John 3:14-21 [KJV]:
“16 For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
For a long time, I’ve read that part about men loving darkness rather than light, and equated it to men loving evil rather than good. But actually, He says that men loved darkness BECAUSE their deeds were evil. They hate the light because it EXPOSES their sin. That’s what light DOES! Light exposes EVERYTHING… good AND evil. So he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be plainly seen to be wrought in God.
But ALSO, he that knows his deeds are evil, but wants to change, will come to the light, that his evil deeds may be exposed, so that he can confess them, and be forgiven, and cleansed from all unrighteousness.
NO condemnation. Cleansed from ALL unrighteousness. That’s God’s desire for every man. But it can’t come without exposure to the light… and confession rather than denial.
John ties them together again in 1 John 1:6-10 [KJV].
“6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”
If “walking in the light” meant being in sinless perfection, then there wouldn’t be any need for the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all sin. God is not requiring us to walk in sinless perfection in order to be forgiven. He is asking us to be open and honest, hiding nothing… totally exposed by the light. Walking in darkness is man’s way of hiding, and denying that he has sinned. That is when we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If God wants to expose our sin by His light, but we choose to hide in darkness, then we ARE condemned!
The more we continue to walk in the light, letting God reveal and expose any darkness, and we confess and forsake our sins; the more of His light God can shine on us. And we ourselves shine brighter and brighter, as lights of this world… exposing the good and the evil all around us. Quite amazing!
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