In the Absence of Light

In the absence of light....there is darkness!

“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” Message

“This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Jn 3:19–21). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

There is a crisis in this world......the crisis is darkness or evil

(definition) Crisis: a time of intense difficulty or danger

The difficulty is living a holy lifestyle

The danger is that if we choose the darkness…we will taste eternal death....forever separated from God in the Lake of Fire!

Darkness is an absence of light

Throughout scripture darkness is a symbol of evil and light is a symbol of holiness or good

So.....in essence…evil is the absence of holiness or good

Also, truth exists on its own, but a lie cannot exist without truth

So too, life exists without death, but death cannot exist without life

Good can exist without evil, but evil cannot exist without good....Evil is the denial of the good

The people who fear exposure from the light are those who are doing evil.

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS! Many people don’t want their lives exposed to God’s light because they are afraid of what will be revealed or because of the demands the light places on them. They don’t particularly want to be changed. We should not be surprised when these same people are threatened by our desire to obey God and do what is right—they are afraid that the light in us may expose some of the darkness in their lives. Rather than giving in to discouragement, we must keep praying that they will come to see how much better it is to live in light than in darkness. Barton, B. B. (1993). John (p. 66). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

The person who lives in truth..

whose only object in life is to be and do what will bear the light.

Is a person who loves and “comes to the light,”...being thoroughly tested, and seen to have nothing in them but what is divinely wrought and divinely approved.

Do you strive to be a person that lives in TRUTH?

Jesus is the revelation of God and the object of divine holiness and purity.

People loved and still love darkness instead of light

they preferred and still prefer to live without brilliant, Godly purity.

The reason was and is fundamentally moral: their deeds were and are evil.

They were not and are not willing to live by the truth; they valued and still value their pride more than their integrity, their prejudice more than contrite faith.

The alternative is to do the truth......to live by the truth

‘to act faithfully’.......‘to act honourably’

“I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives.” Message

LIVING IN THE LIGHT Graciously, God does not reveal everything about us that needs changing at once. But as we move toward the light, as our lives become filled with God’s presence, we become more aware of sin as well as more aware of the benefits God brings to us. Like people in a dark room when the lights suddenly come on, it takes time for our “eyes” to grow accustomed to seeing. But as Jesus points out later in , the presence of the Holy Spirit in us will make us specially sensitive to sin and the need for continued cleansing. Once we are in the light, we must also guard against the temptation to “close our eyes tight” when God is showing us something by the light of his Word (). Barton, B. B. (1993). John (p. 66). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

To do what is true is to come to Christ, the light;

the result of coming to the light and living in the light will be clearly seen in a believers’ life.

You will know them by the fruit they bear.....

The darkness of hatred bears witness that love exists

The darkness of evil bears witness that God exists

We must not allow ourselves to focus on evil but rather always seek the Good.....the light......Christ

Darkness will one day bear witness to the Throne....and bow its knee to the Light! Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord! ( )

Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord! ( Philippians 2:10)