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Why is God called 'Light without Darkness'? And what is this Light?"

1. Wisdom is light, and folly is darkness.

2. Knowledge is light, and ignorance is darkness.

3. Truth is light, and error is darkness.

4. Holiness is light, and sin and wickedness are darkness.

I. WHAT THIS COMMUNION WITH GOD IS.

1. Active on our part, which consisteth in the Divine operations of our souls toward God; when the mind is exercised in the contemplation of Him, the will in choosing and embracing Him; when the affections are fixed upon Him and centre in Him; when by our desires we pursue after Him, by our love we cleave to Him, and by delight we acquiesce and solace ourselves in Him.

2. Passive on God's part. This communication of God to us in our communion with Him is specially in these three things.

(1)  In light (2 Corinthians 4:6; Psalm 36:9).

(2)  In life (Ephesians 4:18).

(3)  In love (Romans 5:5).

II. SOME DISTINCTIONS ABOUT COMMUNION WITH GOD.

1. Communion with God may be considered either with respect to this world, or the world to come; the one is imperfect, the other is perfect; one is mediate, the other immediate; the one is inconstant, the other without any interruption forever.

2. This communion with God hath higher and lower degrees; both among the saints here below, and the saints and angels above.

3. This communion with God is either internal or external; by internal I mean that sacred intercourse between God and the soul which is managed only in the inward man; and by external I mean this communion with God managed in some external ordinance of His worship in the communion of saints.

III. HOW THIS COMMUNION WITH GOD IS ATTAINED AND THEN MAINTAINED.

1. By Jesus Christ.

(1) By virtue of His incarnation.

(2) By virtue of His life which He lived here in the world. Considered either in the holy example that He has left us to walk by, or the doctrine that He here preached — by both which He did guide and lead men in the right way to fellowship with His Father.

(3) By virtue of His death, and making reconciliation for us by His blood. Without agreement made between God and us, we could never have had communion with Him.

(4) By virtue of His resurrection, whereby believers come to be raised up to newness of life (Romans 6:4).

(5) By virtue also of His ascension into heaven (Colossians 3:1).

(6) By virtue of His intercession. For this is one great thing that He intercedes for with His Father in heaven, that His people might have union and communion with them (John 17:21).

2. This communion with God is also by the Spirit of God. As the apostle speaks of "the communion of the Holy Ghost" (2 Corinthians 13:14). Now the Spirit doth effect this communion with God.

(1) By sanctifying our hearts, and assimilating our natures to the nature of God. For there can be no communion where there is no likeness of nature.

(2) By elevating and raising the soul above its natural power and reach.

3. These are the principal ways for communion with God. But then there are subordinate ways, which are the ordinances and institutions of God for that end. For God hath in all ages been training up His people to have communion with Himself, and therefore He did appoint ordinances for that end under the law. There were sacrifices, and altars, and solemn feasts appointed of God, all for this end. And so, in the New Testament, God hath His ordinances also appointed for this end; as prayer,.hearing the Word, etc.

(M. Barker, M. A.)

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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.

WEB: This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.