Daily Devotion (August 4, 2024)
1 John 1:1–3 (NKJV)
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—
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—
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.
The apostles and early followers of Christ had the great experience of physically walking with Christ. They were able to hear Him speak. What the Apostles were able to do; touch Him, see Him, hear Him is not possible today, but we do have Him living in us. We do have God’s Holy Spirit living in us. The eternal God who has no beginning and no end lives in the life of those who have accepted Him.
We can fellowship with God through His Holy Spirit living in us. Romans 10:9 states “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” We can fellowship with God. We can let Jesus be seen in us to the world.
The world sees Jesus in the professing Christian. What is in the heart of a person will eventually be played out in life. This may sound like a cop out statement, but it is true, “Christians are not perfect.” If Christ lives in us, then we need to allow the true living Christ to be seen on the outside of us. We need to speak the presence of Christ in us. We need to live the presence of Christ in us. Whatever sin dwells in our lives needs to be confessed and destroyed. We need to allow Jesus to completely fill us with His presence.
John writes, “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us.” The world needs Jesus. The individual needs Jesus. It is imperative for the believer to live life in such a way that others see the true and living Christ played out in his/her life.