanses us from our sins.

            “IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (v. 8). Anyone who denies that he is a sinner (present tense) is a liar. Christ is not in him. All believers know and acknowledge that they are sinners and that sin is mixed with all they do.

            “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (v. 9). All who acknowledge and confess their sins are redeemed, saved, pardoned, and justified in Christ.

            “IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED, we make him a liar, and his Word is not in us (v. 10). Anyone who foolishly imagines that he has not sinned, even when performing his most righteous deeds, calls God a liar; and the Word of God has no place in him.

            “AND IF ANY MAN SIN, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous” (2:1). Child of God, do not sin. Make that your goal. But do not ever imagine that you have attained it in this world. And when you sin, do not despair, as though you have lost your Savior. Christ is your Advocate still. His blood is effectual still. You are forgiven still. The Lord God will not impute your sin to you! “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Rom. 4:8).

 

Don Fortner