1John 1:6,7
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
"Darkness of the Soul." What do I mean when I say such a thing? I speak of the mind, the will, and emotions. That is what the soul pertains to. All believers wrestle and contend with the actions of our flesh (soul) or even in times of unbelief. It is the very thing that the Apostle Paul makes mention of in Romans chapter 7.
Darkness of the soul can be like finding yourself lost in an unknown desert. When I speak of the desert I speak from personal experience. I went through what I referred to as the “Desert of my Soul” for a time. Lost, isolated, confused, fearful, anxious, and at times feeling abandoned. It is a place we can find ourselves in when we find ourselves separated from fellowship with the One who created us — the One who walked with us (mankind) in the cool of the evening in the garden. Long before the fall of man, that subsequently plunged the world and all of creation into sin, chaos, and ultimately death and decay.
[Side Note: There is such a thing as being a born-again believer, but not necessarily walking in fellowship with the Lord. Actively being a disciple.]
Moments of: "Darkness of the Soul," can give us a glimpse of what Adam and Eve experienced when sent from the presence of God, escorted from the Garden of Eden. Think of how their first night, after being cast from the garden, may have felt… deep within their soul. Circumstances of their willful disobedience removed them from fellowship with the One that created them. The One that knew them best.
Momentary sin can have a lifetime of wages to deal with. Sin will always take you further than you wanted to go, and cost you more than you intended to pay!
Those of us that are Free Grace thinkers, and knowledgeable of Jesus' words as recorded in John, should clearly know and understand that the GIFT, the free gift, of eternal life is something that as believers can never be lost… that we are eternally secure; Thereby allowing us to escape damnation (hell) and see heaven. Which happens to be a very relevant thing. Do keep in mind that Jesus spoke of Hell more than any other character in the NT. We must never make little of it. It is a very real thing that Jesus wishes to deliver all of mankind from.
But… that does not account for the lack of walking in fellowship with Jesus - NOW, blessing and reward in life - NOW, judgment and the wrath of God in life - NOW. It does say the Father chastises and scourges those whom He loves and considers (receives) to be sons and daughters.. in this life - NOW! (Hebrews 12:5-11). Much of scripture speaks of the here and now, not just eternal matters.
What brings this type of chastisement and scourging into our lives – in this life, this side of eternity? Well… SIN does! Yes… even believers sin. (Which is why a works-based Lordship Salvation is another gospel. We can only make it by Grace alone.) Now committing a sin is actually different than PRACTICING a particular sin. Don’t get me wrong sin is sin and all sin requires forgiveness. Keep in mind that the Word does tell us that “If we confess our sins, one to another, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jn 1:9) However, having complete disregard for what scripture says and continuing in, practicing, a particular sin is something that is very problematic for the Christian walk (Staying in, and living in, fellowship with Christ [1 Jn. 15:5]). Walking in and practicing any particular sin separates us from walking in fellowship with Jesus. Why is this? Well, because the following scripture holds true whether one is a believer or not. It says - "the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) There is a wage that will be paid, must be paid, and it will always result in the death of something in your life. It will always result in the separation of fellowship with the Father.
Furthermore, when we continue in a particular sin with complete disregard, scripture tells us that our hearts wax cold and become hard toward the gospel and toward Christ. (Matt. 24:12; Rom. 2:4-10)
Even as believers, when we happen to continue in sin, and more so practice a particular sin, it brings DEATH into our lives. It brings the death of happiness, joy, and inner peace, the death of friendships, the death of a marriage, a relationship with children or parents, the death of finances, a business, or a job. Even the death of our physical health. Matter of fact the scriptures speak of a “sin unto death.” (1 John 5:16) Meaning: That there are certain sins that can lead to physical death. Try continuing in your addictions, try speeding in your vehicle as a drunkard down the Interstate going the wrong way, try committing armed robbery or having an affair with a married woman who has a gun-packing husband that has no self-control and anger issues. Ask the many that sexually gambled and lost to AIDS. There are many sins that can and will kill you in this life… even if you are a Christian. It is simple as that! The Spiritual Law of Sin and Death can and will bring the WAGE of your sin into your life.
I feel as if I've diverged, but what I covered above is necessary. Loss of fellowship is the point. Sin in our lives leads to a loss of fellowship.
In the beginning, God walked with us in the cool of the day. (Genesis 3:1-8) I really believe the gospel is a love story. God desires to once again walk with us in fellowship. In that inner spiritual sense. He wants to walk with us in the cool of the day... in this life. Right now – today! What allows for this fellowship that I speak of is intimate prayer and time in His Word. Basking in His Word to the point that you begin to sense the heartbeat of God. Literally, spend the kind of time with the Father that you find yourself in the throne room of God as you pray and eat the Bread of Life in your quiet time. However, when we begin to pull away and live in a state of disconnected fellowship from the Father, as I alluded to above, we become largely unguarded, and the world, and the lies of the rulers and powers of darkness, subtly creep in, just like the serpent in the garden. For this reason, we are told to:
“Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) [AMP]
Jesus spoke some very sobering words to the Church of Laodicea in Revelation 3 through the Apostle John. Pretty much all of it was a rebuke and regarded as chastisement. I am going to input the verses I am speaking of. I do want it to be noted that He is addressing believers. It is due to their arrogance and sin that they are addressed. But… after their rebuke. They are invited to enter back into fellowship with Him. His invitation is Revelations 3:20.
Revelation 3:15-20
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are [g]neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were [h]cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need], 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]. 20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me. (AMP)
Peter denied Christ three times right before His eye and then ran away and returned to his old life of fishing. Yet Jesus made a specific point (actually an angel, most likely the angel of the Lord - meaning the Lord himself?) when appearing to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene, after His resurrection, made specific reference to Peter. That is how much Jesus desired to restore and invite Peter back into fellowship with Him. Not salvation, but fellowship. Here is the scripture:
Mark 16: 6-7 v6. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
v7. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
When they meet, and we all know the story, Jesus says: “Peter do you love me?” Three times over and in doing so Jesus restores him to fellowship. "Feed My sheep, tend My sheep, feed My sheep."
This long plan of redemption for mankind, that all of us who believe are recipients of, is not only to save us from hell by making the full purchase of our sin debt, but also to restore us and keep us restored to a place of continual fellowship right now, today, and every day.
John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION INCLUDES HIS DESIRE TO WALK WITH YOU, ONCE AGAIN IN THE COOL OF THE DAY!
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