”This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5New International Version (NIV)
1 John 1:5 Devotional
God is Light
In 1 John 1:5, John revealed that he was declaring to us the message that he and the other followers of Jesus had heard from Him. And the message is: God is Light, and there is no darkness at all in him.
Therefore, Jesus’ message (teaching) to his apostles was that God is Light. That is, God is perfect (righteous). Consequently, He is the source of (Proverbs 1:7) righteousness or truth or goodness or freedom or hope or joy.
Consequently, darkness, which is the opposite of these things, is not in God. How can light and darkness exist in the same space and time?
Therefore, the good news of Jesus to His disciples, then and now, is that God is Light. Consequently, God does not have even a hint of darkness in Him.
Jesus the Light of the World
John, in his first book known as the Gospel according to John, used light as a metaphor to extensively describe and introduce Jesus Christ to us. Therefore, in John 1:5, John described Jesus as “the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. And in John 1:7-8, John wrote that John the Baptist manifested so that he could “testify about the light”, which is Jesus.
Thereafter, in John 1:9, John further described Jesus as “the true light that gives light to everyone, would come to the world”, which He did. And now in 1 John 1, John continues in the same breath by writing that “God is light, who doesn’t have darkness in Himself” (verse 5).
Further, in John 3:19-21, John wrote that: “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (19). And everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed (20). But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God (21)”.
Walking in the Light
Therefore, God enables us to walk in the light. And because there is no darkness in God, we cannot walk in darkness and claim to have fellowship with Him.
That is a big lie! Because there is no darkness in God. And His Messenger, Jesus, came and availed light to all who were walking in darkness and even those who continue to walk in darkness in our day.
Therefore, John uses light as a metaphor for how you and I are to live life in fellowship with God, and darkness as a metaphor for those who are not in fellowship with God. And fellowship with God enables us to fellowship with each other, while Jesus’ blood purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Prayer/Blessing
Lord, I worship You. I pray that You illuminate within and without me in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
May God be your light today and in the days to come. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Isaiah 27-31 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
