This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we 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 his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:5–7

“If you sleep with dogs, you’ll catch fleas.” This is one of those sayings that convey a very meaningful and true reality. We often mirror those we spend time with. Whether it is out of a desire to fit in or just people’s words, sayings, or mannerisms “rubbing off” on us, we will begin to look like the people we spend time with. Sometimes, this is a good thing. If we spend time with those who seek to do good, love those around them, and are self-sacrificial, then we will begin to mirror that. However, if we spend time with people who are a bad influence, we can find ourselves slipping into those practices the more we spend time with them. 

This passage conveys a similar message. When we place our faith in God, the Holy Spirit changes us. He makes us into a new creation that desires to do good. The more we spend time with God in prayer, listen to his words in the Bible, and fellowship with other Christians, the more we will look like God. Paul paints us a picture of what this looks like in Galatians 5. The Fruit of the Spirit are those attributes that, like fruit from a tree, will naturally grow if we are planted in Christ. 

Along with that, John gives us a measure for which we can examine ourselves. If we are in the light, then we will walk in the light. That is, if we are in Christ, we will become more and more like him. However, if we say that we are in the light but walk in darkness, then the truth is not in us. Meaning, if we say that we are in Christ but our lives do not reflect Christ or his truths, then we are deceiving ourselves. In the same passage in Galatians, Paul outlines the Works of the Flesh. If we practice these things and say that we are in the light, we are deceiving ourselves. 

This doesn’t mean that if we sin, we aren’t Christians. Rather, if our lives, desires, emotions, practices, interactions, and thoughts are not changed from what we used to be and we continue to chase after worldly things, ignoring what God has done for us, then we should examine ourselves to see if we are walking in the light. 

This week, let’s spend some time with God and his word and reflect upon our own lives and the direction we are heading. If you have never placed your faith in Christ, reach out to him and you too may walk in the light as He is in the light and have fellowship with his people, and the blood of Jesus his Son will cleanse you from all sin.