“Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
James describes the Great Creator as “the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17). As John declared, He “is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 Jno. 1:5). And by His great mercy, He has called men and women out of the shadows of darkness, into the glory of His marvellous light.
The very first spoken word in Scripture, was the command of the Creator at the beginning: “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). So it was, that the Word gave Light. Even so with the New Creation, “the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4) is caused to shine into the darkest recesses of our hearts by the preaching of the apostles: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Paul experienced this on the road to Damascus, and although the conversion of later brethren is much less dramatic, it is just as effective in its operation.
By the Word sent forth, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God has come to the believers. They were once not only in darkness, but part of it, for Paul exclaims: “ye were once darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord”. But having received the shining brightened of the glorious Gospel message, we must “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them …” (see Eph. 5:7-11). Just as light is separate from darkness, even so Messiah’s brethren must be separate from the darkness of a benighted world. But not only, so, there is a duty to “reprove” the works of darkness – not pleasant, but it is an essential aspect of our walk.
Light is necessary for fruit bearing, and soon the entire world will be bathed in the warmth and splendour of the Light of God’s Glory. The Sun of Righteousness shall arise (Mal. 4:2), and then, the earth will be fruitful, being “filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab. 2:14). That is the day longed for by all the children of light: “this is the day which Yahweh hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psa. 118:24). This is the day that true believers live for: “let us walk honestly, as in the day” (Rom. 13:13) – living the standards of the Kingdom now. In that day, every work and shadow of darkness will be dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousness, and “they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3, also Mat. 13:43, 1 Cor. 15:41).
Christopher Maddocks
