What does it mean to walk in the light?

But what is this walk in the light? It is not the same thing as walking according to the light. It does not mean to live a perfect and sinless life. Walking in the light is not the question of how we wait but where we walk, and the place where the believer walks is the light. It means to walk daily in His presence, with our will and conscience in the light and presence of God, judging everything that does not answer to that light. Whatever is not right is brought at once in His presence, exposed to the light, confessed, judged and put away. Such is the walk in the light which fellowship with God demands. The result of such a walk in the light is mutual fellowship among believers, because each has the same nature of God and the same Spirit, the same Christ as the object before the heart and the same Father. It cannot be otherwise. Then there is another thing stated, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." Walking in the light shows us what we are and we cannot say that we have no sin. But we have no consciousness of sin resting upon us before a holy God, though we know that sin is in us, but we have the assurance of being cleansed from it by His precious blood. Such is the blessed position of a true Christian. Fellowship with the Father and with His Son, walking in the light as He is in the light, fellowship one with another and the cleansing power of the blood.

Verses 8-10. The light makes known that sin is in us. If the believer, the child of God, says that he has no sin, the light contradicts him. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The denial of sin within is a delusion. This evil teaching that the old Adamic nature is eradicated in the believer is widespread in our day among Holiness, Pentecostal and other sects. True spirituality is to confess daily, walking in the light, that in our flesh there dwelleth no good thing. And if sin is committed it needs confession. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Therefore, if we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practise truth: our life is a perpetual lie.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we (believers) have communion with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. These are the great principles, the great features of christian position. We are in the presence of God without a veil. It is a real thing, a matter of life and of walk. It is not the same thing as walking according to the light; but it is in the light. That is to say, that this walk is before the eyes of God, enlightened by the full revelation of what He is. It is not that there is no sin in us; but, walking in the light, the will and the conscience being in the light as God is in it, everything is judged that does not answer to it. We live and walk morally in the sense that God is present, and as knowing Him. We walk thus in the light. The moral rule of our will is God Himself, God known. The thoughts that sway the heart come from Himself and are formed upon the revelation of Himself. The apostle puts these things always in an abstract way: thus he says, "he cannot sin, because he is born of God"; and that maintains the moral rule of this life; it is its nature; it is the truth, inasmuch as the man is born of God. We cannot have any other measure of it: any other would be false. It does not follow, alas! that we are always consistent; but we are inconsistent if we are not in this state; we are not walking according to the nature that we possess; we are out of our true condition according to that nature.

"If we walk in the light," etc. (1 John 1), refers to our standing, not to our practical ways. It is not how but where you walk; i.e., not in the world nor in Jewish shadows, but "in the light."

It is continually asked whether "walking in the light" is expressive of our standing, or of our practical condition. Because of the word "walk," it is supposed by many that it must refer to the believer's daily walk. Two or three considerations, drawn from the passage and its context, will elicit its true significance. It is evident then, in the first place, that "walking in darkness" in verse 6 is an absolute contrast with walking in the light in verse 7; and that both expressions flow from the declaration in verse 5, "that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." Bearing this in mind, it will be at once seen that "walking in the light" covers all who are introduced into the sphere of the revelation of what God is in Christ; that it includes therefore, in other words, all Christians; and hence that "walking in darkness" comprises all who are outside this sphere — all who are unconverted, all who do not possess eternal life. It must ever be remembered that for John there are only two spheres — light and darkness; just as we read in the gospel, — "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." It should be remarked, moreover, that it is "walking in the light" "as He (God) is in the light;" not according to the light, which would indicate our practical walk, but "in the light as He is in the light," which cannot mean other than the circle or sphere in which God in His nature, His holiness, is absolutely revealed. All therefore are either in the light or in the darkness. Why, then, it may be enquired, is the word "walk" employed? Because it is never supposed in Scripture that the practical condition of the believer will be otherwise than in accordance with his standing. The greatest possible damage is done to souls in insisting upon standing irrespective of state; and, therefore, if John speaks of our walking in the light as God is the light, he assumes that we shall live, and move, and have our being in this circle. The following words will explain this still further: "It is not 'if we walk according to the light' that is the practical consequence in this world, even when we are not directly enjoying communion, but we walk in the light when we walk with God fully revealed to soul and conscience. It is a real thing in life, we walk, but [it is] more than walking according to light. It is a walking in the presence of a fully-revealed God, the conscience, and spiritual judgment, and apprehension being in the light as He is — what God is, perfectly seen, and everything by it, and all clear as it is in light and for the soul. If we walk thus with God inwardly, all is judged inwardly, and our life is only the expression of the working of God in power in the life which we have of Him, of Christ in us (wisdom and power)."* It is also in this sphere, and only there, that Christian fellowship is enjoyed. This is readily understood, because outside of it is darkness — where God is not. Lastly, we are reminded of the foundation of this blessedness, the abiding efficacy of the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, which cleanseth from all sin, from the defilement of every sin, and which has thus made it possible for us to be in the light, as God is in the light, in peace, confidence, and liberty. It is, therefore, no question here of the application of the blood, but simply one of its perfect and abiding efficacy. To speak of the continuous application of the blood, as is often done, is to miss the teaching of this scripture, and to contradict some of the plainest statements of the Word, as, for example, in Hebrews 10:1-18. But after unfolding to us the wondrous place in the light into which we are brought before God, and the truth that it is only in that circle we can have fellowship one with another, it is very blessed to be reminded of the source of the cleansing, which enables us to occupy our place.

To walk in the light is another thing from walking according to the light. It is to walk in full day, in the clearness of the full revelation of what God is. To walk in darkness is to walk without the knowledge of God.

"If we walk in the light," is walking in the true knowledge of God, fully revealed as He is in His holy nature without a veil, as contrasted with ignorance of God. Christianity is in contrast with a God who could give commandments but was hidden behind a veil. This brought fellowship in common joys, and we can stand in the light; for that which revealed it, the cross, the blow which rent the veil, put away every sin, every stain, and I am in the light, as white as snow. All is the present condition of the Christian as such. It is not that it will cleanse us if we fly to it, or if we bring everything to God without evasion. It is "if we walk in the light," not even according to our capacity in realising it (all these details are foreign to the verse, and come after), but if we walk in it as God is in it. The very expression "all sin," or every sin, shews us the same thing; it is not a question of details, but its universal and absolute value.

This is precisely what our apostle is so happy in presenting, and so constant in applying to us. "If we walk in the light" means in effect if we are Christians, if we have seen the light of life, if we are following Christ. It is the Lord who says, "He that followeth Him shall not walk in darkness" (John 8:12). Does He mean that this belongs only to some saints? He asserts it to be true of every one that follows Him; "he shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." Great as the privilege is, it is wholly of divine grace, and in no way attainment through our fidelity; it is solely the fruit of God's incomparable goodness, that even now as believers we have to do directly with God as He is. And where is God known as He is? In the light; certainly not in the dark but in the light. There it is that we not only have eternal life, but along with it we walk in the light, instead of in darkness like a heathen. Fallen man walks in the darkness necessarily, because he does not know God. The believer walks in the light, because he does know God, having seen Christ, the light of life; and this light of life is not merely a little gleam which soon vanishes away; it is a perfect and a constant light. The true light already shines, and where does it shine? On the Christian, and into his very heart. The apostle Paul even adds "the light of the glory," because he is occupied with Christ on high; but here it is rather the light of life in Christ, the true light of the divine nature. Hence, when we are converted and rest upon redemption, where are we brought? Not yet to heaven, but "brought to God" (1 Peter 3:18). And is God darkness? "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." Therein it is that we walk.

People confound walking in the light with walking according to the light; but this is quite another thing. For if you say "we walk according to the light," it means practical conduct; but if it is said "we walk in the light," it is where we are brought by our Lord Jesus Christ — to God, walking from that moment till we are with Him where that light has absolutely no hindrance more. Here we are surrounded with all kinds of drawbacks, obstructions, and dangers from the flesh, the world, and the devil. Yet by faith we walk in the light of God's presence already.

But we have to do with the same God, only fully revealed, which was and could not be then, till the veil was rent. But since Christ's death His love and His light are come out in perfection for the soul's deliverance, not yet for the world's, nor even for Israel as a nation, but for the Christian. Here were persons calling themselves Christians, who walked in darkness while they claimed the high and holy privilege of fellowship with God, and yet denied responsibility for the practice of His will. And what does He say about them? He says, if so we do, "we lie, and do not the truth." The whole life is a lie, because it denies the essential principle and necessary character of a Christian, who not only is the object of divine grace, but walks in the light of God. You can no more get out of that light really than a man who in the hours of day walks where the light of the sun shines. Such is what real Christianity means.

Next we have, on the contrary, the other and blessed side in verse 7. The apostle states the real place of the Christian, and puts it in a striking point of view. As there are three different ways in which professing Christians may belie Christianity (for this is just what he is showing in these latter verses, and what has come out now near the harvest of what was then only being sown by the enemy), here we find three great and essential marks of the true Christian. First of all is walking in the light — "But if we walk in the light." We may illustrate the truth by the figure here employed. Consider one in an entirely dark room, how he flounders about, fails in what he seeks, and injures himself and the things he knocks against. Let a full light enter, the perplexity ceases, and he walks with ease, comfort and certainty. So it is with the spiritual light which shines on the Christian's walk, and there in Christ it shines. It is here a question not of "how" but "where." Every real Christian by grace walks in the light. It is therefore of high moment that all such should be aware (far as it is from the mind of many) that they do so. It is a great universal Christian privilege. It is not a mere sentiment or idea, but a conferred reality; and also a practical reality that God would have appropriated and enjoyed by every Christian. There may be, and there is, falling short in detail as already said; and we are responsible to feel our failures, and to acknowledge them all the more because we walk in the light.

Some believers read this as if it says, 'if we walk according to the light' but this is not the real meaning of walking in the light. To walk in the light as He is in the light is to live in a position where God's revealed nature illuminates and exposes all that we do - whether good or evil. Those who walk in darkness have no real relationship with the living and true God. His nature has no bearing on the character of their lives. Their sins are not exposed to their consciences as are ours who know God and who walk in the light. From Paul's teaching we may say that although the flesh is in us we are not in the flesh. From John's we may say that although we do not walk in darkness there is darkness in us. The light in which we now walk exposes that darkness, inducing us to confess our sins.

The Christian is now not in the dark, as they comparatively were. We walk in the light. And carefully remember, my brethren, that to "walk in the light" does not mean merely according to the light, important as this is, and our clear duty. That we walk in the light is universally true of the Christian. Thereby is not meant, as many assume, the special attainment or high measure of spirituality reached by some Christians. That we walk in the light flows from our being brought to God, who is light, and is the revealed place of nearness where grace has put all that are brought out of darkness into the marvellous light of God, that is, every Christian person now. We are light, and in the light; we are walking there, and not in darkness. And because by grace we walk in the light, we are bound to walk according to the light.

But our responsibility to walk according to the light is wholly different from, though founded on, our walking in the light. If we are Christians really, we follow Christ, and have the light of life; and so we walk in the light, as men do literally while it is day. It is precisely where the knowledge of Christ as the light places us all. For now no man can follow Christ, or, in other words, can be a Christian, without walking in that light. It is not the spiritual only, but every Christian who enjoys this as his settled constant privilege. But although we walk there, it does not follow that we walk faithfully according to the light. This is where we see practical differences abound among Christians; but there is no difference at all in the great truth, that now we all walk in the light as God is in the light. As yet, however, it was not the time for that light to shine, and therefore we are far less excusable than they if we forget it; for all this is made known to us to preserve us from the mistakes into which even good men then fell.