Walking In The Light

1 John 1:5-7

^"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:

God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness,

we lie and do not live by 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,

purifies us from all sin."

The book of 1 John is a book that uses the contrasts of opposites over and over again to give a clear picture of what we are on our own, in the sinful nature that we were born into, and of what we are when we become children of God. In this short passage, we see the difference between walking in darkness, and walking in the light…

The opening verse is one of my favorite verses in the Bible! As a child, I was afraid of the dark. Darkness blinds a person, and it can cause one to stumble and trip over things that would not be a problem if there was light to show us these obstacles. Because God is light, His presence dispels the darkness and helps us to see clearly! He invites us to come walk in His wonderful light, and I long to do just that! I am reminded of some verses, found in Colossians 1:12 and 13, which say:

“…the Father…has qualified you to share in the inheritance

of the saints in the kingdom of light.

For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves…”

Also, in John 3:19-21, we read Jesus’ words on this subject:

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world,

but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  

Everyone who does evil hates the light,

and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light,

so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done

has been done through God.”

We cannot find our own way into God’s kingdom – we must allow Him to rescue us from our old way of life. If we say that we are in the light, but continue to cling to the darkness, we lie. We cannot continue living in the darkness of sinful choices and evil deeds, yet claim to have a relationship with the Lord. Since Jesus IS the TRUTH, He cannot dwell (or abide) in the heart of a person who chooses not to “live by the truth”. We must choose either one or the other – darkness or light – because the two cannot abide together.

God is the One who enables us to come into His “kingdom of light”. As we respond to His call, His power works within us, drawing us out of the darkness. The obstacles of sin that we continually tripped over while living apart from Him are easier to identify when illuminated by the light of His truth, and we find it easier to avoid stumbling back into them. We can now enjoy a close fellowship with the Lord, and we are also told that we will have fellowship with one another, that is, with other true believers

So here we are, enjoying fellowship with God and with each other (see 1 John 1:3), living in that kingdom of light that He has promised those who will follow Him. Although we do it imperfectly, because of our tendency to wander back into the darkness at times, we start to experience that better life that God offers us.

Another benefit of walking in God’s light is that “the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin”. Where before we were afraid that our evil deeds would be exposed if we entered into the light, we now have this promise of being cleansed from all of our sin. Through Jesus’ death on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin, we are purified (or cleansed) from all of our sins, and from that sinful way of life that we are so prone to falling into when we try to walk on our own strength, apart from Him! I am reminded that I cannot try to clean up my life first, while still walking alone in the darkness, so that I will be ‘good enough’ to come to Him. I need to step into the light, where He is, and only there, in His power, and by His grace, will I be purified. I love the simple, life giving words in the following hymn:

Nothing But The Blood

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.