Children of Darkness - Evangelical Caucus/Devotional

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6).

Those who deny the reality of their sin affirm the unreality of their salvation.

Ours is a society that rejects the concept of individual responsibility. People blame society, their parents, their genes—anything but their own actions and choices—for their problems. The biblical teaching that all people are responsible for breaking God’s holy law is scoffed at as primitive, unsophisticated, and harmful to a healthy self-esteem.

Even some who claim to be Christians refuse to acknowledge their sin. They say, “I make mistakes. But I’m a good person. Surely God won’t reject me!” Such people are tragically deceived and will miss out on salvation; those who don’t see themselves as lost will not seek God’s gracious salvation. In the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

First, they walk in darkness (1 John 1:6). That reveals that they are not saved, since only those who “walk in the light” are cleansed from their sins by the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7).

Second, they are self-deceived (1 John 1:8). The Bible makes it unmistakably clear that all people are sinners (2 Chron. 6:36; Rom. 3:23); there are no exceptions (Rom. 3:12).

Third, they defame God, making Him out to be a liar (1 John 1:10) by denying what His Word affirms—that they are sinners. That is a serious, blasphemous accusation to make against the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2), whose word is truth (John 17:17).

In Luke 18, Jesus described two men praying in the temple. One, a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, denied his sin. The other, a despised tax-gatherer, cried out, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” Which of the two do you identify with?

Thank God, “who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Read the following passages: John 8:12; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 5:1-2, 8; Colossians 1:12-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5. Is it possible for a Christian to habitually walk in darkness (lead a life of continuous, unrepentant sin)?

In this study John MacArthur speaks of those who profess to have allegiance to Jesus, following His precepts, but are not showing it in the behaviors that define an enlightened follower's lifestyle; versus those who do, in whom the change from carnality to holiness is emerging.

Among the members of the divisive argumentative Corinthian assembly there are many who are not yet known for their holy behaviors, so Paul in counseling them divides that troublesome segment further into two classes:

(1) On the one hand, there exist those who truly possess God's gracious gift of eternal life through trust in the Jesus of the Bible, but are newborn babes in Christ, still spiritually immature and only beginning to discard worldly ways;
or
(2) on the other hand, are others who for one reason or another profess to be "Christian," but without the indwelling advising Holy Spirit are still habitually living a worldly lifestyle, whether or not unwilling to confess the sin involved, are thus unable to leave it.

Of this situation commonly present in the local churches everywhere, Paul writes to the Corinthians who are experiencing it:

"¹And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal^ones,~~even~~ as unto babes in Christ.
²I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. ³For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1 Cor. 3:1-3 AV; superscript noun added)

Careful inspection o the Greek grammar, syntax, and context indicate that Verse 1 makes the distinction in the use of the word " ως . . ., ως . . ." = "as . . ., as . . ." where the translators' inserted modifying word "even" is not needed, or even wanted. What Paul shows here is that the difference between the two groups is not easily discerned, until a longer time of observation will show that under Biblical instruction the truly believing person will be seen to change in conduct away from initial carnality, but those only professing "belief" will not.

Those "walking in the light" confess the uselessness of their old habits, and with the spiritual power to overcome and leave them, does overcome. This is termed "progressive sanctification" which, unlike the justification/salvation instantaneous event, continues as a life-long process.

This ongoing process is not available to those who profess to be "Christian" but or not. It may seem to have begun through an enthusiastic self-induced response, but it does not continue because there is no power, not even self-made power, to overcome sinfulness. These are still walking in Satan's darkness.

The human observer may estimate another's status, and address it "as if" that person was saved or as yet unsaved, but God is the final judge, so never presume to have that ability to condemn another person, only to alleviate the symptoms.

(This is meant as a supplemental comment to the conclusions of JMac's meditation.)

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