Freedom is Good News Part 204

Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.  The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.  Believe in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:35-36) 

In our previous article we talked about how God spoke light into existence; “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” (Gen. 1:3)  We mentioned that this entity of creation was not the sun; for the sun was not created until the 4th day and the sun is a producer of light but is not light itself.

Some 4,000 years later, Jesus is on the earth telling His disciples to walk in the light; that they will have the light only a ‘little while longer’.  His testimony here is a shadowy reference to His death which was only a short time away.  But He wanted them to understand that the light that He was must be comprehended by them.  There is a darkness that permeates the world and they needed to remain in His light.

In the book of John alone, we are to find 16 references to Jesus Christ being the light or being connected to light.  In John’s opening statement he makes this comment concerning Jesus, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5)  It is the life of our Savior that brings us light. 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  This quote is from the book of Psalms 119:105.  I previously mentioned that the idea of light might have several facets.  Jesus, the Son of God and Son of man, is referenced as light as well as the word of God, that is, the bible is also mentioned as light.  So what was this ‘light’ that was spoken of in the opening of the book of Genesis?

The Apostle Paul takes note of this term ‘light’ in a very curious way.  In 2 Corinthians 4:4, he writes, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For what  we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  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.” 

Paul’s reference here to ‘the god of this world’ is of course Satan.  He tells us, in this letter, that Satan has blinded the minds of unbelievers.  But we must understand that it is God, our God who brings light, who gives sight, who informs us of the vision of His Son and who opens up our hearts to this “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of His Son.”  He would have us understand that it is Satan who would cover up the real truth of the good news.  Are your eyes open?  Remember, the real life of Jesus Christ is the light of men!!