Character Witness: God is Light

Introduction

In this section, I want us to look at why God is the Light of the World. This portion of John's letter explores light and darkness, sin and forgiveness, and, most importantly, the character of God through Jesus Christ in forgiving confessed sins.

Remember, in the historical/cultural context of this letter, John was writing to the Churches in Asia Minor to reassure God’s people in their faith and the claims of false teachers. We believe it was a form of Gnosticism where one is saved through knowledge and the material world is evil.

In verse 1-4, we learned Jesus was from the beginning, the Word of life, life, and eternal life. John emphasizes the nature of Jesus as both divine and human through use of words like made manifest, seen with our eyes, looked upon and touched with our hands and heard. Therefore, he and others testify, and proclaim Jesus who was with the Father so that you and I can have fellowship with the Father, the Son, and one another, thus making our joy complete.

Reading of the Text

1 John 1:5–10 ESV

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

What does God say?

The message they heard from Jesus and thus proclaim is this: “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.” This is a metaphor used to represent God’s presence, truth, righteousness, guidance, holiness, and reliability. To say there is no darkness at all means there is zero possibility He can be other that Light. Darkness represents chaos, blindness, sin, and wickedness.

John continues with conditional phrases (“If”)

They say we have fellowship with God while walking in darkness, they are liars and do not practice the truth. There is no fellowship with God.

On the contrary, if they walk (live) in the light (by the truth), as He is in the light, they have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Notice the contradictory statement starts with “if we walk” not “if we say.”

There is fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses them from all sin. This does not mean they will never sin again. The blood of Jesus cleansing them from all sin means it liberates them from their old master (sin), thus removing the penalty of death. This grace is received through faith in Jesus who through the sacrifice of atonement—the shedding of His blood—demonstrates God is just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. This is the grace give by God through Jesus, that brings us into fellowship with Him and one another.

“If they say they have no sin, they deceive themselves and are absent of the truth.” Again, false teachers made this claim and it was another thing that distinguished them from God’s children.

“If they confess their sins, God is faithful (trustworthy) and just (judges rightly) to forgive them of their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness.” This says more about the character of God than anything else. Why do they need to confess their sins? By admitting their sins to receive the cleansing of Christ they are: 1) agreeing with God that sin is truly sin and demonstrating a willingness to turn from it; 2) ensuring we do not conceal our sins from Him; 3) recognizing their tendency to sin and relying upon God’s power to overcome it.

“If they say they have not sinned, they make God a liar, and His word is not in them” To make a claim you have not sinned is to imply perfection. Therefore, there would be no need of God or His sacrifice.

Conclusion

God is Light

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin meaning: 1) liberates us from slavery to sin; 2) through faith in Him we are justified

Be doers of the word not merely hearers.

The life of those who hear and do the truth should be reflective of His truth thus showing they have fellowship with God and others.

Confess your sins to God and one another. It opens us up for the power of God to be demonstrated in our lives as we continue to walk in the light.

Those who refuse to confess, live in darkness denying the ever present power of God.