(This is part 1 of a three-part series exploring 1 John)
Introduction
One of my least favorite spaces on earth is the crawl space above my garage. I try to keep it organized. We use it for all our seasonal decorations, especially at Christmastime. But it's a cramped space, and it gets pretty warm in there, and I do poorly with both. It is useful, though. It would, however, be entirely useless if I couldn't bring a light into it. With illumination, I can see clearly, and it becomes a functional part of the Holdridge Family operation. Without light, in darkness, it would be a black hole of storage. What goes in would never come out.
Last week we read John's purpose statement, his heart for his readers, a group of Christians in a circuit surrounding Ephesus, where he'd pastored. He loved this group and, fearing the false teaching which sniped them off one by one, he lovingly rose up to communicate the truth to his beloved, his little children. He would proclaim the True Vine, the real Jesus Christ, to them. He aimed to bring them into fellowship with the apostolic group and the truth they were licensed to preach. John knew if these churches connected with the Jesus Christ the apostles proclaimed, they would come into real fellowship with Father God, which would lead to fullness of joy. John knew there is nothing quite as satisfying as walking with God.
But the deceivers had also claimed they were walking with God. They said they were in fellowship with Him and pleaded with these churches to come into fellowship with them. So, John wrote, and the first thing onto his paper had to do with the doctrine of God. He knew a proper understanding of God would defeat the improper understanding of what it meant to walk with God.
So what did Jesus tell John and others about God? He told them God is light. Let's read 1 John 1:5 together.
God Is Light
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.
What John Heard Jesus Proclaim (1:6a)
This last summer, while on sabbatical, our family took in a few musicals in London. Usually, our seats were the "at-least-we' re-in-the-building" type. For one show, Fiddler on the Roof, it felt like we might fall out of our seats and onto the stage, they were so steep and high up. But for one show, after making our ticket purchase online, there was a glitch. Because of it, we were forced to call the box office. Their manager couldn't sort it out, apologized, and proceeded to give us incredible seats for the show we wanted. And the better seats revealed so much more detail than up in the nosebleeds.
And, remember, when it came to seeing God through the life of Jesus, John had a front-row seat.
First recall how John called Jesus "the Word" who "was God" back in his gospel (John 1:1). Remember what he wrote in his gospel account's introduction:
"And the Word became flesh and > dwelt among us> , and we have seen his > glory> , glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).
And:
"For from his > fullness> we have all received, grace upon grace." (John 1:16).
You see, when Jesus came, he proclaimed God. John saw the "glory" and the "fullness" of the Word. The Word, according to John, is Jesus.
This same idea is repeated here in 1 John. He said what Jesus told the apostles is that God is light. The converse is also stated: and in Him is no darkness at all. When Jesus came, revealing God because He is God, His message was that God is light.
As we saw, earlier this year in Hebrews:
"He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature..." (Hebrews 1:3).
John had spent so much time with Jesus. And Jesus explained God to John. Jesus showed John, God is light.
Light Defined (1:6b)
The theme of light and darkness is found in many religions of the world. Often it is taught deity possesses a little of both. The divine, many think, is capable of light and darkness. But John tells us God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. At all. God is entirely pure and without error. No matter how much humanity blames Him and profanes His name, He is without any darkness whatsoever.
I don't know if you've ever been in a culture where it is considered rude to say you don't know, but it can be maddening! In countries like these, you ask for directions, and the response sounds so confident, but later you find out they had no idea where they were directing you. But they didn't want to offend you!
I think we often do this with Scripture. We act as if we know what words and phrases mean. But rather than move on, we should stop to think. God has created humanity with a capacity for language, and then used it to communicate Himself to us, so we must think about the words He spoke. If we do, we'll know Him.
So, here, we learn God is light. No darkness, as in some religions. But what does this mean? For the answer, consider Scripture.
In the Bible, as in the physical world, light reveals. Sometimes light reveals God, illuminates the truth, uncovers sin, or exposes individuals. Think of it in verses like these:
"Your word is a lamp to > my feet> and a light to > my path> ." (Psalm 119:105).
"In Him (Jesus) was life, and > the life was the light of men> . The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4–5).
"> I have come into the world as light> , so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." (John 12:46).
Additionally, light is used to describe the holiness and perfection of God. For instance, heaven will not need the sun or moon because God's glory will illuminate it.
"And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb." (Revelation 21:23).
So, set those two ideas firmly in your mind about God. God is light. God reveals the truth about things. And God is completely pure and holy.
Now, how did Jesus reveal God is light?
There is no record of Him saying "God is light," but that doesn't mean He didn't. Remember, John said, "the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" about Jesus' life if everything had been recorded (John 21:25). Still, we have no record of Jesus saying the words, "God is light."
Likely, what John is referring to, is the summation of Jesus' life and teaching. John just watched Jesus. And what he saw blew him away. The life Jesus lived illuminated John, others, the truth, and God.
He heard Jesus say,
"> I am the light of the world> . Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12).
John became convinced a major pillar of Jesus' message was God is light. He saw how Jesus' presence exposed sin. He saw Jesus' perfect love and disposition. He saw how Jesus could reveal what people were thinking. John concluded, "Jesus taught me, God is light."
The Danger of Rejecting God's Light (1:6-2:2)
So Jesus showed us God is light and no darkness. John has established the fact. Now, he will apply this great truth.
First, though, we should consider what happens when a person rejects the teaching that God is light. The deceivers in John's day made various claims, three of which we will uncover in the passage today. Each claim, in one way or another, rejected the revealed light of God. And this rejection of God slowly eroded those who lived without His light.
Let me demonstrate briefly. I will show you what John says happens to the person who rejects God is light. They devolve into chaos, rather than mature into holiness.
Notice the first result of rejecting God's light:
We lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:6).
First, they lie to others. The rejection of God's light means a person weakens every relationship they're in because they are lying to everyone. When we reject God is light, our relationship with others sours.
A couple of verses later, John will say, when we live this way:
We deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Second, they lie to themselves. When we think we are without sin, our relationship with the self becomes empty, a facade.
Finally, John will say, when we reject God's light, we:
Make Him a liar (1 John 1:10).
Third, they claim, in effect, that God is a liar. Dishonesty about our struggle with sin handicaps our friendship with God.
So the claims of the departers -- whatever their claims were -- are killers. Every single relationship is hurt when we do not understand God is light.
So, know who God is. God is light. In Him is no darkness at all. This truth, if you befriend it, will aid you in every possible relationship. With yourself. With others. And with God.
Which leads us to ask, how, exactly, does the truth God is light impact our relationships? To answer this question, we're blessed with the false teachers.
In our passage, three times John will write, "If we say." Each time, he will declare a claim those secessionists made. People today often make one or all of these claims. Their errors blocked God's light from its full effect, and help highlight what God's light can do if we'll allow it. Let's venture forward and discover each error and its antidote, starting with 1 John 1:6-7, and learn what God's light can produce.
(God Is Light, Part 2 will be available on 9/29/20)
