The Heresy of Denying God is Light
Many people today find subtle ways to deny that God is Light. Those denials come in various forms, with people using various Scripture verses to support their views. This article examines 1 John 1:5-8. Some people claim that 1 John 1:7 supports the heresy of sinless perfection. We can use the Scriptures to evaluate that claim. Therefore, we may begin by examining the context of 1 John 1:7, going verse by verse.
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You may benefit from reading a longer explanation and application of this passage found in the free e-book on 1 John at https://christassembly.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/102820.1-JOHN.PUBLISHED.BOOKMARKS.pdf.
1 John 1:5 ‘This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Writing under the inspiration of God, John wanted us to know that God is Light. John also wanted to emphasize that there is no darkness in God whatsoever.
1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;” John wrote about the practice of true believers in Jesus Christ by faith alone. He focused upon fellowship with God and how we walk in our daily lives. John wrote that light and darkness are polar opposites. Therefore, if we say we have fellowship with God and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Therefore, fellowship with God means not walking in darkness, but walking in the Light. Many people think they are walking in the Light, but are actually walking in darkness. They lie about practicing the truth and having fellowship with God. They are deceived about their own sin. How can we tell if we are deceived about our walk with God? The next verses provide divine guidance regarding that question.
1 John 1:7 “but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” John answered the question about how we can know if we are walking in the Light. The Scriptures always provide the best insight into our lives and doctrine. Satan and his minions constantly seek to inveigle us with his lies so that we walk in darkness, while believing we are walking in the Light. So, let us examine the test of walking in the Light in 1 John 1:7. First, John wants us to know that we can walk in the Light as God Himself is in the Light. Second, if we walk in the Light, then we have fellowship with other true believers. Please recall the basis of that fellowship with the apostles means we accept the doctrine of the apostles as true (1 John 1:1-4). Therefore, all believers must accept as true the doctrine of the apostles taught in Scripture in order to have fellowship with one another and with God. Third, the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, cleanses us from all sin as we walk in the Light. The term “cleanses” occurs in the present tense, indicating here continuous present action. Therefore, true believers who walk in the Light still require continuous cleansing from sin. No one obtained sinless perfection while alive on earth, because we know even if you walk in the Light, you still require continuous cleansing from sin because you continue to sin while walking in the Light. The only reason we can walk in the Light is that we have that continual cleansing from sin, based upon faith alone in Jesus our Savior. Also, please take notice that the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us as we walk in the Light. Without the shedding of Jesus’ blood, we could never walk in the Light (Ephesians 1:17). Therefore, we must conclude that walking in the Light does not mean we have no sin while walking in the Light.
1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” While many people proclaim we can attain sinless perfection on earth, the Bible denies such claims. In fact, when people say we have no sin, they only deceive themselves and the truth is not in them. Again, the term “have” occurs in the present active voice, meaning here a continuous present state of proclaiming you have no sin. Therefore, we know that we are living a lie when we claim we have no sin. Furthermore, we are walking in darkness.
In summary, many people actually believe they live in sinless perfection. Those people often misunderstand that God is Light and what it means to walk in the Light. Please take care that you do not deny with your words, actions, or doctrine that God is Light and what it means to walk in the Light. Some people do not realize that when you walk in the Light, you still sin. By the grace of God alone, through the blood of Jesus Christ continuously cleansing us as we walk in the Light, we can still have fellowship with God and with other believers. If anyone claims to have obtained sinless perfection, we know they are not walking in the Light. Praise God that He is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all.
HALLELUJAH !