Friends in Christ Message for April 26, 2003

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Friends in Christ Weekly Message
April 26, 2003

Jesus told us that God is light and doesn't have any darkness in him. Now we are telling you.
If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
1 John 1:5-9 (CEV*)

The light of Christ is a transforming light. It changes the way we live.

Faith is not about saying the right words. If we claim we are Christians, sharing God's life through Christ Jesus, but our lives do not shine with God's light, we are liars. As Steven Curtis Chapman noted in his song, The Change, the Christian T-shirts, bracelets, necklaces, key chains, etc. aren't enough: "What about a life that's showing I'm undergoing the change?"

If we live in the light, we share in life with each other and our sins are washed away. Once again, honesty is key. If we say we have not sinned, we are liars. But if we confess our sins to God, God will forgive us. God rejects self-righteousness and spiritual pride, but welcomes the contrite heart with open arms.

Dear friends, may we each put away our pride and allow the light of God in Christ Jesus to transform our lives so that we may truly live in the light. May we each humbly confess our sins to God, and gratefully accept His forgiveness.

Bill Samuel