The way of a True Believer, includes repentance and our walk. 1 John 1:7&9

What Does it Mean to be a True Believer in the Eyes of God? 

True believers walk in the light as God is in the light. We know we are walking in the light because we have fellowship with God and other believers. As well as the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses all our sins. Because we do not love and obey God perfectly, repentance remains in our daily walk as a believer. These characteristics are tests to be able to recognize true believers.  

1 John helps us to see the difference between the ones who say they believe and the ones who truly believe. We saw, last time, the ones who say they believe but produce no godly fruit habitually in their lives. This includes those who teach false doctrine.

Such as, you can be saved and not change. Along with, salvation equals not sinning anymore. All the way to people don’t sin. Therefore, repentance becomes obsolete and unnecessary. This false doctrine taught in the 1st century church can still be found in teachings today. In today’s language it sounds like this, “All roads lead to God”, “Everyone goes to heaven”, or “God is love, He sends no one to hell.” John challenges the lies with God’s unmovable unchanging truth about our behavior and our sin.

True Believers Walk in the Light of Christ

1 John 1:7 NASB1995 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.

When we receive true saving faith, by God’s grace, we are created in Christ Jesus for God’s good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). In other words we become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Before we become a child of light, we are children of Satan and darkness (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:1-3). As children of light (Ephesians 5:7), we live to please God. Walking in the light we will reflect the goodness, righteousness, and truth of God (Ephesians 5:9). 

True Believers Have Fellowship

What is the proof we and others are children of light?  It is simply that we “have fellowship with one another.”  But what does God mean by fellowship?

Fellowship in any relationship will be based on things people have in common. For believers, our fellowship is based on our fellowship with God (1 John 1:3). That would be those who belong to Christ. The true children of God hold strong to God’s word, the truth, in order to maintain and mature in their relationship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus the Messiah. 

Our walking in the light as God is light and fellowshipping with one another has consequences.

Jesus Cleanses us From our Sins

A consequence is the outcome or result of an action. So the consequence of our repentance is, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin.

1 John 1:9 NASB1995 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Jesus blood continuously cleanses us “from all sin.”  How are we cleansed continually? Through our confession of sin and the faithfulness and righteousness of our Lord and Savior. This means even the maturest of believers sin until they are set free from this corrupted body. We all in some way rebel against God. 

True Believers Repent of Sin

Repentance is an assault on our ego. But it is declared to us by the true living God and His Son. True Believers Live in the Light of Christ

Ezekiel 18:32 NASB1995 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”  

Mark 1:14-15 NASB1995 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

To walk in the light as God is in the light means we must discipline our behavior. We order our life with God being the only influence. Along with that mind set, we still contend with the temptations of our flesh. But God in His mercy never forgets we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). As we look for the day when we shed this sinful flesh, repentance holds the way to stop the decaying work of sin in our hearts.

We have written many bible teachings on 1 John about who Christ is. Here are other teachings on 1 John that could be beneficial.

• “If We Claim Or Say…” Just Exactly What Does This Mean 1 John 1:6, 8 & 10
• God Is Light, In Him There Is No Darkness, 1 John 1
• Jesus Our Eternal Life, 1 John 1:1-4
• What Life Are You Exemplifying, Light Or Darkness? – 1 John 1:5
• Light Of This World, 1 John 1:5

“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org”