“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.” 1 John 1:5-7
Just as he
did in his gospel, John uses the comparison of light to dark. God is light, which points to His moral
purity and ubiquitous nature. Romans
3:23 reveals to us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Since God is light, that would leave us in
darkness. Even some who profess to be
Christians live in darkness when no one else is around. That is, simply put, trampling God’s grace
underfoot. John makes the point of
comparing light and dark to shine a beacon on man’s need to confess his
sin. It is really no different than what
the Ten Commandments were designed to do, shine a light on man’s sin and his
inability to save himself. A blood
sacrifice must be made to satisfy God’s desire for a holy people.
Living in
sin fools no one, especially the Lord who knows our most intimate thoughts. If only people would take the time to get to
know the God that saved them from eternal damnation. They receive forgiveness, then go on their
way. It’s like the 10 lepers Jesus
healed. 9 went on their way completely
healed, only 1 came back and praised God. (Luke 17:11-19) Were the other 9
grateful? We’ll never know because the Bible doesn’t speak of them again. Are you grateful for what the Lord has done
for you? Do you live like He makes a difference in your life? You are a new creation and should live like
it. Your old life is gone. Bury it under God’s infinite mercy.
In verse 7
John speaks of the “blood of Jesus”. Hebrews
9:22 tells us “without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness.” Those that are washed in the blood of the
spotless lamb are purified from all their past sins. Those who deny their need of a cleansing are
putrefied because of all their past sins.
Walk in the light each day and let your faith in God shine like the noonday
sun on all you encounter. Be a life
changer. Make a difference in someone’s
life today. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!
Resources:
The Reformation Study Bible.
