To truly follow Jesus is to abide in His word—remaining, studying, obeying, and living by what He has spoken. This abiding is not a passive belief but an active, ongoing relationship with the truth as revealed in Scripture. When you root your life in His teachings, you will know the truth, and that truth brings genuine freedom from deception, anxiety, and the bondage of sin. Jesus promises that as you abide in Him, you will experience the liberating power of His truth, which transforms your heart and mind. [40:55]
John 8:31-32 (ESV)
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are not actively abiding in Jesus’ word? How can you intentionally immerse yourself in His truth today to experience greater freedom?
Jesus is not merely a wise teacher or prophet; He is God Himself, eternal from the beginning, who came in the flesh and dwelt among us. This foundational truth anchors our faith and refutes any teaching that diminishes His divinity or humanity. The gospel is not a new idea but is rooted in eternity past, fulfilling all the promises of the Old Testament. Believing in the true Jesus—fully God and fully man—gives us confidence in our salvation and the assurance that He alone is the source of eternal life. [54:09]
John 1:1, 14 (ESV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus is both fully God and fully man shape your trust in Him and your understanding of salvation?
To walk in the light is to live in conformity to God’s will, which results in genuine fellowship with both God and fellow believers. This fellowship is not just a spiritual idea but is experienced in real, tangible relationships where truth, confession, and love are present. When you walk in the light, you are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and your life bears witness to the reality of your faith. True fellowship is inseparable from walking in the light, and it is in this place that joy and freedom are found. [01:04:05]
1 John 1:5-7 (ESV)
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 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.
Reflection: Is there a relationship in your life where you are withholding truth or living in secrecy? What step can you take today to walk in the light and pursue deeper fellowship?
Living in the light does not mean living without sin, but rather living as a confessing sinner—one who continually brings sin into the open before God and trusted others. Confession is the pathway to forgiveness, cleansing, and restored fellowship with God and His people. Hiding sin or pretending to have no sin leads to isolation, shame, and brokenness, but honest confession brings healing, joy, and the experience of God’s faithfulness. [01:13:31]
1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Reflection: What is one sin or area of struggle you have been hiding? Will you take a step today to confess it to God—and perhaps to a trusted believer—so you can experience forgiveness and freedom?
God’s desire is to have fellowship with you—not just in theory, but in a deeply personal and transformative way. When you truly believe that God wants to be close to you, that His sacrifice covers even your most repeated sins, and that His plans for you are good, it changes how you respond to anxiety, shame, and uncertainty. This belief leads to joy, trust, and a willingness to open your life to God and others, breaking the power of loneliness and fear. [01:02:52]
Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to believe that God truly wants fellowship with you? How can you open that area to Him today and invite Him in?
The journey of faith is not just about what we say we believe, but about how those beliefs shape our lives, our relationships, and our fellowship with God and one another. The foundation of Christian faith is rooted in the person of Jesus—fully God, fully man, eternal, and incarnate. This is not a new or novel teaching, but the ancient truth that has been proclaimed from the beginning. In a world where many voices offer alternative gospels and new paths to salvation, it is crucial to anchor ourselves in the truth revealed in Scripture and embodied in Christ.
John’s first epistle was written to a community facing confusion, false teaching, and the temptation to compromise. Some denied Jesus’ divinity, others claimed secret knowledge was the way to salvation, and still others taught that once saved, a person’s actions no longer mattered. John’s response is both pastoral and uncompromising: what we believe about Jesus matters deeply, and true belief is always evidenced by a transformed life. To walk in the light is to live in conformity with God’s will, to confess our sins, and to pursue authentic fellowship with both God and others.
Fellowship is not just a theological concept; it is a lived reality. Our beliefs about God, ourselves, and others shape our ability to experience genuine connection. When we hide in shame, isolate ourselves, or refuse to confess our struggles, we walk in darkness—even as believers. But the invitation of Jesus is to step into the light, to bring our whole selves—sins, weaknesses, and needs—into honest relationship with God and the community of faith. In this place of vulnerability and confession, we find forgiveness, restoration, and joy.
The call is not to perfection, but to authenticity. Walking in the light means living as a confessing sinner, continually returning to the grace of God and the fellowship of his people. It is here that our joy is made complete, not because we are without sin, but because we are known, loved, and forgiven. The challenge is to examine not just our stated beliefs, but the fruit of our lives, and to courageously invite others into our journey. In doing so, we embody the very heart of the gospel and become a community where the light of Christ shines brightly.
1 John 1:1-10 (ESV) —
> 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
> 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
> 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
> 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
> 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
> 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
> 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.
> 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
> 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
> 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
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