This Week in I John: If we're in the light, we'll love!

Here's the main text we'll be discussing from I John this week.

7Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

In these verses, John goes back to using the imagery of light and darkness. We looked at this in the first lesson over Chapter 1 (see verses 6 and 7). I John 1:5 says that "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." In John 8:12, Jesus says "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." So, we can discern that when John says walk or abide in the light, you can substitute Christ for light (abide in Christ).

Last week, John (both the apostle and my favorite teacher:) clarified some as to what it means to walk in the light. in chapter 2, verses 3-6, we are told that if we truly know him, we will obey his commands. 2:6 sums it up well: "whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked". What a powerful verse! If we say we abide or live or walk with Christ, we will live like He did. If you're like me, you're saying Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

Now this week, the verses are ever bit as challenging to we who say we follow Christ. We're told "Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light" (2:9b-10a). So, quick summary is, if we are truly in Christ (i.e. we know Him), we will love others. Depending on the kind of week you're having, this may not sound too bad. I've read this passage plenty of times and not stopped to think, "do I love my brother?".

However, John Piper had a good observation in his sermon on these verses. That is, the Apostle John (man, all these John's to keep up with) leaves us no middle ground here. If you love, you're in the light. If you hate, you're in the darkness. What about when I'm indifferent to my brother in need? What about the fact that I don't really have a heart at times for the lost around me? He used Mark 4:4 as an example. Here, Jesus was preparing to heal a man with a lame hand. The Pharisees were against this action because it was the Sabbath and Jewish law states that no work can be performed on the Sabbath. Christ responded to them with a question:

"Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?".

Of course, we also know from Matthew 5 that Jesus said:

"You have heard it was said Do not murder ... but I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment".

So, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that we are commanded as followers of Christ to love like Christ did. No middle ground. This really convicts me. I know that many times I am indifferent to those around me, just too caught up in my own little life to even pay attention. Since I've read this passage this week, I've noticed on many occasions the lack of love in my heart. It's pretty discouraging when I really examine myself in comparison to the kind of love Christ commands of me. I know I am far from where I need to be.

However, I also know that on my own, I'll get nowhere in my quest to love my neighbor as myself. Thank God for his grace! If I confess my sin of a lack of love, he is faithful and just to forgive my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). I can pray "may the Lord make my love increase and overflow to each other and to everyone else" (I Thes 3:12) as Paul did for the church of Thessalonica. Will God not answer that prayer? I believe he will. Where are you at? John (the apostle) is calling us to test whether we are walking in the light by whether we are loving or hating, and there doesn't seem to be middle ground to stand on.

I'm looking forward to our discussion on Sunday. Or, maybe on the web prior to then. YAMS Blog!

In His Grace Alone,
Craig