The Blood

Jude 1:²⁴ “Now, to the one with enough power to prevent you from stumbling into sin[a] and bring you faultless before his glorious presence to stand before him with ecstatic delight.” (TPT)

We start today’s devotional by delving deeper into 1 John 1 from yesterday. We are still looking at the two things that must be in place for us to take bold steps towards God and they are righteousness and single-mindedness. 1 John 1:⁷ “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (emphasis added). This is the beauty of being a Christian; a Christian is a human being that God has declared righteous. No Christian is perfect, and this sometimes is what confuses us Christians and confuses the world. But should you be perfect? Of course, the word perfection in scriptures can be translated as mature. As a Christian, you should be maturing.

I will illustrate this using the class grouping. For a primary one student, one plus one equals two (1 + 1 = 2) is appropriate. But in secondary school, there are certain forms of arithmetic a student should be tackling, not one plus one equals two (1 + 1 = 2), even though arithmetic is still arithmetic. However, if a secondary school student is still struggling with one plus one equals two (1 + 1 = 2) there is a problem. Just like Paul says, should we continue in sin that grace should abound? God forbid! (Rom.6:1-2). The provision of the Blood of Jesus is not for us to be slaves to sin, it is for us to be free from sin – huge difference! 1 John 1:⁷ “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (emphasis added). Not some or a few, but from all sin!

Some people do not like to admit that they sin. However, no one can claim to be without sin for even one day talk less of a month. This morning you still abused your spouse. Yesterday, you still lied to your children that you came first in class. All our parents came first – lies! What is God’s Word saying? 1 Jn.1:⁸ “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth”. When we live in the truth, we acknowledge the fact that we need help, we acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. 1 Jn.1:⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (emphasis added).   The word cleanse in this passage is present continuous.

1 Jn.1:¹⁰ “If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” John is in the New Testament writing to three categories of Christians the fathers, the young adults, and the children. John was talking to a wide spectrum of believers, and he was saying, if we say we are without sin we are calling God a liar and showing that His Word has no place in us. Everyone born of a woman is born a sinner, but when we come to Christ our sins are forgiven. Once and for all God saves us from the penalty of sin.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for forgiving my sin and cleansing me by the Blood of Jesus. Father, I ask for the grace to walk blameless and faultless before You, in Jesus Name. Amen!