Focus on the Light

A Study on God and Relationships

1 John 1:5–2:2

The New King James Version

Fellowship with Him and One Another

05 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

06 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

07 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

08 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

09 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

01 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

02 And He Himself is the atonement for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Focus on ATTITUDES:

Attitudes we have reviewed in the last several weeks:

Attitude about Adoration:

Who God is and What God has done;

Attitude about Confession:

Agreeing with God about our sin;

Attitude about Thanksgiving:

God wills that we be thankful all the time;

Attitude about Supplication:

Pleading a humble petition to God;

Attitude about Fellowship:

Be Ready to do any good work in His name;

Attitude about Joy:

Spiritual maturity produces lasting joy.

Walking in the Light

(Walking by the Spirit).

ATTITUDE: Walking in the light is another attitude.

A strong desire to know Jesus and spend time with Him.

In the New Testament, “walking in the light” is directly related to following Jesus.

To “walk” is, in short, to live one’s life.

A lifestyle or way of life can be considered a “walk.”

Walking is a good picture because it’s one step at a time;

Walking in the Light / in the Spirit is putting “one spiritual foot in front of another”;

-We walk in the path of obedience to Scripture;

-Empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The word also indicates progress.

Walking is related to growth; it is taking steps toward maturity.

- The Holy Spirit who lives in every believer and who directs our steps.

- He directs our steps both by way of biblical truth and by way of internal power.

- The Bible sets the course,

- The Spirit, in us, provides the power,

- Walking obediently in that course.

1. LIGHT IN THE BIBLE CAN BE A METAPHOR:

for life, happiness, righteousness, or understanding.

The Bible is clear that light comes from the Lord God, the Father of the heavenly lights. (James 1:17).

He is the opposite of evil.

Putting it all together, walking in the light means growing in holiness and maturing in the faith as we follow Jesus.

The apostle John repeatedly used the “light” metaphor in relation to the Messiah.

- Jesus is the true light that gives light to every man;

- If we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with Him;

- God’s very nature is light. Jesus, then, is the conduit or provider of light to the world;

- Jesus: I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life;

- And this is the judgment, that the LIGHT is come into the world.

2. FOCUS ON THE LIGHT:

God’s character is holy and pure. (1 John 1:5);

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

Our nature is dark and depraved. (1 John 1:6);

- If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Our hope is in confessing and cleansing. (1 John 1:7-10);

- If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ 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 is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to 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.

When we sin, Jesus speaks to the Father on our behalf. (1 John 2:1-2).

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.

- And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

- And He Himself is the atonement for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

3. LIGHT IS IN CONTRAST TO DARKNESS:

Light is the Absolute opposite of Darkness:

To describe God as absolute LIGHT means that God and darkness (error or evil) are mutually exclusive.

To say that God was LIGHT means that He is absolute:

• in His glory;
• in His truth;
• in His holiness.

Believers are to conduct their lives in obedience and faithfulness to His absolute glory, truth, and holiness.

You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord;

- God is absolutely perfect in truth and holiness;

- Walk as children of Light;

- For the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth;

- Evidence of this spiritual life is devotion in truth and righteousness;

- Believers fall far short of that perfection;

- BUT will manifest a desire for and continual striving toward truth and righteousness.

God gives light through the Spirit who works through His congregation of anointed people.

The Holy Spirit provides us with the light we need.

4. LIGHT IS THE NATURE OF GOD:

NOTE: 1 Peter says that we are partakers of His Divine Nature and can take full advantage of that inner life of a Christian as we draw near to Him.

God is spirit;

John 4:24 New King James Version

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

God is love;

1 John 4:8 New King James Version

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God is light.

1 John 1:5 New King James Version

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

We are not told that God is the Spirit, or the Light, or the Love:

But God is spirit, is light, is love: spirit, light, love are His very Nature.

They are not mere attributes, like mercy and justice: they are Himself.

John 12:46: I have come as light into the world.

He means by that is He didn’t come to bring information, He came to bring life;

Jesus came as LIGHT into the world: Everyone who believes in Him escapes darkness;

He came to save the world. Saving the world by giving eternal life;

Bringing light is the same thing. Light equals eternal life.

God is Light tells us of:

- His splendor and glory:

Blaze of light; Piercing darkness;

- His self revealing nature:

Light is seen; there is no secret with Him; To be seen and known by mankind;

- His purity and holiness:

White purity and stainless holiness; No hidden darkness in Him;

- His guidance:

He shows us the way; the road is plain; Guides our footsteps;

- His revealing quality:

Our flaws and stains are easily seen; Obvious in His light.

5. FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD:

The Light of the world will produce spiritual fruit in our life:

The Light of the world will preserve us from Sin;

The Knowledge of God and Obedience to Him go hand in hand;

Knowing what God commands us and Doing what God commands us are expected !!