We continue to read from 1 John (1:5-2:2) during the Christmas season.  John encourages his readers to walk in the light of Christ lest we stumble in the darkness of sin.  All are sinners, and must admit it is so, else be shown as liars.  We also know that the blood Jesus shed during His passion and death cleanses us from sin if we accept it.  John closes this passage by hoping that we will not sin, but comforting us with the fact that if we do fall, Jesus is our Advocate with the Father.  Jesus has the power to forgive.

Several years ago a book came out entitled “Nobody Calls it Sin Anymore.”  How true!  When truth is relative and objectively sinful behavior is considered a lifestyle choice, is it any wonder the world is in the state it is in?  It seems that many consider themselves without sin, which is not only “deceiving ourselves,” as the headline states, but it also makes a liar of God as we read two verses later (v. 10).  Now who do we know of as the deceiver and the first and greatest inpugner of God’s truthfulness?  A look at Gen 3:1-15 calls out the Satan for just these traits.  Jesus does so as well, with one example being:

[The devil] was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of lies. (Jn 8:44)

The “ruler of this world” (Jn 12:31) saw a particular resurgence during the last century with its many wars and atrocities.  He continues unabated to this day seemingly even gaining power in the world.  Let us fight him every step of the way — for starters by being honest with ourselves.  If lying is our character than we imitate Satan.  But we are called to imitate Christ and to strive for perfection.  This begins by acknowledging that we are sinners and that only the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ can save us.  May we constantly seek to reform our lives and bring others into the light of God.  Beelzebub has no chance against a unified body of Christ.  May we ever seek this unity so as to fulfill “thy kingdom come” and put the devil back into hell where he belongs.