God is Light

I found another set of fascinating parallel passages I want to compare. They are both written by John whom I believe was the disciple who most thoroughly grasped the big picture of what Jesus came to this earth to do. One passage is from his gospel and the other from the beginning of his first letter.

That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you, that our joy may be fulfilled.

This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:1-9)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God. (John 3:16-21)

Here are some compelling parallels I find in comparing these two passages.

God – Father and Son – Light with no darkness at all – Faithful and Righteous

We with you may fellowship together and with God – Joy

Fellowship involves cleansing of all sin/darkness/evil/unrighteousness

Walking in Light means working in God, doing the truth

Hating light/loving darkness is anti-fellowship – evil, unrighteousness, unlike God/Light

God is love. Loving darkness means loving the absence of God/Light.

Claiming to have fellowship with God/Light while hating Light is an oxymoron/lie/untruth

Fellowship requires synchronization, congruency, sharing the same values, loving truth, light, honesty

Judgment is simply what happens when light exposes the incongruity of the lies of darkness, unbelief in Light/Love/God which results in dissonance, resentment, hatred