By Terry Clark
Christians walking according to God’s commands can have assurance that God will forgive sins. I John 1:5-10 tells us “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Secondly, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” However, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
Many Bible passages contrast light and darkness. Ephesians 5:8-14 states, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: `Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.'”
We are called to walk as children of light, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. By studying God’s word, we can know and understand what is expected of each person. Living a life that proclaims to be a Christian, ignoring God’s will, and doing those things that God disapproves is a lie and truth is not practiced.
A Christian earnestly seeking to obey God’s commands and to do His will according to scripture, will be covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. When one sins against God, he or she must approach Him with a contrite heart, true remorse, godly sorrow (II Corinthians 7), a heart to make a change, and He is faithful and just to forgive those who are in fellowship with Him.