MAKING GOD A LIAR - 1 JOHN 1:10

 Verse 10: If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

This is John’s fifth and final conditional statement of verses 6-10. It is easy to mistake that this verse seems to repeat the content of verse 8. However, to be clear, verse 8 considers the sin principle—the old sin nature, “the old self” (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22); whereas this verse is regarding sins in particular—deeds which violate “His commandments” (1 John 2:4).

John’s Fifth Premise

Again, the word “if” expresses the probability of someone who may believe that they no longer commit sinful deeds. And just as John stated in verse 8 that the self-deceiving one believes he is no longer controlled by the principle of sin, this is an example of the same self-deception. The Greek tense of the verb ‘sinned’ emphasizes that sinning has current consequences for the believer, specifically the loss of fellowship with God.1 Most likely this believer has been influenced by the heresy of perfectionism and is oblivious of how disastrous this false teaching will have on their spiritual life. Dr. L.S. Chafer correctly observes that:

Scripture gives no basis for the extreme doctrines of personal holiness or sinless perfection advocated by some Christians.2

Nowhere in God’s Word is credibility given to the belief that once a person believes in Jesus Christ, that their old sin nature is eradicated and that they no longer commit sins. Dr. Norman Geisler points out:

[The] belief that we can reach a point of sinless perfection (whether by eradication or not) in this life is unbiblical, unrealistic, contrary to experience—and it minimizes sin. Perfectionism is a quick-fix scheme, can lull a person into a false sense of spiritual attainment, and undermines the God-ordained gradual process of sanctification.3

What Geisler means by the “gradual process of sanctification” is the developmental process for the believer to attain spiritual maturity. Apostle Paul defined this “God-ordained” process as the work of the pastor-teacher:

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 4:12–13 [emphasis added])

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews states that “solid food is for the mature” believer (Hebrews 5:14a). This solid food is what God intended the pastor-teacher to provide the believer. For when they apply (practice) what they learn, their spiritual senses are therefore “trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14b).

The question is: would a believer who claimed to be sinless need training to distinguish what is good or evil? Adding to this absurdity, there would also be no purpose for the “God-ordained” pastor-teacher.

John’s Conclusion

John, exercising his apostolic authority, asserts that if we dare to claim that we no longer sin, then we make God out to be a liar. This word ‘make’ means to produce, or to cause, bring about, accomplish.4 Those who claim that they “have not sinned,” they intentionally or unwittingly embrace this heresy of perfectionism. And what is worse, by their nonchalant assertion they are blasphemously declaring that the God of the universe is a liar.

Please note how John concisely explains the reason we can make God a liar if we were to embrace this heresy: “His word is not in us.” By the use of the Greek verb “is”, we have in this phrase an absolute statement of truth. If it were possible to probe the memory center and stream of consciousness of this person, the doctrine of personal sin would nowhere be found. The writer of Hebrews describes that this is exactly what the Word of God is designed to do.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Therefore, if we were to say that we have not sinned, then we either have not studied God’s Word or we have not believed and have disputed and disregarded the authority of God’s Word for our lives.

As already mentioned there are no Scriptures to support this heresy; in fact there are many passages in God’s Word that dispute perfectionism. The Word clearly states “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23; cf. Romans 3:9-19). Solomon also declared this:

Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20; cf. 1 Kings 8:46)

And Solomon incredulously asked:

Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9)

On this verse Dr. Ryrie astutely remarks that “The implied answer is ‘nobody,’ thus teaching the impossibility of sinless perfection.”5 

 Who is the Liar?

Briefly looking ahead, John says that in reality the liar is the one who “does not keep His commandments” and that “the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4). We can conclude that the phrases “His word is not in us” and “the truth is not in him” are synonymous because of the Lord Jesus’ proclamation to the Father: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

Notice Our Lord’s confrontation with the Pharisees when He asserted that the devil is the liar:

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44 [emphasis added])

God is not the liar, as the Apostle Paul maintained “let God be found true, though every man be found a liar” (Romans 3:4).

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[1] Wallace, D. B. (1996) Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, p. 577f.

[2] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.250.

[3] Geisler, Norman L. (2002). Systematic Theology, Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 3.587.

[4] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1957). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, p. 687.

[5] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update. Chicago: Moody Press, p. 996 note.

© 2024 David M. Rossi 

THE "FRUIT OF THE VINE" IN THE KINGDOM

“But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)

“Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25)

“And He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 22:15–16)

“For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:18)

On the night when Our Lord was to die on the cross, He shared the Passover meal with His disciples in the Upper Room. He instituted what is now celebrated in most Christian churches as the Lord’s Table or the Eucharist. During this time He made two statements that are of great significance but are often glossed over by casual reading.

First, while contemplating the cup of wine which represented His blood, He stated in each of the synoptic gospels (as noted above) that “I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”1

Second, only in Luke’s account, He expresses His personal aspiration of eating the Passover with them. And then He adds something that many commentators seem to overlook: “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

What did Our Lord mean by these statements? An analysis of His statements will provide clarity by revealing an aspect of the Kingdom of God that is uniquely Jewish, having absolutely no relationship to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Kingdom of God

The mention of the ‘Kingdom of God’ alludes to the highly anticipated future restoration of David’s eternal kingdom it was promised to him in the Davidic Covenant:

“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12–13)

And it was declared that Jesus Christ would sit on that throne:

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32–33)

One phase of this future Kingdom will last ‘a thousand years’ as it is mentioned 6 times in Revelation 20:1-7. Dr. Ryrie explains by utilizing Old Testament evidences:

Since the Latin equivalent for these words is “millennium,” this period of time is called the Millennium. It is the time when Christ shall reign on this earth (Isaiah 2:3; Daniel 7:14; Zechariah 14:9). Satan will not be free to work (here in v. 2), righteousness will flourish (Isaiah 11:3–5), peace will be universal (Isaiah 2:4), and the productivity of the earth will be greatly increased (Isaiah 35:1–2). At the conclusion of the time Satan will be loosed to make one final attempt to overthrow Christ, but without success (vv. 7–9).2

After the thousand years the Kingdom of God will be ruled by the King of Kings, Jesus Christ into the Eternal State (Revelation 21-22).

The Fruit of the Vine and The Passover in the Millennial Kingdom

Both Matthew and Mark record Our Lord stating that He would drink the fruit of the vine “new in the kingdom of God.” The word ‘new’ does not infer freshly-made or new in time but means new in quality.3 Kenneth Wuest ascertains that in the future Millennial Kingdom the quality of the wine will be spiritual and not material.4

We must not forget that the cup of the Last Supper symbolized the blood of Christ poured-out for the atonement of sin and that Israel in the Old Testament looked forward to His atoning work (Hebrews 10:1ff; John 8:56). While today, all mankind looks back to that event, but in the future Kingdom, there will be no looking back because Jesus Christ will be an ever present reality, a physical attestation of His accomplished atonement. It will signify the fulfillment of the “new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20)—the New Covenant as conveyed to the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

The truth that the Passover will be observed in the Kingdom is overlooked by many Bible scholars, but so will the Feast of Booths be observed.

“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.” (Ezekiel 45:21)

“Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.” (Zechariah 14:16ff)

In fact the Sabbath Day, the new moon and daily sacrifices will be observed during the days of the Kingdom as well (Ezekiel 46).

“Fulfilled in the Kingdom”

So it should not surprise us to know that Our Lord will celebrate the Passover in the Kingdom of God. For when He states in Luke 22:16 “I shall never again eat it”, it refers to ‘Passover’ in the previous verse.

But what exactly is He implying by the cryptic statement which follows: “until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God”?  The answer lies in the original meaning for the Passover celebration. When the children of Israel were still enslaved by the Egyptian Pharaoh (Exodus 1-12), God brought upon the Egyptians ten plagues intended to encourage Pharaoh to let His people go. The last plague was death to all the firstborn from the Pharaoh to the slave girl and even those of the cattle (Exodus 12:1-28). The Jews were to place the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the houses so that the destroyer would ‘pass over’ their houses and leave their firstborn untouched (Exodus 12:22-23; cf. Hebrews 11:28).

This was God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery, which is analogous to the redemptive work of Christ which frees mankind from the enslavement of sin that leads to eternal death (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:22-23). But for Israel, the Passover signified deliverance from slavery, safety and settlement in the land as promised to Abraham “and to your descendants forever” (Genesis 12:7; 13:14-17; 15:7, 18).

The Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:1-10) confirms that in the Millennial Kingdom the Lord will gather the Jews “from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you” (Deuteronomy 30:3; cf. Psalm 147:2; Jeremiah 32:37; Ezekiel 34:13). This will be the conclusive fulfillment of the Passover—the actualization of the everlasting promises made to Israel, of the blessing, the land and the Messianic Kingdom.

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[1] Worded variously, yet the content and meaning is the same in all 3 instances.

[2] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update. Chicago: Moody Press, p. 2041 note.

[3] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1.138-139.

[4] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1.262.

© 2024 David M. Rossi

 

CONFESSION OF SINS - 1 JOHN 1:9

 

Verse 9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

John presents one of the most critical doctrines of the Christian faith with his 4th conditional statement of verses 6-10. This doctrine has the greatest impact upon the believer’s most intimate fellowship with God. The correct understanding and implementation of this truth will determine the quality and effectiveness of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Therefore it should be understood that the following verse establishes the definitive basis of true spirituality in the Christian’s life.

John’s Fourth Premise

“If” expresses the probability of our decision in dealing with personal sins—if we decide to confess our sins, then what proceeds will transpire. Sin breaks our fellowship with God, disrupting our moment-by-moment walking in the Light. The Apostle Paul discussed the believers’ sinfulness in Ephesians 4:17-32 and commands, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30a). By grieving the Spirit we also quench the Spirit’s empowering presence in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:19). It then becomes our responsibility to resolve the problem of our relationship with the Lord. By applying the solution that John provides will indicate just how much we recognize and value the importance of fellowship with our Savior. This should be our automatic response to sin, validating how serious we are in desiring to “please God” as Paul explains:

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1) [emphasis added]

To confess means to simply name the sin, it does not imply, require or demand that we feel sorry as the basis for forgiveness. We confess our known sins privately to the Father in prayer, not to anyone else, for our fellowship is broken with the Father and needs to be restored. By doing so, the believer agrees that they have committed a transgression of God’s holy directives. The intent of “confess our sins” is to do so both continually and intermittently—whenever we sin. My first pastor-teacher, Robert F. Armstrong (1925-2001)1 rightly stressed that this means we should “keep short accounts with God.” To remain out of fellowship with God the believer reverts back to their “former manner of life” (Ephesians 4:22). There is a downside regarding this status as Paul explained to the Corinthians: “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men” (1 Corinthians 3:1a) denoting the loss of the filling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).

 The Outcome of Confession

With the confession of sin we experience the marvelous grace of God. He is continually faithful, being “true to His own nature and promises,”2 (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:9) and He is continually righteous, “because He has found a righteous basis for forgiveness in the substitutionary work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.”3 And James concurs that He never varies from His character of being continually faithful and righteous (James 1:17).

Based upon His character, John maintains that He customarily (routinely) does two things: forgive and to cleanse,4 expressing His Divine purpose for being faithful and righteous. He forgives our sins every time we confess and at the same time He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It’s not difficult to understand His forgiveness of our sins since they had already been judged on the cross by Jesus Christ. But the cleansing of all unrighteousness needs additional clarification.

Since sin breaks our fellowship with God, confessing our known sins demonstrates our obedience and conveys our desire to “walk in the Light” and recover our fellowship with Him. However, there are many sins we commit that we may not be aware of (especially mental attitude sins) they are regarded by Him as unrighteousness—unknown sins. And because the Father has made provision for us to have fellowship with Him, He provides cleansing of all our unknown sins. This does not mean we are to be careless and unconcerned about learning all which God deems sinful, for our ambition should be to obey and please Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).

True Spirituality

As mentioned at the outset, this doctrine of confession of sin defines the Christians’ status of spirituality. Dr. Chafer explains that “spirituality represents that manner of life which is wrought in (not, by) the believer by the unhindered, indwelling Spirit of God.”5 This presupposes that the believer is not grieving or quenching the Spirit because of unconfessed sin. When the Apostle Paul stated that “he who is spiritual appraises all things” (1 Corinthians 2:15) he was emphasizing the believers’ position of being in fellowship with God. The believer unhindered by sins is now in a ‘spiritual’ position and has the ability to appraise (evaluate, assimilate and understand) spiritual phenomena—Divine truths of Scripture.

A ‘natural’ man, the one who has not believed in Jesus Christ, is unable to understand spiritual phenomena, as Paul observed:

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Paul declared that the Corinthians in their sinful condition were not “spiritual men” but “men of flesh” (3:1; carnal in the King James Bible) and that they walk “like mere men” (3:3). In other words, to walk “like mere men” is synonymous to “walk in darkness” (1 John 1:6)—believers emulating the unbeliever (natural man) whose life is driven by fleshly (carnal) desires.

The Apostle Paul catalogs the “deeds of the flesh”: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these (Galatians 5:19–21a). Whenever a believer involves themselves in any of these sinful deeds he emulates the unbeliever and walks in darkness and not in the Light.

In conclusion, it is not what the believer does or doesn’t do that classifies him as being ‘spiritual.’ Therefore, true spirituality characterizes the believers’ manner of life—led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18)—accomplished by the unhindered, indwelling Holy Spirit. It is the status of being unimpeded by sin that grieves and quenches the Holy Spirit.

The Challenge

Are we believers who desire to please God? To live a Spirit empowered life to walk in His Light? Then this passage provides the mechanics necessary to maintain our moment-by-moment fellowship with God. To become aware of our sins, we need an in-depth knowledge of His Word. And above all else, we need to keep short accounts with God.

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[1] Pastor for 49 years of Warrendale Community Church of Dearborn, MI.

[2] Vincent, Marvin R. (n/d). Word Studies in the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2.321.

[3] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, p. 2310.

[4] Wallace, D. B. (1996) Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, p. 472 & 562.

[5] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.292.

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi

NO SIN? = NO TRUTH! - 1 JOHN 1:8

 Verse 8: If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Note: this is the third of John’s 5 logistical statements presented in verses 6-10. At first glance, this verse seems rather simple and straight forward. But there is a need to explore the depths of the intent of what John is teaching here.

John’s Third Premise

In this premise John uses the word ‘sin’ in the singular. This does not refer to the plurality of personal sins, but instead it denotes the nature or principle of sin. John is indicating that a person who claims to “have no sin,” maintains that they no longer have the tendency or inclination to commit sin. R.C.H. Lenski’s further elaborates their thinking:

The claim that we do not have “sin” means “such a thing as sin,” and not having such a thing means that nothing of the nature of sin clings to us to stain us as filth or to blacken us as guilt so that we need cleansing or removal.1

Therefore, this means that they no longer believe it necessary to observe the commands to avoid sins as the Apostle Paul warns:

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19–21; cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9–10)

As was discussed in the James and Jude series, the early church was confronted with considerable opposition from various heretical factions. They not only had to contend with the Judaizers but also some that were even more nefarious: the Gnostics and the Nicholaitans. John is most likely alluding to the Nicholaitans. Dr. C.C. Ryrie states that according to the early church Fathers “These were apparently a sect that advocated license in matters of Christian conduct, including free love.”2

Albert Barnes notes what the Nicholaitans claimed:

[T]hat nothing was forbidden to the children of God under the gospel, and that in the freedom conferred on Christians they were at liberty to do what they pleased.3

This is known as the heresy of perfectionism. It may be difficult to comprehend that in our present day, there are some who maintain these same beliefs that originated in the 1^st Century and claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. Those who believe in this heresy claim that they have been excused from all requirements of moral law. They specifically based their belief on the assumption that they no longer possess the inherent sin nature. Dr. Kenneth Wuest explains:

Here we have the heresy of the eradication of the totally depraved nature during the earthly life of the Christian. The heresy of perfectionism and of the eradication of the evil nature is the present day form of this problem of the indwelling sinful nature.4

The Conclusion: Self-deception

Even though those who advocate this heresy do a wonderful job of persuading, the inconvenient fact as John states is that we who believe this heresy are deceiving ourselves. In modern jargon, we’re only fooling ourselves. And John states the reason we deceive ourselves is because “the truth is not in us.” As the subject of truth was considered in verse 6, this refers to the absolute truth contained in Scripture—the revelation of “the True God”.5

Those who peddle heresy may claim they are conveying truth, but if it cannot be supported or corroborated by Scripture, then it is not absolute truth. They are arbitrary self-made ‘truths’ generated by Satan “who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). The Apostle Paul warned of this deception:

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1)

What should be especially noted from the verse we are considering, that no matter who may be promoting and peddling the false teachings of perfectionism, John maintains that we are responsible for our own self-deceiving. The Apostle Peter identified them as the “false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1). Those who deceive God’s people will have their day of judgment before the supreme court of God; for Peter contends that the Lord will “keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment” (2 Peter 2:9).

In Closing: A Remedy

John implies that believers have a solution so that they will not have cause to deceive themselves. If the reason for self-deception is the fact that “the truth is not in us,” then the remedy is the opposite: to get the truth in us. But it must be God’s absolute truth contained in Scripture, His Word. The Apostle Paul explained why it is important:

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

The divine ideal is for the believer to receive this instruction from a pastor-teacher, designated by God “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11b-12). It is critical that the believer find a pastor who believes and teaches the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith.

The challenge for believers today is to make certain that we are not characterized as the nation of Israel was by the Lord in Jeremiah’s day:

“You shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept correction; truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.’” (Jeremiah 7:28 emphasis added)

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[1] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.391.

^[2] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Chicago: Moody Press, p. 2015 note.

[3] Barnes, A. (2005). Notes on the New Testament: Hebrews to Jude. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 13.2.284.

[4] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 13.103.

[5] Smith, David (1990). In The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Nicoll, W. Robertson, Ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 5.172.

 

© 2024 David M. Rossi

WE CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD - 1 JOHN 1:7

Verse 7: But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

This is the second of John’s 5 logistical statements presented in verses 6-10.

John’s Second Premise

“But” contrasts verse 6 with another hypothetical statement: “if we walk in the light.” By “if” John recognizes that maybe we will or maybe we won’t—it is our responsibility to choose. In verse 5 John declared that God is light, now he asserts that God’s absolute status is that “He Himself is in the light.” John also established in verse 5 that ‘light’ refers to the holiness of God. So not only is God holy but He exists in the sphere of holiness, devoid of any sin or evil. Therefore, to walk in the light is equivalent to living a holy and righteous life free from sinful rebellion towards God.  

The Conclusion: We Have Fellowship

John concludes that when we resolve to ‘walk in the Light,’ we are living a life of holiness instead of in the darkness of sin and rebellion, and then we can have genuine fellowship with God. This should produce in the believer an overwhelming realization of how they can have an intimate relationship with the God of the universe. This should stagger the imagination. And since this is God’s Word, this is the Divine standard for having fellowship with the Almighty. We are to do it on His terms, not on our personal subjective notions. R.C.H. Lenski agrees and stresses the outcome of our obedience:

To walk in the light is above all to believe the light, the truth, and then also to obey it in word and in deed. What is in the soul will become manifest in the conduct; this is not a mere claim that contradicts open evidence.1

That God “Himself is in the Light” should be our motivation to aspire authentic fellowship. For our desire should be to imitate God as the Apostle Paul commanded: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1). We should aspire to be “holy” just as He is holy (Leviticus 19:2; cf. 1 Peter 1:16) and to have as our ambition “to be pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9b; cf. Ephesians 5:10). There is something awfully wrong with any relationship that is devoid of the desire to please the other. This is especially true with our fellowship with the Lord.

The phrase “fellowship with one another” is to be understood as the believers’ mutual relationship with God and is not meant to imply having fellowship with other believers. That will be addressed in the next chapter. Presently, John’s intention is for each believer to consider the implication of his message as to how it applies to them individually in their relationship with God.

The Continuous Cleansing of Sin

Not only do we have genuine fellowship with God as a result of walking in the Light but John adds that “the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” There are two things about this phrase that needs amplification. First, the blood of Jesus refers to His violent sacrificial death on the cross. There have been “irresponsibly mystical and theologically misleading”2 speculations regarding the literal blood of Christ for decades. The truth is that the Greek word for ‘blood’ does not always refer to the literal liquid that is “indispensable for the maintenance of life in both human beings and animals.”3 But instead, as defined by the highly regarded Theological Dictionary of the New Testament it is

[A] “violently destroyed life,” “death” or “murder”...also used for “to kill,” though with no specific reference to the actual shedding of blood...The interest of the New Testament is not in the material blood of Christ, but in His shed blood as the life violently taken from Him.4

The atoning work of Christ entailed His bearing of our sins and the sins of the world on the cross (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2). All mankind are considered spiritually “dead in our transgressions [sins]” (Ephesians 2:5), making us enemies of God. Sin is what separates mankind from God and dooms man to eternal death—“The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20a ESV). This is spiritual death, eternal separation from God. The Apostle Paul concludes that even though we were enemies, God the Father resolved our predicament “through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10):

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It is beyond our ability to comprehend how the Son of God as the sin bearer could experience eternal separation from God, but that is exactly what His atoning work entailed. He suffered the same spiritual death we deserved—separation from God. And while He was still alive, before He shouted out “It is finished” (John 19:30), He was suffering the penalty for our sins.

Secondly, all personal sins we commit after salvation breaks our temporal fellowship with God, which John characterized in the previous verse as walking in darkness. But since Christ already died for all of our sins, John says that we may now have complete confidence that Christ’s death continuously cleanses us from all sin. 

Dr. Lewis Chafer maintains that the “immediate confession of every known sin”5 is the only Biblical means stipulated for us to avail ourselves of His continual cleansing from all sin. He goes on to explain that,

To walk in the light is not to become the light; it is rather to be wholly subject to the mind and will of God and adjusted to the holy character of God.6

What this means is that we must be determined to be in harmony with His holy character at all times. This can be attained by confession of our sins and seeking His cleansing. Only then will we be able to have meaningful fellowship with God and “walk in the Light.”

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[1] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.388.

[2] Carson, D.A. (2004). Exegetical Fallicies. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, p. 34.

[3] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 32.

[4] Behm, Johannes (1964–). αἷμα, αἱματεκχυσία. In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich, Eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1.173-174.

[5] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.55.

[6] Chafer, 3.262.

© 2024 David M. Rossi