Welcome back to the Hope Bible School verse-by-verse Bible study of 1 John. Get a new lesson every other week on Monday at 12:00 PM Eastern.
We just finished studying 1 John 1:6 in Lesson 15.
Let’s review Lesson 15 together.
We learned that God knows who is walking in the light and who is walking in the darkness. Walking in the darkness means to live a life that conforms to the ways of this world and is filled with the acts of the flesh. If you are living your life in this way and claim to fellowship with God, you are a liar. God commands us to not lie. God says that liars will be punished and that you cannot escape your lies. He says that lying lips are detestable to Him. We are also not to lie to one another. God says that liars will have their place in the lake the burns with fire. God is calling you to practice the truth. This means to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. God is calling you to stop walking in the darkness and to walk as children of the light.
In this lesson we’re going to learn how walking in the light allows us to fellowship with another and to be continually cleansed of all sin by the blood of Jesus.
Let’s read our verse:
1 John 1:7 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.
Let’s focus on the first part of the verse: “but if we walk in the light as He is in the light.”
In the previous lesson, we learned about walking in the darkness. Walking in the darkness is when you willfully walk in continual sin and rebellion against God.
To walk in the light means to live in the truth.
To walk in the light means to abide in Jesus, to seek to obey the Word of God, and to live a life of holiness and purity.
Walking in the light requires a daily commitment to walk by faith. It requires your whole being and it requires taking action.
In Ephesians 5:8 we read that we are called to walk as children of light.
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light…
In John 8:12 we read that we are to follow Jesus, who is the light of the world. When you follow Jesus, you will not walk in the darkness.
John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Let’s take a deeper look at how you can walk in the light and follow Jesus.
In Revelation 19:13 we read that Jesus is known as the Word of God.
Revelation 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.
Walk in the light by filling your life with the Word of God. You can do this by listening to the Bible, reading the Bible, memorizing the Bible, meditating on the Bible, and discussing the Bible with others.
In Psalm 119:105 we read that God’s word will be a light to your path. If you were walking at night and it was pitch black, you wouldn’t be able to see the path that you need to take in order to get to where you need to go. You need light to see the path.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
In Psalm 119:130 we read that the unfolding of God’s word gives light and will give you understanding. Unfolding means entrance, opening, or doorway. This means that when you open the Bible and spend time in the Word, light will enter into your life and give you understanding.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. (NKJV)
When you fill your life with the Word of God you will gain understanding and you will see the path that you need to take before you, because you are walking in the light.
Now let’s focus on the next part of 1 John 1:7 … “you will have fellowship with one another.”
When you walk in the light, you will have fellowship with other Christians and with God. To have fellowship means that you are in a community with others and have a common purpose of seeking God.
God wants you to be in fellowship with Him and with other believers. Fellowship involves walking in the light together with other believers and abiding in Christ.
Fellowship involves spending time in the Bible together, sharing scriptures with one another, discussing the Bible, praying for one another, confessing your sins to one another, being truthful to one another, serving one another, and loving one another.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 we read that we are called to be children of the light and that we don’t belong to the darkness and night.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. (NLT)
Now, let’s focus on the final part of 1 John 1:7 “and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
When you put your faith in Jesus, your sins will be forgiven. This is known as justification. Justification is the act of being made right before God. This is a gift of God’s grace.
Justification is made possible because of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins.
In Romans 3:23-25 we read that we have all sinned and that we need to have faith in the blood of Jesus to be justified.
Romans 3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.
When you put your faith in the blood of Christ, you will be justified, but you don’t instantly become a perfect person that never sins.
There is still a need for continual cleansing of sin.
The process of continual cleansing is known as sanctification.
The word, cleanses, in 1 John 1:7 means to remove filth, to make clean, and to purify.
The word “cleanses” is in the present tense. This means that the cleansing is happening right now in your life and is ongoing. We need the cleansing from the blood of Christ every single day.
Sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. Sanctification involves recognizing the sin in your life, confessing your sin, turning from sin, and obeying God’s Word.
The blood of Jesus is essential to purifying us from the ongoing effect of sin in our lives.
As you walk in the light you will become more aware of the sin in your life and you will need the continual cleansing that comes from the blood of Jesus.
In Hebrews 9:22 we read that according to the law, everything must be purified with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Hebrews 9:22 According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
When you struggle with sin look to God. Confess your sins to Him and ask Him to cleanse your sins with the shed blood of Jesus.
In Hebrews 9:14 we read that the blood of Jesus will purify our conscience. We need His blood to sanctify us so that we can serve the living God.
Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (ESV)
In Hebrews 13:12 we read that we are sanctified by Jesus’ blood. Jesus died on the cross outside of the city gates so you can be cleansed of all your sins.
Hebrews 13:12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood.
In John 17:17 we read that the Word of God is critical in the process of sanctification.
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
In Ephesians 5:26 we read that husbands are called to sanctify their wives with the washing of the water of the word. This verse shows us that the word can wash us and sanctify us.
Ephesians 5:26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
Let God’s word sanctify you. Spend time in God’s word, confess your sins to Him, ask Him to sanctify you, and ask Him to cleanse you with the blood of Jesus.
In conclusion, God promises that if you daily choose to walk in the light by spending time in the Word of God, you will have deep and intimate fellowship with Him, you will have fellowship with others that are seeking God, and you will experience the continual cleansing of all sin because of the blood of Jesus.
If you’ve been blessed by Hope Bible School, please share it with others.
If you have any prayer requests, please share them in the comments.
Thank you and God bless you,
Jeff M Newman
VERSE BY VERSE BIBLE STUDY LESSONS (See all)
Lesson 15 - 1 John 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (Don't Walk In The Darkness. Practice the Truth.)
Lesson 14 - 1 John 1:5 And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (God is Light)
Lesson 13 - 1 John 1:4 We write these things so that our joy may be complete. (Experiencing Complete Joy)
Lesson 12 - 1 John 1:3..And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. (Fellowshipping with God)
Lesson 11 - 1 John 1:3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us... (Fellowshipping with Other Believers)
Lesson 10 - 1 John 1:2...that was with the Father and was revealed to us. (The Relationship Between Jesus and The Father)
Lesson 9 - 1 John 1:2 ...and we proclaim to you the eternal life... (Proclaim The Eternal Life)
Lesson 8 - 1 John 1:2...we have seen it and testified to it... (Share Your Testimony)
Lesson 7 - 1 John 1:2 And this is the life that was revealed... (Eternal Life Revealed)
Lesson 6 - 1 John 1:1...this is the Word of life. (The Message of Eternal Life)
Lesson 5 - 1 John 1:1...and touched with our own hands...(Touching Jesus by Faith)
Lesson 4 - 1 John 1:1...which we have gazed upon... (Gaze Upon Jesus)
Lesson 3 - 1 John 1:1...which we have seen with our own eyes... (Eyes of Faith)
Lesson 2 - 1 John 1:1…which we have heard… (Hear and Obey God)
Lesson 1 - 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning (Jesus is Eternal)
Photo by Paulius Dragunas on Unsplash
Lesson 16 - 1 John 1:7 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.