1 John 1:5 ESV
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

In 1 John 1:5, John refers to light and darkness. God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. Historically, there are two meanings for light and dark: the intellectual and the moral. Intellectually light is truth and darkness is falsehood. Morally light is purity and darkness is sin. God is perfection through and through. John is challenging the heretics of the day who met in secret societies cloaked in rituals and secret veiled initiation rights. For them to claim they knew God was ridiculous because God IS light and he would not be found in the literal dark rituals of the heretics.

This is interesting for today’s modern society where so much is applauded that is shrouded in darkness and secrecy. It is easier to live in the darkness too. What is truth these days? Truth has become lies and lies have become truth. How do we, as Christians discern the difference?

I grew up in a church where the leadership team looked the other way when confronted with bold-faced sin. There was no accountability and sin was shrouded in secrecy. This was a supposedly bible teaching Baptist church. After I left for college, one person after another fell into scandal. BIG scandal. It was like watching flies drop. It was horrific really. It was sad and heartbreaking. How does that much scandal happen in the church? Secrecy. Sin. Darkness.

We all sin, but it is the fact of making sin a practice that is the difference. Making a habit of sin is what John will expand upon in 1 John 3:6. If you practice sin continually John, without hesitation, calls us out as not being a Christian. We will stumble. But with the Holy Spirit in us, it is extremely hard, impossible really, to make a practice of sin.

My dear, dear reader. I implore you, on behalf of Jesus, to be reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:20) Don’t get caught up in a “feel good” church. Please. Don’t do it. Read Matthew 5-7. Read John 6. What does it say in John 6:66? Jesus was not preaching to the masses. He was preaching to the called. He was not trying to sell anyone anything. He was speaking truth.

Truth is hard. Get yourself into a church that is not afraid to preach the truth. If you are attending a “self-help” topical feel good sermon preaching church, get out! Run! Find a church that will speak the truth to you. Find a community that has leaders like John. I look at John and think what a great thing to be under his leadership. That is what I look for in leaders. Truth. Hard truth. Truth that is full of light and no darkness at all.