Daily Bible Verses for 1/27/2017
Daily Verse(s)
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Reading Notes
The messages preached by John and the other apostles came from God, not men. It was the message of God, given to them by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, therefore it was the light of God passed down to mankind because of His immense love for us. And part of that message was that all people have sinned and all people have fallen short of the glory of God. This message was necessary to show us our need for a Savior. Therefore, if we confess our sins, and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God who is loving and merciful is waiting to forgive us our trespasses. Moreover, we as followers of Christ, those who have given our lives to Him, are a new creation in Christ Jesus our Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us. And that change is evident in our lives and how we live and respond to others. We no longer walk in the darkness, the way the world walks, but instead we are walking in the light of God’s revealed truth, which is His word the Bible. And what John is telling us is that it’s impossible for us to be changed by God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, have the gift of eternity and not have evidence of that change in the way we live our lives after receiving salvation. We have to remember it’s not possible for a person to be truly saved and not see changes in their lives.
It’s not possible, having given our hearts over to Jesus and to not see that change in our actions, our attitude and in our character as we live our day to day lives, why? Because we are a new creation, we are different, we now belong to Jesus and He changes our hearts and our lives from the inside out. A change which is evident to everyone who knows us and spends time with us. This change happens as our spirit which was dead in trespasses and sins is replaced with a new spirit alive to God and the things of God. This change happens because of the work of the Holy Spirit who indwells each and every follower of Jesus. The Holy Spirit carries out God’s work of spiritual growth in us, called “Sanctification.” Therefore, those who do not walk in the light of Christ, but instead walk in the darkness of this world, having no evidence of change as a result of Jesus’ impact on their lives, do not truly belong to God. Those who walk in the darkness of falsehood and sin, are not of God. They have deceived themselves, not realizing their inequity is still in them. John reminds us here, we are all to examine ourselves regularly and confess our sins before God alone. Jesus death on the Cross of Calvary, brought about our redemption through the forgiveness of sins. Moreover, by His death and our faith in Him, we now have access to God the Father. We can now come before God in repentance, joy and praise.