False Assertions About Sin. Part 8.

False Assertions Addressed By John. 

*  "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth" 1 John 1:6

In the scriptures of truth, darkness is so often related to sin as though synonymous with it. Soon as man touched/meddled with sin in the garden, the entire human race was plunged into darkness; thus, the first and most spontaneous reaction Adam & Eve had to the rays of the bright presence of God, when he came walking in the garden, was to flee and hide from the light of his presence. 

In the dark shade of the branches and leaves of the trees of the garden, they sought for shelter and a covering from the light of God's presence. Genesis 3:8-13.

The Lord Jesus in John 3:19-21 said: "this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God".

Those who love sin; whose deeds are evil, inevitably love darkness. It's impossible to love sin, and not love darkness; for darkness provides a perfect cover, a secret/hiding place and enabling environment where sins/evil heeds are conveniently practiced, without any fear of exposure and guilt. 

It's absolutely impossible for us to walk and fellowship in darkness, practising evil deeds and sins which are convenient in darkness, and yet have true fellowship with God. 

John the apostle says it's a false assertion/lie, to say/profess that we have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness. Such false professors do not do/practice the truth. 

In verse 5 of 1st John 1, he shows why it's absolutely impossible to have fellowship with God, whilst walking in darkness/having fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. 

5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Also Paul the apostle, in his epistles, speaks of the works of darkness, the sins/evil deeds wrought in darkness, and warns the believers in Christ against having fellowship with them.

In Romans 13:12 he admonished thus:

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."

Also in Ephesians 5:8, 11-14, he wrote thus:

8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

11-14  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

* "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now." (1 John 2:9).

In the old testament, when God said that he will dwell in thick darkness, it didn't mean that he fellowships with darkness, it rather meant that he will manifest behind the veil as sitting over/on the mercy seat within the veil. 

God was not yet revealed in the old testament, the eternal life which was with the Father was still veiled and not yet manifested, the only begotten Son in his bosom had not yet declared/led him out. Please see 1st Kings 8:12; Leviticus 16:2; John 1:18 and 1st John 1:2.

Sin having come in through man's disobedience, darkness fell upon creation and the way to the tree of life was closed/shut to man being guarded by covering cherubs(Genesis 3:24); and this truth captured in the book of Genesis by Moses, was also symbolically represented in the tabernacle built by Moses; the making of two cherubims, who covered the mercy seat in the ark of covenant within the veil/most holy place of the tabernacle(Exodus 25:18-22).

The vail/veil goes with darkness...a covering which brings it's dark shadow/darkness over whatever it covers; the wings of the cherubs also overshadowing the mercy seat, cast darkness over the mercy seat where God dwelt/sat in the old covenant, thus God did not just dwell in darkness, but in thick darkness with the covering of the veil and that of the wings of the cherubs. Hebrews 9:5.

The interrelationship between the veil and the covering cherubs is conspicuous, and symbolically captured in the tabernacle built by Moses, as the veil was embroidered with cherubs. Exodus 36:35.

The veil also represents the body of the sins of the flesh...Hebrews 10:20 speaks of the new and living way, which Christ has consecrated for us through the veil, which his flesh. It is that likeness of sinful flesh which Jesus took on account of sin, and for sin in order to condemn sin in it(Romans 8:3).

The glory trapped within the veil and underneath the wings of the cherubs in the tabernacle/ark, and the glory underneath the vail in the face of Moses; is a figure of the light of life, which on account of sin, could not be accessed in the old covenant.

All these were a figure of the one to come(Christ), in whom is life which is the light of men..."the light of life"(John 1:4; 8:12).

When he came into this world of darkness, he came veiled in human flesh; but the veil, which is his flesh, was torn in his death that he may ray through, in newness of life, to reveal his incorruptible glory.

The veil which is his flesh embroidered with covering cherubs, as represented in the tabernacle/temple, was completely torn in his death, from top to bottom; signifying that the way to eternal life is now open. 

The entire creation sold under the bondage of death and corruption, reacted to this unprecedented breakthrough, as the earth quaked and the rocks rocked and rent. 

The darkness of the old was fully represented in the darkness which fell upon the entire land and lingered for three hours, as the sun was darkened; from the sixth hour to the ninth hour. When Christ cried and gave up the ghost in the ninth hour, that darkness passed away and the veil in the temple rent in twain, from top to bottom. Matthew 27:45-54; Luke 23:44-46.

There is so much to unpack in connecting/knitting the threads of scripture concerning the darkness of the old, the veil, the covering cherubs and the offering of the body of Christ; but just like the inspired apostle in Hebrews 9:5 would say: "of this we cannot now speak in details". 

My drift in picking up threads of details in the old, was basically to show the contrast between the old and new, and how that following the coming, the death and resurrection of Christ, the darkness of the old has passed and the true light now shines in the new testament, for the light of life can no longer be hid/veiled in darkness.

"Again, a new commandment i write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shines" 1 John 2:8

Unlike the glory on the face of Moses, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ cannot be veiled. 

It is a glory that abides permanently and eternally, being on the face of Jesus who as a Son over his own house abides forever, unlike Moses who only served as a servant (who does not abide forever), for a testimony of things to be spoken after. John 8:34-35;.Hebrews 3:2-6; Corinthians 3:7-18; 

The great tragedy then, is to still dwell in darkness even after the darkness of the old has passed and the true light now shines. 

He that says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is in darkness even till now.

Hatred is of the flesh: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest....hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, envyings, murders".

Galatians 5:19-21

The mystery of iniquity which came into play in the human race following the fall, manifested/bore it's earliest fruits in hatred and enmity in the way of Cain. Cain was named and described from birth as "a man from the Lord", yet ended up with the description of being "of that wicked one"(of the devil). Genesis 4:1 and 1 John 3:10-12.

How did he, who at birth, was a man from the Lord, end up as being of the devil? 

The mystery of iniquity is the answer to that.

Who taught him to murder?

In the rage of hatred and enmity, came the inspiration to murder as powered by the devil.

The wall of enmity between Jews and gentiles is in the flesh; the sectarian and denominational spirit which thrives in strife, envy and enmity is in the flesh and of the flesh. Ephesians 2:11-18

When we assert that we are of Paul, of Apollos or of Cephas, as set in variance against ourselves, that's carnality and belongs to the flesh. We are thus still trapped in the veil which is the flesh, and the darkness within/underneath. 

We're still groping in and under the shadows cast on us by the vail; through the preaching of men and projection/promotion of the images/glory of our choice ministers, thus glorying in men and not in God. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4, 21-23; 2 Corinthians 3:13-18; 4:1-6.

The vail which is the flesh(the body of the sins of the flesh and the manifest works of the flesh) was done away in Christ. Colossians 2:11.

The enmity, segregation and divide between Jews, gentiles, circumcision, uncircumcision, bond, free etc. were all done away in Christ.

In Christ none of that exists but a new creation, a new humanity/human race where Christ is all in all; and foremostly, this is being worked into the church, which is the vessel for the expression of the fullness of him who is destined to fill all things. See Colossians 3:8-11; Ephesians 1:20-23.

Where then is the place of the flesh, the glory of man and what is of man in the midst of the church of Christ? 

A very fearful truth and question it is, for if in the light and scrutiny of this truth, we are to xray and query what obtains in many places called 'Church' today, we will clearly see how satan has come in and what a large place he already occupies in so called ministry work today; using men/ministers to usurp and take the place of Christ in the very place where Christ should be all in all.

The flesh has a large place in what is called church today, with the glory, fear and authority of men registering deeply in the hearts of God's people, and manifesting it's ugly fruits of envy, enmity, hatred, variance, emulation and strife, which is so rife today. We are thus left with empty/false professors who go on professing that they are in the light, yet scriptures clearly reveal that they are still in darkness for they are still caught up in the strife, hatred, emulation and enmity that dwells in the flesh. 

Often some people, who appear as ministers of light, come teaching some doctrinal novelty, which is neither compatible nor consistent with the scriptures of truth. 

Their minds are a morbid jumble of disputation; full of strife of words whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings etc. We are to be wary of the words of such men, which often have an opiate influence on those who swallow them hook, line and sinker. 

Let No Man Deceive You With Vain Words.