“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” ( 1 John 1:5 5 And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ).

God’s truthfulness and holiness are powerful motives not to sin.

Light and darkness are familiar metaphors in Scripture. Intellectually, light refers to truth, and darkness to error; morally, light refers to holiness, and darkness to evil.

Intellectually, the Bible reveals God as the God of truth. In Exodus 34:6 6 And Jehovah passed by before him, and proclaimed, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, God described Himself to Moses as “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” Both Psalms 31:5 5 Into thy hand I commend my spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Jehovah, thou God of truth. and Isaiah 65:16 16 so that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. refer to Him as the “God of truth.” In the New Testament, Jesus called Himself “the way, and the truth, and the life” ( John 14:6 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me. ).

Not only is God true, but so also is His Word. In 2 Samuel 7:28 28 And now, O Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto thy servant: David exclaimed, “O Lord God, Thou art God, and Thy words are truth.” The Lord Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth” ( John 17:17 17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. ). The Bible, “the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), imparts the light of knowledge. In the familiar words of the psalmist, “Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

Morally, light describes God’s absolute holiness and separation from evil. Psalms 5:4 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: Evil shall not sojourn with thee. says of Him, “No evil dwells with Thee.” “Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil,” said the prophet Habakkuk to God, “and Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor” (Hab. 1:13). Because God is light in the sense of truth, He cannot lie ( Titus 1:2 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times eternal; ). When His Word promises that things will go well with the righteous (Isa. 3:10) and that sin brings consequences (Prov. 11:5), we can be certain that is exactly what will happen. Because God is moral light, we know that He is neither the cause of any evil we encounter, nor the source of our temptation ( James 1:13 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: ).

Understanding the truth that God is light is foundational to dealing with sin in our lives.

Suggestions for Prayer

• Praise God that He has revealed His truth in the Bible.
• Ask God to give you a deeper understanding of His holiness as you study the Scriptures.

For Further Study

Read Proverbs 11:3 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them; But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them. ; 19:3; James 1:13 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: -15. Based on those passages, how would you answer someone who blames God for the bad things that happen to him or her?

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

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