Holiness of God: God is holy. In Him there is no darkness of sin, none of it! As the prophet Habakkuk affirms, God’s eyes are too pure to behold evil or to look upon wickedness (Hab. 1:13).[1] In the temple, His holy presence dwells behind the veil of the inner sanctuary, keeping man from open fellowship with Him.[2] Who could ever draw near to Him and stand in His holy presence (Psalm 24:3)? No one, but Jesus. And He the holy man of God, through the cross, rent the veil and granted to repentant sinners this very access to the holy God.[3]

A Holy Fellowship: Those who have fellowship with God do truly repent from sin and walk in holiness—they walk in the light. In no uncertain terms, John tells us that those who continue in sin have no fellowship with God. Indeed, all who are born again pursue a holy life. But surely, no child of God attains to sinless perfection in this life (1:8). Then what accounts for our imperfections? The blood of Jesus. As John points out, Jesus’ atoning sacrifice continually cleanses us from all sin (1:7; 2:1-2). Upon this one sure foundation we keep drawing near to God, and we are sanctified unto the likeness of Christ.[4] We enter fellowship with God at the torrential waterfall of Jesus’ blood, and we are carried along in that mighty river until we finally reach the ocean of God’s grace in heaven in the presence of the Lamb once slain for us (Rev. 7:17; 19:7).

[1] On this verse, NKJV is the more literal translation (“You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness”) than the NASB’s more idiomatic one.

[2] Only the consecrated high priest was allowed to enter through the veil once a year to make atonement for sin (Lev. 16:2, 29-34). Heb. 10:19-22 tells us that this very access to God was granted to us in Christ.

[3] At His death the veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:50-51). Jesus’ death on the cross reconciled to God all sinners who turn to the Lord with repentance (Acts 3:19; 26:20).

[4] We fellowship with God as we confess our sins to Him (1:9). We are also conformed to Jesus (1 John 3:2-3) as the Spirit, by His truth, renews our minds (Rom. 12:2) and thus He transforms/sanctifies us (John 17:17).