Living in the Light of Forgiving Grace

1 John 1:5-7 

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The gospel, the good news (εὐαγγέλιον) is joyful news which contains both judgement and grace, condemnation and merciful forgiveness.  This is the message the apostles heard from Jesus preaching about His kingdom within us, and this is the message of eternal hope John is speaking of here.  God issues this gospel from His living Word who is also the Light of the world (John 8:12) and universe He spoke into existence.  He has no darkness in Himself, having shown this as He separated light from darkness in creation (Genesis 1:3-4) as an example of purity and holiness which illuminates us, versus the hidden things in the darkness of unrighteousness.  Since we have been called out of this darkness and chains of sin’s judgement into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9, Acts 26:18), we are able to share intimacy with our Maker as in Eden’s sinless days of light before sin entered in.  We have been called to live in His light of holiness (1 Peter 1:15) and righteousness, not continually practicing sin anymore, but fleeing from its practice because we have been freed from its power over us at the cross.  If we simply continue to sin and scoff at its offense to our Savior, we are liars who are not living truthfully.  A changed life is not perfect, yet its goal and desire is to please God in fellowship with Him on His terms and in the light of His holy nature.  When we then live in His light where He dwells, then we have fellowship in Him with all called out as His people through His blood shed as our perfect and effectual sacrifice.  He continues to cleanse us from sin which is admitted and begged forgiveness for by that same blood.  If we do not live in pursuit of His pleasure and glory in the light, we are still in darkness.  He is not in the dark, nor can we be once in Him.  We live in His light of forgiving grace, no longer in sin’s night.