Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.’
The writer of the First Epistle of John is traditionally believed to be the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ. He wrote a message to the early Christian communities (Churches) addressing them collectively, imparting doctrinal teachings, moral exhortations, and encouragement in their faith.
John’s message addresses the nature of God, a fundamental aspect of Christian doctrine. God’s nature is compared to light, symbolizing purity, truth, and righteousness. It is completely devoid of darkness, which represents sin and falsehood. God is absolute purity and moral perfection. Christians cannot claim to have fellowship with God while living in sin. That is not only contradictory but false and dishonest. Believers can only have fellowship with God if they turn from darkness to light (Acts 26:18) and live in the truth derived from God. The way Christians lead their lives must reflect the fellowship with God they profess. Living in God’s truth leads to holiness which binds Christians to God and each other. Thus, believers who walk in the light experience fellowship with God and each other. This is a natural consequence of a shared commitment to living in accordance with God’s truth. God’s light is Jesus Christ, His Son, who died for our sins, and by whose blood we are cleansed of our sins (1 Peter 1:18-19). If there was sin or darkness in Jesus then his blood could not cleanse us. Jesus, therefore, had no need to repent or be cleansed because there was no sin in him.
Christians who believe that they are without sin are judging themselves to be light and deceiving themselves. Believers must acknowledge their sins and the need for redemption to be beneficiaries of forgiveness and reconciliation through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22-23; Ps. 103:2-4). God said that everyone sins (Ps. 14:3; Prov. 20:9), even the most fervent Christian, so denying one’s sin is to call God a liar. When believers confess their sins sincerely, God forgives them and cleanses them from all unrighteousness. Claiming to be without sin not only contradicts the truth of God's word but also accuses God of falsehood. By denying one's sinfulness, one rejects the truth of God's revelation and refuses to acknowledge the need for His forgiveness,
Heavenly Father, help us to walk in the light of your truth. Grant us the humility to acknowledge our sins, the faith to seek your forgiveness, and the grace to live in fellowship with you and one another. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
__________________________________
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
Comments