1 John 1:1-2:2 - Walking in Light

Welcome to the Well Community Church. If we have not met yet, my name is Brad, and I get the privilege of hanging out with you here today. If you have your Bibles, we are going to be in First John. Welcome, of course, to those in person, those joining us online, and those at one of our other campuses—whether you’re over at Fig Garden or with the “Rowdies” hanging out at the PM. I am so glad you are here with us.

Last week, we talked a little bit about the uniqueness of our Bible. If you’re new to the Bible, we are dealing with the most amazing piece of literature ever assembled: 66 different books written by 40 different authors over a fifteen-hundred-year period, across three continents and in three languages. Yet, it has one centralized theme, and that is the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Bible actually claims to be inspired by God. The phrase is Theopneustos—to be “God-breathed.” God literally breathed out the scriptures, which is why it doesn’t read like a New York Times bestseller; it is something completely different than anything any human author has ever written.

That being said, it’s not as if God took a divine version of ChatGPT and just went “boom, the Bible,” making it all sound exactly the same. Peter tells us that no prophecy is of human origin or human will, but rather that men, moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke for God.

2 Peter 1:21 (NASB)

for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

This means you can read all four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—and while they all write about the person and work of Jesus, they sound very different. Mark is staccato, using the word “immediately” forty times. Matthew is focused on fulfillment of prophecy. Luke reads like the research paper it is. They have different perspectives.

For example, if you pulled the Apostle Paul aside and asked, “Tell me, Paul, who is God?” he’d probably say something like, “He is transcendent. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” He might say He is sovereign or faithful. All of this is completely true. But if you ask John? John would likely sit for a moment and say, “God is light.”

And we might respond, “That’s it? I need a little more than that.” But John is using his personality and his personal interaction with Jesus to encapsulate something so profound and poetic that we almost miss the beauty of it.

The Nature of the God Who Is Light

What does it mean that God is light? You read Genesis 1 and see that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. There is light and there is darkness, which is fascinating because the sun isn’t created until three days later. So what light is present at the very beginning? Could it be that God is, by His very nature, light?

In Genesis 15, when God makes a covenant with Abraham, a flaming torch passes through the animal pieces. Why? Because God is light. In Exodus 3, Moses sees a bush that is burning but not consumed. God is light. In Exodus 19, the Lord descends on Mount Sinai in fire. When the people are led out of Egypt, they are guided by a pillar of fire by night. Why? Because God is light.

In the New Testament, John 1 tells us that in Jesus was life, and that life was the light of men. In John 8, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit descends as tongues of fire. James tells us that every good gift comes from the “Father of lights.” And in Revelation 19, when the King returns on a white horse, His eyes are a flame of fire. Why? Because God is light.

John is saying that every aspect of God’s nature—everything about Him—is righteous, pure, and holy. He is altogether good, beautiful, and perfect. Instead of giving us a list of bullet points, John summarizes it: God is light.

Now, we know from the prophet Habakkuk that God is so pure that He cannot look upon wickedness with favor. In Isaiah 6, we get a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the presence of this holiness. Isaiah is transported into the throne room, hears the angels singing “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and sees Him who is light. His response isn’t to take a selfie; it’s to cry out, “Woe is me, for I am a dead man! I am a man of unclean lips!”

Isaiah 6:3-5 (NASB)

And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’

A Message with Ongoing Impact

Last week we took an aerial view of these letters, but today we’re zooming in. In the first few verses of chapter one, John highlights his apostolic authority. He wasn’t a guy with a “hot sports opinion” about God. He didn’t just read a blog or see a TikTok. He was there. He saw Jesus, heard Him, touched Him, and experienced Him. Then, he was given a message to proclaim.

1 John 1:5 (NASB)

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

John is on a mission. The word “message” here carries the idea of being ordered to convey something. He is under compulsion to share what he has been entrusted with. And he isn’t alone. If you look at the first five verses, John uses the word “we” eight times. He isn’t just speaking for himself; the whole community of witnesses affirms this truth.

He says, “This is the message we have heard.” In the Greek, this is the perfect tense. That means it happened in the past, but we are still living in the impact of it. It’s an ongoing action. This isn’t just an old story; it’s a message being proclaimed in 2024 that has an impact on us today. God is light, and in Him, there is no darkness at all.

Think about the nature of light. You don’t walk into a bright room and turn on the “darkness.” That’s not how it works. You walk into a dark room and turn on the light. Light extinguishes, exposes, and repels darkness. This is critical for what John says next.

Fellowship vs. Habitual Darkness

In verses 6, 8, and 10, John uses the phrase, “If we say.” This is his way of speaking into specific issues in the community without necessarily calling people out by name.

1 John 1:6 (NASB)

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and [yet] walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;

John is dealing with people who claim to have a relationship with God but whose lives are marked by habitual indulgence in darkness. The word “fellowship” is koinonia, meaning a reciprocal, influencing relationship. This is different from “knowledge” (ginosko), which is just cognitive understanding. John isn’t saying, “If we claim to know facts about God.” He’s saying if we claim to be in a relationship with the One who is light—the Light that repels darkness—and yet we walk in darkness, something is fundamentally wrong.

Before Christ, the Bible says we were enemies of God, hostile in mind, and consumed by darkness. But when you embrace the Gospel, He rescues you from the domain of darkness and transfers you into the Kingdom of His Son. You are called out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9 (NASB)

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God’s] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

When John talks about “walking” in darkness, he uses the word peripateo, which refers to your locale or the realm you live in. He isn’t talking about a “moral oops”—we all have those moments where we say something we shouldn’t. He is talking about habitual indulgence. This is the person who claims to know God but has secret sins they are feeding, hiding, and no longer even struggling against.

An authentic believer cannot be habitually and consistently indulging in a sinful lifestyle. I say this not to shame you, but to be honest. Some of you grew up in church. You’ve checked the boxes, prayed the prayers, and went to the camps. You have ginosko—knowledge about God—but you don’t have koinonia—fellowship with Him. If your life is habitually defined by darkness, it begs the question of your relationship with God. It is an impossibility to have a relationship with the Light and habitually indulge in darkness; that suggests the switch was never actually turned on.

The Invitation to Walk in Light

However, look at the invitation in verse seven.

1 John 1:7 (NASB)

but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Two things happen when we walk in the light. First, we have fellowship with God. Second, we have fellowship with one another. There is something communal about walking in the light.

Have you ever been around someone who is totally guarded? You ask how they are, and they just say, “I’m good, everything’s good.” You feel like they’re trying to sell you something. You aren’t drawn to that; you’re repelled by it. But when someone is honest—when they say, “I’m working it out, but I’ve got some stuff I’m dealing with”—you think, “Me too!”

That honesty creates fellowship. At The Well, we say we are walking up this messy process of life with God together. Look around this room. We are all different—different backgrounds, ethnicities, and statuses—yet we have a profound fellowship because of our common connection to the God who is light. This fellowship is secured by something bigger than us: the blood of Jesus.

The Reality of Our Sin

In verse eight, John addresses a different group—the moralists.

1 John 1:8 (NASB)

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

These are people who suggest they don’t really need the blood of Jesus. They claim they have no “sin” (the nature of sin). They say, “I’m a good person. I don’t lie or steal. I’m better than my neighbor.” But John says they are deceiving themselves. We live with you! We see you! To claim you don’t need a Savior is to deny what is evident to everyone around you. We are not born as naturally “good” people; we inherit a sinful nature and we all need a Redeemer.

So how do we handle the ongoing struggle?

1 John 1:9 (NASB)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To “confess” means to agree with or to speak the same thing. It’s being honest with God about what He already knows. When we confess, we don’t come to Him with our tails between our legs, waiting for a scolding. We come to a God who says, “I agree. I know, and I love you, and I am with you.” It is an invitation to restoration, not shame.

We are also called to confess to one another. Your friend can’t absolve your sin, but they can pray for you and bring you before the One who can. There is beauty in being honest with God and another human being. That is walking in the light.

We often have a false assumption about Christian maturity. We think that as we grow, or if someone becomes a pastor, they stop having sins. That’s not true. The sins just become more sophisticated. Instead of Mount Everest-sized sins, I’m dealing with motives of the heart. Because the light of God’s Word is shining in me, I woke up this morning and prayed, “God, I know You’re doing a work, but I’m not done yet. What else needs to change?” That’s the Christian life. The more fellowship you have with God, the more that searchlight does its work. That’s not a bug; it’s a feature.

Our Advocate and Sacrifice

If we claim we haven’t committed acts of sin, we make God a liar, because Jesus came specifically to seek and save the lost.

1 John 1:10 (NASB)

If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

John moves into chapter two with a term of endearment: “My little children.”

1 John 2:1-2 (NASB)

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for [those of] the whole world.

John says, “I’m writing this so you may not sin.” That’s the goal! We are invited to be holy as He is holy. But then he adds, “And if—or when—anyone sins, we have an Advocate.”

The word for Advocate is Paraclete, the same word used for the Holy Spirit. Right now, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. When you stumble into darkness, He is whispering into the Father’s ear, “No, she’s mine. He’s with me.”

Because of the Gospel, God doesn’t see your darkness; He sees the light of Christ. This is “double imputation”: your sin was put on Jesus, and His righteousness was put on you. He is the “propitiation” for our sins, meaning He satisfied the requirements. This is the Atonement—the “at-one-ment.”

Jesus is our sacrifice, our reconciliation, and our redeemer. But most importantly, He is our substitution. He took the wrath that was due to us so that God could be both just (punishing sin) and the justifier of those who have faith. His death is sufficient for the whole world, but it is only efficient for those who embrace the Gospel.

Closing Challenge

Why is this text here? I think for two reasons.

Some of you need verse six. Your life is habituated by darkness. You’ve been hiding and sneaking, and the struggle against sin has disappeared. You need the Gospel. You might know about God, but you don’t have fellowship with Him. I urge you to be reconciled to the One who loves you.

Others of you need verses eight and nine. You know the struggle with sin is real, and you are carrying shame and guilt. You need to hear that God is with you even in the bad. We often think God is only with us when we are virtuous, and that He distances Himself when we fail. That is not true. You need Him in the bad! That is where you experience a Savior who invites you to confess, to walk in the light, and to be restored.

Regardless of where you are, remember that you have an Advocate. When the Father sees you, He sees you through the grid of the beauty of the work of Christ. Amen?

Let’s pray.

Lord, what a gift the Gospel is. I am blown away that You put up with us. Thank You that You came to seek and save the lost. I pray that we would be enamored by the God who is light, and that Your light would extinguish the darkness in us. If there are besetting issues, Father, help us bring them to You to experience Your grace and love. Help us walk out this messy process of life with God together. We thank You for Jesus, our Advocate and our propitiation. We pray this in His name, Amen.