Devotions From the Heart: If We Say

by Derek Gitsham


"If we say that we have fellowship with him,
and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the
truth." 1 John 1:6

The interesting phrase ‘if we say’ is used by
John in this Epistle seven times. He is forcing
the readers to confess either the truth or a lie.
‘If we say we have fellowship with Him and walk
in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.’ John
is clearly saying that it is impossible to have
fellowship and live contrary to that fellowship.

So important is this concept of fellowship to
John that he believes that living outside of a
close relationship with God can and will have
devastating results in the believer. Walking
in darkness is not possible to the man who is
in union with the Lord. This is good news to
the saint. Fellowshipping with the Lord is a
power in the believer’s life that will cause
him to be watching and praying, and keeping
his eyes on the Lord in everyday matters.
Billy Graham said years ago that he never
began a day without fellowshipping with the
Lord, for it affected everything that he did
during that day.

In the first chapter of this Epistle, the
third verse, John says that he is declaring
all he has seen and heard, that those he was
writing to might have fellowship with him.
Then he writes that ‘our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.’
He is not saying that he is fellow shipping
separately with the Father and Jesus, but
that he is in fellowship with the Father
and the Son together in Their fellowship.

What a marvel that is! The Father and the Son
have been in union together forever. Their
fellowship has been unbroken until the Cross.
Hence the reason Jesus cried out, ‘Father, Father
why hast Thou forsaken me.’ The fellowship had
been broken for the sole purpose of bringing us
all into Their fellowship, but in so doing broke
the heart of Jesus at the Cross, resulting in
His death.

A tremendous price has been paid for
us to be in union with the Father and the Son.
It behooves us to do all within our power to
maintain this relationship. Without it we will
surely walk in darkness and go back into sin.
The Lord help us all to achieve this end.