"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5
I suppose some might say that "light" here means literal light and "darkness" means literal darkness--especially in light of the passage (no pun intended) that promises no more night when we go to our eternal home...no darkness, no pain, no sorrow. No shadows. No mysteries. No questions.
However, many describe the "light" as holiness and purity, while the "darkness" as sin and evil--depravity. I hold that our writer is both literal and symbolic in his choice of words, since the "Word" is Jesus in earlier parts of this chapter and Jesus is Life itself--I do not see Jesus as evil. Yet, life involves nothing but sin. We are sin until we have Jesus as Savior--until He regenerates our death-doom. We are darkness and we live in darkness. We are walking, talking, breathing dead people. We live in sin and are consumed by sin. In Him is light. In Him is life. In Him is purity and righteousness. There is no darkness in Christ our Lord. None.
How can there be any evil in that? How can evil ever taint such purity? Such holiness? It cannot. It is destroyed. Just as a speck is devoured as it reaches the sun, sin is devoured in the light of our Lord. Light a match in a dark room and the darkness is dispelled and the easier it is to see.
The more we have of the Light of the World, the clearer we see. The quicker we discern. The more satisfied we become. The less need we have of this world. We want less for ourselves--we want more of Jesus. The more we receive of Him, the less we want of ourselves. There is nothing that can satisfy us other than Jesus Himself. We become softer, kinder, more generous, more loving, more sacrificial, more patient, more controlled, more at peace. And ultimately, more holy.
SO, HOW CAN WE BE MORE HOLY? Is it up to us?
What specifically do we do to let His life pour forth from the temple in which His Holy Spirit dwells? selahV
RELATED POST......A Holy Voice, by John Mann /link
