God is Light
1 John 1:5 "This is the message we have heard from him, and declare to you; God is light; in him there is no darkness at all."
Have you ever thought about why John would start his little letter called 1 John by telling those he was writing to that God is light? Light implies perfection, no ignorance, no sinfulness on God's part in this illustration. It speaks to me about how God can be trusted and that there are no dark places in the existense of God. Many people who have died and returned have described God as being a great "light" and experiencing peace and joy in His presence. John is trying to tell us that God can be trusted.
Many of us have trusted in someone only to find that trust misplaced. When I was a summer missionary in 1988, I went to Nevada. On that trip, I was partnered with a guy from Mississippi. We would regularly go out and visit church members at each town we would go to of the churches we were serving. I was diagnosed that spring with hypoglycemia. I was probably borderline diabetic at the time, but they didn't use that term then. I had confided in my partner how bad I was feeling. When I left the room of the church member we were visiting he took the opportunity to tell everyone he didn't believe what I had said. I happened to overhear him talking when I was entering back into the room. We never really had a good relationship after that and I sure never told him much of anything important after that.
Many people emphasize the phrase that will come later in John about how God is love. That is a wonderful truth also. God is love, but God is also pure holiness. He is also light. He is also trustworthy. He won't treat you like this partner did to me. Many of us get burned when we put our trust in people and give up trying to trust others. John is saying with God, this is someone who is completely worthy of your putting your faith in.
In contrast to this, John will say later in chapter 1 that God realizes we are not light. We have faults and sins. If we say we do not then we are liars. I can't stand liars. If you lie to me you show disrespect and that you aren't trustworthy. Maybe that is why Satan is called the father of lies. The truth is, is that we fall short. But, John says, because God is trustworthy, if we confess our sins then he cleanses us from "all" unrighteousness. Please notice that word "all". It is a complete and total forgiveness without strings attached. According to 1 John 1:9 this is based on our willingness to ask and his faithfulenss to answer.
Have you ever thought about why John would start his little letter called 1 John by telling those he was writing to that God is light? Light implies perfection, no ignorance, no sinfulness on God's part in this illustration. It speaks to me about how God can be trusted and that there are no dark places in the existense of God. Many people who have died and returned have described God as being a great "light" and experiencing peace and joy in His presence. John is trying to tell us that God can be trusted.
Many of us have trusted in someone only to find that trust misplaced. When I was a summer missionary in 1988, I went to Nevada. On that trip, I was partnered with a guy from Mississippi. We would regularly go out and visit church members at each town we would go to of the churches we were serving. I was diagnosed that spring with hypoglycemia. I was probably borderline diabetic at the time, but they didn't use that term then. I had confided in my partner how bad I was feeling. When I left the room of the church member we were visiting he took the opportunity to tell everyone he didn't believe what I had said. I happened to overhear him talking when I was entering back into the room. We never really had a good relationship after that and I sure never told him much of anything important after that.
Many people emphasize the phrase that will come later in John about how God is love. That is a wonderful truth also. God is love, but God is also pure holiness. He is also light. He is also trustworthy. He won't treat you like this partner did to me. Many of us get burned when we put our trust in people and give up trying to trust others. John is saying with God, this is someone who is completely worthy of your putting your faith in.
In contrast to this, John will say later in chapter 1 that God realizes we are not light. We have faults and sins. If we say we do not then we are liars. I can't stand liars. If you lie to me you show disrespect and that you aren't trustworthy. Maybe that is why Satan is called the father of lies. The truth is, is that we fall short. But, John says, because God is trustworthy, if we confess our sins then he cleanses us from "all" unrighteousness. Please notice that word "all". It is a complete and total forgiveness without strings attached. According to 1 John 1:9 this is based on our willingness to ask and his faithfulenss to answer.
