Two blessing we have from walking in the light.

What happens if we walk in the light? See 1st John 1:5-7

First of all, John, says, it's what he had heard from Jesus when Jesus taught him, and the other apostles. And, it's what John was declaring, or proclaiming to us, we learn a number of things here about God, and what it means to walk with God, or to walk in the light. We also learn about saying you are walking in the light, but practicing darkness.........or walking in darkness. 

Here's the message.........

"God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" 1st John 1:5-7

It's important to remember, that John was writing in large part to combat a false doctrine that was creeping into the church at that time. 

In part, that teaching said, "It's not important how you live, it's only important that you understand and know the truth etc, " So, knowledge of God and daily conduct were separated, and it did not matter how you lived. It only mattered what you knew. 

John, is refuting that teaching and telling us, that God is something, He is light, and light is always used in the Bible to speak of truth and purity. John adds, that there is no darkness with God. Darkness in the Bible is used to speak of evil and of sin. So, Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit are light and purity if you will. 

Thus, if someone says, "I'm fellowshipping with God, I'm sharing in His life and so on, but, they are walking in, or practicing darkness, then they are not telling the truth, they are telling a lie, and they are not practicing, or living out the truth. 

On the other hand, if a person is walking in the light, or conducting himself in the light, ( as He is in the light ) two things happen. One, we will have fellowship with one another, and secondly, the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 

Having fellowship with others is a blessing in Christ. And, we have that fellowship, that sharing with each other, by first of all, walking in the light. John says it this way, "if walk in the light as He is in the light" Then, we will have fellowship with one another. So, Christ is foremost and central to what is called Christian fellowship. 

Secondly, another blessing is given to us here as we walk in the light........the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanses us from all sin. The Lord removes our sin, and will continue to cleanse us from our sin. He is the sin cleanser. 

The blessings of fellowship and the cleansing of sin. They are both derived from our walking in the light. They are by-products if you will of following Jesus. These blessings flow from Him, as we walk with Him. 

So, today, let's just follow Jesus Christ. Let's walk with Him. Let's open our hearts to Him, let's dedicate and consecrate our lives to Him, and let's enjoy those blessings that He will bring into our lives. Fellowship, and cleansing from sin. 

Thank You Lord God. 

Pastor Bob Grenier 

Fellowship with God, and fullness of Joy.

Fellowship with God, and fullness of joy.

Please see 1st John 1....


The title of this devotional, includes two of the reasons that John wrote this letter.
I'd like to today, just take a running start at this first chapter, by looking at the first number of verses, and then to also understand some of the background that prompted John to write what he did in this letter. So, here we go........


Jesus existed before the beginning. That is, the beginning of all that was created. That's how the Bible opens in Gen 1, with in the "beginning".....So, before that time, before creation, there was nothing that existed. There was only the eternal God, Father, Son, and Spirit. God has no beginning. So, we learn right off the bat here, that Jesus was from the beginning, that makes Him God. Only God has this eternal nature. ( There are many other parts of the Bible that state more explicitly, that Jesus was not created )

Then John goes on to explain his and the other apostles personal experience with Jesus. 

We have heard Him, ( with our own ears ) 

We have seen Him with our own eyes. 

We have looked upon Him. ( Gazed upon Him ) 

We have handled Him with our own hands. 

We have seen, heard, touched, and looked upon the Word of life he says. 

That's another name for Jesus Christ. He is the Word of Life.

John uses this name, and title for Jesus in his gospel......See John 1:1. 

Further explanation about Jesus is given here. The life ( Jesus ) was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness to you that eternal life which was with the Father was manifested to us. So, Jesus is the Word of life, and He was manifested to the apostles when He came to the earth. 

And, here's the first purpose, desire, hope through the teaching here. That is, that the readers might share in this. That is, that they might fellowship with ( the apostles ) and, then John adds, that truly our fellowship, our sharing is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. The word fellowship means, to share in, to have communion with, participation, contribution, intimacy.


And, he says, these things we are writing to you, that your joy may be full. 

So, fullness of joy, is the second reason this letter was written. this is a second purpose if you will in this letter being written. 

What is fullness of Joy? Joy, means to have peace, and to be glad. To have fullness of joy, is to be as joyful and as happy as you can be. And, that is one of the purposes of this letter. To help the readers have fullness of joy. 

So, let's move on, and see what else John says......

He says, "this is the message we have heard from Him".....

How interesting. Here's what Jesus told us, and we are going to tell you about it now.

God is light......and in Him is no darkness at all.............

That is, God is pure, and there is nothing evil, or sinful in Him. 

I think it's helpful to know what John was trying to ward off through His teaching..

It's called Gnosticism..........

It's a heresy.

It had begun to make inroads into the church at that time...


Gnosticism taught.....


1. Knowledge is superior to virtue. 


2. The nonliteral sense of Scripture is correct and can be    understood only by a select few. 


3. Evil in the world precludes God's being the only Creator.


4. The incarnation is incredible because deity cannot unite itself with anything material such as a human body.


5. There is no resurrection of the flesh. 


The ethical standards of the Gnostic's were so low, so John emphasized the reality of the incarnation and the high ethical standard of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, says Charles Ryrie. 


Well, that's enough for now. 
This will be a great time of growing in and through 1st John 
May our fellowship with the Lord grow, and may our joy come to that place of fullness 


Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia. 

God's will includes these two things.

1John1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--

1John1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--

1John1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1John1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

In these passages, we are given two of the reasons this epistle was written. Both reasons have to do with our own personal lives, as to what God can do in them, and wants to do in them, and what we can have in Christ from God.

The first reason this epistle was written is found in 1:3, and the second is found  in 1:4.

Firstly, we are told, " it's fellowship"  that we might have fellowship with the Father and with the Son. Take a look again, just below, and see, that this is exactly what John says...

1John1:3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

What does it mean to have fellowship with Jesus and with the Father? The word fellowship, means communion, to communicate, to partake, to have in common, sharing together, to give a share in something, a willingness to give a share in, generosity. The Bible tells us that........we have been called into this fellowship with God.

1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Secondly, please notice in 1John1:4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Here we are given this second reason. And, it is that our joy may be full. What a wonderful thought to have not only joy, but, to have full joy. Joy, or gladness, joyfulness, joyfully. It's a sense of well being in-spite of our circumstances.

At any rate, we will be talking more about all these things. But for now, it's a blessing to realize that through this letter, God's intentions are given to us. That we might communicate with Him, and that He might give us fullness of joy.
Thank You Lord.

A warning, and an encouragement from the Lord.

God's encouragement to beware, don't fall, but grow in grace.

2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;

2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

As Peter winds up his letter, he again uses the familiar term, "Beloved" to remind us of how the Lord regards us and views us. He loves you, and considers you dear to Him. 

Peter now, encouraging his readers, that in light of what they knew, ( which is a reference to all that he had shared in his 2nd letter, and in particular the things of this last chapter, having to do with the coming events for this earth in God's plan, and the eternal plans that God has for us in Christ ) he calls us to beware lest we fall from our own stedfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. 

It never hurts to be warned about something that could happen. And, such is the case here. Beware, means, to guard, to watch, to keep watch, to keep your eye upon, to guard that you might remain safe. 

The readers, were stedfast, or resolutely firm and unwavering.....they were standing firm. But, he is warning them to remain so. Don't fall from that place and position and walk says Peter. Don't fall into the error of the wicked, don't be led away by their error, i.e their willful denial of the truths of creation and of the flood in Noah's day etc. Stick with the truth Peter says, and you won't fall.

The final thing that he says to his readers, is that contrast to falling, grow........advance, in two things. The grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To grow, is to increase, to multiply, to cause to grow. Grace is God's unmerited and undeserved favor. The knowledge of God, is to grasp, to comprehend, to come to know......to perceive......

So, don't fall, but grow.

Don't be led away by error.

But, advance in knowing the Lord. 

Stay with the Lord, and keep moving forward.

How do we grow in these things? Well, that was the subject of a good portion of the 1st Chapter of this letter.
See 2nd Peter 1:5-11

As a quick re-cap of what he said, includes the idea, that because you are born again, then this growth is for you. Be diligent to grow, make this something you put yourself into. He then lists 7 or so characteristics of growth. In fact, as are adding one of them, then we naturally will also be adding others. It's becoming more Christlike, more Spirit led, less led by our own flesh, and more under the control of the Holy Spirit. 

God bless you.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia