Step Into the Light

As we continue our collection through 1 John, Ben Stuart shows us what it means to walk in the light and be in fellowship with God. He helps us understand the differences between light and dark and how we interact with ourselves, community, and God.

If you know the truth and care about the other person involved, you must say something. That's what John is doing when he writes this letter to the body of churches.

As Jesus' message became increasingly distorted, the truth about who He is and what He has done became increasingly uncertain. John knew that as an apostle of Jesus, he could unpack the real truth about Jesus.

He begins by focusing on how to get into the circle that has fellowship with God. He does this by explaining the message's validity, reiterating that the message came from Jesus himself.

"God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all." ( 1 John 1:5)

At the root, Christianity is not a self-help movement. This is God's character. It starts at the foundation of reality. Light and dark serve as a metaphor that encompasses two realities.

• Light is truth and moral purity; it means to be synced up with reality.
• Darkness is error, deception, or ignorance, the distortion of good.

John emphasizes that God is entirely pure and true.

In this part of the letter, John gives us statements on how we can walk in the light and fellowship with God.

"If we say we have fellowship with God while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." (1 John 1:6)

Remember, God is light, so we lie if we walk in darkness. Light and dark don't hang out. When light shows up, darkness leaves.

"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

You can't morally clean yourself to enter the light. Jesus cleanses us in the light. You must be honest about how you've been walking in the dark to enter the light of truth. Honesty leads to intimacy.

"If we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)

Walking in the light does not mean you're sinless. To say that we are pure morally means that we deceive ourselves intellectually. The mere claim of sinlessness is sin.

"If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us."  (1 John 1:9)

To confess means to agree. Confession leads to communion with God which leads to cleansing by Jesus. Denial only keeps you in the dark.

"If we say we've not sinned, we make Him and liar and His Word is not in us." (1 John 1:10)

John takes it further, telling his readers: "If you are in the dark and say you've never done anything wrong, you're a liar, and you deceive yourself. If you persist in that, you accuse God of being a liar because He said you're a sinner and you say you're not. You are telling God that He's wrong." Sit with that for a moment.

In the second chapter, John continues by calling us children. Why? We are so afraid that when we confess, we will be condemned, but John is tender with us. He is not saying to become comfortable with confession in pursuit of continuing in sin, instead he is writing so that they may not sin. Yet, in his compassion, John reminds the reader that if they sin, they have an advocate with the Father through Jesus.

So, how do we walk in the very relationship we are made for? We step into the light. When we step into the light of God's blazing truth and moral purity, we may see how dirty we are and feel alone. And yet, in that moment, Jesus steps into the light with us.

Be encouraged today: He's your advocate and covers you with His blood. Jesus knew no sin and became sin for us, taking the death we deserved.  His blood is sufficient to cover anyone who steps into the light, and He is faithful and just to forgive you. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

So how do you get in? It's not by pretending that you're innocent. It's by declaring that you're guilty and throwing yourself at the court's mercy because you have an advocate who made the atoning sacrifice for you.