From Darkness to Light

Coming into Light

The process in which a person becomes a Christian is compared to many things in the Bible. For example, it is likened to being “born again” (John 3:3), “justified” (Rom 5:1), “adopted” (Rom 8:15) and “redeemed” (Gal 3:13). One of the most striking pictures of believing in Jesus given in the Bible is that of coming out of darkness into light. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” “For [God] rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (1 Peter 2:9, Colossians 1:13)

The truth behind the imagery of darkness and light is that apart from a saving relationship with Jesus, we are in darkness. The metaphor of darkness implies blindness because light is necessary to see. While ministering on earth, Jesus was misunderstood by many who saw him. Some people saw Jesus as a threat and a blasphemer. Others saw Jesus as a great teacher and a prophet. However many did not see Jesus for who He really is: the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They saw with their natural eyes, but their spiritual eyes did not see Him for who He is. This is what it means to be in darkness. Jesus Himself described the state of darkness which caused many to misunderstand or reject Him: “while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13)

The shocking and sobering claim of the Bible is that this state of darkness is true for all people everywhere who have not believed God's good news of salvation. For “the god of this world [the devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Not seeing the light is equivalent to remaining in darkness. The apostle Paul tells believers that they were all in the darkness before they believed in Jesus: “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light” (Ephesians 5:8) The sun is still shining on the world by the mercy of God, but it is a planet covered in darkness. For wherever you find human beings who have not come into the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus, there you will find darkness.

The world as we know it functions by light, for without the light of the sun, life would not exist. God has given us life sustaining, natural light as a means of pointing us to Himself. For just as the sun is the source of all natural life, so the Son of God is the source of all spiritual life. His coming into this world is likened to a sunrise: “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2), and a light which “shines in the darkness” (John 1:5). The Lord Jesus Himself said that to follow Him is to have His light: “Jesus...spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.'” (John 8:12) The comparison of natural and spiritual light is further clarified: “For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Both natural light and spiritual light are entirely the work of our creator God. Just as “the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep” until God spoke and said “let there be light” (Genesis 1:2,3), so we are in darkness and cannot see the spiritual reality of Jesus Christ until God speaks into our hearts and says, “let there be light”.

Testing the Light

Coming out of darkness and into the light is essential to the Christian experience. This reality is so foundational to living the life of faith that it reveals who actually knows Jesus as their Savior and Lord. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7) It is those who walk in the light who know Jesus and have been cleansed from sin. To walk in something is to follow and live in that something. This means the Christian experience in as ongoing lifestyle, a path to be walked on. It is heading towards one destination while at the same time leaving behind another. And so it is that to walk in the light is to leave darkness behind. This is why the scripture says that those who walk in darkness while claiming to know Jesus are lying.

The Bible describes this life of light in very practical, explicit ways. For example, “The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who 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.” (1 John 2:10-11) Sincere love, especially for the family of God, is an evidence of light. An absence of love is an evidence of darkness. The question could be asked, “If I do not have a love for others, especially other believers, do I really know Jesus?” The identity of a Christian is made visible by the way we love.

Even more, the identity of a Christian is made visible by the way we repent of sin, or in other words, turn away from darkness. For “no one who is born of God practices sin, because [God's] seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:9-10) The testimony of the scriptures is that those who have come out of darkness and into light are obvious. The change in them is evident. It is not perfect, and there will surely be much need for growth and further transformation, for “if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Yet it is an internal reality that can and should be witnessed by an outward change.

The analogy of darkness and light is meant to describe a radical transformation. Any one who has gone spelunking in a cave can attest to this. After many hours spent in a dark, damp cave, leaving that darkness and stepping into the brilliant light of the sun is quite a dramatic shift. To take the analogy further, bringing it even closer to the reality of the Biblical picture, imagine a man who lived in a cave all his life, blindly groping in the darkness, until the day someone grabbed him by the hand, led him to the the exit and out into the sunshine, and he saw the sky and the meadows and the birds for the first time. The picture given to us of conversion is something like that.

Following Jesus therefore is a completely new way of living. To experience God is to be changed. That is why we are told to give ourselves a test, to see whether we have come into the light. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) We are to ask ourselves pointed questions such as: “Is there light in me? Have I experienced a shift in priorities, desires and pleasures? Is the love of Christ at work in me? Do I see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life?” The God of hope doesn't lead us to ask these questions to created doubt and discouragement in His children, but to increase our confidence and trust in Him. He wants us to have a real relationship with Him that brings us home to eternal life. This warning is in the Bible because God does not want anyone to be deceived into thinking they are destined for eternal life when in fact they never truly repented and put their faith in Jesus. Such a warning should cause us to pause and pray.

It is important to stress that the scriptures do not require some kind of morality test in which we base our confidence on religious activity or moral standards. We are not the emphasis of the test, but rather God's Spirit working in us. This is a great encouragement and relief because God is eager to give His Spirit to those who ask Him! Just as Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)

All believers in Jesus are given the amazing promise that God's Spirit dwells in them. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not you own?” (1 Corintians 6:19) It is hard to fathom a greater hope for today than God Himself filling and dwelling anyone who comes to Him through Jesus Christ. This is why transformation is expected in the Christian. Not because we ourselves possess the ability to change, not at all! Transformation is expected in the Christian because the Spirit of Almighty God dwells in the believer. He makes Himself evident by producing good fruit where He dwells, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23) However imperfect he may be, the identity of a Christian is made visible by the work of the Holy Spirit, which is Christ in us.

“For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luke 6:43-45)

Living in Light

What relevance do these realities have on the life of faith? Jesus gave His followers a shockingly significant identity: “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14) That's what Jesus called Himself! Yet He gives His disciples the same title. It means that we, as people called by God into light, are not to hide that light but boldly shine it for all to see. Simply stated, Christianity is a public faith. For “a city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) God changes people so that they will be like billboards of His grace and glory to others. He wants people to see our lives, hear our words, and say: “God is amazing.” The implications are massive, for how should we shop and talk, share and give, love and forgive in such a way that other people glorify God? That God would use our lives like this should cause us to pause and pray.

These realities also bring an exhortation to believers to keep on walking in the light. Those who have come into the light stumble at times and for this reason the scriptures tells us to continually abandon the darkness and seek transformation from the Lord. “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:12-14) “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10)

The warning and encouragement for us all is to turn away from darkness day by day and walk in the light, remembering how great a Savior we have in Jesus. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

The knowledge of light and what it implies for the Christian should also cause us to be discerning. The Lord does not want His people mistaking darkness for light. “For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:5-7) We are to discern darkness so that we will not call it Christian and will not participate in it. Similarly, the love of Christ does not tell people they are in the light when there is good reason to believe they are in darkness. The implications of this should cause us to pause and pray.

Finally, to come out of darkness and into light is a cause to worship God like never before. It is good for our souls to remember just how lost and hopeless we were before we met Jesus. A country hymn captures it well:

Just like a blind man I wandered along

Worries and fears I claimed for my own

Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight

Praise the lord I saw the light.

I saw the light I saw the light

no more darkness no more night

Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight

Praise the lord I saw the light.

(2013, April 4th)