A Study Through the Letters of Johnنموونە

Day 1: Walking in the Light with Jesus

(Read 1 John 1:5-2:11)

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

Our little Havanese-Poodle Lucy hates it when I put on her preventative flea medicine. If she sees me opening up the tube or even smells it when I put it on the other dog, she immediately hides in a dark corner under a living room chair. Whether it’s more out of fear or stubbornness, I’m not sure. Her behavior reminds me of how sometimes we hide in the darkness spiritually, even as God is inviting us into what’s so good for our souls – fellowship with Him! The apostle John calls us out when he’s writing this passage that we can’t claim to have fellowship with Him and still walk in darkness.

Gnostic teachings of the time distorted Christian truths by saying that we are made perfect when we are enlightened through special knowledge and mystical connections with God, and then don’t need to worry about our moral behavior. John directly counters this idea, first by saying that the true sign that we know Christ and are walking in Him is behavior that reflects Christ’s own teaching and lifestyle. Second, John challenges the pride in this perspective by saying that we can’t actually claim to be perfect and without sin, and if we do, we are lying to ourselves and walking in darkness. The truth is that if we confess our sins, bringing them into the light, Jesus, the Righteous One and our advocate who atoned for the world’s sin, purifies us. This means that the path to fellowship with God is confessing sin, not denying it.

Walking with God, living in Him is also seen in our love for our brothers and sisters. If we are ignoring the needs of others or showing hatred towards them, that’s a sign that we are not closely walking with our Lord. As we fellowship with God, His love is made complete in us, and then we are able to have sweet fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we love each other in His love.

This invitation into the light of Christ is one that we need to hear just as much today as did the early Christians John was writing to, even if our distortions of the truth might be slightly different. The Christian life is not about a one-time transaction, but an ongoing life-changing relationship with Jesus. We are called to come out from our hiding places and into His light so that He can transform us. We do this through prayer, confession of sin, Scripture study, serving others, worship, and other Christian spiritual practices. Then together we will have hope as we “see the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining”.

Focus verses for prayerful reflection:

“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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 John 2:6-7)

1. Take some time in the quiet with Jesus and ask Him to show you any place where you might be hiding in the darkness.

2. Confess to Jesus whatever it is, receive His forgiveness, and ask Him to help you walk in the light.

For further reading:

Read John 1:1-13, this time looking for language about light.