Walk in the Light
“1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
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.”
1 John 1 closely aligns with the opening of John’s Gospel, revealing Jesus as the Word, Life, and Light who has been with God from the beginning. Through Jesus, the eternal Word made flesh, the nature of God and His plan for salvation are fully manifested.
Jesus, the Word from the beginning, is not merely one who speaks on behalf of God but is Himself the Word incarnate. The declaration in John’s Gospel, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us,” is echoed in 1 John: “What we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands.”
1 John 1 emphasizes that God is Light and that the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. This message invites us to acknowledge our sinful nature and humbly accept the grace offered to us through Christ.
In Islam, Allah is portrayed as a transcendent and wholly separate absolute being, demanding submission from humanity. In contrast, the God of Christianity is One who incarnated and dwelt among us. He is Emmanuel, “God with us,” who entered into our suffering and darkness.
Our act of submission as Christians is directed to Jesus, the Lamb of God who took on human form, bore the weight of sin, and was slain to restore us from the grip of sin, darkness, and death. This submission is not to a distant and unapproachable deity but to the One who lovingly sacrificed Himself for our salvation.
Today’s passage invites us to acknowledge our darkness and sin, and to accept Jesus, who is Light and Life. During this Advent season, may we reflect deeply on the incarnation of Christ and the grace of salvation He offers. Let us find hope and life in Him even amidst our frailty and struggles. In a season where worldly distractions abound, may we worship with humility, meditating on the profound mystery of the incarnate Lord.
Prayer: Lord, I praise You as the God who does not remain distant but comes into my life, my soul, my home, and this world as Light, Life, and the Word made flesh. I confess my weakness and darkness, and I open my heart to receive the radiant light of Your glory. Grant Your forgiveness and cleansing grace to all who pray and confess You as their Lord. In this Advent season, may we worship with gratitude and humility, embracing the salvation found in You. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)
Devotional content is available on the Our Daily Bread website.