⁵ 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 and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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^[a] sin.

⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

¹ 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. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. ³ We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. ⁴ Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. ⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, love for God^[b] is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

⁷ 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. ⁸ 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.

⁹ Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister^[c] is still in the darkness. ¹⁰ Anyone who loves their brother and sister^[d] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. ¹¹ 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.

¹² I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. ¹³ I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. ¹⁴ I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Introduction

Welcome to our study “A Lifestyle that Transforms” from I John.  John teaches us how to live a genuinely biblical lifestyle that honors God. Today, we will consider I John 1:5-2:14 and our second lifestyle choice: “You must walk in the Light.” John encourages us to walk in the Light consistently and, if you do so, this lifestyle will transform your self-image, your family, your church, your co-workers and all relationships that you encounter daily.

We will start with the truth that God is light.  We will consider the characteristics of those who walk in darkness, the characteristics of those who walk in the light, and John’s plea to us, as believers, to remain in the light.

God is Light (I John 1:5-7)

I John 1:5 states that God is light; in Him there is no darkness.  This teaching was from Jesus and reminds us of Jesus’ declaration when He said, “I am the light of the world.  Whosoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).  Notice that the verse does not say that God is in the light or that the light reveals who God is.  The verse states purposely, “God IS light.”  God is Truth, Wisdom, Love, and everything Good.  There is nothing hidden from God.  When we are in the presence of God we are exposed for who we are truly: our thoughts, our dreams, our motives, our desires.

There is no darkness in God because God is light.  There is no sin, no malice, or temptation in God or from God.  He is purity.  He is righteousness.

It is only through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that we can be positioned to be in the presence of God.  The Bible says that you and I have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  It says that our righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord.  Access to God the Father is granted us only when we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins, when we are then covered by the blood of Jesus, and when we are made a new creation in Christ.  In other words, our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord purifies us and allows us to be in the presence of the Light of God.

Once we repent and dedicate our lives to follow Jesus Christ we are then positioned to be in the Light of God.  John then calls on us, as believers, to apply this Truth practically in our lives daily.  In our passage he will declare the truth about those who claim to live in the light and those who are living authentically in the light.

Some Claim to Live in the Light

John reveals the Truth about those who claim to live in the light through today’s text.  He speaks plainly about their actions and the resulting outcomes.

First, in 1:6, John wrote, “If we claim to have fellowship with God yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”  When you fellowship with God then you share life with Him, you play by His rules, and you seek to bring Him glory and honor.  But, if you are walking in darkness then your words are negated by your actions.  You are living a lie.  Since God knows your thoughts before you think them and the motivations of your heart, the only person you who accepts your lies is … you.  You cannot live righteously with one foot in the light and one foot in darkness.  If any portion of us is in the darkness then the entirety of us is in darkness.  There is no middle ground.

Second, in 1:8 John wrote, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”  We all sin!  We are all in need of a Savior.  It is ludicrous to think that we can live without sin for if that were possible then there was no need for the Son of God to pay the penalty for our sins.

Third, in 1:10 John wrote, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”  Our claims of being without sin are claims that Jesus is a liar.  This too reveals that the very declaration of our sinlessness is in fact, sin.

Fourth, in 2:4 John wrote, “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  Jesus taught us, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” in John 14:15.  God does not want us to say merely that we love Jesus.  The proof of our love is our obedience to Christ’s commands.  Actions reveal the Truth in our hearts.

Fifth, in 2:9 and 2:11 John wrote that “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness” and “walks in darkness” and is “blinded.”  Jesus commanded us to love our brothers, to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who persecute us, and to love our neighbors.  There are no legitimate grounds for us to claim to live in the Light of God’s Love when we hate our brothers.  Our actions reveal that our hearts are in darkness.

Those Who Walk in the Light

John reveals the Truth about those who walk in the light through today’s text.  He speaks plainly about their actions and the resulting outcomes.

First, in 1:7 John wrote, “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 are walking genuinely in the Light then we will be in fellowship with other believers because the One we have in common is Jesus Christ, our Savior.  We gather as the family of God because we are each purified by the blood of Jesus, our sins forgiven, and we are new creations.  Our lives are centered entirely on bringing honor and glory to Jesus.

Second, in 1:9 John wrote, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” When you walked in darkness and then accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you were purified from sin, made righteous by the blood of Jesus, and now walk in the Light.  As a new creation in Christ, you are not yet perfect.  You still battle the sin nature of the old man; the person you were when you walked in the darkness.  What you do now is that when you sin, you repent honestly before Jesus, throw off the old actions, and put on the new way of living. As believers, our habitual sins are gone and we deal with today’s temptations with the Truth of God’s Light.  If we sin, we ask for forgiveness, learn from our mistakes, and act in a manner that glorifies our Savior.  Jesus is faithful.  He will forgive us.

Third, in 2:1-2 John wrote that Jesus is our Advocate who speaks to the Father in our defense.  We are to take seriously our sins, repent of them immediately, and then act as one who walks in the Light.  We can move forward in life’s journey without regret.

Fourth, in 2:5-6 John wrote our obedience to God’s Word allows love to be made complete in us.  If we claim to be a Christian, a Christ-follower, then we must walk as Jesus walked.  Our actions, motivations, dreams, and words combine to reveal the One we follow daily.  If you seek honestly to follow Christ, He will walk with you and equip you to be the person that God created you to be.

Fifth, in 2:7-10 John wrote that believers who seek genuinely to walk with Jesus will have the Light shine in them and that their love for Christ will overflow unto the relationships with their brothers.  Loving others removes obstacles that cause us to stumble.

John Plea for Us to Walk in the Light

John concludes this portion of his letter with a plea for believers to walk in the light.  He encourages “dear children” to walk in the light because they know the Truth that their sins are forgiven by Jesus Christ.  He encourages “fathers” to walk in the light because they have a lifetime of experiencing God and His faithfulness.  He encourages “young men” to walk in the light because they have battled the evil one and know that God is faithful.

Application

The application of John’s teaching is clear; we must walk in the light.  When you are in God’s presence, in the Light, you are exposed for being who you are truly.  John teaches us to be honest with ourselves as we examine our lives.  As the book of Hebrews states, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith …” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).

The ways that we know if we are walking authentically in the light are revealed in our obedience to God’s commands and in our love for others.  Walking in the Light means that our words and our actions are focused on glorifying God.

You must walk in the Light.  This is a lifestyle that transforms!

Prayer

Dear Jesus, I want to walk truly in the Light.  Please help me to obey your commands faithfully and to love others as you love me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For You to Consider

1. What does it mean to walk in the Light?
2. Why is it impossible for us to walk in the Light and in the darkness at the same time?
3. Who will you treat your others if you are walking authentically in the Light?
4. What are the benefits of walking in the Light?
5. What are the outcomes of walking in the darkness?
6. As one who walks in the Light, what actions must you take to help those who walk in darkness?