Sin Grows in Shadows

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:5-7

As followers of Jesus, we are called to walk in the light, not in the dark. Darkness represents secrecy, shame, and guilt, while light represents truth, fellowship, and freedom. So what does it mean to walk in the light?

1. Walking in the light means fellowship with believers.

Fellowship produces accountability to keep us from hiding in the darkness again. It bolsters us with encouragement to seek God above all else when it feels like we can’t. It allows for a sharpening of each other.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” - Proverbs 27:17

Fellowship keeps us on our toes. It keeps us from laziness. It keeps us on guard against the attacks of the enemy. Isn’t an attack so much easier to fight against when you can see it coming? Lean on your brothers and sisters to warn you, guide you, and fight with you. Believers are stronger together, which is why the light involves community.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” - Hebrews 12:1-3

Think about it.. In the darkness, you could be surrounded by a thousand people and never know it because you can’t see what’s right in front of you, but in the light, there’s no hiding that crowd of encouragers, and that is reason to rejoice if you ask me! (Introverts bear with me here)

2. Walking in the light means we are purified by the blood of Jesus Christ

and THERE IS NO SIN IN US.

That’s a bold statement. We tend to fall back on saying “we’re all sinful” and it can become an excuse to keep living in our comfortable sins instead of letting them go. Why?

Maybe it's because we fear the trial that will come.

Maybe it’s because we fear the things God might call us to if we let go of this comfy space-filling sin.

At least that’s my experience. If I make space for God in my life, He might just use it. He might call me to something wild. He might start a revival with me, so I hold onto my sin because I’m overtaken with the fear that I will fail to do what He asks of me.

But on the other side of the surrender, I believe there will be a profound joy and fulfillment that comes with a life fully and totally surrendered to God that is so much more intoxicating, addictive, and intriguing than any sin I can hold onto.

The world will try to tell you who to be and how to live. Sin grows in the shadows of those identities the world tries to put on us. As children of the light, we must walk in the light of Christ, casting off every shadow - casting off every sin. Darkness represents secrecy, shame, and guilt, while light represents truth, fellowship, and freedom.

Picture this...

God is like the sun at high noon - you look all around, but you have no shadow. There is no darkness around you when you are directly aligned with the Son.

When you find your identity in the things the world tries to put on you, they become other sources of light around you. One is at 3:00, another at 7:00, another at 10:00. Now when you look around, you see shadows cast all around you. It’s in the darkness of those shadows that sin begins to grow in your life. It may start small, but if it goes unchecked, it will take hold of you and pull your attention away from God.

“When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” - Acts 2:37-38

Want to break the bond of sin? Want to stop living in the shadows? Stop being who the world wants you to be, and look toward the Father. Center your universe on Him and His law, His ways, His love. Then you will experience revival. When you truly repent and cast off the things creating those shadows, you will be free.

But you can’t just repent for show and try to go back to the sin. The shadows will just be created again and you’ll find yourself right back where you started - maybe even worse than before. No, you have to cast it all out, repent, and set your sights on God alone. For He is your only true source of light. Once your life is perfectly aligned with His - by repentance from sin, covered by the blood of Christ and steeped in fellowship with His Church - there really is no room for sin. There are no shadows and no darkness for it to grow in. Now that verse in 1 John 1:5-7 doesn't sound so impossible, does it?