Are you exemplifying light or darkness to the world? Do you know if you are walking in the true light of God? Are you paying close attention to what God says concerning your walk in Christ?
“Light Of This World” is the first part of 1 John 1:5 bible study, click here to begin with part 1.
1 John 1:5-6 KJV 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. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not know the truth:
Faith in Christ acknowledges Jesus as God manifest in flesh. The deity of Jesus will not be up for grabs. It will be a solid, core, foundation belief. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the son of Man, God in flesh (1 John 1:1-5).
However, the fruit of true fellowship with God does not stop there. A believers fruit proves their salvation. It does not earn salvation.
What Fruit Are We To Look For?
We find our fruit in the Holy Spirit. God’s word tells us Who our life represents and what fruit it will bear. Being controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit, we will bear His fruit.
Just exactly “What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit?”
Answer: Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a Christian. The Bible makes it clear that everyone receives the Holy Spirit the moment he or she believes in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14). One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a Christian’s life is to change that life. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to conform us to the image of Christ, making us more like Him… by GotQuestions.org
We use God’s word to give us discernment toward others and ourselves concerning true fellowship in the light, or false fellowship in darkness. John’s epistles define the believers and unbelievers fruit in absolutes. We will discover if the love of God is in us or it isn’t. This is important because 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 tells us that light and darkness have nothing in common. Jesus says He is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5) to bring people out of their darkness (John 12:46). The proof is in our lifestyle.
John 3:19 KJV And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Are we professing with our lips but still love our darkness? Is this your testimony?
I said a prayer, professed faith, was baptized, go to church, involved in church, I do all the works and etc.
God does not accredit someone as His own based on these things. Blindness to truth becomes deeply entrenched.
Saul’s Example Of Professing But Not Obeying
God gives us living examples in His word as a mirror to hold up to our life. 1 Samuel is such a mirror. We find details of someone who professes to obey God but has a rebellious heart, 1 Samuel 15.
1 Samuel 15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
Who is this person and how did he come on the scene? Israel decided they wanted a human king because they want to be like everyone else (1 Samuel 8:5). Basically God says, you (Israel) want someone else as king. I will give you what you want. So, in their rejection of God, He chooses Israel’s first king. His name is Saul ( 1 Samuel chapters 8-11).
When we reject God it may start well but it never ends well. This brings us to 1 Samuel chapter 15. The beginning of the end for Saul.
What Did God Really Tell Saul?
God sent Saul, Israel’s new king, on a mission with explicit instructions.
1 Samuel 15:3-4 KJV Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
God’s clear instructions are to destroy everyone and everything. Saul gathers his army together and defeats the enemy. But the question to be ask, does he obey God?
1 Samuel 15: 8-9 KJV And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
The answer is no. Saul saved the Amalekites king and all that was good in his eyes (Genesis 3). He was not willing to obey God fully. Saul’s life spoke light but actually he represented darkness. Therefore he walked in darkness thinking he was walking in light.
Where Was The Deception Saul Had?
In 1 Samuel 15:10-21 lays out the deception for us.
- Saul set up a monument to himself for his glory (1 Samuel 15:12)
- Saul believes he did what God ask him to do (1 Samuel 15:13)
- He shifts the blame to others (for the people spare) when confronted for his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:15)
- He then excuses his decision by saying it will be a sacrifice to God (1 Samuel 15:15)
- Samuel reminds him again of what God expected from him (1 Samuel 15:17-19) and he responds by shifting the blame to the people again
How Did God Respond To Saul’s Disobedience?
Through Samuel, the prophet, God shows His displeasure and hatred of sin. The kingdom of Israel will no longer belong to Saul, it will be given to David (verse 26). Saul was still king physically but as far as unto God, he had been removed. What character do we see in Saul? Saul is full of pride. And without any true repentance he ask Samuel to go with him to worship God. Samuel says no. So, Saul says;
1 Samuel 15:30 KJV Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.
At this point Saul asks Samuel, keep things normal so the people will still honor him. He was not asking to worship God with a humble and broken heart. Saul wanted to keep his image in tact in front of the people. He had no concern for his eternity. God does not accept Saul’s confession of sin. Why? Because Saul was not seeking fellowship with God. His confession was self motivated.
Saul said he obeyed God and worshiped Him. Yet, as we see he lived a lie and and his walk was in darkness. How do we know? His life did not reflect a heart given over to humble obedience to God. Saul had no idea what God delighted in even after Samuel told him.
1 Samuel 15:22 KJV And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
How Do You Compare To Saul, Are You Walking In Light Or Darkness?
Are you relating to Saul? Do you truly believe you are obeying God and yet living in disobedience? Are you professing to be a 
Christian yet you are deciding what is right and wrong? God looks at our thoughts, motives, and attitudes. Our inside must match our outside.
As a result, God does not just hear what we say, He also looks at how we walk. We are to do the same. Many people profess to be a Christian with their lips but their heart is far from Him. We know this because their life flows and blends with the ways of this world.
James 1:22 KJV But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For every true believer, life as we knew it is dying away. We are to represent our new creation in Christ Jesus and our life should reflect that from glory to glory. To accomplish this we offer our life as a living sacrifice to the Lord.
