THE PRACTICE OF TRUTH - 1 JOHN 1:6

 

Verse 6: If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

 

 

In verses 6-10 John presents 5 logistical statements indicated by the word ‘if’ in each verse. The objective is to determine that if the established hypothetically premise is true, then the conclusion that is reached will also be true. These verses follow the rule of Greek grammar pertaining to conditional clauses, demonstrating that the premise statement presents a logical connection with the conclusion reached.1

 

John’s First Premise Statement

First let us examine the subject matter of John’s premise statement in verse 6. The objective is to verify the honesty of the believer by evaluating what they say with what they do. His full premise is “if we say we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in darkness.” What the believer who makes this factual statement means by fellowship is that they have a continuous, close and intimate relationship with the “God of Light,” the holy God of the universe. John presents here a glaring absurdity: that a believer could believe they are having fellowship with the holy God and continuously walk (live) in the realm of darkness. Remember that John maintains that in God “there is no darkness at all” (verse 5). For darkness is representative of sin and rebelliousness to God and is the domain of Satan and thus the opposite of holiness.  

The Conclusion

Therefore, if we as a believer in Christ profess that we are in an intimate relationship (fellowship) with God and our walk is in darkness, characterized by a sinful and rebellious life, then we are a liar. This word ‘walk’ means “to live or pass one’s life,”2 referring to a person’s manner of living. Christian ‘fellowship’ was defined in verse 3 as “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement”3 with God. This entails our participation and partaking of commonly shared interests and replicating the characteristics of God—specifically His holiness and His righteousness.

Not only are we exposed as a liar, but John adds that we “do not practice the truth.” Practicing the truth is not exactly the same as practicing medicine. Doctors practice medicine only when they are tending to patients. The meaning of the word ‘practice’ implies “any external act as manifested in the production of something tangible.”4 In contrast with the doctor, who practices medicine only on occasion, the inference here is that the believer is not consistently producing evidence of truth by his life as they should.

So, what is truth? Dr. Norman Geisler, maintaining that the nature of truth is essential to the Christian faith, states:

Not only does Christianity claim there is absolute truth (which is true for everyone, everywhere, always) but it also insists that truth is that which corresponds to the way things really are.5

Absolute truth originates with God through the revelation of His Son and Scripture. This was affirmed by Jesus’ proclamation that He is the truth (John 14:6), the eternal source of absolute Divine wisdom and knowledge, and that God’s “word is truth” (John 17:17b). God’s absolute truth assures us of objective truth—truth from Divine viewpoint as opposed to subjective human viewpoint. Human viewpoint makes up ‘truth’ statements based upon self-interest standards and has no objective basis, meaning that what is considered ‘truth’ for one person may not be considered ‘truth’ for someone else.

For the believer to practice the truth means that they are consistently producing clear evidence of their relationship with Jesus Christ on the basis of His truth standards. John defines these truth standards as “His commandments” in chapter 2:3-4. There the relational dynamics are further developed as the believer having “come to know” Christ; as opposed to the one who claims to know Christ and does not keep His commandments—that one is a liar.

Since all personal relationships are based upon the knowledge of one another, our relationship with God is no different. God knows us because He made man and formed us in His image (Genesis 1:27; 2:7). The only way that we can know Him is by how He has revealed Himself: by His creation (Isaiah 45:18) and by His Son, Jesus Christ, Who as the Word “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). But now He is revealed to us through the inspired writings of the Scriptures (Hebrews 1:1-2). The Scriptures are the embodiment of Divine truth and the means by which all believers come to know Jesus Christ. Not by some personal emotional or intangible feelings. The Apostle Paul described the procedure that God has established for believers today to learn His truth, and that is by a pastor-teacher:

And He gave...some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11b–13)

The believers’ fellowship with Christ is supposed to be a solemn and intimate relationship. But to “walk in darkness” concludes that it becomes transitory when personal sin causes a disruption of our fellowship. This is what John desires that believers may avoid, for outside of the fellowship relationship with God, the believer grieves7 and quenches8 the Holy Spirit Who, empowers them in their moment-by-moment “walk in the Light” (1:7), characterized by John as to “practice the truth” (1:6).

R.C.H. Lenski is correct in his analysis:

To think that we can remain in darkness and yet be in fellowship with him, in who there is no darkness whatever, is the height of delusion, the saddest contradiction.6

We must all examine ourselves to determine if we indeed practice the truth. Not the ‘truth’ of the world or a ‘truth’ that we devise apart from Scripture, but God’s Divine truth. The study and intake of God’s indispensable Word is essential for spiritual growth and for our empowerment to practice His truth.

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[1] Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Zondervan Publishing House, p.696.

[2] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G4043.

[3] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1.445.

[4] Zodhiates, G4160.

[5] Geisler, Norman L. (2002). Systematic Theology, Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1.107.

[6] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.383.

[7] Ephesians 4:30

[8] 1 Thessalonians 5:19

 

 © 2024 David M. Rossi