Verse 7. Calvin, “a sure sign of our union with God” is “if we are
conformed to Him. Not that
purity of life reconciles us to God, as the first cause. But
the apostle means that our union with
God is assured by the effect when His purity shines in us.” In
other words, Faith produces works,
but works do not produce faith. James 2:20 If faith doesn’t
produce fruit, then it is dead and not
the true saving faith, but the counterfeit the devil slips people.
Saving faith and mental assent is
only 18 inches apart. But as far as the shining of light in our
lives it is of infinite distance. As far
as eternal destiny the difference is catastrophic. An example
of insurance, Insurance protects
assets, but without it one is open to catastrophe. When catastrophes
hit the assets are taken
away. The same is without Christ you have nothing. He gives
us the assets and then insures
them. Nothing can take away the riches that are in Christ Jesus.
If we walk in the light as He is
the light, we have fellowship one with another. Most people take this
to mean with other
believers which is partially true, but here it means fellowship with
Christ. Now if we are in
fellowship with Christ we will naturally be in fellowship with other
believers. The context shows
that the fellowship being spoken of is with Christ. “and the
blood of Jesus Christ his Son”
immediately follows the “fellowship one with another” Fellowship
with God comes from walking
in the light. Proverbs 16:3 Surrenderance to God is the
key to fellowship with Him. James
4:6-10. Notice in verse 7 Submit to God is the way to resist
the devil. We are to be in full
Surrenderance to God at all times in all things. Ephesians 5:8-11
We are to walk in the light and
avoid the darkness and covenant, bond, and agreement with the works
of unrighteousness. II
Corinthians 6:14-17.
A little example of submission to God. James 4:17 The scenario
is we know what we are
supposed to do, yet we fail to do it. Proverbs 3:9
says we are to honor the Lord with the first
fruits of all our increase from a willing heart and mind. II Corinthians
8:12, 9: 6,7. In other words
tithes and offerings. We know we are supposed to do it, but sometimes
we fail to do so and that
is a sin of omission. Charnock lists the two types of sins which
are “sins of commission” and
“sins of omission” James 1:27. This tells us what we are supposed
to do, but when we fail to do
it we are sinning. Submission to God is more than not doing evil,
but also of doing good. Pew
stuck Christians are sinning by not getting out of the pew and working.
In order to do what God wants us to do we must follow His plan.
The Christian life is work. He
gives us the strength. He has planned the work for us.
All we have to do is work His plan. This
takes commitment to follow Christ no matter the cost. Walking
in the light keeps us from falling
prey to the lusts of the flesh. The Christian life is not easy.
Power and strength are needed to
make it and they come from God.
The next part of verse 7 is “and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.”
Revelations 1:5, Jude 21. John 8:12 Jesus is the light
of the world. He died for us so that we
might be saved. He healed our spiritual blindness with His blood.
He then is the light that we are
to follow. Walking in the light is an integral part of the Christian
life. We are not the same once saved.
