The Test of Obedience (1John1:5–2:6)

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1 John 1:5-10 (NKJV) 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. 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.
1 John 2:1-6 (NKJV) 1  My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3  Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4  He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5  But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

John introduces us to the image of light (John 1:4). God is light, and Satan is the prince of darkness (Luke 22:53). To obey Him is to walk in the light; to disobey is to walk in darkness. Keep in mind that fellowship is a matter of light and darkness; sonship is a matter of life and death (3:4; 5:11–12). John points out that it is possible for people to say they are in the light, yet actually live in darkness. Note the four “liars” here:

  1. lying about fellowship, 1John1:6–7;
  2. lying about our nature, saying that we have no sin, 1John1:8;
  3. lying about our deeds, saying that we have not sinned, 1John1:10; and
  4. lying about our obedience, saying that we have kept His commandments when we have not, 1John2:4–6.

Christians do sin, but this does not mean they must be saved all over again. Sin in the life of the believer breaks the fellowship but does not destroy the sonship. A true Christian is always accepted even if he is not acceptable. How does God provide for the sins of the saints? Through the heavenly ministry of Christ. We are saved from the penalty of sin by His death (Rom. 5:6–9), and we are saved daily from the power of sin by His life (Rom. 5:10). The word “advocate” means “one who pleads a case” and is the same Gk. word as “Comforter” in John 14:16. The Holy Spirit represents Christ to us on earth, and the Son represents us to God in heaven. His wounds testify that He died for us, and therefore God can forgive when we confess our sins. Read carefully Rom. 8:31–34. The word “confess” means “to say the same thing.” To confess sin means to say the same thing about it that God says. Keep in mind that Christians do not have to do penance, make sacrifices, or punish themselves when they have sinned. Every sin has already been taken care of at the cross. Does this give us license to sin? Of course not! The Christian who truly understands God’s provision for a life of holiness does not want to deliberately disobey God.

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