ACC ~ 1 John 1 v7

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: God’s teaching is here called blood. ADUMBRATIONS.

CLEANSING FROM ALL SIN. HILARY OF ARLES: The blood of animal sacrifices was enough to cleanse people from whatever particular sin they had committed, but the blood of Christ is sufficient to cleanse those who walk in love from all sin. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN.

WALKING AND DWELLING. BEDE: Note the different verbs which John uses. God dwells in the light, but we are told that we must walk in it. The righteous walk in the light when they do good works and thereby go on to better things. God does not need to improve because he is already the perfection of all goodness, which is why he is said to dwell in the light. John also gives us an indication of how we can know that we are on the right track, and that is whether we rejoice in the link of brotherly fellowship which we have with those who are journeying along with us toward the pure light. However, even if we are shown to be doing the works of light, and even if we are seen to be maintaining the bonds of mutual love, we must never think that we can be cleansed from our sins by our own progress and effort, as the last part of the verse reminds us. For the sacrament of our Lord’s passion has both cleansed us in baptism from all our previous sins and forgives us by the grace of our Redeemer for whatever we have done in our human weakness after baptism. For along with all the works of light which we do, we also humbly confess our wrongdoings to him every day, whenever we receive the sacraments of his blood, when we forgive those who have trespassed against us and ask him to forgive our trespasses against him, and when we cheerfully endure all adversity, remembering what he did for our sake. ON 1 JOHN.

1 Jn