1 John 1:5-7 God Is Light (Sermon 5)

In the Prologue to his 1^st Epistle, John tells us his main aim was to Proclaim the Word of Life, John continues his Prologue by giving Two Reasons for Proclaiming the Word of Life (1:3-4):

He wants Believers have Fellowship with God & Experience the Joy of their Salvation.

John has referred to the Lord Jesus as the 'Word of Life', which was 'from the beginning'.

• In other words, Jesus is the Eternal & Co-equal Son of God, who brings an Eternal Salvation.

However, the Apostle John is not concerned here about dealing with the Person of Christ.

• He has already dealt with that Glorious Theme in his Gospel Account.

• What he is concerned about here is to teach Believers that they can

Continue to have Fellowship with God.

• He is anxious to explain how the Joy of Full Assurance can be maintained,

despite the various Hindrances & Obstacles that the Believer has to face.

Having written about the Fellowship & Joy which is ours in Christ, John raises

Three False Claims that have been made by the False Teachers of his day, the Docetists.

• John introduces each False Claim with the words: " If we claim " (NIV) or " If we say " (AV).

Firstly: That Sin does not matter (1:6).

Secondly: That Sin is not a part of our Nature (1:8).

Thirdly: That Sin is not a part of our Conduct (1:10).

In order to Counter these False Claims of the Docetists, John begins by making a

Fundamental Statement concerning the Essential Nature of the Everlasting God:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (1:5).

Firstly: What does John mean by saying that 'God is Light'?

Two basic ideas are associated with this term 'God is Light':

The first idea is that of 'Revelation & Salvation'.

• The Psalmist David says:

"The Lord is my Light & my Salvation - whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1).

"For with you is the fountain of life; in your Light we see Light " (Ps 36:9).

• The Prophet Isaiah speaks of the Coming Messiah, saying:

"I will make you a Light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation

to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6).

• The idea is that Light provides illumination in dark places. Therefore, is an appropriate symbol for the way in which God Reveals Himself to men, to show them

the Way of Salvation & to show then the Way to Live their daily lives.

The Second idea associated with the term 'God is Light' is that of 'Holiness':

• Light symbolises the Flawless Perfection of God; the Brilliance of his Righteousness.

• The Psalmist David says about the godly man:

"The Lord … will make your righteousness shine like the dawn"

AV "Bring forth righteousness as light " (Ps 37:6).

• Another Psalmist says:

"O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with Splendour & Majesty.

He wraps himself in Light as with a garment" (Ps 104:1-2).

Note that the Apostle John is not talking about 'Light' in the First Sense:

• He is not speaking about 'Light' in the sense of God 'Revealing' himself.
• He is not speaking about 'Light' in terms of 'knowledge & truth &

enlightenment & understanding.'

• The term 'Light' most certainly includes that meaning.

But, that is not the manner in which the word 'Light' is used here by the Apostle John.

The most Essential Meaning of the term 'Light' refers to the Character of God.

• It refers to the fact that God is the One whose essential Nature is his Glorious Holiness.

• It refers to God's utter & absolute Holiness & Purity.

It refers to the One of whom the Psalmist David says:

"Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness " Psalm 29:2).

• The Psalmist is saying that God's Splendour & Beauty are manifested in his Holy Character.

It refers to the One who is described in the Song of Moses:

"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you? -

Majestic (or Glorious) in Holiness, awesome in Glory" (Exodus 15:11).

• Moses is describing the Separateness & Otherness of God; & his Incomparable Perfection.

The Lord God is to be worshipped & adored as the God who Possesses Infinite Holiness.

"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? Says the Holy One " (Is 40:25).

"There is no one Holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2).

• Our God is so Holy that absolutely no one can be compared to him.

• God's Transcendence over all creation & over other gods is directly related to his Holiness .

One writer says:

" Holiness refers to the Moral Excellence of God."

In a positive sense, Holiness is the Absolute Purity of God.

In a negative sense, Holiness means that God possesses Complete Freedom from Sin.

This is what the Prophet Habakkuk meant when he said about God:

"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong" (Hab 1:13).

• God shrinks from all evil & sin, because he is the Absolute Standard of Holiness
• Through the Holy Law, the Lord God reveals the Purity of his Nature & his Holy Character.

Look at Isaiah's Response to his Vision of God's Holiness:

"The seraphs were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty,

the whole earth is full of his glory.' … 'Woe is me' I cried. 'I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips, & I live among a people of unclean lips, & my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty" (Isaiah 6:2-5).

• Isaiah's understanding of God's Holiness brought an overwhelming sense of his own unworthiness, sinfulness, & uncleanness, & a sense of his own guilt & shame.

This is the context in which Isaiah had such a Glorious Vision of the Coming Messiah:

"The virgin will be with child & will give birth to a son, & will call him Immanuel …

The people Walking in Darkness have seen a Great Light …

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … He will reign on David's throne & over

his kingdom, establishing & upholding it with justice & righteousness " (7:14; 9:2 & 6-7).

Look at what the Apostle John records about the 'Great Light' who has been

proclaimed to those who are 'Walking in Darkness':

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of

light because their deeds were evil ' (John 3:19).

In other places, John records two Glorious sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ:

" I am the Light of the World . Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of light … I have come into the world as a light, so that no one

who believes in me should stay in darkness " (John 8:12 & 12:46).

John makes the message of Jesus quite clear:

• These two terms, Light & Darkness, represent Holiness, on the one hand,

& Unholiness or Sinfulness, on the other. They stand for Moral Purity & Moral Impurity.

This interpretation of 'Light, as meaning Holiness', is made clear by the Second Phrase:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all."

• In the Second Phrase, John is putting the Same Truth in a Negative Way:

"In him there is No Darkness at all."

John is saying that Darkness cannot co-exist with Light.

• Light shines, and, because it is pure & undiluted, it expels darkness.
• In other words, God is Holy, therefore, any kind of Evil can have No Place beside him.

In John's theological vocabulary, Light & Darkness are synonyms for Holiness & Sinfulness; Righteousness & Unrighteousness, respectively. Throughout his Gospel, John uses these two terms to contrast the State of being in God's Favour with the State of Condemnation. "

George Findlay says:

" Light signifies purity, truth & goodness;

whilst darkness signifies foulness, falsehood & malice. "

In order to Counter the False Claims of the Docetists, John begins by making a Fundamental Statement concerning the Essential Nature of the Everlasting God:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (1:5).

Firstly: What does John mean by saying that 'God is Light'?

• He is saying that our God is a God of Holiness who cannot co-exist with the Darkness of Sin.

Secondly: Why does the Apostle begin with this statement concerning Light & Darkness?

John says, " This is the message we have heard from him (Jesus) & declare to you" (v5).

We need to pose another question here:

What is the message that most Evangelical Christians would expect to read here?

• I would argue that the majority of Christians would expect this message to read, thus:

'God is Love, God is Mercy, God is Compassion.'

• Some would say that we should stop Preaching 'Holiness & Sin & Hell Fire'.

& that, instead, we must preach the 'Love & Mercy of God'

• They say that, primarily, God is a God of LOVE.
• They say that God Loves Everyone. Therefore, all sinners need to do is to Respond to the Love of God by making a Decision to Invite Jesus into their hearts & lives.

BUT, that is not the message of John, neither is it the message of the rest of Scripture.

The Apostle John states quite categorically:

"This is the message we have heard from Jesus Christ & declare to you.

God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (verse 5).

This is not a message invented by the Apostle John. He is not giving his own opinion.

• On the contrary, John says:

"This is the message we have heard from Jesus Christ & declare to you."

"I am not giving my own opinion. Rather, I am making a declaration of the Truth! "

• In other words, John is saying:

"We must not start with the Power or the Greatness of God, or even the Love of God.

Even though these Attributes are essential aspects of God's Nature, we don't begin there.

Rather, it is absolutely essential that we begin with the Holiness of God. "

Before we begin to think of God's Love & Mercy, we must begin to understand his Holiness.

• Indeed, unless we start with God's Holiness, our whole concept of God's Love will be False!
• We will end up with a slushy & sentimental notion of God's Love.
• We will have a view of God as someone who is always smiling on us.
• So, when trouble & wars & calamities come upon us we will become baffled.
• This is what has happened to millions of people in this century.

They cannot understand a God of Love allowing wars & natural disasters.

When we think of God, we must start where Scripture starts: Start with God's Holiness!

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all."

• John is saying that the Holiness of God is the First Thing we must tell people about;

And this goes for Believers & Unbelievers alike.

Remember what the writer to the Hebrews says:

"Make every effort to live at peace with all men & to be holy; without Holiness

no one will see the Lord … Worship God acceptably with reverence & awe,

for our God is a consuming fire " (Hebrews 12:14 & 29).

• Our God is a God of Absolute Righteousness & Justice.
• He dwells in Unapproachable Light (1 Timothy 6:16).
• When Hannah gave thanks to God for the birth of Samuel, she said:

"There is no one Holy like the Lord " (1 Samuel 2:2).

A W Pink says about the Holiness of God:

"This aspect of God's Nature, as none other, is solemnly celebrated before the throne of

heaven, the Seraphim crying, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts (Is 6:3). God

himself singles out this perfection, 'Once have I sworn by my Holiness' (Ps 89:35) God

swears by his Holiness because that is a fuller expression of himself than everything else."

Jonathan Edwards says:

"This aspect of God's Nature is the foundation of his Will, Purpose & Decrees … It is the

beauty of God's Moral Attributes. No other Attribute is truly lovely without this."

In order to Counter the False Claims of the Docetists, John begins by making a Fundamental Statement concerning the Essential Nature of the Everlasting God:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (1:5).

Firstly: What does John mean by saying that 'God is Light'?

• He is saying that our God is a God of Holiness who cannot co-exist with the Darkness of Sin.

Secondly: Why does the Apostle begin with this statement concerning Light & Darkness?

• He is saying that the First Thing we need to Know about God I that he is a 'God of Holiness.'

Thirdly: We need to ask the Question: Why does John feel that it is so essential to

begin with God's Holiness, rather than his Love?

The first answer I would suggest to you is this.

If you do not start with God's Holiness you will never understand God's Plan of Salvation.

• Salvation is only possible through the Sacrificial Death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross.
• However, if Salvation were possible through Love Alone, the Cross would be Meaningless.

All God would need to do is to Show his Love to Sinners through the Act of Forgiveness.

The truth is that the whole Gospel of Salvation has the Cross as its Central Theme.

• The Death of the Saviour is absolutely essential;

Indeed, God cannot forgive sinners without the Death of Christ.

Why is all this necessary? The answer is simple:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all."

• John is saying that God is Just & Righteous, and cannot have anything to do with Sin.
• Remember the message of the Prophet Habakkuk:

"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong " (Hab 1:13).

• It is the Holiness of God that demands the Death of Christ, the Mediator & Saviour.
• Without starting with God's Holiness, the Cross & Christ's Death have no meaning or purpose.

• Modern day Liberal Theologians discount & ridicule the Cross

because they begin with God's Love, without God's Holiness.

• They forget that God can only forgive sin when it has been dealt with in the manner in which his Holiness demands - through the Substitutionary Death of the Holy Lamb of God.

Unless we start with God's Holiness, God's Plan of Redemption becomes meaningless.

• Without Holiness, the Central Doctrines of the Christian Faith have no point or purpose.
• However, when we start with God's Holiness - the Virgin Birth must take place;

the Cross of Calvary is absolutely essential; the Resurrection becomes a

vital Christian Doctrine; & so is every other aspect of God's Great Plan of Salvation.

Secondly, God's Holiness exposes those who make False Claims of Fellowship with God

• John has just referred to Fellowship with God & he will elaborate upon this theme in ch1:6-7
• There is absolutely nothing which exposes a False Claim of having Fellowship with God, more than standing face to face with God's Holiness!
• You cannot possibly Walk in Darkness & Claim to have Fellowship with God.

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all."

• Nothing exposes the Darkness of Sin more than the Light of God's Holiness.

People try to have Fellowship with God through their own efforts:

• They try to Claim to have Fellowship with God through their Good Works.
• Certainly, by human effort people think they have Fellowship with God in their imagination.
• But, this is Not True Fellowship with God.
• God is Light! Therefore, any Fellowship you have with him must be in terms of his Holiness.

• True Fellowship with God will always drive us to seek holiness of Living, according the Standards of God's Word - not the standards of man-made cultural rules.

Thirdly, God's Holiness is the only way that leads to true Fullness of Joy.

• There is such a thing as False Joy; a Joy of outward show, rather than an inward reality.
• A great danger is for people to persuade themselves that they have the Joy of being

Right with God, but then to realise they cannot find God in Times of Trial.

• This is why we emphasised the fact that we must Rejoice, even in times of Suffering.

The sufficiency of God's Grace & Love & Joy are to be found in Times of Need & Trial.

Remember the message of the Apostle Peter in the Epistle written to Suffering Christians:

"You believe in him & are filled with an inexpressible & glorious joy " (1 Peter 1:8).

But, then Peter goes on to say:

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in

ignorance. But just as he who called you is Holy, so be Holy in all you do;

for it is written: 'Be Holy, because I am Holy' " (1 Peter 1:14-15).

• In other words, Fullness of Joy is directly linked to the measure of the Believer's Holiness.

• There is only One Way towards True & Lasting Joy, & that is to start with God's Holiness.

The Apostle Paul tells us:

" Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not

realise that Christ is in you, unless of course, you fail the test" (2 Corinthians 13:5).

How will they know that they have passed the test?

Paul goes on to say:

"Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong "

AV "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil " (2 Cor 13:7).

"Our prayer is for your perfection " (2 Cor 13:9).

• In other words, Paul is telling these Believers to Test their Faith according to

the Standard of God's Holiness.

Negatively: Paul's Prayer is that they may abstain from all evil conduct.

That they may live in a manner that will not bring shame on the Gospel of Christ.

Positively: Paul prays that they may reach the goal of perfection.

He wants them to seek after Holiness - to go from one degree of perfection to another.

If we want to possess Fullness of Joy we must Test ourselves by God's Standard of Holiness

• We must realise that there is only one way to Real Joy, & that is to start with God's Holiness.
• If we start from there, we will be delivered from every kind of false joy.
• If we start from there, we will be humbled in the presence of a Holy God.
• If we start from there, we will see our unworthiness of deserving anything from a Holy God.
• If we start from there, we will be compelled to come to Jesus Christ for deliverance from sin.
• If we start from there, we will be experience a Joy unspeakable & full of glory.

What the Apostle John is saying is this:

"If you want to have true Fellowship with God & true Fullness of Joy, you must begin

with the Holiness of God - recognise the fact that darkness cannot co-exist with light.

In order to Counter the False Claims of the Docetists, John begins by making a Fundamental Statement concerning the Essential Nature of the Everlasting God:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (1:5).

Firstly: What does John mean by saying that 'God is Light'?

• He is saying that our God is a God of Holiness who cannot co-exist with the Darkness of Sin.

Secondly: Why does the Apostle begin with this statement concerning Light & Darkness?

• He is saying that the First Thing we need to Know about God I that he is a God of Holiness.

Thirdly: We need to ask the Question: Why does John feel that it is so essential to

begin with God's Holiness, rather than his Love?

• If you do not start with God's Holiness you will never understand God's Plan of Salvation.

• God's Holiness exposes those who make False Claims of Fellowship with God

• God's Holiness is the only way that leads to true Fullness of Joy.

Fourthly: What is the main implication of this statement, 'God is Light'?

• The implication of John's statement is perfectly clear: The only person who can claim to have Fellowship with God, is the one who is seeking after Holiness.

In chapter 3 of this Epistle, John speaks of the 'Eternal Hope' of the 'Children of God';

• He is referring to the Hope of those who have Fellowship with the Father & the Son.

• The question is - how can we be certain that we actually have this Eternal Hope?

John says: "Dear friends … we know that when he (Christ) appears, we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself,

just as he is pure … Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who

does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning" (1 John 3:2-3 & 7-8).

Do you want to see the Lord? Do you want your Eternal Hope to become a Reality?

Do you want to go the Heaven?

• Then you must be prepared to see the Lord; you must be prepared for Heaven.
• The most essential part of the Believer's Preparation for Heaven is to Seek after Holiness.

John says: " Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. "

"We do what is right & be righteous " - just like God the Father & God the Son.

At the same time we will flee from sinful ways, which are of the Devil.

 

There is no doubt that Heaven is a Holy Place. The Lord God of Heaven is a Holy Being.

• Isaiah saw a Vision of the Seraphim crying out: " Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty"

Without Holiness these Holy Beings will never let us near the Throne of God.

• The word Holiness is written over everything that is in Heaven.

• The Scriptures speak of God as the One "who is seated on his Holy Throne " (Ps 47:8).

The Apostle John saw a Vision of Four Living Creatures:

"Day & night the never stop saying: 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, & is, & is to come" (Revelation 4:8).

• The essential nature of God is summed up in this one word of Holiness.

God cannot be God without this Attribute of Holiness.

And God tells his people in every tribe & nation that they cannot see Him without Holiness.

Joseph Caryl, one of the lesser known Puritans, once said:

" Perfect Holiness is the aim of the saints on earth &

it is the reward of the saints in heaven. "

• We cannot possibly reach Heaven without keeping this aim firmly in view!
• I believe that it is imperative that we emphasise this Doctrine of Biblical Holiness, especially in today's atmosphere of a rapid decline in the Moral Standards of this Fallen World.

To put it is the terms of 1 John 1:5-7:

" God is Light, & in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with

him yet walk in darkness, we lie & do not live by 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."

• Seeking to Walk in the Light is a sure sign that you have Fellowship with God.
• However, Walking in Darkness is a sign of having Fellowship with the Devil.

Some of the other Bible writers ask the same question:

Do you want to see the Lord in Heaven?

• Remember what the writer to the Hebrews says:

"Make every effort to live at peace with all men & to be holy;

without Holiness no one will see the Lord " (Hebrews 12:14).

• Remember what the Apostle Peter says:

"As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in

ignorance. But just as he who called you is Holy, so be Holy in all you do;

for it is written: 'Be Holy, because I am Holy" (1 Peter 1:14-15).

The Puritan William Gurnall says:

" Say not that you have royal blood in your veins, and are born of God,

except you can prove your pedigree by daring to be holy. "

Spurgeon tells the story of a little Irish boy who was asked a question by a Preacher:

"Patrick, what is Holiness? "

The boy simply answered: " Sir, it is having a clean inside! "

In order to Counter the False Claims of the Docetists, John begins by making a

Fundamental Statement concerning the Essential Nature of the Everlasting God:

" God is Light, & in him there is No Darkness at all" (1:5).

• There is no doubt that God is a God of Holiness.
• There is no doubt that God cannot co-exist with sin & evil.

The Question is: How do we measure up to God's Ultimate Standard of Holiness?

If we want to see our Saviour Face to Face in Heaven, that is the Standard we must achieve.