I don’t know about you, but to me it feels like people have an increasingly pessimistic view of other people and our world today. Whether you watch the news on TV or your phone, or just listen to what your friends and family members are talking about, so much of it seems so, well, negative.
And it isn’t just a perception. There really are a lot of terrible people and terrible things happening in the world today, all around us.
We were reminded of that in August 2025, when a young man in Minneapolis shot and killed 2 children and wounded 14 other children and 3 adults in a Catholic school. And by the way, that was the 44th school shooting in the US that year. That’s more than one deadly shooting at a school per week.
But the horrible things people do and the horrible damage that results from those things are merely symptoms. What is the true, underlying problem? What is the cause? I believe we live in a time of crisis.
We have a crisis of our understanding of truth and morality. Most people don’t believe there is one, absolute truth. One explanation for who we are, why we’re here, and who created us and the universe. Most people don’t believe there is an absolute standard of morality. They believe morality is relative, it’s good enough to be better than the majority of people, or, even worse, it’s good enough to think I’m better than the majority of people.
We have a crisis of our experience of relationships. Most people don’t know that they are truly loved, by a perfectly loving God who desires our love in return. Most people don’t experience true, loving fellowship with other people. Sure, people crave and try to satisfy their need for love through relationships driven by infatuation, or by enjoying the company of a crowd of people at a bar. But these kinds of relationships tend to be driven by selfish motives. They are relationships which make you feel good.
And we have a crisis of our perspective of eternity. Most people live for today, only. They don’t believe there are eternal consequences to our choices. Most people don’t believe there is a tomorrow worth living for, one in which we could have eternal life with the perfect, loving God. Most people don’t believe there is a tomorrow that must be avoided, one where we could experience eternal death apart from God.
And if all of this isn’t scary enough, perhaps what’s more disturbing is that even Christians today, and the Christian church, are struggling with the very same crises. Sure, we get some things right, some of the time, but, because we are all flawed, sinful human beings, we’re in a constant battle to keep a proper perspective on these very same things.
Amazingly these crises were already becoming a major problem among Christians and the early churches in the first century, almost immediately after Jesus’ death and resurrection and the founding of the churches. And that is why the disciple and apostle John, perhaps Jesus’ closest companion, wrote the letters of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John to the new Christians and early churches near the end of the first century.
John recognized that the main problem facing the Christians and church at this time was declining commitment: many believers were conforming to the world’s standards, not standing up for their convictions and Christ, and thereby compromising their faith. There were many false teachers propagating enticing but confusing messages, and therefore accelerating the church’s downward slide away from the Christian faith. Does this situation sound at all familiar to you? Any relevance to our experience today?
So, John wrote these letters to put believers back on track. He wanted to show them the difference between truth and error, between absolute morality, or holiness, and relative morality. He called this “light.” He wanted to encourage the believers and the church to grow in genuine love for God and fellowship with one another. He called this “love.” And he wanted to assure them that they possessed eternal life with God, and also an abundant life here on this earth. He called this “life.”
In short, John wrote these letters to early Christians, and to Christians today, to assure us that we can experience light, love, and life through Jesus. That’s the title we’re going to be referring to for this series on John’s letters: “Light, Love, and Life Through Jesus.”
We’re going to kick off the series by looking at the first chapter of the letter 1 John. The title of this message is “Walking in the Light,” and as it suggests, we’re going to begin with John’s case for why light is so important for us.
But first I want to give you a small warning about our journey through John’s letters. Some Bible commentators have tried to outline John’s letters, especially 1 John, in a linear fashion: he talks about light in Chapters 1 and 2, then love in Chapters 2 through 4, and then life in Chapter 5.
But what we’re going to see is that unlike Paul’s, John’s writing style is anything but linear. Some have described it as circular. After leaving a subject he often returns to it later in the letter. Others have perhaps more generously, or artistically, referred to it as “symphonic.” He states themes, moves away from them, and then revisits them with variations, just like a beautiful musical symphony.
The point is, expect to see these themes of light, love, and life show up repeatedly throughout the letters. In fact, John uses the word “light” 6 times, the word “love” 32 times, and the word “life” 15 times, and these uses are intermingled through the letters.
So, with that as background, let’s jump right into Chapter 1.
The Word of Life
Let’s read together the first 4 verses of Chapter 1.
1 John 1:1-4 (ESV)
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life, 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us, 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
If you’re familiar with John’s Gospel, that is, the book of John, the fourth book of the New Testament, you might recognize that he opens the letter 1 John similar to the way he began his Gospel. He emphasizes that Jesus Christ, who is the Word of life, is eternal, that God came into the world as a human, that he, John, was an eyewitness to Jesus’ life, and that Jesus brings light, love, and life to us.
On what basis does John claim that his testimony is believable? (Hint: how many times does he claim to have “seen” or “looked” at the evidence?)
He states no fewer than 4 times that he was an eyewitness to the physical and historical reality of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth. John was right there by Jesus’ side for 3 full years. He was certainly qualified to make his claims.
Notice how clear John is about Jesus’ divinity. This is a central point of the Christian faith, and many people struggle to believe or understand it. How do we know Jesus really was God, and not just a great man, a great teacher, a great historical figure? Where does the Bible explicitly make this claim? Well, right here, for one.
John, who spent 3 years with Jesus, has no doubt. He says Jesus “was from the beginning,” that is, from the beginning of time. Jesus always existed, which is only possible if he is God. And in verse 2 when he proclaims “the eternal life,” he’s not talking about our promised eternal life in the future, but Jesus’ eternal life, since the “life” he’s referring to is Jesus himself, whom he just called the “Word of life.” Then he explains that although Jesus always existed, he was “made manifest,” in other words, publicly seen and known by people. He drives this point home by restating it in the same verse.
Because of and through Jesus, or the life, who is God, we can have what? According to verse 3: fellowship. We can experience true love. And not just loving fellowship with one another, but also loving fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
What is the difference between true Christian fellowship, and just enjoying the company of others?
It is certainly possible to enjoy the company of others, like at a dinner party, a game night with friends, or just the well-known past-time of Friday night at the bar, sometimes with people you know and often with people you’ve met for the first time. But true Christian fellowship looks different somehow.
The first Christian church described in Acts Chapter 2 was characterized by “one-anothering.” Welcoming one another, Encouraging one another, Building up one another, Edifying one another, Serving one another, Praying for one another, Giving to one another, Loving one another, and more. But why? Why was that possible?
John gives us some insight in the verses we just read. This true Christian fellowship is not based on us alone, and our feelings, which are notoriously selfish. It’s foundation is the testimony of God’s Word, which makes true togetherness possible. The fellowship is strengthened by unity of believers.
As unique individuals we don’t have to agree on everything, but we agree on the most foundational truths of human existence. And, perhaps most importantly, Christian fellowship is not an attempt at human relationship out of desperation, the only solution for the voids we all have in our hearts. The void in a believer’s heart is first filled by fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus, which leaves room in our hearts for selfless, sacrificial love for other people.
Summarizing this first section of 1 John Chapter 1, Jesus is the Word of life, the eternal God who was made manifest, or known to us on earth, witnessed first-hand by John. Through this light, or truth, we can experience true, loving fellowship with God the Father and Jesus his son, as well as true loving fellowship with one another.
Discussion
- John says he heard, saw, looked upon, and touched. Why does he stack four verbs instead of one?
- Verse 4 gives his reason for writing: “so that our joy may be complete.” Whose joy, and why would writing this letter complete it?
- What is the difference between a friendship that makes you feel good and fellowship founded on the testimony of God’s Word?
- “The void in a believer’s heart is first filled by fellowship with the Father.” What changes in how you love people when that order is right?
Walking in the Light
Let’s read together the rest of Chapter 1.
1 John 1:5-10 (ESV)
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.
I personally find it fascinating that numerous scriptures in the Bible, including John’s letters, use light as a picture of God.
Let me take just a moment to tell you what has always fascinated me most about light, for I believe this very same characteristic is what makes it a great picture of God. For starters, light is a wave that propagates through space. But it’s not like other waves, such as sound waves or water waves, for example.
You know that old philosophical question, “If a tree falls in the forest, but there’s no one there to hear it, does it still make a sound?” Dumb question. The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Why? Because sound is a wave which is created by the alternating compression and expansion of molecules.
When that tree hits the ground, it compresses a collection of molecules, which then bounce back and expand, thus compressing neighboring molecules around them, which then bounce back and expand, and so on, creating this propagating wave through the molecules in the air. Whether or not there is anyone there to sense this wave doesn’t matter. The molecules are physically sloshing back and forth. The sound is there.
But light is very different. Like all waves, light comprises something oscillating back and forth as it propagates through space from one place to another. But unlike sound waves and water waves, in which the something that is oscillating is a thing you can see, feel, and touch, that is, real matter, for light waves the something that is oscillating is actually nothing!
The something is what’s known as a “potential,” as it is literally the potential for a force to be exerted on some charged particle, like an electron, if there was a charged particle there to feel it. The potential is there, and oscillates back and forth, as a wave, whether or not there is a particle to sense it.
If this idea of a “potential” is stretching your mind too much, let me help you see that it’s not that crazy. You see, gravity is also a potential. Gravity exists, right here, right in front of you, even though there is no physical thing or matter there. It’s merely the potential for a force to be exerted on an object with mass, if there was an object there to feel it.
Light, like gravity, is not apparent unless you look for it. There isn’t anything there, unless someone or something (like your eye, a camera, or a piece of film) senses it.
What does all this have to do with God? God shines his light upon us, everywhere, all the time. It is not a physical thing. It is something we have to look for, to sense with our own eyes, and ears, and whole being. God’s light is made manifest only when there is something or someone there to sense it. While John might not have been a physicist, I believe he had some of these basic principles in mind when describing God as light.
You see, when light is present, there can be no darkness. If there is light, and I look for it, I will see only light, not darkness. Darkness and light cannot exist at the same time. The only way we can see darkness is when there is truly no light. What does it mean to walk in the darkness? It means to live our lives hiding from God, in places where we don’t allow God to penetrate. Then walking in the light means to live our lives out in the open, where God’s light is present.
What do you think God’s light represents?
Here and elsewhere in the Bible, God’s light represents not only truth and knowledge, but also purity, holiness, moral perfection. Therefore walking in God’s light means living according to and as if the word of God is completely true, and simultaneously seeking purity and holiness according to Jesus’ example.
It does not mean we know everything, it does not mean we never doubt, and it does not mean we never experience sin, falsehoods, and deception. But when these things are “in the light,” they are not hidden from ourselves nor from God, they are in full view. This is the only way we can experience victory over them.
Verse 7 tells us the benefits of walking in the light: “we have fellowship with one another,” or, in other words, we experience love, and “the blood of Jesus … cleanses us from all sin,” or, in other words, we receive eternal life. Walking in the light leads to love and life. This is the central theme for the entire letter.
And then John addresses the critical question: HOW do you walk in the light? The key is in verse 9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession is like taking a close look at what the light is illuminating, like focusing a camera on your life. Remember, the light might be there, an oscillating wave of a potential, but unless we actively look for it, with our eyes or a camera, we won’t see what there is to see.
If God has already forgiven our sins, why do we have to keep confessing?
When we believe and accept Jesus as our savior, we are forgiven of all our sins, past, present, and future. But we’re still human, and we’re still sinful by nature. We don’t need to continue to confess our sins to God in order for him to accept us or to keep the promise of eternal life, these are secure. But, by confessing we are: (1) agreeing that our sin is wrong and that we are willing to turn from it, (2) avoiding the practice of hiding our sins from God and consequently ourselves, and (3) admitting our powerlessness and his power to overcome our tendency toward sin.
Summarizing this second section of 1 John Chapter 1, God is the ultimate source of light, which is truth and holiness. But this light is only made manifest when we choose to live where God’s light is present. We do that, or walk in the light, by living an out-in-the-open, confession-filled lifestyle. And the result of walking in the light, as we learned in verse 7, is maximum fellowship and joy with God in our lives.
Discussion
- Light is a potential, only made manifest when something is there to sense it. What does that suggest about our part in seeing God’s light?
- Verse 6 is about saying one thing and walking another. Where is that easiest to do without noticing?
- Walking in the light is not sinlessness but having things in full view. What is the difference between being forgiven and being in the open?
- Confession is described as focusing a camera on your life. What would you have to hold still long enough to see?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to walk in the light according to 1 John 1?
Walking in the light means living openly and honestly before God. It does not mean sinless perfection but a willingness to bring our lives, including our failures, into the open rather than hiding them.
It involves ongoing confession, trust in God’s forgiveness, and a commitment to living according to his truth rather than in the darkness of self-deception.
Why does John emphasize that he is an eyewitness in 1 John 1?
John establishes the credibility of his testimony by repeating that he personally saw, heard, and touched Jesus. He was not passing along secondhand stories or philosophical ideas. His claims about the Word of life are grounded in direct, physical experience with Jesus over the course of three years of ministry together.
What is the difference between fellowship with God and ordinary friendship?
True Christian fellowship is rooted in shared relationship with the Father and with Jesus Christ. It is not driven by selfish motives or the need to feel good. It is grounded in the truth of God’s Word, strengthened by unity of belief, and marked by sacrificial love.
Ordinary friendship may be enjoyable and good, but fellowship with God and with believers has a depth and foundation that goes beyond shared interests.
Why do Christians need to keep confessing sin if they are already forgiven?
Forgiveness through Christ covers all sin, past, present, and future. But confession is not about re-earning that forgiveness.
It is about honesty before God: agreeing that sin is wrong, refusing to hide it, and acknowledging our dependence on God’s power to overcome it. Confession keeps us walking in the light rather than drifting into darkness and self-deception.
What does “God is light” mean in 1 John 1:5?
When John says “God is light,” he is describing God’s essential nature as truth, purity, holiness, and moral perfection. Light in Scripture is a picture of what is true and good. Darkness represents sin, falsehood, and hiding.
To say God is light is to say there is no deception, no impurity, and no compromise in him. His character is the standard by which all truth and goodness are measured.
This lesson is part of the Abiding in Christ series.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.