If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with the other, and the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
This verse is simply saying that there is a bond of unity between all sincere people in the world; and that it was for the sincere that Jesus Christ died.
However, there are many times when a sincere person must choose between acting in accordance with the truth as he/she knows it, and turning from a path of honesty. This is where divine unity and divine forgiveness is put to the test.
If he or she chooses to turn from the truth, the bond of unity with other sincere people will disintegrate. We will no longer have fellowship one with the other, and the blood of Jesus Christ will no longer cleanse them from all sin.
Over and over we have come to a "turning point" in our relationship with other people. People who have been friendly in the past suddenly start to distance themselves from us. They become defensive about the people we judge. They begin to bring up points of disagreement. And they no longer want to hear from us or to spend time with us.
Most of the world turned in favour of insincerity long before they ever met us. Because of that, our presence immediately puts them on the defensive. It is their rejection of truth, for example, that causes churchies who see us handing out literature on the street to give us a heresy test: Are you born again? What church do you go to? Who is your leader? Have you been baptised? Is Jesus God?
Why do they direct the questions at us and not at the thousands of others walking all around us? Isn't it because our action (passing out tracts day after day as they busy themselves making and spending money) embarrasses them, while the actions of the masses do not? They have personally rejected the light at some point, and so they want no fellowship with those of us who are still walking in the light.
When not attacking us, they're attacking our literature: Not enough Bible references; nothing about the divinity of Christ; cheapening the gospel through the use of cartoons or unsophisticated language; too critical of the church; trying to work our way to heaven.
Why do they do it? Is it not because they are haunted by their own guilt, and trying to cover it by pointing at and accusing us?
Hardly a day goes by that one of us isn't handed a churchy 'salvation' tract, in retaliation. We say "in retaliation" because it is patently obvious that the tracts are not being handed to the general public. Once again, we are singled out simply because we are doing something; churchy tracts only serve the purpose of convincing the people who hand them out that they need not listen to us because they already know it all.
They have turned away from God, and so they turn away from us.
What are you doing with the truth as you know it. Are you walking in all the light you have? or are you turning away from it and trying to hide in the shadows?
(See also Without Guile.)
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