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.
In high is no darkness at all ...  Darkness, contrasting with light, is a symbol of all that is wicked, ignorant, gloomy, shameful, depraved and perverted.  Paul described the deeds of the wicked as the "works of darkness."  And there are several kinds of darkness.  Plummer cited "physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual darkness."[27] Note too that John did not say that there is no darkness in God's presence, but that there is no darkness "in him."