The light of the world
“Ye are the light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14).
“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (1Thess. 5:5).
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1Jn. 1:7).
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Is. 8:20).
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22,23).
Light. What is it? I mean in terms of spiritual things. And contrariwise, darkness, what is it?
“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Ps. 119:130).
Light in the mind is understanding. But what kind of understanding? Science? Grammar? Mathematics? Psychology? History? Any of the classical subjects? Today, they fill the mind of many people who are considered smart. Anyone who has studied these is thought to be a highly educated person.
Certainly, is it good to learn and study—if the subjects of interest glorify the God who created them all. Otherwise, we are ever learning, yet never able to come to the truth.
Truly, the greatest study is the works of God. In nature, in history throughout this great controversy between Christ and Satan, and in every other subject that exists, if righteousness and love are brought into the study we will find truth, and truth will lead us to God, the originator of knowledge and truth. True education is to study God as He has revealed Himself in everything around us. Only the true science will study creation in light of God. Every discipline must be in the context of Him. Otherwise, His adversary, the devil, quickly turns knowledge around and eclipses the eternal One. Thinking themselves to be wise, those who study knowledge apart from God become fools. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Ps. 53:1).
“In [Christ] was life; and the life was the light of men.” (Jn. 1:4).
More than simply intellectualism, real understanding is experiential. Mental ascent only goes so far. As far and broad as intellectual research can go, it is still very shallow. True greatness and wisdom come from knowing “the only true God, and Jesus Christ” whom He has sent. (Jn. 17:3). In God is the true sunken treasure.
Real light comes through life in the soul, and that life comes from learning of Him who has loved us from the days of eternity. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3).
Love is life. Trust is life. Jesus, our conqueror and confidant, will be our Master Teacher. There is no greater. All His lessons are packed with love and righteousness. As we stick with Christ, abiding in Him, our minds gradually accustom to His ways, and righteousness becomes more and more beautiful to us. As that happens, the world opens up to our prevue and understanding. We are reconciled to Jesus, and through Him to His Father, and then to His Father’s Law, our Father’s Law.
No more worry, no more bound up by preoccupations—God has accepted this sinner, He loves me. Being justified through faith, we have peace with God. Faith is the victory. In the calm that follows reconciliation to heaven, the mind is free from the bonds of Satan—free to discover, free to experience and to understand this world, free to see even beyond the veil of earthly things.
The Spirit of God brings efficiency to the new creature in Christ. The observation skills sharpen. The judgment develops. In the light of God’s presence, we grow as calves in a stall. Everything makes so much sense now, where before was only so much sorrow and confusion.
“If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:31,32,36).
And if our body is full of light, physically and mentally and spiritually, and runneth over, then that light will have to come out of us. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, and neither can a Christian be. (Matt. 5:14).
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16).
“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.” (1Thess. 5:5).
“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1Jn. 1:7).
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Is. 8:20).
“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:22,23).
Light. What is it? I mean in terms of spiritual things. And contrariwise, darkness, what is it?
“The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Ps. 119:130).
Light in the mind is understanding. But what kind of understanding? Science? Grammar? Mathematics? Psychology? History? Any of the classical subjects? Today, they fill the mind of many people who are considered smart. Anyone who has studied these is thought to be a highly educated person.
Certainly, is it good to learn and study—if the subjects of interest glorify the God who created them all. Otherwise, we are ever learning, yet never able to come to the truth.
Truly, the greatest study is the works of God. In nature, in history throughout this great controversy between Christ and Satan, and in every other subject that exists, if righteousness and love are brought into the study we will find truth, and truth will lead us to God, the originator of knowledge and truth. True education is to study God as He has revealed Himself in everything around us. Only the true science will study creation in light of God. Every discipline must be in the context of Him. Otherwise, His adversary, the devil, quickly turns knowledge around and eclipses the eternal One. Thinking themselves to be wise, those who study knowledge apart from God become fools. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Ps. 53:1).
“In [Christ] was life; and the life was the light of men.” (Jn. 1:4).
More than simply intellectualism, real understanding is experiential. Mental ascent only goes so far. As far and broad as intellectual research can go, it is still very shallow. True greatness and wisdom come from knowing “the only true God, and Jesus Christ” whom He has sent. (Jn. 17:3). In God is the true sunken treasure.
Real light comes through life in the soul, and that life comes from learning of Him who has loved us from the days of eternity. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer. 31:3).
Love is life. Trust is life. Jesus, our conqueror and confidant, will be our Master Teacher. There is no greater. All His lessons are packed with love and righteousness. As we stick with Christ, abiding in Him, our minds gradually accustom to His ways, and righteousness becomes more and more beautiful to us. As that happens, the world opens up to our prevue and understanding. We are reconciled to Jesus, and through Him to His Father, and then to His Father’s Law, our Father’s Law.
No more worry, no more bound up by preoccupations—God has accepted this sinner, He loves me. Being justified through faith, we have peace with God. Faith is the victory. In the calm that follows reconciliation to heaven, the mind is free from the bonds of Satan—free to discover, free to experience and to understand this world, free to see even beyond the veil of earthly things.
The Spirit of God brings efficiency to the new creature in Christ. The observation skills sharpen. The judgment develops. In the light of God’s presence, we grow as calves in a stall. Everything makes so much sense now, where before was only so much sorrow and confusion.
“If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:31,32,36).
And if our body is full of light, physically and mentally and spiritually, and runneth over, then that light will have to come out of us. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid, and neither can a Christian be. (Matt. 5:14).
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16).
posted by David | 5:55 PM
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