“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” — 1 John 1:6-7

This passage says something important: If we claim to have fellowship with God, but practice sin on a continual basis, we are liars and are not practicing the truth. Just saying we are in fellowship with God is not enough. Our actions must show it. This also presupposes a standard by which we can walk.

Over and over John talks about “truth.” It is a major theme of not only his letters, but also his account of the gospel of Christ as well. We remember Jesus saying that the truth will set you free (John 8:32), and that God’s word is truth (John 17:17). We further recall how Pilate expressed the sad sentiment that so many mumble even today: “What is truth? (John 18:38). The contrast between truth and lies, light and darkness is stark indeed.

Expressing this starkness, John writes that the only way we have fellowship one with another is if we are walking in the light. Outside of this light, there is no fellowship either with God or with other Christians. First John 1:3 shows that fellowship with God and with other Christians are one and the same.

The question remains, however, what “walking in the light” actually means. Does it mean perfection in all ways? Well, certainly God wants us to be perfect (Matt. 5:48). That would be ideal. But He also knows we cannot do it. If we could, there would have been no need for a Savior. Instead, John reminds us that even as Christians we will sin (1 John 1:8-10), but that openness with God and a repentant attitude will cause God to continue to look upon us favorably, and Christ’s blood will continue to cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

So “walking in the light” does not denote perfect. Neither does it mean nonchalance about sin, either (1 John 2:1). So we are left with the conclusion that “walking in the light” means striving to do the will of God, attaining to His righteousness (though we will never make it except through the blood of His Son) and the example of His Son (1 John 2:6), rejecting sin as a ruling force in our lives.

I have always illustrated this verse with a parable I believe is applicable:

A man is walking through a beautiful, expansive field. From time to time in this beautiful walk the man would come across a ditch, in which he briefly stumbles. He picks himself up and continues on through the field. Another man is walking in the field also, and also stumbles in the ditch. However, this man is tired of walking, and enjoys the “rest” from the walk by wallowing in the ditch for a while.

The first man illustrates how walking in the light sometimes contains stumbles on our part, but if we pick ourselves up through confessing our sins to God, we continue our walk. The second man stumbled, but remained in the ditch, in fact enjoying it. He is no longer walking in the light.

Some may question this passage and say, “How much sin is too much?” To that question I would give this answer: If God told you ten sins were too many, would you not just sin nine times? If He told you nine were too many, would you not seek to sin eight times? Yes, because that is what man does. He wants to push the limits as far as he can. But with the simple admonition to “walk in the light,” we understand that we are to strive to live righteously before God all the days of our lives. We will stumble, but if we right ourselves and continue the walk, we are in fellowship with God and the church.

Bottom line: Those seeking to do God’s will continuously are walking in the light. Those “wallowing in the ditch” have given up, and are not in fellowship with God or the church. Once again, unrepentant sinners in the church fall out of fellowship with God and the body of Christ.