Discerning Light and Darkness
by Rev. Kirby Williams
John's formula for recognizing who has true fellowship with God by discerning the realm in which they "walk".
Text: 1John 1:6-7
Date: 12/07/2025, the Evening service.
Series: "Evenfall; Sunday Evening Worship" Part 41
Description:
After revealing that God is Light and in Him there is no darkness at all, John presents a series of "if-then" statements designed test who truly has fellowship with God in that Light. We will look at the first two of these statements that work together to clearly define this vital distinction. We will carefully define terms such as "fellowship", "walking", "Light" and "darkness", so that we fully understand the nature of John's comparisons. He establishes two realms: God's realm of Light and satan's realm of darkness. Every person on earth "lives and moves and has their being" in one or the other of these realms. The problem John is addressing exposes those who claim to be in the Light when they are actually walking in and have fellowship with the darkness. Although some find John's word's harsh, divisive, and unyielding, he is establishing the simple truth that if indeed a person has fellowship with God, that relationship will manifest itself in their lifestyle. And even though the vast majority of Evangelical America refuses to see this-- it is important, and indeed vital for the church to be able to make this distinction-- to discern between Light and Darkness.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, 1John 1:6-7.
A. Context
B. Discerning the link between "walking" and "fellowship".
1. Identifying our terms.
a. The "if-then" statement, John 14:15.
b. The "fellowship", 1John 1:5.
c. The "walk", Gen. 5:22.
d. The realms of Light and Darkness, Eph. 2:2, 6:12; 2Cor. 4:4; John 3:19-20.
2. Discerning who walks in darkness, vs. 6.
a. The condition.
b. When the condition fails.
i. John's simple but blunt message, 2Cor. 6:14.
ii. Working out the logic, James 2:18-20,26; Luke 6:43-45.
iii. A message for the church.
3. Discerning who walks in the Light, vs. 7.
a. Differences and similarities.
i. Noticing the similarities.
ii. Noticing the differences.
b. Is John preaching perfectionism?
c. Living and moving in God's realm of Light, Col. 1:13; 1Pet. 2:9; Rom. 7:24.
d. Two consequences of walking in the Light.
i. Fellowship with those in the Light, 1John 1:3.
ii. Fellowship with Christ.
1) The ongoing need for forgiveness, 1John 1:9.
2) The ongoing need for cleansing, Heb. 7:27.
III. Conclusion
