Walking in the Light

”If we walk in the light . . .”  

I think I have misinterpreted this phrase from I John for my whole life.  If you look at verse 7 bolded below you can see the context.  Condensed, it says, “If we walk in the light, . .  the blood of Jesus . . . purifies us from all sin.”
Somehow I made the assumption that “walking in the light” meant living righteously, a moral imperative.  But it can’t mean that.  The context doesn’t support that and it’s also a works-based salvation.  If we have to live righteously to be purified from sin, then we are earning our salvation.  

Today I saw that “walking in the light” means being with Jesus.  It’s coming into His presence.  As Jesus Calling says, “Man’s tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness. . . .Confess your wrongdoing . . . Stay in the light of My Presence.”  I suddenly realized that when we walk in the light, we let the light of Jesus shine on our sins and “evaporate” them.  We confess them; we don’t try to hide them.  

“Walking in the darkness” is staying away from the Light of the world. It’s not letting Jesus in on all of our life.  It’s not letting His light shine to expose our sins.  It’s trying to cover them up or deny them.  This is more consistent with v.6: If we claim to a relationship with Jesus and yet hide our sins, keeping them in the darkness, we lie.  We don’t really have a relationship with Him if we are not willing to show Him everything.  Verses 8-10 reassure us that as long as we are honest about our sinfulness, Jesus will forgive us.  

This is such a new way to see this for me.  Before, “walking in the light” was a subtle condemnation, because IF I walked in the light, I was forgiven, but I could not maintain the righteousness I thought was implied.  What a beautiful image it is now:  walking in the Light.

I John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.