MORE LIGHT
Continuing on the theme of Light from the words of the Master let us begin with a understanding that we are the Light of the world when we are living and walking in the Spirit or we may say when we are in the Presence of God or dwelling in the Kingdom of God. These are all the same thing and they each enable us to bring into physical presence in this material world the Light. In the East, this is considered enlightenment. To enlighten can be defined as: To give light to; to give clearer views; to illuminate; to instruct; to enable to see or comprehend truth; as, to enlighten the mind or understanding. and in a spiritual sense To illuminate with divine knowledge, or a knowledge of the truth. (from Websters Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1828). To both the Buddhist and the Hindu the meaning of enlightenment can be seen as “a blessed state in which the individual transcends desire and suffering and attains Nirvana” (from the American Heritage Dictionary 4th edition). Now Nirvana is a state of being which should be seen as equivalent to the Christian idea of being in the Presence of God or in the Kingdom of God and is a state of total peace and understanding.
So we are enlightened by the Light which is from God, the Light which is Christ, and we are bearers of that Light as we were told by Jesus. In this enlightened state we are then also illumined. Illumined in mind and in heart and, being illumined, we are able to let our Light so shine before men.
In the last post, The Light of the World, were some of the sayings of Jesus concerning His and our nature as Light. Today we go further into the Gospel of John to review the Christ’s Light as affirmed by John in the preamble to his Gospel. We should all be familiar with the spiritual depth of this first chapter of John which concerns the very nature of Christ and of our relationship to Him.
Beginning in verse four we read: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:4-9). John is here telling us that in Christ is the Life of God and that Life is the Light of men. In other words, Christ, a part of that Holy Trinity, is an aspect of the Life of God and that Life, when brought to manifestation on Earth, is the Light of men. Now this can be a hard saying to understand but John goes further to help us to understand in the words that Christ was the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world attesting for us that the Light is indeed born in us. It is our duty and objective to let that Light shine.
In Jesus words He, the Christ, is the Light of the World and that we too are the Light of the world; now that Light is not a thing or an effect but an emanation from Spirit through the livingness of Jesus and, so too, through our livingness as Sons of God. As the Christ Light was in Jesus, so can it be in us. The more able we become to be in the Presence of God by living right and doing His word so the more able we are to possess and to display that same Christ Light. This is the nature of the indwelling Christ, the Christ within, the Inner Man… Light. The Apostle Paul says “Christ in you, the hope of glory”(Colossians 1:27) which is a testament to the Christ Light in man. It is as this Light is allowed to flourish in one’s life that we truly realize and are enlightened by that Light and truly become ourselves the Light of the world.
In one of the deepest pronouncements of Jesus, when telling Nicodemus that a man must be born again in order to enter into the Kingdom of God, he concludes with: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved . But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest , that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21). In this statement Jesus sums up all the reality of spiritual life. Light is in the world, it is in Him and in us, but men love darkness and do evil and in so hate the Light which is Christ and God. But, when we come to the Light, when we do the word of the Lord, when we dwell in His Presence and His Kingdom in daily life; when we “doeth truth” then our works are “wrought in God“. Wrought can be defined in two ways, both of which can work for this passage; first is as something formed or fitted and the second as worked, used or labored in. Works wrought in God; doing His word in righteousness and Love.
The theme of Light is found throughout all world religions and all regard enlightenment as the highest of achievements. It is this, and it brings to us the ability to follow in the commandment of the Lord when He said “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Enlightened to let our Light shine, showing those works that are wrought in God and glorifying God our Father and the God within.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
“For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;” (Hebrews 3:14). In this Quote of the Day we have a marvelous and practical definition of Faith and the ability to Believe. Steadfast until the end.
