"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son is cleansing us from all sin." [1 Jn 1:6-7]
In the gospel of John, we find that famous verse,
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His One-and-only Unique Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [Jn 3:16]
But what does it mean to believe? How does one know if he believes? The answer, in part, is found in the following verses.
“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the One-and-only Unique Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that practices evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that practices truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” [Jn 3:17-21]
Notice here that Jesus equates being condemned with unbelief and perishing. And, that Jesus defines for us what the condemnation that thus causes men to perish, is. He says, ”this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” The condemnation Jesus speaks of, which abides upon a man like a heavy stone, dragging him down into the pit of hell as it were, is this: that Christ Jesus, “The Light of the World,” [Jn 8:12] has come into the world as “the faithful witness,” who “will not lie;” [Rev 1:5, Prov 14:5] as a light to manifest God. For, “whatsoever doth make manifest is light,” [Eph 5:13] and Jesus said, “he that hath seen me hath seen The Father.” [Jn 14:9] Let us ponder this a while longer, and see why men, as Jesus says here in John 3, hate the light and do not come to the light.
First, remember that Christ Jesus, who though He was sent “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,” [Rom 8:3] yet He “knew no sin.” [2 Cor 5:21] This fact proves to us Jesus’ words to Philip when He said, “he that hath seen me hath seen The Father,” thus claiming to perfectly represent The Father. For, The Spirit says in Romans,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” [Rom 3:23]
Here in Romans, we see a connection between sin and the glory of God. For in this word we have a succinct definition of sin: anything that comes short of God’s glory. That is, anything which fails to perfectly exemplify God’s nature, His character, is sin. Anything which does not flawlessly, whether in word, deed, thought, emotion, etc., represent the fulness of God’s character, is sin – it falls short of His glory.
Therefore, when we read and understand that Jesus “knew no sin,” we understand that for each millisecond of His existence on earth, from birth to death, Jesus flawlessly exemplified every portion of God’s character at all times. Truly, as it says of His righteousness, so it is true: “thy righteousness is like the great mountains.” [Psa 36:6] Jesus, as the true and faithful witness of God’s character, never sinning, perfectly represents to us, and to all, the standard of righteousness accepted of God. He is The Light which has come into the world.
Returning to the condemnation Jesus pointed out, “that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that practices evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved,” we can now understand more clearly what Jesus said. Those who fail to believe in Jesus, who are perishing and condemned, have seen the Light – they have seen Jesus’ life and perfect righteousness, that light which bears witness to the glory of God – and they have adamantly rejected it, choosing rather to continue in darkness. And why? Jesus says, “for every one that practices evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” They have seen the standard: they have seen Christ. They have seen the glory of God, of which all men are greatly falling short, and instead of coming to the light that their deeds may be examined of Christ and corrected, they hide from the light, not wishing their deeds to be exposed.
In this truth, we find what John meant when He said, “if we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth.” [1 Jn 1:6] If we are claiming to have fellowship with Christ; that is, if we are claiming to be saved, believing in Jesus, but we are walking in darkness, then we are frankly liars, for we are not practicing the truth. We are as those who say one thing, but do another – hypocrites and thieves who falsely take upon themselves that precious gift of salvation. But those who are practicing truth, as Jesus points out, act in this manner: they are “coming to the light, that [their] deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Meaning, the person who is saved, who is practicing truth, is not concealing his deeds, thoughts, emotions, or any other thing from Jesus, but is actively living a lifestyle where he is bringing to Christ’s feet all these things so that He might search them out and correct them. The heart of this man is found in Psalms, when David says,
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” [Psa 139:23-24]
A truly regenerated man desires for his heart and mind to be searched out and tested by Christ and will pray to this effect frequently. That man will come unto Christ Jesus, who is The Word of God, that his ways may be tested. He will “walk in the light, as He is in the light,” and so find true fellowship with other believers, “and the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son” will be “cleansing [him] from all sin.” [1 Jn 1:7] He will, with a clear conscience and by God’s provided grace, test his ways with God’s word, which is “a lamp unto [our] feet, and a light unto [our] path.” [Psa 119:105] Notice especially the phrase in 1 John 1:7, that in order for “the blood of Jesus Christ” to be cleansing a man from all sin, that man must be practicing truth. He must be engaged always in this way of life that Jesus describes for us. What then? Are we saved by our own diligence? God forbid. We are saved by faith alone. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” [Eph 2:8-9] Let us be careful to make this distinction: it is not that we are saved through a diligent pursuit of righteousness or holiness, or of a lifestyle of walking in the light – but those who have been saved by grace through faith, who are truly believing in Jesus, must be engaged in this business, for it is evidence of their true conversion.
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