Walking In The Light Series

As the World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19, or Coronavirus as global pandemic this week, those studying viruses, virologists, have speculated as to the local and global infection rate. As they have warned of the nature of the contagion, they have prescribed steps in order to reduce the spread of the virus. Even from the most pessimistic estimates, the lethality rate of the virus is low compared to other sicknesses. Biblically, however, there is one sickness that universally untreated leads to death. That is the sickness of sin. Just as there are many false speculators who do not truly know about Coronavirus that are spreading wild speculation, there are many false teachers who do not understand the lethality of the true universal sickness of sin.

The apostle John faced a similar situation in the churches to whom he wrote his letter. Flooding into Ephesus and the other cities and churches of Asia Minor were deceitful, sin-denying false teachers (cf. 2:18; 4:1–3; 2 Peter 2:1–2; Jude 4). John had to contend with Greek philosophical dualism (the basis of Gnosticism)—a view that denied the reality of sin and evil. Those who held to this mystical, elitist philosophy argued the spiritual was always good and the physical was always bad; they therefore created an artificial dichotomy between the spiritual realm and the physical world—contending that spiritual realities were all that mattered, and that what was done in the flesh (including sin) was a nonissue. Having written of fellowship and joy in Christ, John raises three false claims that have been made by the Docetists: that sin does not matter (1:6); that it is not a part of our nature (1:8) and that it is not a part of our conduct (1:10) (Barnes, P. (1998). Knowing Where We Stand: The Message of John’s Epistles (p. 19). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.)

In order to protect against false teaching, people must test what they read, hear and see in order to distinguish what is true from counterfeit. Making that fundamental distinction is essential to the church’s protection and spiritual growth. The wheat must be differentiated from the tares (cf. Matt. 13:24–30), the sheep distinguished from the goats, or people will never be protected from the deadly deceptions of false teachers. It is only the light of God’s truth that will enable someone to make these distinctions in order to “Walk in the Light”. In order to do this, there must first be: 1) Finding the Light (1 John 1:5), then 2) Following the Light (1 John 1:6), in order to enjoy: 3) Fellowship in the Light (1 John 1:7).

“Walking in the Light” involves first:

1) Finding the Light (1 John 1:5)

1 John 1:5 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (ESV)

The message(angelia), preached by John and the other apostles, was one they heard from Him [Jesus] and would proclaim/announce (anangellomen) to their audience. That they have "heard" is in the perfect tense to indicate that their hearing in the past is still effective in the present. The pronoun him refers back to “his Son Jesus Christ” in v. 3 (Haas, C., Jonge, M. de, & Swellengrebel, J. L. (1994). A handbook on the letters of John (p. 22). New York: United Bible Societies.).

As God in human flesh (John 1:1–4, 18; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 1 John 5:20; cf. John 4:26; 8:24, 28, 58; 18:5), Jesus Christ is the perfect source of revelation regarding the nature and character of God. “I am the Light of the world,” Jesus declared; “he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12; cf. 12:45–46). God, the source of true light, bestows it on believers in the form of eternal life through His Son, who is the light incarnate. God is light in the sense that He is life, and He is the source and sustainer of both physical and spiritual life. Jesus identified himself as the light of the world (Jn. 8:12; 9:5; cf. 12:35f., 46), and Matthew tells us how he commanded his disciples to take up the same role (Mt. 5:14–16) (Marshall, I. H. (1978). The Epistles of John (p. 109). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.)

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 4

The gospel illumines how Christ’s death on the cross makes it possible for God’s people to be in His presence, having been transformed by God’s presence and not destroyed by it (cf. 3:18). This is described in Second Corinthians 4 which summarizes well the importance of God as light and its role in a Christian’s life:

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (ESV). (cf. Matt. 5:14–16; Eph. 5:8–10; Phil. 2:15; Col. 1:12–13; 1 Peter 2:9)