“Why should I believe in Jesus? All this Christianity stuff is just a matter of opinion.” Well, no, it isn’t. After all, Jesus didn’t claim to be simply a human teacher, but to be life itself (v. 2, cf. John 14:6). Jesus didn’t claim to be merely a moral exemplar but the Son of God (v. 3, cf. John 20:17). If what John says is true, and if what Jesus says is true, then we don’t really have any option – we have to surrender our lives to Him.

“Oh, but we can’t really know anything about Jesus with certainty – the Bible was written down many years after Jesus’ death by people who can’t be trusted.” Well, that’s not true, either. In fact, John claims to have heard Jesus, seen Jesus, and touched Jesus (v. 1). And John was willing to die in exile on Patmos rather than to deny the resurrection and the divinity of Jesus. Surely, if we believe in any eyewitness testimony to anything we haven’t seen ourselves, we should believe John, and the rest of the apostles for that matter.

“Well, I don’t need to surrender my life to Jesus because I’m just fine the way I am.” Really? Because the Bible tells a different story. And if we’ll let the Word of the God Who is light (v. 5) shine into the dark corners of our lives, illuminating the thoughts and feelings and actions we don’t want anyone else to see, we won’t be able to deny our separation from God and from others, our brokenness, our pain. No, John is just being honest when he says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (v. 8).

So, sure, we can go on hiding in the darkness, denying the truth of the Scriptures, and rejecting the claims of Christ. Or we can hear the good news – that Jesus is the only source of eternal life (v. 2). Moreover, Jesus has shed His blood for us, paying the penalty that all our sins deserve, proving His unconditional, self-sacrificial love for us (v. 7). And because of His sacrifice, He forgives us and cleanses us of sin (v. 9). And He puts an end to our loneliness, giving us true fellowship not only with Him but with one another, with all who trust in Him (vv. 6-7).

So, why not turn from our darkness into His light? Why not turn from our sin to His salvation? Why not give up trying to be in charge of our lives, instead acknowledging Him as Savior and bowing the knee to Him as Lord? After all, who wouldn’t want to experience that kind of love?

I John 1:1-10 (ESV)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life–
2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us–
3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.