The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 John 1:5-7, “And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

In our last letter, Peter warned us about false teachers. The Apostle John in his first letter boldly announces the message he has received from Christ Jesus. “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness, not one little bit.” That’s how I translated it for a Greek class I was taking in the seminary; and as colloquial as that may sound, that’s exactly what it says.

John uses the word “if” quite a bit in these short letters. There are two basic words for “if”: ei and ean. The latter word is the one used in these verses. It introduces a conditional sentence with an indefinite outcome. If we say that we have fellowship with Him – maybe we say it, maybe we don’t. If we walk in the light – maybe we are, maybe we’re not. We seriously need to assess where we are in our relationship and fellow-ship with Almighty God! He doesn’t play around, and we dare not, either. If we say we are in fellowship with the LORD when we’re living in darkness, we’re lying and lying is a sin!

Still, there’s a brighter side. “If we are walking in the Light (living in close fellowship with God), we’re also having fellowship with “one another” (i.e., another of the same kind; another who is in fellowship with God). “And the blood of Jesus (God’s) Son is continually cleansing us from every unrighteous deed.” Jesus had to die only once to save us; but His blood continually avails to cleanse us from every sin. We keep clean physically by bathing regularly. We keep clean spiritually by repenting of our sins regularly. His blood is always present for cleansing. We have but to call on Him in prayerful sorrow.

Do you have anything in your life that needs cleansing? Maybe some words you shouldn’t have used…? Maybe some places you shouldn’t have visited…? Maybe a thought that shouldn’t have come to mind… Maybe an opportunity to witness you let slip by…” Jesus’ blood will cleanse it all –every little bit. Just ask Him and see! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Don’t waste it!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”