1 John Chapter 1 Pt. 2 The Glorious Message That God Is Light!

The apostle John began this letter to all the churches, by reminding us that he was a firsthand eyewitness of all the things that he wrote. 

John was moved by the Holy Spirit to write truth that we need to hear today. As in His gospel, John continued to stress the deity of Jesus Christ in this letter.

Many strains of heresy had cropped up, since the church was birthed in Acts 2. 

Gnosticism was a dominant strain of heresy in early church history. Gnostics believed that the physical universe itself was inherently evil. 

Only the spiritual world was good. 

Gnostics held several false views that are sharply contradicted by the Bible.

Thus, John wrote his gospel and letters to the churches, to set firm doctrinal truth in place about Jesus Christ.

The glorious message that God is Light!

1 John 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 

John introduced his first major doctrinal point with the words "This then is the message..." 

This is a phrase that is authoritative and announces that a grand and wonderful truth is going to be declared.

No one has seen the Father, but He is revealed by Jesus Christ. 

John 1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 

The source of this truth that John is announcing, is the Lord Jesus Christ. John is declaring a message for us from Jesus Christ.

The apostle told us in his gospel that no man has ever seen the Father, but His Son, Jesus Christ, has revealed Him to us. 

John's message contains two truths. First, God is light. Second, there is no darkness in God at all. 

God is light. He is the source of true wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and happiness. He is light. His word is Light. His Son is the Light of the world. 

There is no darkness in God at all. Darkness is the opposite of light. People do evil things under cover of darkness, because they think they will not be seen. However, God does see their evil works. 

The pagan gods that Greeks, Romans and others worshiped in ancient times, were capricious and mercurial. They were as likely to destroy a supplicant, as they were to blessing them.  

Blind ignorance of this sort, is dispelled by God's truth. Gross imperfections of sin and all its human misery, are not found in the presence of our all glorious God.  

From the Glorious God who is light, comes perfect wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and happiness. These aspects of His light are gladly received by every believing soul.

Jehovah is the fountain of life and light.

Psalm 36:9  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. 

James calls God "the Father of Lights" and He is the fountain of all life and light. 

When He sends out His light through the preaching of His Word, we see light when we hear and heed it, read and believe it.

His light gives us the right worldview and the right foundation for repentant faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jehovah is our sun and shield.

Psalm 84:11-12  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12)  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Jehovah is both our sun (light) and our protector. He gives us grace as we need it and the Father of lights will not hold back any good thing from those who walk in His light. 

Therefore, there is great blessing to the man, woman or young person who trusts Jesus Christ for salvation. Remember that the name "Jesus" means "Jehovah saves."

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. When we see Jesus Christ, we have seen the Father of Lights, for all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily (See Colossians 1:19; 2:9).

God's eternal kingdom will be filled with His light. 

Isaiah 60:19-20  The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 20)  Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

When the Father of lights establishes His kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth and the new Jerusalem, we will no longer need sunlight.  

Jehovah will give us everlasting light and allow His glory to shine unimpeded by anything. Jehovah Himself, shall be our everlasting light. 

Jesus is God in the flesh, and the Light of the world. 

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Just as God is light, and the Father of lights, so Jesus Christ is the Light of the world. When we follow Him, we have light to show us the way we should walk.

We must work for the Lord while we have light to see. 

John 9:4-5  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5)  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 

Jesus is the light of the world. He gives us light that we might be busy with His kingdom work. 

Night is coming, when Jesus will return and the dead in Christ shall be raised from their graves, and all living Christians caught up in the air.

On earth, the horrible darkness of the tribulation period will begin. 

The idea is that we must use our time now, wisely, serving God, sharing His word with others, as He gives us opportunities to do so. 

Times of darkness are approaching. Work for Jesus while we can see. 

John 12:35-36  Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36)  While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

Jesus warned the Jewish religious leaders that their continued rejection of Him would lead them onto the path of spiritual darkness. 

Jesus was in the world as the Light of the world. His glorious gospel is being preached, and there is opportunity for people to be saved.

One day, the Father will send His Son, to bring home all the saints living and dead, and the world will be plunged into darkness. 

God's glory and Light from the Lamb, will light His kingdom. 

Revelation 21:23-24  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24)  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.   

Thoughts to Ponder....

God is Light! What a glorious message we have been given to share with the world. 

I remember well my days of darkness, before the light of the gospel brought me to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

I was a fool who denied the reality of the Living God. I walked around in darkness, lacking purpose. 

I sought for happiness in things that could not satisfy the longing in my heart. 

Only God can fill that void in our hearts, and He will! Jesus will save all who repent and call upon His name!

Take heart, Christian! This message is from Jesus and we must boldly proclaim it to a lost and dying world. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God to save all who will believe. It is full of light and has no darkness at all.

May the Lord use each of us to reach people for the kingdom of God.

Bob