WALKING IN THE LIGHT
Study Text: 1 John 1: 5 - 7
Introduction:
- Believers in Christ are instructed and expected to be walking in the light and not walking in darkness. Jesus should make a difference in our lives!
- They are also to identify those who chose to walk in darkness and how to avoid them. Eph 5: 10 – 11
- This is because we are "light in the Lord" we are to "walk as children of the light." We are to be noticeably different from those who dwell in darkness. Eph 5: 8
- We shall discuss the topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Exposition on Walking in the Light
2. The Evidence of Walking in the Light
3. The End-results of Walking in the Light.
1. The Exposition on Walking in the Light
- The verses say if we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another.
- It is designed to teach us that we are different from the world around us, and since we are different, we should live lives that are different.
- The simple truth is that believers should be different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Then secondly the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Walking in the light means a readiness to call sin, sin. If God has shown you something that's wrong in your life, call it sin.
- Then walking in the light means a readiness to walk in obedience to all godly instructions in the word of God.
- It also means a readiness to have the Holy Spirit melt you and mold you into Jesus on the cross in whatever way is necessary.
- This is something we need to hear and heed. Although we are living in this world, we are “strangers and pilgrims” here, 1 Pet. 2:11.
- While we are “strangers and pilgrims,” in this world, there was a time when we were citizens of this world. We lived like they live. We thought like they think. We did what they do. We were part of them.
- But, when we were saved by the grace of God, we were delivered from our old life of sin, and we were given a new life of righteousness.
- While we delivered from the world, we still possess a deep familiarity with the world and its ways. There is still a part of us, the fleshly part, that still desires the things of the world we left behind when we were saved.
- Beyond that, there is always pressure for the saints of God to be more like the world around them:
• There is overt pressure from advertising, entertainment, and other forms of media for us to do what the world does.
• There is subtle pressure even from people we love who would like to see us behave a little more like them. They would like to see us do the things they do.
• There is pressure from within as the flesh reaches out for the things that are now forbidden to it. We might be saved, but there is still a part of us that loves sin and that hates the rigours of holiness.
- While there is pressure to go back, there is also pressure to go forward. Just as surely as the flesh and the world longs for us to conform to its ways, the Spirit of God and the resurrected spirit within us want us to be transformed so that we might be what God saved us to be, Gal. 5:16-17.
2. The Evidence of Walking in the Light
- If we are walking in the light there will be certain characteristics that will be evident in our lives. Paul calls these characteristics "the fruit of the Spirit" Galatians 5:22 23.
- You may go to church, carry a Bible, give money, and be baptized, but the real test of being a true Christian is "fruit." These characteristics help us inspect our lives.
1. Walking in the Light produces Goodness.
- "Goodness" can best be described as "love in action." It refers to moral excellence, generosity, the act of willingly sacrificing or giving of one's self. 1 Thes. 5:15.
- It speaks of godliness in the motives, thoughts and actions. It is the quality of godlikeness. This has also to do with our treatment of others.
- When we practice “goodness,” we are walking in love to those around us. We are being God-like toward them, as we treat them like God treats us.
2. Walking in the Light produces Righteousness.
- For he who says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.
- This word refers to our standing before the Lord. When He saved us, God declared us righteous. He took away all our guilt, imputed the righteousness of Christ to us, and made us holy in His sight.
- Righteousness is seen in our lives when we live out the reality of who we are, and what we have been made in Christ Jesus. It speaks of a godliness that makes a life as being different and as belonging to the Lord.
3. Walking in the Light produces Truth
- This word has to do with honesty, reliability, and trustworthiness. When this quality is seen in the life of a believer, it stands in stark contrast to the hypocritical, deceptive and false ways of the world.
- “Goodness” deals with our relationship with others.
- “Righteousness” deals with our relationship with God.
- “Truth” deals with the personal integrity of our own lives.
- These three characteristics are called “fruit.” Fruit is the unfolding of life. None of these things, taken to their perfect fulfillment, are things you will find in the lives of unbelievers.
- They are the “fruit”, the proof, of the presence of the life of the Lord in us. When we know Him, we will be like Him!
3. The End-results of Walking in the Light
- We live in a hard, dark world, a world that is dominated and driven by sin. In the midst of that darkness and depravity, God has redeemed a people.
- He has redeemed a people that He expects to be different. He has redeemed a people He has empowered to be different.
- Our lives once manifested the works of the world, the flesh and the devil. Sin was a way of life for us. Darkness was where we lived, and what we loved.
- By the power of grace, the Lord has touched us, saved us, delivered us and changed us. He has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
- Light makes things “manifest,” or “easy to see.” When we walk in the light, it makes the evil of the world around us easy to see.
- The children of God should walk so holy, so clean, and so close to God that we stand out as beacons of light in a dark world.
- As we lift up truth and expose sin, not everyone will be happy. Still, it honors the Lord and is a far better advertisement for Him than a life which partakes of the sins of the world.
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5:14–16.
Thus, the end-results of walking in the light are:
1. The believer experiences the joy and blessings of living a life pleasing to the Lord.
2. The unbelievers in darkness would be able to see the light, and some may come to the kingdom.
3. The believer enjoys all-round victory over the world and the kingdom of darkness.
4. The believer has assurance of eternal life and glorious inheritances in heaven.
5. Above all, God’s name will be glorified, because the purpose of sending His son to the world is accomplished.
Conclusion:
- We have to be in the world, because if we are not there, we cannot witness to the lost. However, we must be careful that we do not allow ourselves to get trapped by the ways of the world.
- We are to be a separate, holy people to the glory of the Lord.We are to guard our hearts, our minds and our bodies.
- Sin is all around us, but so is the help of the Spirit of God, 1 John 4:4. If we trust Him, He will help us to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him.
- We are commissioned to be different. When we are, sin is exposed, the Gospel is magnified, and God is glorified.
