In the opening verses of this letter, John paints a stark contrast between two different groups of people and their relationship with God from a spiritual perspective.
First, John sets up the standard for the comparison he is going to make, and of course, the only valid one in the spiritual realm is God Himself. What God revealed to his apostles and sent them to proclaim in the world is a simple, three-word message: God is light. In spiritual terms this means He is pure and untainted to the least degree with darkness (sin). Although the physical light that we see with our eyes, and which He created in the beginning, helps us to understand God’s spiritual purity, it is not the same thing as His pure and spotless spiritual light - the light of His very essence - which John speaks of here. This is His holiness or His complete “set-apart-ness,” or “other-ness” - the true, and indeed the only, standard by which we may make valid assessments on spiritual matters.
Understanding this is critical when it comes to our relationship with God. The first question in the Shorter Catechism asks “What is the chief end of man?” What is his purpose, the point of his existence? The answer is this: “To enjoy God and glorify Him forever.” But just how is it ever going to be possible for us to enjoy a God Who dwells in unapproachable light and Whose eyes are too pure to look on sin? How will we even get close to One of such unimaginable purity and dazzling, spotless righteousness?
John shows us two ways in which people try to answer this question. He compares the things people in each group say about their enjoyment of God with how they actually live, and then draws conclusions based on this data.
The group of lies, darkness and self-deception.
- What they say: “We have fellowship with God (v 6), we have no sin (v 8), we have not sinned (v 10)
- What they do: They walk in darkness and do not practice the truth (they live a life where the established and willing pattern and practice is sin - v 6).
- What is the conclusion? They are living a lie (v 6). They are deceiving themselves and showing that the truth of God is not in them (v 8). Indeed, they make God a liar, because His testimony is that we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory. Therefore His Word of truth has no place in their hearts(v 10).
The group of truth and light, of fellowship, forgiveness and cleansing.
- What they say: “We have sinned.” They confess it and do not seek to deny it (v 9).
- What they do: They walk in the light - they strive to live in the light as God is in the light (v 7). They fight against sin and seek to put on righteousness.
- What is the conclusion? They truly have fellowship with God (v 6). Therefore they must have been forgiven by Him and made clean from their sin. That cleansing must be a lasting and repairable thing in this life for their fellowship with the God Who is Light to be sustained (v 9). It must be a complete cleansing - from all sin (v 7), and from all unrighteousness (v 9), because there is no darkness in God. They must also necessarily have fellowship with others who have been cleansed the same way and who enjoy fellowship with God on the same basis (v 7). They must be practising the truth, and God’s Word must be in them (v 10). Finally, their cleansing must have been accomplished through the blood of Christ (v 7), because there is no other way for our sins to be completely and lastingly erased.
It’s a stark contrast, isn’t it? The first group thinks they are just fine and that God couldn’t possibly find fault with them. They don't really think they have any sins - at least not big ones. No-one is perfect, but compared with the vast majority of people, they are among the best. If God examined them (they believe) any minor blemishes are outweighed by a vast mountain of good things they have done. God is basically obliged to have fellowship with them and take them to heaven when they die. Can you see that they’ve produced a modified god who is no longer light? Can you see they’ve discarded what God says about them (they have sinned and fallen short of His glory) and have therefore rejected His Word of truth and called Him a liar?
The second group really only says one thing - they are sinners. God has opened their eyes to see this and they no longer try to hide it. They seek God for forgiveness and find it as the blood of Christ is applied to them. The sin that separated them from God is cleaned away and they have fellowship with Him and with others who come in the same way. They love God and His light, hate the darkness of sin and seek to live in His light as much as they can.
John doesn’t give other groups of people in relationship to God - there are those who are clean and living in His light, and those who are not, no matter what they tell themselves. Which group are you in?
