"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.." (1 John 1:7)
We have already noted that the word fellowship means partnership. This partnership of man with God is not a "fifty-fifty" arrangement. We can never, under any circumstances, be equal with the Lord. We enjoy partnership with him only on His conditions and never upon any personal arrangement that we would like to make with the Godhead. Thus John declares that our partnership or fellowship is contingent upon our maintaining the Divine conditions. He is not here speaking in terms of eternal salvation but in terms of our communion. The blessedness of the Christian life is dependent upon our exposure to the Light of the world for only by this perpetual exposure can we be reflective of His holiness.
Sun of my soul, Thou Savior dear
It is not night if Thou be near
O may no earth-born cloud arise
To hide Thee from Thy servant's eyes
It is not that we can lose our salvation but we can spoil our communion. The figure of marriage is used of the believer's relationship to Christ; for the church is His bride. Many a difference has risen between husband and wife but this never ends the marriage relationship, but it does spoil the fellowship. Confession becomes the means of dispelling the clouds.
As long as we are in the light the atoning work of Christ is perpetually effective so that we are presented "faultless before the presence of the Father."
(this devotional by Dr. Robert M. McMillan)