The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (NTA)

1 John 1:1-10

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ² the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— ³ that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

It is just this simple, if you do not confess you are sinner then you call God a liar and Christ is not in you. If you confess your sins, then you get forgiveness of sins. Is there anything simpler? It does not matter who you are or what you have done, if you confess your sin, you get forgiveness. If you do not confess your sin, Christ has nothing to do with you. (Replace Truth & Word à Christ)

But there is even something more profound in this text than just forgiveness of sin. It is about fellowship! “If we say we have fellowship with [Jesus] while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” (Remember Jesus is the way the TRUTH and the life.) You cannot have fellowship with darkness and Jesus. (Remember Jesus is the Light of the World.) St John even indicates that fellowship leads to fellowship, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

If Jesus is not with you, then the Father is not with you, then St John is not with you and likewise the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is not with you. Fellowship can matter a great deal. Those whom you join in fellowship will determine whether you remain in fellowship with Christ. If they do not confess their sins, and Christ is not with them, and you are with them, then you are not with Christ.

Maybe this sounds a little circular. St John does repeat himself a lot, but he seems to say it pretty straightforward. Confess your sin! Christ has died for sinners, “and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanse us from all sin.” Christ died for your sins, and he will be with you.