5 This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].

1 John 1:5 (AMP) 中文 

Word’s message

John started his letter telling us that Jesus Christ, the word of life (v1), has come into this world and he (and the others) experienced Him first hand. He has a message. This truth allows us to have fellowship in two dimensions: with one another (horizontal) and with God (vertical). 

Now he starts to share the message. “What John will tell us about God is what God has told us about Himself. We can’t be confident in our own opinions or ideas about God unless they are genuinely founded on what God has said about Himself.” (enduringword.com) The message that Jesus, the word of life, wants us to know is: God is light, purely holy. Believers walk in the light but liars don’t. Believers have this 2-dimensional fellowship we just mentioned. Those who follow Christ sin, confess and are forgiven. Others deny sin and prove not to be disciples.

God is light

Firstly, the message is that God is light. What better image of purity can there be than our very own sun? But even the sun has blemishes, spots, and other imperfections. Not so for the God who created it…as well as all things. He is perfect in holiness, without sin. “Perfect means ‘without flaw’. God is perfect in every way. He is flawless. ‘He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he’ (Deuteronomy 32:4).’” (gotquestions.org) As the AMP adds (in [] brackets), “He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness”.

No darkness

Often we think darkness is the opposite of light. But I think it’s more appropriate to define darkness as the absence of light. When light enters a dark place, it dispels the darkness. The amount of light determines the amount of darkness dispelled. God is light, pure unadulterated light, so He drives out all darkness. 

We understand this spiritually. He dispels the darkness of sin and evil. We know Jesus is the Great High Priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses and was tempted in every way as us…but without sin. (Hebrews 4:1). To describe that God has no darkness, the AMP version adds, “no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection”. “Just as light reveals and purifies, so by His very nature God illuminates and purifies those who come to Him.” (Constable commentary quoting Hiebert).

RЯeflection

• Let’s take some time to meditate on this quality of who our God is. He is light. 
• Leave a comment about how this truth of God impacts you. Some will see their sin exposed then turn to God and confess their sins. John will encourage this behavior in the ensuing verses.