Fellowship and Confession
1 John 1:6 and 1 John 1:9 show us what it is to be honest about our fellowship with God. We can say we unite with God and walk with Him, but yet we live in darkness. Well, what does that mean? Living in darkness would be along the lines of 1) understanding what it means to be in unity with God and 2) actually doing it. If I meet someone and I say to them I am a manager of a job I have, knowing that manager is not in my job title or description, yet I give off the impression to others possibly to impress them that I am something that I am now, then I am lying. I might have similar responsibilities to a manager, but I am not the manager. So, when I say I walk with God and seek to be in unison with His will, someone would be able to see it by my actions and my words and compare them up against God's will. In addition, verse 9 isn't as deep with a diagnosis, yet it is just as important. Confession of sins is important as it shows us that our way of handling things, saying things, thinking and behaving isn't always in unison with God's will. Being in God's will is the focus. When we act outside of His will, we express selfishness and we sin. When we confess that we have sinned, we are admitting to God, "hey, I didn't get it right. I messed up, but I wanna be back in your good graces." When you can humble yourself and tell God that you want to try it again and get back on the right track, that shows God that we are willing to be humble and seek His ways over our own.
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Divisions in the Church
In this first letter from Paul to church in Corinth, Paul has some things wants to share with the church about what they have been struggling with. Paul had been instrumental in building the churches and helping them grow and so his letters serve as if they were to come from a mentor, but a mentor who is a Christ follower and was not after his own gain.
Paul saw division in the church. He saw that church members had favorites from the church leaders. The members of the church made it more about who they followed then actually keeping their worship to that of Christ and remembering what he did on the cross. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 he specifies that he is appealing to them to stop them and to recognize that Christ is not divided. yes we all have our roles, but one's role in the body of Christ is no more significant than other roles in the body.
We have to remember as followers of Christ to stay united with other believers and not cause division in the church. What kind of example are we setting for those that look at us from the outside. Abraham Lincoln is known for saying "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I'm sure that quote applies to the Civil War, but would it not stand true to a home where the family does not get along? How would they look to the community? What about a church full of people who are not united in Christ? How would it look to those who are not Christ followers? While we are not perfect, we Christ followers have to remember that we are examples, imperfect examples, but examples nonetheless of what it is to be a Christ follower.
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