6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
1 John
Fellowship with God
The word “fellowship” means literally, “sharing.” … The aging apostle of love invites us to come and journey into joy.
Chapter 1:1-4. Invitation to Joy
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
John knows that fellowship with God is our only hope to know real joy.
I. Walk in the Light. Chapter 1:5-2:29
“Light” is a key term in John’s Gospel and in his epistles. It always appears in contrast with darkness. In one sense “light” is a moral term. But there is a more basic and ascendant meaning. Light, like Truth, speaks of reality. To walk in darkness is to be lost in a world of illusion, never able to penetrate to the true meaning of things, and never able to honestly face ourselves. On the other hand, to talk in light is to face reality and to live in accordance with it.
Chapter 1:5-2:2. Being Honest with Ourselves
Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 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, purifies us from all sin.8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Salvation is by faith: fellowship follows confession