1 John 1:6-7 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
We cannot compromise with sin or anything that has to do with the darkness. The temptation to compromise is powerful in a day saturated with perversity and temptation. Two things happen with compromise. Because of social pressure, we hide behind a facade of holiness. We think we can fool people by outward holiness. Another is that we deceive ourselves into thinking that this type of living is acceptable. We justify our actions resulting in ignoring the deeper problem.
The answer to this is to allow the light to penetrate the darkness of our hearts. The light will reveal what we need to confess. Walking is a choice we must make. It is not easy, especially when the darkness has deceived us and convinced us that it is acceptable and has no consequences. There are several results of this choice mentioned in this verse. One is that we become more light the Light of the World the more we walk in this light. Second is that we have stronger fellowship with one another because the deceit of sin has been removed and replaced with the honesty of love. Third is that we have opened ourselves to the affects of the atonement of Jesus. Jesus purifies the inner person, restoring us into right relationship with God and with others.
What harms our relationship with others? Many different things, some of which are highly cultural. One powerful social force is shame. We do not feel worthy to be in fellowship with others because we feel dirty and sinful because of the darkness within us. When this darkness is replace by light, we can find our self-worth in Jesus and not in people’s assessment of us. We can overcome the shame culture (other people) wants to put on us.
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