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In an effort to rouse confidence in God’s promise of
salvation, John explains some essential truths about
the nature of God, Jesus, and us. In our last study
we learned that John spoke of his experience of the
message. In verses 5-7 he discusses the content of the
message.
Verse 5
Note the message John proclaims is "from him." John
is saying that Christianity is not some private, esoteric
enlightenment. Rather, it came directly from the God
himself and is manifested completely in the incarnate
"Word of life." Just as it is the nature of fire to
produce heat, so it is the nature of God to reveal
himself.
The message John proclaims: "God is light." "Light,"
used metaphorically, has two aspects:
- Intellectual or revelatory aspect: For the Greek
and Hebrew mind, light was often associated with
truth, whereas darkness was associated with error
(cf., Ps. 43:3; 119:105, 130; Mt. 4:13-16; Lk. 2:28-32;
Jn. 1:4-9; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Jn. 2:8).
- Ethical or moral aspect: Light is also associated
with purity and goodness, whereas darkness is associated
with impurity and evil (cf., Is. 5:20; Eph. 5:8-11;
Rom. 13:12-13; Jn. 3:19-21; 8:12; 12:46).
To Consider: An advantage of the "light" is not
merely to help us see, but to empower us to walk.
As God’s children, we are to light up the world
around us as we gradually integrate our beliefs
and behavior. In so doing, God receives the praise
and glory of our efforts (Mt. 5:14-16).
Verse 6
Beginning in Verse 6, John lays out 3 false claims
and 3 divine responses. The three false claims concern:
Three False Claims — Three Divine Responses
| False Claim |
Consequence |
God’s Solution |
| 1:6 If we claim to
have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness |
we lie and do not
live by the truth. |
1:7 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, purifies us from all sin. |
| 1:8 If we claim to
be without sin |
we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. |
1:9 If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will
forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. |
| 1:10 If we claim
we have not sinned |
we make him out to
be a liar and his word has no place in our
lives. |
2:1 But if anybody
does sin, we have one who speaks to the
Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the
Righteous One. |
The first false belief claims that sin does not
affect our relationship with God. John speaks against
the ideas that: God’s laws are not relevant to believers
– one can be righteous without doing righteousness
– a relationship with God is independent of obedience
to God.
However, religion without morality is deception.
It is impossible to have fellowship with God without
first going to the cross (cf., 2 Cor. 6:14; Heb. 10:26-27;
2 Pt. 1:19; 1 Jn. 2:3-6). Speaking the truth without
living it is the height of hypocrisy. Those who belong
to God necessarily share in his nature (2 Pt. 1:3-4;
1 Jn. 3:9).
In Verse 6 John is saying that we must come to God
on his terms, and that those terms are non-negotiable.
Christianity not only claims that God is holy, righteous,
and morally pure, but that all who belong to him take
sin seriously. Yet, the good news of our faith is
that we are not left to our own resources and ourselves.
God has provided a solution to our problem of sin:
The cross of Jesus!
Verse 7
To walk in the light is to be in the presence of God
himself. It is a conscious, sustained effort (the
Greek tense of "walk" is on-going) to be responsive
in our behavior and attitude to God’s illuminating
truth.
There are three benefits from "walking in the light:"
- "Fellowship with one another"
John already said that to have fellowship with God’s
people means having fellowship with God (1:3).
For John, fellowship is not some casual acquaintance
with others by way of a common religious association.
Rather, fellowship is a devoted alliance between
individuals who actively participate in a mutual
spiritual heritage.
- "The blood of Jesus . . . purifies us"
The effects of the cross extend far beyond our salvation;
they are vital to our sanctification as well (the
Greek could be rendered "continues to purify us").
As believers, the cross is not only a part of our
past, but also an essential part of our present.
The idea of "purity" is not limited to forgiveness
alone, which is often means a judicial pronouncement
of "not guilty." Being purified by Jesus’ death
ensures the consequences of our sin do not blemish
our new identity in Christ (cf., 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal.
2:20). If more believers could only realize the
benefits of the cross, there would be far less therapy
going on and far more healing taking place!
Jesus’ "blood" is an allusion to his death, which
was a cogent reminder to those false teachers who
believed that Jesus was not fully human.
- "from all [or "every"] sin"
The cross is God’s comprehensive plan for dealing
with each and every sin that has been committed
or ever will be committed in our lives (Rom. 6:10;
Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 26; 1 Pt. 3:18).
However, this does not mean that we are free from
the presence of sin, only the power and stain of
sin (Rom. 6:6, 7, 14; 1 Jn. 2:1).
While there are no "sinless" Christians this side
of heaven, we are in a continual process of becoming
what we are – pure, holy, blameless, and without
stain or wrinkle (Eph. 5:26-27; Tit. 2:14; Heb.
10:10; 1 Jn. 1:9). Moreover, what God has begun
in our lives will be completed (Philip. 1:6).
Summary
Walking in the light means: We are honest about who
we are and about who God is. And, we deal decisively
and finally with sin by availing ourselves to the continual
benefits of the cross.
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John 1:8-2:2 >>
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