I got dressed, and at 10:30 went looking for a church.  I found one that looked okay--whatever that is, and walked in.  However, the sermon was half over.  No problem.  I just sat down in an empty seat--which was, of course, halfway down the aisle with everyone wondering who that woman was coming into the middle of the service which had started at 9:15--how was I to know.  After the service was over, the lady next to me asked me to come with her to her small group.  I did.

Is this going to be my church?  I don't know.  I'll try it for a Sunday or two and see.  The odd thing is that the small group lesson was from the first chapter of 1 John.  Which I have been telling you about.  Serendipity.

1 John 1:6-10 is interesting.  John does a comparison of what we "say" versus what we "do".

Vs. 6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth."
Vs. 7 "But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin."
Vs. 8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
Vs. 9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (Life would be hopeless without this promise.)
Vs. 10 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

You can't just confess your sin to get back in fellowship with God, you must repent.  That simply means that whatever you have been doing wrong, you must quit.  Now.  For good.  You can't talk the "talk" and not walk the "walk."  John says that person is a liar and is in darkness.  Come on into the light.  Jesus is the light of the world!!!!  You might note that it is the blood that cleanses us.  That is not a popular subject these days.  But it is the truth.  That's how Baptists got their nickname "Bloody Baptists"--because they continue to preach concerning the blood of Christ.