This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; 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. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

—1 John 1:5-10

Light, love and freedom from bondage to sin intersect in Christ Jesus. The passage uses derivatives of the word “sin” five times. I know sin is a bad word. If you ever want to end a conversation, just start talking about sin. It makes us uncomfortable. The world would have us believe that each individual’s desire is equally acceptable and so long as one is not actively causing harm to another, his or her actions are acceptable as well, making sin an irrelevant topic in their minds.

For me, the word dredges up long suppressed memories of people shaking their finger at me while describing the many ways I am a bad person, and their use of the word “sinner” merely underscored the depths of my depravity in their judgmental view. But far worse than mere human judgment, as used in Scripture the word reveals the presence of an absolute standard and the truth that each of us falls short of it. God is the standard. Sin is separation from Him. Where our hearts are separated from Him, there is sin, and our actions that flow from that place are sinful. So whether we dislike human judgment or fear God’s judgment or both, we prefer avoiding the word sin.

Nonetheless, we must acknowledge and confront it. If we never realize we are fallen, we will never realize we need help. If we never realize our realm is dark, we will never imagine light. So long as we think we are good we have no need for salvation or a Savior.  

Sin is an important topic, so much so that Scripture describes Jesus’ mission on earth as freeing people from bondage to sin. Shortly after baptizing Jesus and seeing the Holy Spirit light on Him as a dove and hearing God proclaim that Jesus is God’s Son with whom He is pleased (see Matthew 3:13-17), John the Baptist describes Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and Jesus says, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.… So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36). One of the ways He accomplishes the goal is by sending the Holy Spirit who convicts people of sin (see John 16:8).

Walking in the light is tied to confession. If we confess our sins, Jesus forgives our sins and cleanses us from unrighteousness. If we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. Through Jesus we are convicted of sin, and forgiven, cleansed and freed from bondage to sin.

Light, Love & Darkness  

Light, love and freedom from bondage to sin intersect in Christ Jesus. Only God is good (see Mark 10:18). God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all (see v.1:5). God is love (see v.4:8). Jesus says He is the light of the world (see John 8:12). Light is the antidote to sin. 

As I ponder God’s holy light, I think of Moses glowing, reflecting God’s glory as he descended the mountain after communing with God. God’s light radiating off Moses was so bright everyone was afraid to go near him (see Exodus 34:29-35). I think of God transfiguring Jesus on a different mountain – Peter, James, John and Jesus were on a mountain when suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared, and God spoke, and Jesus’ face and clothing shined brighter than anything on earth (see Matthew 17:1-13).

God’s holy light is unique to God. Only God is light. Only God is holy, pure, divine and good. God is the standard.

John uses the images of walking in the light and abiding in God to communicate lifestyles lived in communion with God. God’s holy word explains that those who walk in the light enjoy amazing benefits: true, pure, transparent fellowship with others and the cleansing of Jesus Christ. Further, we may identify people who walk in the light because they love their brothers and sisters, are generous to people in need, and obey Christ Jesus’ commandments (see vv.1:7, 2:3, 3:17, 3:24).

In contrast, John uses the image of walking in darkness and derivatives of the word sin to communicate lives lived separated from God. Those who walk in darkness have no relationship with God.  

Sin

However, in the same paragraph we read, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (v.1:8). The statement is presented in the present tense. We all presently sin, we all fall short of God’s perfection, and we are all, to some extent, separated from God.

Later John equates sin to lawlessness (v.3:4), says, “no one who abides in him sins” (v.3:6) and says “everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil” (v.3:8). How do we reconcile these seemingly contradictory statements? Does sin equate to walking in darkness? If everyone sins how can anyone walk in the light? How is it possible for any sinful person to walk in the light? The two concepts seem mutually exclusive, but are they?

Lawlessness is rebellion from God. Scripture describes Satan’s rebellion saying, “You said in your heart … I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Scripture describes human rebellion from God saying they desired “to be like God” (Genesis 3:5). Lawlessness is acting as if we are God, as if we are in control, as if God’s desires and plans do not matter. It is knowing God’s will and intentionally choosing to act contrary to God’s will as a continuing course of conduct.

Not all sin equates to walking in darkness. Not all sin causes us to forfeit our status of abiding in Him. The discussion of sin in chapter 3 refers to the conscious decision to continue living in sin after realizing the activity is contrary to God’s will. It is knowingly replacing God’s will with our own and wrestling control away from God, the essence of rebellion.

With this understanding, we see some translations clarifying the ongoing nature of sin as discussed in chapter 3 by adding the words “keeps on” in front of “sin.” As a result, verse 3:6 might be translated, “no one who abides in him keeps on sinning” and verse 3:8 as “everyone who keeps on sinning is a child of the devil.”

Can you think of times in your life when you have done this? How did it go for you? How do you react to the thought that doing this is an indication of walking in darkness?

God’s holy word does not present a dualistic realm; rather, it describes the murky world we live in. God’s light overcomes darkness, creates bright spots, shadows and various shades of grey, and illuminates sin. None of us are perfect. We each sin and we continue sinning while abiding in Christ Jesus, while the truth abides in us. Walking in the light does not equate to sinless perfection; however, as the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, those who walk in the light confess sin, repent from sin and abandon sinful lifestyles. The key is, as soon as we see sin in our lives, we must confess, turn from the sin, turn towards God and hate the sin enough to stay away from it. So long as we live on earth we will be sinful, but we should abandon ongoing purposeful sin and intentional rebellion from God’s will. If we know something is sinful, yet we like it enough to choose it over God, we must consider the possibility that we are choosing darkness over light, sin over God, self-control over God’s control.

In closing, I quote Paul’s initial benediction to his friends in Colossae: 

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:11-14

Amen.