Walking in the Light—not Sinning

We do not commit conscious sin when we walk in the light as He is in the light. 1 John 1:7. Then we are awake in earnest and do not sin. 1 Corinthians 15:34. We keep ourselves, and the wicked one does not touch us. 1 John 5:18.

The longing of a godfearing soul is to be finished with sinning, never more to transgress against Him who loved us so much. Zacharias prophesied that Jesus came “. . . to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” Luke 1:74-75.

If we walk in the light, we have a good conscience concerning everything that has to do with conscious sin. In due course, the Spirit will reveal our unconscious sin to us. Romans 8:13. Our conscience is molded by the preaching of the Word; it also tells us whether we live according to the light we have. Romans 2:15. The conscience must be cleansed from dead works by the blood of Jesus so we can serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14), who will then become our leader whom we learn to trust. We must be constantly cleansed by the washing of water by the word, lest we become dull in our conscience. Ephesians 5:26.

Jesus offered Himself in the power of the eternal Spirit as a pleasing sacrifice to God, without spot. Hebrews 9:14. We walk in precisely the same Spirit and in the very same steps when we walk in the light as He is in the light. When we walk in those steps, we are not upbraided in our conscience for our failures. We find our life and put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. Romans 8:13.

The saints in the old covenant walked in the light of the Spirit according to their conscience, which either accused them or excused them; however, the root of sin was not removed. In the new covenant, we are required to walk even as He walked. 1 John 2:6. This is a walk in the Spirit according to the light of the Lamb. Revelation 21:23. In this light, sin is revealed to us; but we also have the power of the Holy Spirit to be finished with it. We walk on the way of light, where the power of sin is broken once and for all, and we become pure just as He is pure. 1 John 3:3.

If we are not constantly nourished by the word of God, our good conscience is easily dulled; in which case we do not notice that we are being upbraided. By way of example, the foolish virgins presumably went to meet the Bridegroom with a good conscience.

The apostle’s message is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5); that we shall walk in the light as He is in the light (1 John 1:7); and that he who loves his brother abides in the light. 1 John 2:10. What people hear mostly these days is that we are dark right through and that we cannot do anything but sin—yet God is gracious! Jesus says it in these words, “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” Luke 11:36. Then my thoughts and motives are pure, and nothing is in darkness as far as I know. “In Your light we see light.” Psalm 36:9.

Light is judgment; and when we, step by step, enter into the light and are willing to be judged, we are transformed into Jesus’ image. It is true in Him and in us, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 1 John 2:8. O blessed and precious light of God which, though overlooked and despised by many, is nevertheless dear and precious to those who walk in the light!