Walking in the Light
Keith Sharp
Man alone among God's creatures on this earth is formed in the image of God (Genesis 1:25-27). This is true, in that, as God is spirit (John 4:24), man has a spirit within (1 Corinthians 2:11). Thus, we have within us an innate desire for fellowship with the God in whose image we are made.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalm 42:1-2)
In First John 1:5-2:27 the apostle reveals the three tests whereby we may know if we are in fellowship with God: righteousness (1:5-2:6), love (2:7-17), and faith (2:18-27).
Basics of Fellowship: the Nature of God
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
Your concept of God will determine the way you live.
Pagans imagine gods who are in the image of man and animals (Romans 1:21-23). In their religions there is no relationship between fellowship with deity and moral conduct, for their imaginary gods have the same evil character as their adherents, and the capricious whims of their deities are simply to be appeased by prescribed rituals (cf. 2 Kings 17:26-29).
Many who claim to be Christians only acknowledge half the moral nature of God, His love (1 John 4:8), and misunderstand that. They imagine God as an all powreful Santa Claus who showers us with gifts regardless of the way we live. Thus, their religion does not cause them to live morally upright lives.
The apostle has already informed us that we have fellowship with God through the apostolic message (1:3). Now he states that message: "This i the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
Light is truth and righteousness, whereas darkness is error and sin (John 3:19-21; 12:35). The moral character of God is absolute light and total lack of darkness. He is absolutely true and righteous and completely free of error and sin.
The God whom we serve is a spirit Who is absolute in truth and righteousness. If we are to share with Him in the life He has to offer, our lives must reflect His nature.
Means of Fellowship: Walking in the Light
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:6-7)
In First John 1:6-2:1 the word "if" occurs six times. Each time it introduces a possible situation and its results. Three situations and results contrasts and conflict with three others.
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" (1 John 1:6). This is the first negative situation.
The verb "walk" in the present tense indicates our manner of life, the way we live (John 8:12; Romans 6:4; 8:4; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 10:3; 12:18; Galatians 5:16, 25; 6:16; Ephesians 2:10; 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15; Philippians 3:17-18; Colossians 1:10; 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 4:1; 1 John 1:6-7; 2:6; 2 John 6). The way we live does matter. If we claim to share in the life God gives through His Son, yet live in error and sin, we lie with both our words and actions. We cannot continue in sin and claim to have fellowship with the true and righteous God.
"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." This is the first positiive situation. The Greek word translated "But" is "used to connect one clause w. another when it is felt there is some contrast betwe. them" (Arndt & Gingrich. 170). To have fellowship with God, we must live the way He is. "We walk, God is, in the light. We move through time; he is in eternity. Our activity involves change; his does not" (Plummer, 4). Rather than living in error and sin, we must live in truth and righteousness.
That "walk in the light" that must characterize our lives is "as He is in the light." There is no sin in the moral character of God, and, to share in the life that comes from Him, our lives must be absolutely free from sin. The "Holy One" is
"of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness" (Habakkuk 1:12-13).
By His nature He cannot fellowship either sin or sinners in their sin.
The apostle does not soften this requirement by categorizing the sin as "rebellious" or "presumptuous." It is sin, all sin. It includes sins committed in ignorance or weakness. It includes socially acceptable sin as well as the gross immorality on which polite society frowns. It includes "idle words" (cf. Matthew 12:33-36) just as much as it does fornication, adultery, or even murder. God cannot and will not share His life with one in any sin of any kind. "And what communion has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)
When we so walk, we not only share in the life from God, we "have fellowship with one another." All Christians who so live share with each other in the blessings from God through Christ and are "fellow workers for the truth" (3 John 8). There is a tie that binds Christians throughout the world together. It is not a bond involving ecclesiastical organization. It is the spiritual tie of fellowship in Christ through a common faith, walk, love, and hope and common blessings from a common source. Those devoted saints on every continent, of every ethnic, linguistic, national, economic, and social class, are bound together in ties of fellowship in Christ Jesus. Though we may never meet in this life, though no money ever passes between us, we share the common hope of spending eternity together praising God around His throne.
But another benefit of walking in the light is that "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
The basis of our cleansing is "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son." His blood represents His death (Romans 5:9-10), that is, His propitiation for our sins by dying in our behalf and thus redeeming us (Romans 3:24-25). As the alien sinner receives the benefits of the blood sacrifice of the Son of God through baptism (Romans 6:3-4), the erring Christian receives those benefits through complying with the conditions stated in First John 1:7,9.
But herein is a paradox indeed! If walking in the light is to live without sin, what sins do we have from which to be cleansed?
Many expositors build upon this passage the doctrine of "continuous cleansing." They contend, "The blood of Jesus cleanses us, continuously and constantly, so that there is no time when we are not justified before God" (Thurman. April 18, 1975). These exegetes argue that, since the verb "cleanses" is present tense, the Greek grammar demands that this means continuous, constant action. Thus, one commentator asserts, "Being in fellowship with God the source of all light is like being constantly in the stream of the blood of His son" (Zerr. 6:270). They only apply this doctrine to sins of ignorance and weakness. "And while we are having this fellowship with Him, the blood of Jesus, His Son, keeps constantly cleansing us from sins of omission, sins of ignorance, sins we know nothing about in our lives..." (Wuest. 2:102-3).
Nothing in First John 1:7 or its context categorizes sin. John specifically states that the cleansing is from "all sins." If we are constantly and continuously cleansed of sins of ignorance and weakness, we are also so cleansed of sins of rebellion and presumption. If it includes the look of lust, it includes drunkenness.
This doctrine places a premium on ignorance and weakness. If sins of ignorance and weakness are automatically forgiven, we are better off not growing in knowledge and spiritual strength, else we will be held guilty (cf. Ephesians 4:14-16; 2 Peter 3:18). If a man is ignorantly living in adultery, we do him a disservice by teaching him his error, for knowledge would bring condemnation (cf. Galatians 6:1-2; James 5:19-20).
The basic flaw of the doctrine of continuous cleansing is that it offers forgiveness without repentance. Thayer defines the primary word translated "repentance" as "a change of mind" (405) and then explains,
esp. the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment, the tokens and effects of which are good deeds (406).
Biblical repentance is preceded by "godly sorrow" over the sin committed (2 Corinthians 7:10), is itself a determination to turn from that sin (Matthew 12:41; Jonah 3:10), and results in a changed life (Matthew 3:8). If the sinner does not change his mind about his sin but continues in it, he has not repented. If nothing changes in one’s heart and life, no repentance has occurred. Whether alien sinner or an erring child of God, the sinner must repent of, i.e., turn away from, his sins to be forgiven of them (Acts 3:19; 8:22). Any doctrine, whether the imputation of the sinless life of Christ, continuous cleansing, or a general confession of sinfulness, which offers pardon devoid of repentance seeks to alter the divine terms of pardon, comforts sinners in their sins, and is undeniably false. "Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8).
But what about the argument on the present tense of "cleanses"? Let’s put off dealing with that until we get to verse nine.
But, if walking in the light is living without sin, how can it be a condition for forgiveness of our sins? I believe the significance of the present tense is that the inspired writer is looking at the Christian’s life as a whole, his characteristic manner of life. Professor A.T. Robertson writes of "The Iterative or Customary Present" (Grammar. 880). This means the present tense speaks of "customary" action rather than constant or continuous action. We shall see this fits the context in First John.
What will cause our lives to be characterized by walking in the light rather than by walking in darkness? That’s what John reveals in 1 John 1:8 - 2:6. In this section of Scripture we shall find three requirements for fellowship with God: (1) consciousness and confession of sins (1:8-10), (2) the propitiation of Christ (2:1-3), and (3) obedience (2:4-6).
Works Cited
Arndt, W.F. and F.W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Plummer, A, The Epistles of John (The Pulpit Commentary. 22)
Robertson, A.T., a Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research.
Thayer, J.H., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Thurman, Clem, "Gospel Minutes."
Wuest, Kenneth S., Word Studies in the Greek New Testament.
Zerr, E.M., Bible Commentary.
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