God Alone is Light!
Have you ever been in a situation where you saw a believer engaging in questionable behavior? Have you judged them and wondered how could they be doing that? Well, if you haven’t, I’m going to stay in the church and say "I have". Some things seem like should be so evident that as followers of Christ we just don’t do.
Today I came across a familiar passage of scripture in an unfamiliar version:
9 But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them,[a] he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[b]
10 If we claim that we’re not guilty of sin when God uncovers it with his light,[c] we make him a liar and his word is not in us.1 John 1:9-10 (The Passion Translation)
The words lifted high off the page "when his light uncovers them" and I knew if I had no other sin to confess, the times I have stood in the judgement seat was certainly one. God deals with as "the church" in a corporate setting, but in real time He deals with us as individuals. He knows what to "uncover" and when. It neither is going to follow our human trademark or timetable. The sooner we recognize this, the sooner the Spirit of God will flow freely in our midst and the sooner we will "walk in the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free". God alone is light and love and He alone bestows these gifts upon others.
If can embrace His love than 1 Corinthians 13: 6-8a will be fulfilled in us:
6 Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. 7 Love is a safe place of shelter,[c] for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.
8 Love never stops loving.
Beloved, let us love as God loves.
Maria