1 John 1:5-10
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 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 we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:5-10 (ESV)
Several things that strike me here:
Scripture is always very quick to point out and clear in its declaration that darkness and light are two different things. If there is one theme that I see in the book of 1 John, it is the theme of distinction and discernment; seeing the opposites and calling them what they are. We must not call darkness light,nor call light darkness.
Sin separates us from God and other believers; however recognizing our sins and confessing them brings us closer. If I say that I do not sin, or even give the appearance of righteousness apart from Christ, I am not telling the truth. If I do not tell the truth, I walk in darkness. If, however, I lean wholly (or as wholly as I can in my sinful state) upon Christ’s righteousness, I walk in the light and desire to confess my sins. When I do so, two things happen: 1) He forgives me and cleanses me as he has promised to do; 2) I walk in the light and, thus, have fellowship with my brethren in Christ. I confess that I struggle with this. I like to be seen as righteous and desire that men would speak well of me. I especially struggle with this in regards to those who have authority over me; rather than admit my weaknesses, I would like to be seen as strong so that they look on me with approval.
John here refers not only to right practice, but right beliefs as well. So it’s not a matter of “deeds, not creeds” as if they are in opposition to one another, but deeds AND creeds. Orthodoxy yields orthopraxy; right doctrine leads to right practice.
