The Apostle John wrote not only a Gospel but also three letters and the Book of Revelations which are there for us to read at the end of the New Testament. This week we are going to read the first of these letters which breathes the same air as his Gospel. It is primarily about Love and the practical working out of it in the life of the young churches of the first century. Right through the letter John refers to his readers as ‘Dear Children’ and ‘Dear Friends’. He had their welfare and their spiritual growth at heart and he probably knew them intimately. The letter is positive in its tone throughout. There is no criticism of his readers but only a desire that their love for one another should continue. His purpose is expressed in chapter 4:7
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
That also well expresses our aim as we read this week. Through the ups and downs of our current society let us aim to be known as people who love one another!
v 5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
So far we have been considering a theme based round the statement ‘God is Love.’ But in this letter John introduces a slightly different idea to run in parallel – ‘God is light.’ Not that it is something new to think about, in fact it echoes the beginning of John’s Gospel where we read in 1 v 4 ‘The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.‘ and again in vv 6-9 we find ‘God sent a man, John the Baptist to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.‘ Then in some ancient religions the created universe was seen as a battleground between Light and Darkness – Good and Evil. Light was perceived as pure good, and that pure good was seen in the person of Jesus, God-the-Light incarnate. And John goes on to announce the triumph of Light over Darkness in John 1 v 5, ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[ ‘ Love and Light go hand-in-hand.
John does not however explore some kind of ‘Philosophy of Light’ as a Greek philosopher might. Rather, he is interested in the practical implications, as in v 7. ‘But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.‘ True ‘Christian Fellowship’ is only possible when individual Christians live and walk in the pure light (and love!) of Jesus. To get out of step with Jesus, and so walk in darkness, takes us out of step and fellowship with other Christian believers. And that has serious implications!
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