Walking in the Light

If you've ever tried walking through a dark space with no light to help you see, you know that it can be challenging. you stumble over objects on the floor, you hit your shins on little things that hurt, you trip over a pile of something and your not quite sure what it is. The Bible uses this imagery of light and darkness repeatedly to convey how desperately we need the light to be able to see where we are going. 1 John 1:5 says "God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." John wanted his readers to know that God is pure, unaltered, bright light, that has no hint of darkness in it at all. John goes on to say in v6-7, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in the 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." John wanted his readers to know how desperately they needed to "walk in the light" and to avoid the darkness at all costs.

Christians cannot walk in darkness and claim to be Christians. Darkness is evil. It refers to walking in the places in which God cannot be found. It means to live in a state of sin. In contrast John wants us to walk in the light, where Jesus can be found. He says if a person walks there, it doesn't mean they're perfect, but as they strive to walk in that light, the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse them where they falter.

The question for us where do we find ourselves walking? Do we walk in darkness? Do we live in a state of sin? Do we find ourselves in places where God cannot be found? That is a dangerous to place to be. But in contrast, if we find ourselves in the light, we find God's mercy, forgiveness, and fellowship every step of the way.

So, where do you walk - in the darkness or in the light?

- Kolton Ballance

Be Holy

Holy is a word that carries a lot of weight behind it. The word itself means to be set apart, or dedicated to God, or pure. We often describe God as Holy. He is set apart, and pure altogether. His very nature is holy. One writer said "holiness describes the object of awe." But what if I told you that you, a Christian, are also holy. We don't like to think of ourselves as being holy, and of the same nature as God, but when a person is saved by the blood of Jesus, they have been set apart and made pure and holy by God himself. You are holy as a person who bears the image of God, and is washed in the blood of Jesus. That doesn't make you perfect, but it makes you purified and set apart by God himself. But being holy isnt merely a passive thing that takes place when a person becomes a Christian. While part of being holy is done by God, there is another part of it that is done us. 1 Peter 1:15 says, "like the holy one who called, be holy yourselves in all your behavior." God calls those who have been made holy to live holy lives. Living a holy life means to be a walking representation of God's holiness. Intimidating... right? We don't have to be perfect, but we do need strive to be holy and trust Jesus' blood to forgive us when we aren't.

When you step back and look at your lifestyle, your daily actions, your speech, your conduct among the world around you, would you describe it as "holy" ? God calls us to be holy in our behavior. It's not that we walk around with our nose in the air with a "holier than thou" mentality. No, thats not what God wants at all. But rather it's that the life that we manifest, and the actions of our daily lives should look like the holy God that has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

The life of a Christian should be holy. Yes, we have been made holy by the Holy God who has saved us, but we also have to live as if we've been made holy. This week, take a look at the life you live on a daily basis and ask yourself "Is this what it looks like to be holy?"

- Kolton Ballance