FELLOWSHIP TESTED Only two verses in our reading today but what wonderful verses they are. They concern our fellowship with our heavenly Father- something that he wants above everything else. Isn't that a wonderful thought? In 1 John 1:5-10 we saw clearly that in every believer there is the root and possibility of sin. Our old nature is always with us until we leave this body and go home to glory. John says again here in these verses 'I recognise the possibility of sinning by the believer but the continuing practise of sin is wrong and is prohibited'. John writes to the family of God and says 'My little children, you are going out into the world. You bear the family name. I want you to keep it clean. God will help you but there are some things that you must not do. If you sin God has provided a way of dealing with the situation, but it will be far better if you do not sin at all because you are a child of God.' When John says 'If anyone does sin', he is talking about a single action rather than continuing in sin. All of us are overtaken by sin from time to time, even though our desire is to live constantly as Christ would have us live. What happens then when we do sin? Go back to the family scene. 'If you ever get into trouble, there is someone who will stand by you and get you out of trouble.' We all need someone like that don't we, and that person is Christ himself. When we sin, Christ stands before the Father and says 'Father this is one of our family. He is covered by my blood. He has sinned but I have paid the penalty for his sin and he still remains one of the family.' We need an advocate I like that because we have an adversary, Satan himself. He is called the accuser of the brethren and that is what he does. when we sin. He accuses us before God but Jesus Christ always takes our part and he always wins with the Father. John adds one thing more-he reminds us that Christ died not for our sins only but the sins of the whole world. In our concern over the Christian's sin problem let us not forget the world's sin problem. Christ is our advocate but he is also the world's redeemer. To tell the world is our responsibility. |
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