John is closely following Jesus; he’s our man on the scene. Few people can testify to the Truth that is Jesus as John does. Along with Peter and James, John is found with Christ in the most privileged circumstances Mark 5:37-43, Matthew 17:1, Matthew 26:37 (et al). John stayed with Jesus until the gruesome moment of his death and was the first apostle at the tomb on Sunday morning. John is a close, committed and authentic follower of our Lord.
Here, John invites us into that most intimate fellowship with Jesus. “We proclaim what we have seen and heard so that you may also have fellowship with us” (v3). And, in this brief chapter, John is quick to call us, not just into fellowship, but into authenticity by declaring outright that if we claim to have accepted this offer into fellowship with Jesus Christ, yet walk in darkness, we lie and don’t live according to truth (v6). He warns us, in the strictest of terms, that if we attempt to cover up our sins or in any other way deny that we have sinned, that we’re making God out to be the liar (v10).
To have any faith in Jesus at all, we must be bold in our faith. Walking in the light means we must be willing to live transparent lives before God and man. It’s an act of cowardice to operate under the cover of darkness or in such a manner as to hope our true intentions are not revealed. John is telling us that no authentic follower of Jesus Christ tries to cover our sins for ourselves.
By faith we’re saved. If you trust Jesus, what could prevent you from walking this entire day out transparently?
But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other… -1 John 1:7 (NLT)
