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. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
In the first four verses of this passage, which we considered last week, we learn that Christianity is not about historical information concerning Jesus of Nazareth. True Christianity is only about the revelation and manifestation of That which was from the beginning! Religion today seems to believe in a religion without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, which is only a form of godliness! In order for the Apostles to fellowship with any religious body it was first necessary that the invisible, eternal God manifest his life! This he did upon his Incarnation and revelation of the glory as of the only begotten of the Father unto the Apostles! What they saw, heard, touched and declared of that Eternal Life is the only gospel message.
In order for them to do this, as we have stated, that Eternal Life must first have fellowship with his humanity formed by the Holy Ghost in the virgin’s womb. But his association with that humanity was before the world began! For he was as a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8). For as long as God, the Trinity, has existed, the Son has been in the submitted attitude of sacrifice and in contemplation of his human body!
And the Father has always had fellowship with the Son on the basis of the intended union of the Son with human flesh! For God, at the beginning said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: (Gen. 1:26). And that intended image was the Son’s purposed humanity, the pattern for mankind’s human body! Speaking of Christ, Paul writes in Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: When God said, our image, he was speaking of the intended image of his own Incarnate body! Christ was in this manner ‘birthed’ forth and made the firstborn, for many had been physically born by the time he came to be born of a woman! And it was in relation to his Son’s purposed Incarnation that the Father hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world! (Eph. 1:4). For none can come to know God apart from the fellowship of the Eternal Son with his humanity! Col. 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Radical Commitment
But now in the verses listed above the Apostle comes to show the seriousness one must have if they intend to walk with this God! It must not be taken lightly! For this requires a radical commitment! It requires a chopping off of any offending hand, and the plucking out of any offending eye! (Matt. 5:29,30). Surely if the present practice of religion in our nation is to purify itself, it is absolutely essential to first find out just who it is we claim to serve! Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. The church in our land is far too familiar with the God of their imagination, for if they were actually serving the reality of God, he could not be approached in such a prideful and assuming manner!
The Apostle John first authenticates his message by stating that it was heard OF him. And it was heard OF him only by hearing him! Romans 10:17 is so terribly misunderstood by those who think it states that faith cometh by hearing, and as one brother stated, “that hearing comes by hearing!” That’s not what it says. For just as Lazarus’ dead ear must not hear a bare suggestion, but an effectual, enabling command to come forth from deadness into life, so the sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, must hear the Person of the Word call him forth into spiritual life. And that effectual, sovereign voice brings faith and repentance to reside in that resurrected soul! Physical preaching saves no one! It is only by the foolishness of preaching that God has ordained to save them that believe! When the sinner is made alive spiritually, he then comes to the light of preaching to ascertain that his new motives and methods are actually wrought in God! (John 3:21).
Now we come to the message heard. The Apostle John states it in both a positive and a negative way. He says that the Life that was from the beginning and now has manifest himself is as Light itself, without any darkness at all! Therefore he instructs that any who intend to fellowship with him cannot walk in the darkness of sin! And if anyone attempts to do this, he is a liar himself, and he makes God to be one! (Vs. 6 & 10). Walking in the darkness of sin, while professing to be a true Christian requires one to deceive himself, or to form a god of religious imagination, whose image is a lie. Modern day religionists need desperately to be delivered from the image of the beast! Their eyes need to be anointed with the eye salve of effectual gospel purity that they may envision the true God and his Son, Jesus Christ! (Rev. 3:18).
Light’s Properties
God is light! And light is the fastest thing in the universe, traveling 186,000 miles per second! If you traveled at the speed of light you could circle the earth 7 and 3/4 times in one second. The sun is 93 million miles away, but its light reaches the earth’s surface in 8.33 minutes! Therefore our God is a very “present help” to us in times of need! Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Light is described by science as “electromagnetic radiation!” It has an electric field! And our God energizes and animates all in existence! Col. 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Jesus Christ is the Word by whom all things were created. And it is by him all things continue in their individual characteristics!
Light also has a magnetic field. And our great God both draws and repels men! John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Light speaks of illumination which is the garment of God! Psa. 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: Luke 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
And God, as the Light of life, is the atmosphere in which the true believer is enabled to perceive and discern! Psa. 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Eph. 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 1Thess. 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
And light is the force which causes the winds to blow! Job 38:24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? Jesus Christ is the Light. And the Holy Spirit is symbolized by the wind! John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…
And it was the Lord Jesus (Light) who had the Holy Ghost (Wind) sent down to us! John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Dear Reader, creation was designed by God to even reveal his power and Godhead! And doing so, it renders all unregenerate and unbelievers without any excuse for their defense! Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Be Careful!
Of those who confess that they are having fellowship with God but have never made a radical breach with the darkness of their sin, it is said in verse 6 listed above, that they do not the truth: But what exactly does this mean? Lets let John tell us in his writings in his gospel. In John 3:21 we read, But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. The “doing” of truth is Christ, The truth (John 14:6), living within the believer by the Holy Spirit, manifesting his righteous ways through them, and for them. Gal. 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And the first evidence of this spiritual birth is seeking for the light!
That which is the condemnation of those who walk in, and love darkness, which is the coming of the Light into the world, is the very need of the regenerate soul!
Notice that 1 John 1:6 begins with the words, If we say. Whereas the beginning of the next verse is, But if we walk! Herein lies the problem! It is easy to say with the mouth that which the heart actually does not believe! The Lord reveals this in his ministry. Matt. 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Here is where care needs to be taken in the involvement of religion without a spiritual belief in one’s heart! For the practice of traditional religion without spiritual life in the soul will render the very commandments of God of none effect to you! And those who just teach the doctrines of men render ‘worship’ to be in vain! (Matt. 15:6,9).
This writer was a lost church member, in good standing with a local church membership for seven years! Thank God that he saves lost church members! For seven years my supposed worship was in vain, and my seeking only for religious tradition rendered God’s commandments of none effect to my poor soul! I was a good Baptist! But I was a lost soul! And I’m afraid that now Calvinism, with its five limbed tree, offers the intellectual religionist far more attraction to remain an unregenerate church member than did my old Southern Baptist program-ism!
God, being absolutely sovereign, can use a crooked stick to draw a straight line! So don’t offer prideful allegiance to religious orders! For THAT is idolatry! We must assure our soul’s well being by seeking allegiance to Christ alone! I remain both a Baptist and a Calvinist for the identity of my scriptural position. But should either of these demand my allegiance to only their religious program or traditions, I should turn my back on them immediately and flee only to Christ! – And so should we all!
Phil. 3:7-10 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Pastor Gene Breed
February 21, 2010
