Are you intimidated by the command to walk in the light?  Some Christians are because they mistakenly think that every little flaw they have will keep them out of heaven, but none of us are perfect.  We all sin (Romans 3:23).  The command to walk in the light does not necessitate sinless living.  While our everyday aim should be not to sin, when we fall short of that goal, the blood of Christ that we originally contacted when we were baptized, continues to help us.

1 John 1:7 (ESV)
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 cleanses us from all sin.

The word cleanses here means, “to free from the guilt of sin.”  The Greek word is a present tense verb denoting continual action.  Having access to this kind of cleansing power is a privilege afforded to only those who are in Christ, and who are walking in the light.  The soul-cleansing blood of our Savior is what separates the law of Christ from the law of Moses.  The law of Moses could not save anyone because it had no real cleansing power.

Acts 13:38-39 (ESV)
³⁸  Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Paul is not bashing the law of Moses here; He is celebrating the saving power of Christ.  Jesus shed His blood so that we could be forgiven, and John wants us to know that this power continues to help us now that we are Christians.

Why do we continue to need the cleansing power of the blood of Christ?  It is because we all sin.  I did not say we all have sinned, but we all sin.  There is not a person reading this blog who does not sin from time to time.  If you are too filled with pride to admit this, you have a problem.  First, you are deceiving yourself.  John said, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  The bigger problem, however, is that as long as you are under such self-deception, you will not do what is necessary to have your sins forgiven.

Do not think that just because the blood of Christ has continual cleansing power that our sins are automatically forgiven.  John tells us what we must do.

1 John 1:9 (ESV)
⁹  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To whom do we confess our sins?  Despite what Catholicism teaches, we confess our sins to God, not man.  Peter tells us to whom we are to confess, and gives us another stipulation necessary for receiving forgiveness.  When Simon, the former sorcerer, sinned, Peter told him “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God…” (Acts 8:22).  If we are willing to do this whenever we sin, John tells us that God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins (ver. 9).

What a merciful God we serve!  Because of it, we have no excuse to not maintain our fellowship with Him now, and to be with Him in heaven after a while.    

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.