him while we walk in darkness, we lie and we do not do the truth (7) But if we should 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 every sin (8) If we should say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (9) If we should confess our sins, he is so faithful and just that he will forgive69 us the sins and will cleanse70 us from every unrighteousness (10) If we should say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
This passage revolves around an inescapable fact found in 1:5, namely, “God is light” (ho theos phōs estin). The verb “is” (estin) here makes an assertion that is true at all times. It is a timeless fact.71 This is emphasized by saying the same thing in a different way in the same verse, that is, “and in him, there is not any darkness at all” (kai skotia en autō ouk estin oudemia). Within his being and the sphere in which God dwells, there is no darkness at all.
There is no doubt that “light” and “darkness” are used metaphorically here. Light may be viewed as standing for holiness while darkness stands for sin.72 Simply put, therefore, one may say, “God is holy and in him there is no sin at all.” At one level, sin may be defined as that which is contrary to the will of God, but at another level it can be defined as that which hurts God’s creation.73 God made creation to live in harmony, but it was the intrusion of sin that destroyed that harmony. In the garden of Eden where sin entered into the sphere of humankind (Gen 3; Rom 5:12) there was disobedience for sure but much more so, there was hurt, embarrassment (Gen 3:7, 10) and passing of blame (Gen 3:12, 13). Life of joy, confidence, and oneness were taken away from Adam and Eve. Harmony was also taken away from the rest of creation (Gen 3:17, 18). The rule of God who is light restores this harmony between members of humankind, by way of fellowship with God and with one another.
A further point we can draw from this statement of fact (that is, God is light) is that God cannot deny himself or hurt any of his creation. He keeps his promises and is out to do good to all those prepared to benefit from his fellowship with them. This benefit must also be extended to all his creation. By implication, the Christian duty is not just toward God and to other members of humankind, but also to our environment and all the creation that surrounds us.
Conditions upon which such a relationship can be maintained are spelled out. They are expressed in such a way that they confront the one who assumes this relationship without reflecting on what the inescapable fact about God’s holiness means. At the same time, they also affirm the faithfulness of God in dealing with those who walk in obedience to the will of God.
Three situations are spelled out, hypothetically74 presupposing the manner in which a critic could develop his or her argument to justify his or her behavior contrary to the nature of God. John raises the possible claim and then responds to it, so that the one who is in the wrong corrects his or her way and those who are in the right dig their feet deeper into what is right. Deliberately, John is attacking the false teaching step by step until the wise one has no choice but to correct his or her way, for there is no further argument to justify one’s walk contrary to the will of God.
The first situation is a claim to have fellowship with God while at the same time walking in darkness (1:6). Logically, such a claim is dismissed by the inescapable fact that God is light. How can God in whom there is no darkness at all have fellowship with someone walking in darkness? The two are as far apart as opposite poles of the universe. The verb translated “walking” is in the present tense, meaning it is the habit of such a person. Person of complete holiness and another of habitual sin cannot have fellowship. John says that such a person lies75 and does not do the truth (1:6b). Using the first person plural, since this would apply to anyone who makes such a claim, he says, “we lie [to ourselves] and do not do the truth” (pseudometha kai ou poioumen tēn alētheian). Not doing the truth is a statement of enforcement to “lying.” It says the same thing in a different way. Such a claim is an act of “lie” and not an act of “truth.”
The “lying” and “not doing” the truth also are expressed using the present tense. Treating them both as iterative present, the idea would be that whenever we make such a claim, it amounts to cheating ourselves and not living out what is factual. It is not a judgment about our nature but a statement about the result of a claim that does not meet the qualifications. We can be believers who have been transformed by the blood of Christ but are not living up to expectation. The call would then not be “to conversion” but “to live out a life of the converted.” This is a message for all of us. We must walk out our nature, and our nature is based on the nature of God, which is total holiness. From what John writes and how he argues it out, there must have been some who tended to belittle the matter of sin. When God’s nature is called into the picture, sin is excluded in all its forms and degree. This is not a message for then (John’s time) only but also for us who live in the twenty-first century. Times may change and advancements may be made on many fronts like science and philosophies, but God’s nature never changes from being light to being darkness. This needs to be the glasses through which believers of all centuries examine the trends of their times.
To avoid refuting the claim and not give a positive statement, John goes on to indicate what blessings are ours if we walk in the light as God is in the light (1:7). The blessings include fellowship with one another (koinōnian echomen met’ allēlōn, “we have fellowship with one another”) and cleansing from every sin by Jesus’ blood (to haima Iesou tou hyiou autou katharizei hēmas apo pasēs hamartias, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin”). Those who walk in the light are not only in God’s likeness but are also like-minded.76 Persons who are like-minded live in harmony with each other. This state may not be one of perfection in relationships, but whenever there is a failure, it is followed by confession and, as a result, a cleansing from sin and movement forward.77 The community of faith is expected to be on the move toward glorification. This is possible as we walk in the light, enjoy our fellowship with each other, and deal with sin whenever it occurs, through cleansing of Jesus’ blood.
Members of humankind, in many parts of the world, are experiencing some degree of enmity with each other. Some areas have conflicts that have lasted for many years and the end of such conflicts does not seem to be in sight. Relating properly to God who is light, and seeking to do his will, is key to bringing about fellowship among members of humankind. The believers are called upon to set the example since they have a continuing fellowship with God the Father and God the Son (1:3). This fellowship is then lived out in our daily interaction with each other.
The second situation John refutes is the claim not to have sin (1:8). Again, using the first person plural he responds to the ones who may make the claim “we do not have sin” (hamartian ouk echomen). It is like John is imagining that the critic he is dealing with here will respond to his mention of our sins being cleansed with a statement that he or she does not have sin to be cleansed. John points out that such a claim is self-deception (heautous planōmen, “we deceive ourselves”) and lack of truth (hē alētheia ouk estin en hēmin, “the truth is not in us”). Just as the one who makes the first claim above is lying to self, so also the one who makes this second claim. Instead of repeating that such a person does not do the truth, however, John intensifies the situation as he says, the truth is not in such person. It is not only that the act is not according to the truth but also the total character is one that lacks truth.
Upon refuting this claim, John provides the positive statement, “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous” (1:9) and will give to us the blessings of forgiveness (hina aphē hēmin tas hamartias, “that he will forgive us, with reference to the sins”78) and cleansing from unrighteousness (kai katharisē hēmas apo pasēs adikias, “and will cleanse us from every unrighteousness”). The Greek word translated “confess” is homologeō and it means, “I say as it is.” It does not leave room for beating about the bush. It is a confession whose basis is clear knowledge of God’s nature as light. When there is such knowledge, our response becomes like that of Isaiah as recorded in Isa 6:5. Those who open themselves, exposing the nakedness of their souls before
