In the first part of this series I explained that I now call John’s first epistle “The Book of Sin.” After introducing himself as an eyewitness of him who was from the beginning, John makes this profound statement, “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.” (1 John 1:5 KJV) John always takes us back to the very beginning of God’s creation of earth when he writes. Reconsider now the opening words to his great Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life,^[a] andthe life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

When we interpret this in light of the first four verses of his first epistle we understand that John saw and witnessed the terrestrial life of God himself in the body of Jesus. Now in verse five John goes on to explain that this same God whom he observed with his own eyes “is light” and that “in him is no darkness at all.” Earlier in his Gospel he told us that this “light (this God) shines in the darkness” and also that “the darkness has not overcome [this light].” What is this darkness he speaks of?

The reason why many Christian teachers misinterpret the Bible is because they do not let the Bible interpret itself. Jesus himself warned us about this at the very end of the Book when he said, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19) This warning applies to more than just explaining the Book of Revelation; it applies to the hermeneutic for interpreting all of Scripture. Churches and Christians today have fallen away from the truth of God’s Word because they have not allowed the Bible to interpret itself.

Therefore, when we read the beginning of the books of John and 1 John and read the word “darkness” we should examine our Bibles, find out where this word first appears, and learn how it is later interpreted. This idea utilizes the ancient wisdom of God’s teachers who understood that the “first mention” of many words in Scripture carries profound meaning for our spiritual understanding. The word “darkness” first appears in the second verse of God’s Word.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  (Genesis 1:1-2)

But, to understand the Word of God, even when we allow it to interpret itself, requires logic and reason, two traits strangely absent from the world today. I am reminded of a short story by G. K. Chesterton I read last night concerning this idea. Father Brown identified the evil thief because the thief attacked reason itself. Here is a short excerpt from that story.

“How in blazes do you know all these horrors?” cried Flambeau.

The shadow of a smile crossed the round, simple face of his clerical opponent.

“Oh, by being a celibate simpleton, I suppose,” he said. Has it never struck you that a man who does next to nothing but hear men’s real sins is not likely to be wholly unaware of human evil? But, as a matter of fact, another part of my trade, too, made me sure you weren’t a priest.”

“What?” asked the thief, almost gaping.

“You attacked reason, “said Father Brown. “It’s bad theology.”

(G. K. Chesterton, The Innocence of Father Brown, location 297, Kindle Edition, public domain, emphasis added)

It takes reason to understand God’s Word. Some people like to argue about theology using weapons of reason and logic. The Scripture says not to do that. Nevertheless, if we want to understand God’s Word, then we must understand both language and reason and apply reason to the language.

Many people believe that Genesis 1:1-2 states that God created the earth formless and void and that he created it with darkness “over the face of the deep.” John says that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Logic and reason ask, “Would God create a world, then, filled with darkness?” Logic and reason then answer, “No.” In light of this answer now consider Isaiah’s statement concerning creation.

For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
    (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
    (he established it;
he did not create it empty,
    he formed it to be inhabited!):
“I am the Lord, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:18)

Isaiah specifically states that God did not create the earth “void.” Moses’ first words are, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” John’s explanation of God then enlightens us to understand that God did not create the heavens and the earth void and in darkness, in a state of being utterly contrary to his essence. Something, therefore, must have happened between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. That something is the rebellion, fall, and judgment of Satan and the angels who joined him. How else do you explain the fact that Satan is already in the garden with Adam and Eve just after their creation?

Now that we understand this, our task is to define this darkness referred to by John. What does it mean? If we cannot answer this question, then we cannot understand John’s first epistle. I fear a vast majority of Christianity no longer knows what darkness even is. Thus they live in darkness and do not know it.