In our last program we learned how to evaluate the truth of any religious system. In today’s program we will learn how to evaluate our own relationship to God. In the second chapter of his first general epistle, Christ’s Apostle John tells us in verse nine: “He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now.” (ASV)
With the words, “he is in the light” John gives us help in checking the validity of a third claim to spiritual soundness. The first claim was, “I know him.” (1 John 2:4) A second claim was, “we abide in him.” (1 John 2:6) Now, the third claim is, “I am in the light.” As we have already seen, that ‘light’ dispels hatred. If hatred is still present in our hearts, then we are not, “in the light.” Do we still participate in family, clan, racial or personal hatreds? If so, we are not yet “in the light.” In verses 9 and 10 walking in the light is illustrated by following the divinely given precept of love for our brethren.
In a previous program we saw the inclusive definition of ‘light’ from 1 John 1:6. In that verse we are told that those who “walk in darkness” “lie, and do not the truth.” As darkness is the opposite of light so lying is the opposite of truth. Thus we conclude that since darkness represents lying, light represents truth. We are also told by John in the gospel which God wrote through him that God’s word is truth. (cf. John 17:17.) Part of the message of God’s word is the truth about loving and hating other people. It is that part of the truth which is used here as a way for us to determine whether we are in the light or in the darkness.
1 John 2:10 goes on to say that, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.” (ASV) The phrase, “abideth in the light” is very important. Coming occasionally into the light is not enough, we must abide in it. It must be our life style; our regular habit of life.
When a person abides in the light, “there is no occasion of stumbling in him.” Brotherly love sets a beneficial example. It abides in the light, that is, it follows the truth. If we compromise the truth, not only do we harm ourselves but we set a wrong example before our brethren. This may cause them great harm. In sharp contrast to an example which disregards the light and, thus, sets a dangerous example, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor:” (Romans 13:10 ASV)
Should we not abide in the light our example might cause others also to disregard the light. Thus, we would have caused them to stumble. That would be a flagrant violation of brotherly love.
Everyone should know that he “that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:11 ASV) The phrase, “he that hateth his brother” introduces us to a very frightening truth. John states the same truth both positively and negatively. We have just seen that “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light.” That is the positive statement. On the other hand, “he that hateth his brother is in the darkness.” That is the negative statement. Even with these explicit criteria can we properly evaluate ourselves? It requires great honesty. We must not overrate our love. Also, we must not deny hatred if it should be in our heart.
Darkness is injurious to any person who remains in it. This passage tells us that “darkness hath blinded his eyes” It means that the sin of hating a brother has blinded the eyes of the one who hates. However, it is not only the sin of hatred which blinds, but all sin does the same thing. It is true to say that sin always blinds its practitioners. Whenever we reject the truth, that rejection blinds us because we are groping without truth to guide us! If we reject the truth about brotherly love, it will also effect other areas in our lives. Rejecting such an important truth as our responsibility to love our brethren, will cause other truth to be taken from us.
Scripture tells us that some people “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie:” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 ASV cf. Matthew 13:10-12.) We will, then, be forced to grope as a blind person. We will not understand where we are going or what we are doing. In that case, we become extremely vulnerable to Satan’s efforts to lead us further astray.
Hatred comes in many forms. Surely those who explode bombs in market places, in buses, on trains, in airplanes and other places, bombs which kill and maim people indiscriminately are full of hate. Consequently they are in the thickest and densest darkness. But many people show hatred for their fellow humans in less notorious ways than those who kill and maim with bombs. Failure to respond to human need is perhaps the most widely practiced form of hatred. Later in this same short book of scripture we are asked, “Whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17) Only Jesus Christ can change our hearts so we no longer hate but show love to everyone.