“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.” One might ask: “Is there anything to be cleansed from if we walk in the light as He is in the light?” “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” Ch. 3:2-3. We see that with such a walk and such a hope we always need to be in the cleansing. Concerning Jesus, we read: “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” Heb. 5:8-10. We see plainly that Jesus had a development. He learned obedience. He was never disobedient and He never sinned, but He grew up to all the fullness of God. Col. 1:18-20. This did not transpire without sufferings; and in the sufferings He was tempted, so He could come to our aid when we are tempted. Heb. 2:18. As the Son of Man He purified Himself in obedience to the light which the Father gave Him, in that God condemned sin in the flesh, until He had become a partaker of all the light that was in the Father. We read: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8. When difficulties arise between two or more people, one can often hear from what they are saying that they actually mean: I do not have sin! Paul exhorts Timothy: “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Tim. 4:16. He did not answer Paul like this: “Don’t you believe I am saved? Am I living in sin?” Not at all! He knew what it meant to walk in the light as Jesus walked in the light. “Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.” 1 John 2:7-8. This is the connection we must have with God as His servants, so that the old commandments can constantly be renewed, because the Word is God, and we are far from having come to the light that God’s Word can give us. There is no further growth without a constant cleansing. We read the same Word of God at the meetings, but if we do not walk in the light as He is in the light the net effect will be that we will become old and burnt out. That is why—quite often—they must have new preachers in the religious assemblies. However, if we are constantly renewed in the Holy Spirit, we will never become old or burnt out. God be thanked for this grace!Sigurd Bratlie