"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 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, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7)
I've always heard that "walking in darkness" meant sinfulness, breaking God's rules. "Walking in the light" meant following God's rules, doing good, being good... being perfect like God is perfect.
A new understanding is that "walking in darkness" means living a life of secrecy, hiding, wearing a mask, deception. "Walking in the light" doesn't mean a person is sin-free, but rather they are honest about the shortcomings, failures, destructive habits and sin with which they struggle.
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3:19-21)
So John concludes: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." (1 John 1:8-10)
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