1 John 1:5-10 | Saying and Doing

Preacher: Joel Fair
Scripture: 1 John 1:5-10

1. God Is Light - V5
2. Walk in the Light - V6&7
3. Faithful & Just - V8-10
4. Match Words & Deeds

2 Samuel 22:31
This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 99:5
Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!

David Allen
Grammatically this is the strongest way to express emphatic negation. Not only is God light, but there is absolutely no darkness, not one scintilla of darkness (moral imperfection) in him. In him is no shade, speck, or stain of moral imperfection. In him is no fault, failure, or falsehood. In him is no deceit, deviation, or dishonesty. Physical darkness is a terrible thing. “There is no distance in darkness. Darkness is limitation, darkness is imprisonment; there is no jail with walls so thick and impenetrable as darkness.” Darkness is an apt metaphor to describe sin. Unlike my heart and your heart where the light of the gospel shines, but where sometimes there may be pockets of sin that we allow to go unchecked, God in his character and nature possesses no moral imperfection whatsoever.

John 12:44-46
Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

1 Peter 1:14-16
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

David Allen
If we say we have fellowship with God, yet our life is lived in the darkness of sin and not in the light of truth, we are liars and are not “doing” the truth. It is interesting that in John 3:21 John records Jesus speaking of the one who “does what is true.” Jesus says such a person “comes to the light.” John picks up on both concepts of “light” and “doing the truth” from Jesus and uses them here in his letter.

Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

John 8:12
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Hebrews 13:20–21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.