Abiding in Love

KEY VERSE: “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.” —I John 1:7

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: I John 1:1-10

THE VERY EARLIEST act recorded in the Genesis account of the earthly creation resulted in the appearance of light upon the earth. “Let there be light: and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3) This reminds us that the beginning of the New Creation was also preceded by the appearance of light in the world. This included the light of truth necessary for the work which was about to begin. Paul said, “God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”—II Cor. 4:6

The Master in substance emphasized, “I am come a light into the world.” (John 12:46) Not that our Lord expected all men to come to the light and rejoice in it then and there, for the majority of mankind were, and still are, not ready for this blessing. It is recorded: “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”—John 3:19

Looking back to the First Advent, we see that only a few in Israel were ready for the message of the great salvation Jesus brought. The same has been true of the Gentiles to whom the light of truth went after Israel was cast off from favor. Only one here and there has been, through faith and consecration, translated out of darkness into his marvelous light.—I Pet. 2:9

We must never forget that the light of God, and his children illuminated by this light, have many enemies. First and foremost there is the great enemy of God and man, Satan, the prince of darkness; his kingdom, of which we were once a part, is a kingdom of darkness.

The Scriptures show how Satan is constantly using the children of darkness to deceive and mislead the children of light by trying to make darkness appear light, and light darkness. As the prophet said, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”—Isa. 5:20

Against these attacks the faithful apostle exhorts the brethren, saying, “So then brethren, stand your ground, and hold fast to the teachings which you have received from us, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” (II Thess. 2:15, Weymouth) If we would stand against the wiles of the prince of darkness in this evil day, we must be faithful to the light with which we have been blessed and “walk in the light” in accord with the truth that has come to us. The psalmist said, “Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.”—Ps. 97:11

Again, “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness.” (Ps. 112:4) For these the path of light will shine with increasing brightness as they seek not only to hold fast to the truth but also to possess more and more of the spirit of the truth. This is suggested by the psalmist’s description of this class: “There ariseth in the darkness a light to the upright: he is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.”—Ps. 112:4, Leeser

It is the light of truth that establishes for us a common bond of fellowship. It comes not from any earthly source, but is a light from heaven communicated to us by God through his Word. “The Lord is my light.” We are exhorted to strive that our thoughts and actions may be in accord with this light of truth (I John 1:7), that we may become ‘lights’ in the Lord, walking “as children of light” (Eph. 5:8), because “ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day.”—I Thess. 5:5

Having been translated out of our former darkness into God’s marvelous light, we must never forget that continued enjoyment of the light of truth is conditional. Our Lord’s words contain a solemn warning along this line: If the light with which you have been blessed become darkness—if you fail to let it shine by putting it under a vessel, or under a bed—how great is that darkness!—Matt. 5:14-16; 6:23

Our Master said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), I will show you the way in which one who has been illuminated with “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” should walk in order to lay hold of the glory, honor, and immortality held out to him. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”—Matt. 5:16

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