Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/1056515
12 22 Let Us Walk in the Light Elodie Ballantine Emig, MA Instructor of Greek "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, PURIFIES US FROM ALL SIN." - 1 JOHN 1:7 W e live in remarkably uncivil times. Television is crass and violent, whether news reports or "entertainment." Social media allows people to vent impatience and invective at anyone who disagrees with them. Hate crimes, including those against Christians, are on the increase. So what are we to do? We could, and probably should, pray about our use of all media, but let's dig deeper. is Advent season, let's make it our priority to consider what it means to behave like Christians and have fellowship with the people around us. Given the historical and literary contexts of the Apostle John's first letter, we can be confident that he expected his audience to have fellowship with believers. So even though we Christians should treat all those we meet with civility and even love, we can begin in-house. Loving our fellow believers is not easy. Fellowship, participation in a community of faith that would meet John's standards of sharing and transparency, does not come naturally to sinners. Even though the early Church was far better known for love and fellowship than most modern, Western churches are, John knew his standards were high. Notice what he does and does not say. He says Jesus' blood cleanses us because sin interrupts and ultimately destroys fellowship. But he does not say that if we walk in the light we have fellowship with Him. Yet I think he sets us up to expect just that, because "He Himself " is emphatic, and because it is true. We do have fellowship with God when we walk in the light of His absolute moral perfection (1:5). John knew this too. John took his audience immediately to the level of application: walking in the light of fellowship with God entails fellowship with others. Anyone can claim to walk with the unseen God, but John makes it clear that validation of that claim requires observable community. As we celebrate the light that Jesus brought into the world, let's also walk in it. Let's take counter-cultural steps together that bring others into our lives and put them first. It will not be easy in these dark times, but it will be good. 7 December