Darkness and Light

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12 ESV

Our God is a God of contrasts: darkness and light, death and life, hate and love. Each is necessary to highlight the other. If all was light and good and life and love, what a different world that would be! There would be no distinction nor need for God. God desires that we learn the difference, to be wise in what is light and what is not. Coming to the Lord is coming to the Light, and is much used in scripture to describe what believers experience.

God set it up this way:

“I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.” Isaiah 45:7 ESV

He forms or shapes light to illuminate as well as creating or making darkness and calamity. It is difficult to accept that God set it up this way, but He did. God separated the light from the darkness, sentencing satan to rule in the earth, in the dark realms of the earthly minds of humanity. He sent Jesus to overcome all darkness to bring us into the light of God.

Isaiah states these acts in a present, active way, showing that He still creates light, He still makes peace or well being—even in the midst of calamities that are part of this life. Where? Well, in the hearts of people! His work continues as He fills us with the light and love of His presence:

“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. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 cleanses us from all sin.” Ephesians 5:11 ESV

Think about this. There are no dark places, no threatening surprises, nothing hidden that He cannot choose to reveal to us. He has secrets, as the prophets said, but they are not dark secrets.   He is willing to reveal these secret things to those He loves as we search for Him, spirit to spirit. There is purity, visibility, clear vision, transparency in Him. Father God is completely trustworthy, and Jesus Christ shows forth the light of the Father.

Here’s another gem from the scriptures that speaks to this:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”  James 1:17 ESV

Night and day, shadow and light. That is variation but God never changes. Every good and perfect gift, all that we receive, all of creation, is given to us from the Father. He is the Father of all the light there is, now to be shining forth within us. We are to be like our brother, Jesus, Who said that if the people of His day saw Him, they were seeing the Father. Isn’t this now what we are to show forth in the world today?

What higher, more critical and necessary goal for a Christian is there than to pray that others see the Father in us? We are to be the light in the world! God is love, this agape love that shines its light to dispel all darkness. That God is love is a foundational principle taught from childhood on through adulthood, but it can be so hard to fully believe and trust. Love is pure light, the life of this world, and there is no darkness, no division in love. Love unites, it does not divide.

The Lord has called us to be like Him and that means there is to be no darkness in us.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession,

that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Matthew 4:16 ESV

Darkness in the scriptures is always in areas of the soul—our mind, will, and emotions that lead to sinful acts from the hearts of humans. Until Jesus came to call us out of this darkness that dwells within, we had no way of escape, no deliverance. When He comes to dwell within us, there is cleansing and renewal as He swallows up our darkness by His presence. The more we look into the light of the Word, the face of Jesus Christ, and the love of the Father, the more His glorious light overtakes the shadows in our hearts that bring death and harm.

Some teach so much against the darkness that it is magnified in our eyes, using fear instead of faith to provoke change. These scriptures redirect us to God and His light. We are focusing upon the Lord, gazing at Him, learning about Him, seeking to understand the light that is His nature. He expands within us, taking over more rule of our character. This is what causes the darkness to lesson, the mind to be renewed, the thoughts purified, along with a will that is surrendered to His will.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2 NIV.

We are to offer our bodies, our entire beings, to Him as the most holy and pleasing worship we can offer Him. This allows God to transform us by the renewing or renovation of our minds. A renovation is a makeover, and God’s tools are all spiritual. We are gradually being taught His thoughts, His way of looking at things, His heart in any matter that pertains to us. He is a jealous God who is not satisfied with part of us, with lip service, with postponing radical change in who we are until a later time, including after we die.

Rather than railing against the darkness and evil in this world—and it is most evident—what if we turn our focus to the light? What if we look for the light in others, even that glimmer of God placed in every being waiting for Him to illuminate them? We can speak and pray light, life, love into others as we ourselves are enlightened to learn the difference, gaining discernment to see as He sees:

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” 1 John 2:9 ESV

The process of God’s cleansing within us teaches us what is good and what is evil. Gross evil acts are obvious, but recall your early days walking with the Lord. Contrast those times to now and—if you have been growing in the Lord—you recognize many things—thoughts, feelings, behaviors—that you thought were perfectly fine but now know by the spirit are not God’s perfect will. Our desire to have these former aspects of life no longer is present. There are those things that are okay for others, but the holy spirit has taught us that they are not for those of us serving the Lord.

But if you need voices to support you in focusing on the darkness, the world supplies plenty. There is always a chorus of earthly minded people willing to tell you that evil is good. Because of their own earthly choices, many will reassure you that what you are harboring in your heart is not that bad, it is normal, it is human. And it is, but that does not make it godly! Our Lord brought a higher standard to His own and what He asks of us, He empowers us to be and to do.

It is His standard of righteousness for each of us, not the opinions of others, that matters. The darkness is misunderstood and misrepresented with so much of Christianity focusing on the darkness of behaviors, creating rules and laws to control these outward signs of what is really a sickness in our hearts. We cannot help it, we were subject to it, but not without hope:

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it,

in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.…” Romans 8:19-21 Berean

We did not ask to go this way, we were subject to this futility, this frustration of never being good enough or able to defeat the enemy in our own flesh, by our own efforts.

The theme God gave me for these writings is that it is about the heart. It has always been about the heart of man, which is deceptively wicked and hard to understand. But God discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. What an amazing God that He knows all about us and loves us just the same! This is true freedom that the heart of every man and woman longs for!There is hope in His plan for the ages to set all creation free, bringing the Lord’s victory over death and hell at His resurrection to every being.

But it will not suffice to name His name while still living in darkness, tolerating, excusing, and even believing that our fleshly, “normal” human behavior can meet His standard of righteousness. The Lord’s gracious work within us is to clean us up so we shine forth as lights in this darkened world. How can we shine forth if we do not show a contrast to other humans who do not know or follow our Lord?

We are to be known and recognized by our love. Our contrast comes from His love and there is absolutely nothing like it. God’s love loves the unlovable despite knowing every single thing in every person’s heart.We are to be known by God’s love as John, the great apostle declared:

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 1 John 2:8-11 ESV

It is about the heart! It has always been about the heart with God. The list is too long of the darkness that dwells in the hearts of humanity, but are summarized by the works of the flesh:

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you,

that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

Paul does not say that God does not love us as He continues to shine His light within. He does not say we cannot be saved with these things in us. He knows that these things in human beings are exactly why we need salvation, which He freely gives to all who ask. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life are the root of all darkness. Satan used all of it in the garden and continues to use these aspects of human nature until he has grown from that snake into the great dragon of the book of Revelation that is ruling the world.

Satandoes this through the hearts of men and women who remain deceived about good and evil, who even name His name but their thoughts and emotions are far from Him. How many of us Christians justify and excuse being angry, causing division and dissention when our beliefs differ, along with the immoralities associated with our bodies? Paul puts them all together, not separating the sins of the flesh from the sins of the heart.

What John does say is that we cannot inherit the kingdom of God with darkness still remaining. This inheriting of the kingdom is not about sitting with Jesus and Father God in some far off heavenly throne. Oh, no, it is a much more specific reality to us now. An inheritance is something received upon the death of another.  As we qualify to be His heirs, we are dying to self and granted rulership over that which belongs to Him. An heir is allowed to be in charge of the Father’s business.  Do you think He will give this to us when we still have darkness in our hearts?

Jesus died once for all, so that we could inherit the kingdom He brought. It is this kingdom within us, as Jesus said, a kingdom of peace, love and joy. These are the qualities of His nature that we are to inherit. It is available now but we must allow God to overtake our bodies, our beings, to cause His light to shine and overcome all darkness. We cannot stay in peace, with  love and joy within and flowing out, as long as any areas of darkness remain. They are robbers and thieves in our hearts, where satan attempts to retain his rule.

This is a massive project but our Lord is more than capable of doing it within us. He never gives up and He never leaves us throughout it all. In every area where His light shines to swallow up the darkness, in that area we are ruling and reigning with Him. We are changed to inherit His kingdom, ruling with the mind of Christ. He has conquered the world, the flesh, and the devil already. He empowers us to walk in the way He has created for us, right back to Father God!

He is capable of ruling over our entire bodies as we yield to Him, destroying those dark things in our hearts that keep us from the Kingdom of His marvelous light and presence.

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV

We are taught how to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, first allowing the spirit to do so within us, then speaking truth in love, as God leads, to others. And the very best sermon is the way we conduct our lives! We can learn to change our focus, to have that single eye the scriptures talk about, gazing at Him and all His wonders. It is not by speaking much about how awful this world and its people are. It is not forever correcting others for their behavior when we have that ‘moat’ in our own eyes. It is not always ministering with righteous indignation against those who practice sin instead of looking at the source of all sin.

Do we want to have the light grow within us until it overshadows, swallows up the darkness within, showing forth the glorious light of the Lord to others? He is the only pure, good, peaceable, loving being that never changes and is always light! Oh,yes, He is in the darkness with us and only He can show the way of escape. We become His beloved children of the day, showing forth the light.

“For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” 1 Peter 2:9 ESV 

Peter wants us to remember who we are, Whose we are! We have been born into His kingdom of light and that is how the darkness is exposed. We belong to Him and we are His workmanship. This is not some mysterious secret that cannot be understood. It is as simple as what is in our hearts toward one another. Jesus brought this new kingdom of light into the darkness of this world. He established a new commandment of love, in which there is no division.

“At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” Romans 1:21 ESV

Jesus always knew what was in the hearts of others. He exposed the hearts of the religious leaders of the time. He revealed to His disciples what He knew they were questioning, wondering about, even would do at His betrayal. He knew, yet He still loved.

What swallows up the darkness, what is pure light but love, that love that God is, that love that only He can work within our hearts so we have no hatred, no animosity, no judgment against another. Darkness deceives and unforgiveness is a most powerful darkness. Vengeful bitterness and hatred seems justified when another severely wrongs us, whether someone we love or not, but it is a destroyer of individuals and families.

Unforgiveness is a most powerful darkness within that is capable of wrecking havoc with our physical and mental health. It is extremely costly and yet many justify it, using the carnal reasoning of our own hearts. But it is not God’s way. He is love.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” John 4:7-12 ESV

John states several very important facts here. The love of God is love that is extended to others before they love us, before they have done anything to deserve love, before they are lovable and full of light. God loves the unlovable. As parents, when our children have disobeyed, done foolish things, made poor choices, that is when they most need to know they are still loved.

This is true for all of us, so that when we, as children of God, do the same things, not pleasing our Father, we learn to run to Him, not avoid Him! He still loves us, He will still help us, He never never gives up on us. And it is all through His book!

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8 IV

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Isaiah 43:2 NIV

“What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?

Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 NIV

Now we are in His kingdom of light because He so loved us, He sent his only Son to take care of the darkness in us all. This is the reason we are to love one another, because He first loved us. And He keeps loving us! His love is perfected in us. No person can really promise they will never leave you. People walk away, leave, die, change. They do forsake us, willingly or not. But God never does. And we are to be like Him in this most precious quality of the love of God.

If you believe as a Christian that you can love anyone, just wait. Wait until He brings more people into your life who are more difficult to love. He is the Master Teacher and well able to bring unlovable people into our lives to teach us more about His kind of love. We all know that He allows us to live with unlovable parts of those we love, to whom we have made commitments to love. In this He teaches us His kind of love and forgiveness.

His love makes no demands, never saying that He won’t love us until we change. He may withdraw the sense of His presence for a time, but never His love. He did not demand one thing from any of us before loving us—before loving the world. He gave His love freely, without merit or favor, and we are learning to do the same. It is a most challenging process! His purpose is to continually refine that love, the outshining of His light within, to such an extent that no darkness remains.

The world gives us endless experiences of darkness coming at us, trying to take root and grow an evil crop within, but this is not our homeland. This earthly life is just a training ground for us, as it was for Jesus. He overcame all and tells us that we can too. This is the path we are on, where light exposes and continually swallows up darkness. These are not just fanciful or spiritual sounding words. This is His processing within us.

Have you not felt that illumination from His word when the spirit of life vividly highlights what we need to discern? When He reveals any darkness within us, we learn to submit it to Him before it is planted and begins to grow a crop we do not want. We are learning to speak words of light to others so their light grows and can have its way within their hearts. His words, His ways, are all light, always working a change from darkness to light so we are truly known as the children of the light.

He becomes who we are, not just what we talk about! God sees the heart, He always has. He knows exactly what each of us have within and makes a way of escape as we run to the Light. His love has no limit, it is not measurable, it is infinite. Think of how much of His nature of love there remains to learn about! How vast it is, how all inclusive, how marvelous! He is a continual feast within us, bringing us all the good things of His kingdom of peace, love, and joy.

Meditate on this.

“You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” Psalms 18: 28 NIV