This Is the Message We Have Heard From Him
"This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him." (1 John 1:5)
These words stand among the most profound summaries of the gospel found anywhere in Scripture. This may seem like an odd statement until we see this is not merely a statement concerning God's character but John's summary of the revelation he received from Jesus Christ Himself. When John writes, "This is the message we have heard from Him," he is pointing back to the One he introduced in the opening verses of his Gospel—the eternal Word who was with God and was God. To understand the message, we must allow John to interpret John's revelation of Jesus.
The Gospel begins by directing our attention before creation itself. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). John then declares that all things were created through Him and that apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Think about that, creation, God said let there be light. John writes there is no light in heaven because he is the light. This statement follows: "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men" (John 1:4). The light that John proclaims is not merely knowledge, morality, or instruction. The light is the very life of God manifested in His Son. Wherever that life shines, darkness and death is exposed. Wherever that life is received, humanity encounters God and eternity.
This understanding explains why John later summarizes the apostolic proclamation with the declaration, "God is light." The message proclaimed is that which was manifested, that they heard and beheld and received, the eternal life hidden in God from the beginning. The Light, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and in Him the glory of God has been manifested openly. The son of the owner of the vineyard is here, not a servant, not a messenger, God's only Son and he was a light to the world. What was hidden has been revealed. What was promised has appeared. What was anticipated throughout the Scriptures has come into the world in the person of Jesus Christ.
John develops this theme further when he writes, "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world" (John 1:9). Christ came to enlighten humanity. He came to reveal the Father and to make known the words of the Father (John 17) and the mystery hidden in God before the foundation of the world. This is the same reality Paul describes when he prays that believers would receive "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him" and that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened" (Ephesians 1:17-18). Christ came so that men and women might come into the light, see, perceive, and participate in the life of God.
Yet John immediately records a tragic reality. "He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, and yet the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him" (John 1:10-11). This is remarkable because His own people possessed the Law, the covenants, the priesthood, the temple, and the promises. They possessed every shadow pointing toward Christ, yet many failed to recognize the One to whom those shadows testified. The problem was not Moses. The problem was mistaking the witness for the reality.
The New Testament consistently distinguishes the role of Moses from the role of Christ. Moses occupied an honored place, but Scripture carefully defines that place. Hebrews tells us that "Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's household" (Hebrews 3:5), whereas Christ is faithful "as a Son over His household" (Hebrews 3:6). Moses belonged to the house; Christ is the heir of the house. Moses served God's purpose; Christ is God's purpose revealed. Moses testified concerning the Light; Christ is the Light.
This distinction appears throughout the New Testament. John writes, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Moses belonged to the testimony that anticipated God's salvation. Christ is the fulfillment of that testimony. Moses ministered within a system of shadows and types that pointed beyond themselves. Christ is the substance to which those shadows testified. Moses prepared the way for God's revelation, but in Christ the mystery hidden for ages has been manifested openly.
Even the glory associated with Moses pointed beyond itself. When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, his face shone with the reflected glory of God, yet he veiled his face before the people. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 3 that the veil testified to the temporary nature of that ministry. The glory was real, but it was fading, it takes an object to cast a shadow. In contrast the object of that reality has come in Christ, who is not merely a reflection of divine glory but its radiance. John writes, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory" (John 1:14). What was veiled under Moses is unveiled in Christ. What was hidden behind shadows and symbols is revealed in the Light.
Paul further explains that the Law functioned as a guardian until Christ came (Galatians 3:24). A guardian is not a destination but a temporary provision. It was an act of mercy, until the appointed time there was a temporary appeasement of God's anger toward sin. God had promised, symbolized in the rainbow, to not destroy the earth again by water. The guardian kept this promise, making sin explicit and preserving Israel until the appointed time. Yet it could not impart life. When Christ came, the purpose of the guardian reached its fulfillment. "Since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian" (Galatians 3:25). The Law prepared for Christ, but it was never intended to be the reality. Neither is it useful today, the veil is still there until one sees the true Light that came into the world that shines in the heart of men.
In the writing of Romans, we see the consciousness has knowledge of good and evil, and even creation itself reveals God. Therefore it seems a contradiction that Paul writes "I did not know sin until the Law came?" Covetousness increased because of the Law and it killed him, and what was thought to bring life brought death? Adam and Eve ate from the knowledge of the tree of good and evil. Think about that. Mankind knows the difference between good and evil, and the consciousness reveals this differentiation of right and wrong. Paul also writes it is seared, all are given over to the passions of the flesh, all are under the influence of prince of the power of the air.
It is not a matter of the conscious as Paul writes in Ephesians 2, while the consciousness reveals right and wrong, there are forces at work that energize humanity to do wrong. The world knows what is wrong, but they living "according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the realm of the air who energizes the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).
When I was a child I experienced the wooing of God, I felt the wonder of creation, as I walked through the spring water after a rain, in happy innocence, the leaves flowed and the crawdads were active, I felt him there. I also felt the darts of the devil penetrate my heart when my father, with angry red eyes, beat me with a stick until my legs were bloody. I remember His presence as a young man just out of boot camp and infantry training, like a light shining in my heart, in a time of great worldly sorrow, revealing the condition of my heart; it was like the prodigal son drawn toward the treasure of this world. What some claim was to bring me to the Light, condemnation and repentance, produced worldly sorrow and would have brought death, but for the light. Later, after many years, having went to college and having a achieved more than some, the heart found what the symbolism reveals in the parable, what the world has to offer is pig slop, and the mind reasoned it is good to be with the Father.
From Adam, death spread to all men and so did condemnation, this is what Paul calls the law of sin and death and it existed before the Mosaic Law. We as believers are aware of it in this body of death and that freedom from it comes from another law, the law of the Spirit of life. There was a need for the priesthood to change so there is a need for a change in the laws. The Mosaic Law's guardianship is removed because faith has come, as appointed in time, as God purposed. The Light has overcome the darkness but also the shadow of the Old.
The Light shines in the heart of man revealing its condition, this is the basis of judgement, the shadow and veiled glory of the Law has no purpose here. The basis of judgment and condemnation is in believing, or not in the reality, and coming to the light, Christ, or not. A covenant was introduced that allows men to draw near to God, perfecting and giving life. John writes those who "believe not" are already condemned (John 3:17). The law of sin and death in the body is the judging state of sinful man from the fall. The consciousness knows there is something wrong and creation itself proclaims God's glory.
It reminds me of the story I heard of the minister who went to Africa, to a tribe who had never heard the Bible, neither the Old or New. But upon hearing the gospel that this is the way God loved the world and sent his Son to save it, the tribe leader's response was "I have been waiting for this news." He did not need to be put under condemnation, He knew something was wrong, the conscious knows right from wrong. The soul knows something is missing. The proclamation of John rings true in many like this man, "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it but to save it." John writes, Jesus created all things nothing exists outside of this, and he came into the world as light and the light was life to the world.
This truth becomes especially important in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. Nicodemus was a teacher of Israel, a man trained in Moses and the Scriptures. Yet Jesus immediately directs him beyond the written code to the necessity of a new birth. "Unless someone is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). He continues, "Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). The Spirit is like the wind, so are those "born of the Spirit." The kingdom is not entered through the Law's ministry of condemnation, but through the revealing of the heart to the Light of the gospel, new birth. The gospel is based upon the promise given to Abraham before the Law, when the gospel was preached to him beforehand.
This directly fulfills what John had already announced in John 1:12-13. Not many received him among his own, but to those who did receive Christ he gave authority to become children of God, not through natural descent, human effort, or fleshly birth, but through a birth that originates from God Himself. Christ came not merely to forgive sins but to grant humanity the right to become children of God through the new birth of the Spirit. A transfer occurs, from darkness to light, from a heart of stone to a new heart.
The prophets had long anticipated this reality. They got to look into the magnificent and mysterious hidden plan of God, and the church is founded on them. God promised through Ezekiel, "I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). The heart of stone recalls not just its condition but the covenant written upon tablets of stone. Under the new covenant God does not merely place commandments before His people; He places His Spirit within His people. Paul celebrates this reality when he tells the Corinthians, "You are Christ's letter... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God—not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3). Do you see it, the difference in covenants? What was external under the old covenant becomes internal under the new. What was written upon stone is written upon hearts and minds. This is the new and living way established through Christ.
Jesus then directs Nicodemus back to Moses himself. "Just as Moses lifted up the bronze snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up" (John 3:14). Even Moses testified concerning Christ. Jesus said if they believed Moses they would believe him. They had the Law, adherence brought prosperity, disobedience brought death. A curse or a blessing God put before them, but all mankind fall short of His glory, the Law perfected no one, so Jesus became a curse for us. The bronze serpent pointed to God's provision of the true sacrifice for sin. Those who looked at the bronze serpent through faith lived. In the same way, Christ would be lifted up so that all who look to him and believe will receive eternal life. The Law, the sacrifices, the priesthood, and the tabernacle all pointed beyond themselves to Him. Even those in the Old, looked to Jesus through faith. Abraham could see, fully convinced of the gospel's promise, I God will provide a sacrifice and through your descendant, I will bless all the peoples of all nations who look to him.
The book of Hebrews reveals that the entire old covenant system testified to a greater reality yet to come. The tabernacle, its furnishings, its sacrifices, and its priesthood were prophetic signs. Hebrews explains that "the Holy Spirit was making clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing" (Hebrews 9:8). The veil testified that access had not yet been revealed. The sacrifices testified that a greater sacrifice was needed. The earthly sanctuary testified that a heavenly reality awaited fulfillment.
Then Christ came at the appointed time. He entered not an earthly sanctuary made with hands but the heavenly sanctuary itself. "He entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12). What had remained hidden under the old covenant was revealed in Him. The veil concealed; Christ revealed. The shadows testified; Christ manifested. The earthly priests stood daily ministering; Christ sat down at the right hand of God, it is finished. As Hebrews declares, "Now He has obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises" (Hebrews 8:6).
It is at this point that we arrive at one of the most significant statements in all of John's Gospel. After declaring this is how God loved the world, he gave His Son, John explains His mission: "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him" (John 3:17). Having stated this, Jesus immediately explains the basis of judgment: "This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
The importance of this statement cannot be overstated. Jesus does not identify the Law as the basis of judgment. He identifies the Light as the basis of judgment. He does not say, "This is the judgment: the Law has come into the world." He does not say "the Law is useful to judge and condemn and expose sin so people come to me." Rather, He says, "This is the judgment: The light has come into the world." The gospel light shines into the hearts of men and reveals its true nature, this is the basis of judgement and those who love truth come to the light. Profound! The response to someone saying "I am a good person" is not condemnation, no, the basis of judgement is the Light, those who are good come to the light.
God later revealed himself in a heart that was receptive, "you are home" the words penetrated my soul. God was rich in mercy, through his great love, and he made me alive together in Christ. He revealed that night the light shone in my heart, that I was chosen. I do not know why, Paul writes he chose us before the foundation or creation of the world. Did he choose a people to be blameless and holy in his presence before he created the world, did he chose a purpose, did he purpose it in Christ? He did. This is the mystery hidden in God in the beginning. Did God choose me before time? Was the wooing as a child, the light shining in my heart, the long-suffering and mercy God was toward me, because of that? If I could go back and say to the little boy, your heavenly Father loves come to him, would it had helped.
This is the message John proclaims they heard from Jesus, God exists light and that light came into the world in his Son, the radiance of God's glory. But people loved darkness rather than light. The Mosaic Law they had, for roughly 1500 years And it did not bring them to Jesus! John writes, "He came among his own and they received him not." From Nehemiah returning from captivity in Persia and rebuilding to the appointed time Jesus came, we see roughly four hundred years of silence. Not because God was silent, no, as Jesus said to the them in the parable of the vineyards, he had sent messengers but they killed them, they took the vineyard for themselves. So God sent His only Son, the onwer of the vineyard.
Paul said the Law was a ministry of death and condemnation, and the power of sin was the Law. How so? the Law gives sin power? Sin increased under the Law but the carnal man has no power to submit to God's laws! Though they cleaned the outward, rebellion of the heart existed. So God sent the Light into the world. This is the judgment; the Light exposes evil. John writes the Law was given to Moses but Jesus comes from the Father's glory, of his fullness, of grace and truth. The Father's glory is unveiled in Jesus, that which was veiled in Moses. This glory they beheld, a light from God sent into darkness
This distinction is crucial because it reveals the nature of God's final revelation. The Law exposed transgression, but the Light exposes the heart. The Law revealed conduct, but the Light reveals what a person truly loves. The decisive issue is no longer merely what a person does but how a person responds when confronted with the revelation of Jesus Christ. Some flee from the Light because they love darkness. Others come to the Light because they love truth. As Jesus concludes, "Anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light" (John 3:21). Those chosen, taught by God and drawn by the Spirit will come to the Light.
This understanding challenges a pattern that has characterized much of church history. While the Law certainly made sin explicit and functioned as a guardian until Christ, many have continued to make condemnation the primary means of bringing people to Christ. Yet John's Gospel consistently presents Christ Himself as God's means of drawing humanity. The Light exposes, reveals, convicts, and calls. The gospel is not fundamentally the announcement that God desires to condemn the world. The gospel is the announcement that God has acted in Christ to save the world!
Paul expresses this beautifully in Ephesians 2. Speaking of humanity's condition, he writes, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-5). Paul then explains why God did this: "So that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7). These are not the words of condemnation but the language of mercy, grace, kindness, and love. God made us alive so that throughout the ages He might demonstrate the riches of His grace.
This perfectly harmonizes with the message proclaimed by John. Christ came as the true Light. He came to enlighten humanity. He came to reveal the Father's word. He came to grant authority to become children of God. He came to impart the promised Holy Spirit. He came to establish a better covenant founded upon better promises. He came to open the way into the true Most Holy Place. Most importantly, He came not to condemn the world but to save it. Judgement and condemnation came to the world, because of Adam's one transgression (Romans 5:18). The world is condemned already. God sent his Son to save the world.
Therefore, when John writes, "This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him" (1 John 1:5), he is summarizing the entire revelation of Christ. The eternal Word became flesh. The true Light entered the world. The Son gave authority to become children of God. The promised Holy Spirit brought new birth into the kingdom of heaven. The veil was removed. The way into God's presence was revealed. The shadows gave way to the substance, and the servant yielded to the Son.
And this is the judgment: not that the Law came through Moses, but that the true Light has come. The Light has come into the world, revealing the heart, exposing darkness, offering life, and calling all people into fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. The message entrusted to the church as ambassadors is therefore not a ministry of death and condemnation but the proclamation of the true Light, who came to save, to give life, and to demonstrate forever the immeasurable riches of God's grace, mercy, and lovingkindness toward those who come into the Light.
Going Deeper: The Gospel Is Good News
One of the strongest implications of this insight: If the basis of judgment is the Light, then the gospel is fundamentally the proclamation of the Light, not the proclamation of a message of condemnation.
The gospel is called good news because it proclaims what God has done in Christ for humanity. It is not merely an announcement that mankind stands condemned. Scripture already teaches that humanity is subject to sin and death and condemnation through Adam. The good news is that God did not leave humanity in darkness but acted decisively in Christ to bring life, salvation, and reconciliation.
John declares that Christ is the true Light who came into the world to enlighten everyone (John 1:9). The Light entered humanity's darkness, not to increase its condemnation, but to reveal the way of life. As Jesus Himself said:
"I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." (John 10:10)
The gospel therefore announces that the Light has appeared. For those wandering in darkness, Christ is the Light. For those burdened by sin, Christ is salvation. For those separated from God, Christ is reconciliation. For those seeking a heavenly homeland, Christ is the way into the Father's house.
This is why the apostles proclaimed Christ as the hope of the world. Through His death, resurrection, and exaltation, He opened a new and living way into the presence of God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, He grants the new birth and makes believers children of God. Through His heavenly priesthood, He continually intercedes for His people until the day He returns.
The gospel announces that those who believe have been delivered from one kingdom and transferred into another:
"He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves." (Colossians 1:13)
The message is therefore not merely that darkness exists, but that the Light has come. The message is not merely that humanity stands condemned, but that God has acted in Christ to save. The message is not merely that sin brings death, but that Jesus Christ brings life.
This is why Paul can triumphantly declare:
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)
The believer does not live under a ministry of condemnation but under the ministry of the Spirit. The same Spirit that drew us to Christ and opened our eyes to the truth, gives a new birth that bears witness that we are children of God, heirs of His promises, and citizens of a heavenly kingdom. What was promised through the prophets, foreshadowed in the Law, and anticipated through the sacrifices has now been revealed in Christ. Why cast a shadow on someone instead of Light? Why give them a servant's message when the owner of the house has spoken?
Therefore the church proclaims not merely the reality of judgment (there will be a day of wrath for all but the basis for judgment is whether they believe or come to the light) but the greater reality of salvation. The church proclaims the Light that has come into the world. The church proclaims the Word of Life. The church proclaims Jesus Christ, who entered our darkness so that we might share in His life, receive the promised Holy Spirit, be transferred into His kingdom, and dwell forever in the presence of God.
For this is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you:
"God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him." (1 John 1:5)
The gospel is good news because God is not primarily announcing condemnation to the world, but revealing the Light of Life in His Son. The Light itself becomes the basis of judgment, while the message proclaimed by the church remains an invitation: come to, behold the Light and live.